Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.5.3

Prabhupāda:

ye vā mayīśe kṛta-sauhṛdārthā janeṣu dehambhara-vārtikeṣu gṛheṣu jāyātmaja-rātimatsu na prīti-yuktā yāvad-arthāś ca loke [SB 5.5.3]

[Those who are interested in reviving Kṛṣṅa consciousness and increasing their love of Godhead do not like to do anything that is not related to Kṛṣṅa. They are not interested in mingling with people who are busy maintaining their bodies, eating, sleeping, mating and defending. They are not attached to their homes, although they may be householders. Nor are they attached to wives, children, friends or wealth. At the same time, they are not indifferent to the execution of their duties. Such people are interested in collecting only enough money to keep the body and soul together.]

We have described about mahat, mahat-sevāṁ, mahātmā. Mahātmā, their..., description of their quality,

mahāntas te sama-cittāḥ praśāntā vimanyavaḥ suhṛdaḥ sādhavo [SB 5.5.2]

[One can attain the path of liberation from material bondage only by rendering service to highly advanced spiritual personalities. These personalities are impersonalists and devotees. Whether one wants to merge into the Lord's existence or wants to associate with the Personality of Godhead, one should render service to the mahātmās. For those who are not interested in such activities, who associate with people fond of women and sex, the path to hell is wide open. The mahātmās are equipoised. They do not see any difference between one living entity and another. They are very peaceful and are fully engaged in devotional service. They are devoid of anger, and they work for the benefit of everyone. They do not behave in any abominable way. Such people are known as mahātmās.]

So we have tried to explain the symptoms of mahātmā. Everything should be taken from the standard śāstra. Then human society will be helped. Śāstra means which is faultless. In the general behavior, we conditioned soul, we have got four defects. One defect is that however I or you may be great by the estimation of the modern society, we commit mistake, calculation mistake. That is one defect. Another mis… Another defect is that we are sometimes illusioned—we accept something in place of something else. Just like generally we accept this body as my self. But this is illusion. I am not this body; I am spirit soul. And on the basis of this false understanding we commit so many mistakes.

So to commit mistake, to be illusioned, and imperfectness of senses. Our senses are not perfect. We are very much proud of seeing things. We say, “Can you show me?” But we do not consider that what is my seeing power. We are just now seeing one another because there is light. As soon as it will be darkness, we cannot see. So our seeing, this exercise is possible under certain conditions. Therefore it is to be concluded that we have got imperfect senses. Imperfect senses; committing mistake; being illusioned. If we try to give some knowledge, that is cheating.

So this is going on. We are accepting leaders who has got all these defects, and still we accept somebody as leader. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās [SB 7.5.31].

[Persons who are strongly entrapped by the consciousness of enjoying material life, and who have therefore accepted as their leader or guru a similar blind man attached to external sense objects, cannot understand that the goal of life is to return home, back to Godhead, and engage in the service of Lord Viṣṅu. As blind men guided by another blind man miss the right path and fall into a ditch, materially attached men led by another materially attached man are bound by the ropes of fruitive labor, which are made of very strong cords, and they continue again and again in materialistic life, suffering the threefold miseries.]

Such leadership is just like a blind man, he is leading other blind men. So then that will create disaster. Therefore our, I mean to say, verdict or decision is always defective. For example, sometime before in India there was Prohibition, and now there is encouragement of drinking. So unless we accept something standard which is correct in all circumstances, that will mislead us. Therefore our Vedānta-sūtra says that we should see through the śāstra. That is standard.

So we have discussed the standard of mahat, or mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimuktes. Sādhava, the standard of sādhu. They are generally on the renounced order of life, but there are other sādhus also, they may be not in renounced order, as gṛhastha, gṛhe tiṣṭhati, with wife and children. They are also sometimes mahātmās. That their symptoms is now being described: ye vā mayīśe kṛta-sauhṛdārthā. Their life is not for material enjoyment. Their life is dedicated to make friendship with the Supreme Lord. Mayi īśe. Īśe means "unto Me, the Supreme Lord." Because this instruction is being given here by Ṛṣabhadeva. He is incarnation of God.

So, just like Arjuna…, Arjuna is friend of Kṛṣṅa. For Kṛṣṅa’s sake he can do anything. That is called kṛta-sauhṛdārthā. For friendship of Kṛṣṅa he did everything which he was not willing to do. From his personal point of view, he was reluctant to fight with his cousin-brothers or to kill Bhīṣmadeva, Droṅācārya and big, big others, stalwart. There were teachers, grandfather, very exalted personalities. So Arjuna was not willing to fight with them. But on account of friendship with Kṛṣṅa, he did everything. He killed them. This is called kṛta-sauhṛdārthā. For to keep friendship with Kṛṣṅa he was prepared to do everything. They are called kṛta-sauhṛdārthā. His only business is to keep friendship with Kṛṣṅa, and for that purpose he can do anything.

So it doesn’t matter whether one is a sannyāsī or a gṛhastha. The point is whether he is fully devoted to Kṛṣṅa. That is the point. Caitanya Mahāprabhu also says the same thing. When He was talking with Rāmānanda Rāya… Rāmānanda Rāya was a dakṣiṅe, South Indian gentleman, and he was Governor of Madras under the sovereignty of Mahārāja Pratāparudra, but a very exalted person, gṛhastha. He was one of the best confidential devotee of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, although he was gṛhastha and Caitanya Mahāprabhu was sannyāsī. So when discussion was going on with Rāmānanda Rāya and Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Rāmānanda Rāya was feeling little hesitation, that Caitanya Mahāprabhu coming from very exalted brāhmaṅa family, and was in the sannyāsa order, great ācārya, He was asking him question, and Rāmānanda Rāya was replying. So he felt some hesitation: "Sir, I am gṛhastha; You are sannyāsī. How I can teach You?" So Caitanya Mahāprabhu said,

kibā vipra, kibā nyāsī, śūdra kene naya yei kṛṣṅa-tattva-vettā, sei ’guru’ haya [Cc Madhya 8.128]

[Whether one is a brāhmaṅa, a sannyāsī or a śūdra—regardless of what he is—he can become a spiritual master if he knows the science of Kṛṣṅa.]

"It doesn’t matter whether one is sannyasi or whether one is brāhmaṅa or śūdra. Anyone, it doesn’t matter, if he knows the science of Kṛṣṅa, he can take the place of guru." This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s direction. Yei kṛṣṅa-tattva-vettā. Kṛṣṅa-tattva-vettā means one who knows what is Kṛṣṅa. Such person can become guru. There are other statements like that, who can become guru. The sum and substance is that if one knows what is God fully, he can become God, er, guru. Otherwise not. Not that because one is brāhmaṅa or a sannyāsī, therefore he can become guru. No. One must know the science of Kṛṣṅa, kṛṣṅa-tattva-vettā. So that is not very easy thing. Kṛṣṅa says,

manuṣyāṅāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye yatatām api siddhānāṁkaścin māṁ vetti 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.]

To understand kṛṣṅa-tattva is very difficult job. Kṛṣṅa says out of many millions of persons who are aspiring to become perfect, or one who has become perfect. "Perfect" means one who has understood that he is not this body but spirit soul, ahaṁ brahmāsmi. That is the standard of perfection of human life. Everyone is working on the bodily concept of life. They have been described as imperfect, or mūḍhā. So perfection of life. And then out of the perfect, one who has attained perfection, maybe one may understand what is Kṛṣṅa: yatatām api siddhānāṁ.

So kṛṣṅa-tattva, the truth about Kṛṣṅa, is not so easy to understand. But fortunately, if we take advantage of Kṛṣṅa’s mercy… Kṛṣṅa is merciful. He has come down from Goloka Vṛndāvana, Vaikuṅṭha, spiritual world.

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

He comes. He loves us. Why not? We are His sons; why He will not love us? He is supplying all necessities, and He wants to see that we are properly trained up in religious principles.

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.]

Kṛṣṅa comes once in a day of Brahmā, after so many thousands of years. That is the scheduled time. So Kṛṣṅa is anxious to take us back to home, back to Godhead. That is His business; therefore He comes. Kṛṣṅa does not want to see us we are struggling for existence in this material world. This is unnecessary.

manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṅi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati [Bg 15.7]

We are struggling for existence, working so hard. Kṛṣṅa does not want this. Kṛṣṅa says, "Why you are working so hard, unnecessarily? You come back to Me, you live with Me, you enjoy My property and be happy." That Kṛṣṅa wants, and therefore He comes. But we are determined to work here like hogs and dogs and do not wish to go back to home, back to Godhead. This is our...

So if any person has understood the science of Kṛṣṅa and wants to keep friendship with Him, relationship with Him, friendly way… You can keep your relationship with Kṛṣṅa in so many ways. You can keep your friendship with Kṛṣṅa; you can love Kṛṣṅa as your master or as your son or as your lover. Kṛṣṅa is ready. There are twelve kinds of rasas, mellows, to establish relationship with Kṛṣṅa out of faith. Five rasas are principal, mukhara: śānta, dāsya, sakhya, vātsalya, mādhurya. And seven rasas are indirect. So one of the rasas indirect are to fight with Kṛṣṅa. Just like the demons: Kṛṣṅa makes His servitors sometimes demons to enjoy fighting. Therefore He sends His… Just like Hiraṅyakaśipu. He was, Hiraṅyakaśipu, two doormen in Vaikuṅṭha, and Kṛṣṅa desired to fight. Therefore they were sent to this material world to become staunch enemy of Kṛṣṅa. So Kṛṣṅa has got all the rasas, but the indirect rasas cannot be enjoyed in the spiritual world. Therefore sometimes He is…, comes down and creates some of His devotee as demon, and fighting is going on. That is also enjoyment for Kṛṣṅa.

So these things are to be understood very scientifically. That is called kṛṣṅa tattva-vit. Why Kṛṣṅa comes? Janma karma ca 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.]

The fighting of Kṛṣṅa is also divine. If anyone understands why Kṛṣṅa comes and fights, yo jānāti tattvataḥ tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya, he also becomes liberated soul. So when one becomes kṛṣṅa tattva-vit, fully aware of the science of Kṛṣṅa, then any circumstances, it doesn’t matter whether he is a sannyāsī or gṛhastha or śūdra or brāhmaṅa, they are situated on the transcendental platform. So such persons described here, because the recommendation is mahat-sevā. So it does not mean mahat is only to be found in..., among the sannyāsīs, or higher circle, brāhmaṅas. No. Mahat can be found in other circle also, but what is the qualification? The qualification is, ye vā mayīśe kṛta-sauhṛdārthā. His only business is to keep friendly relationship with Kṛṣṅa. That is the first qualification.

The first-class example is Arjuna. He was a military man, a politician, and gṛhastha, kṣatriya—not brāhmaṅa, not sannyāsī—but still Kṛṣṅa accepts him: sakhā ceti, "For you are My dear friend." Bhakto 'si sakhā ceti: "You are not only My devotee, you are My best friend," Kṛṣṅa says. Although he is gṛhastha, a military man, and as kṣatriya, still Kṛṣṅa accepts him that "I shall speak to you the mystery of Bhagavad-gītā, because you are My dear friend and bhakta." Bhakto 'si sakhā ceti rahasyaṁ hy etad uttamam [Bg 4.3].

[That very ancient science of the relationship with the Supreme is today told by Me to you because you are My devotee as well as My friend; therefore you can understand the transcendental mystery of this science.]

Kṛṣṅa also wants somebody friendly. It doesn't matter whether he is a sannyāsī or gṛhastha. So any gṛhastha whose only aim is how to keep friendship with Kṛṣṅa, he is also mahat, mahātmā. He also mahat. Because the recommendation, mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimuktes [SB 5.5.2]: one has to take shelter of a mahātmā and serve him with surrender, then his path of liberation will be open. So, if somebody says... I think the other day somebody was questioning that "If I cannot contact sannyāsī because I am gṛhastha, I am family man, so how my path of liberation will be open?" Yes, that is possible, provided you find amongst your society a person like this, ye va mayīśe kṛta-sauhṛdārthā. If you can find out amongst your associate a person who is only dedicated to Kṛṣṅa, you can associate with him. Then your path of liberation will be open. So that symptoms are described here, janeṣu...

ye vā mayīśe kṛta-sauhṛdārthā janeṣu dehambhara-vārtikeṣu gṛheṣu jāyātmaja-rātimatsu na prīti-yuktā... [SB 5.5.3]

Janeṣu dehambhara-vārtikeṣu. Generally people, they're interested how to maintain this body, because they are in bodily concept of life. Just like we pass through the streets, there are so many shopkeepers, and they're all decorating their shop to supply the needs of the body. Cloth shop, tailor shop, wine shop, this shop, that shop—but what are these shops? Dehambhara-vārtikeṣu, they are simply interested in maintaining this body, that's all. This is only business in the big, big cities: you'll find that business is going on, how to maintain this body. There is advertisement, "As you look just like a human being, not some...," something advertisement, that's all.

So that is going on. We..., our business at the present moment in conditioned life, nidrayā hriyate naktam. At night we sleep, and vyavāyena ca vā vayaḥ. Vyavāyena means sex. At night our business is to sleep and to indulge in sex. In this way we are wasting time, night. And daytime, divā cārthehayā rājan kuṭumba-bharaṅena vā [SB 2.1.3]. And at the daytime, we are very busy going this side, that side. Why? To get some money, divā ca artha ihayā. Desiring, "Where I shall get money? Where I shall get money?" Divā cārthehayā, and as soon as I get money, I spend it, kuṭumba-bharaṅena vā, to maintain our family. So where is time for Kṛṣṅa consciousness? There is no time, sir.

So one should not be interested in that way. Therefore it is said that dehambhara-vārtikeṣu, those who are busy only for maintenance of this body, to such person, he is not interested, na prīti-yuktā. This is the sign. He..., he may be a gṛhastha, it does not matter, but he is interested with Kṛṣṅa's business, not dehambhara-vārtikeṣu. Those who are interested with this body only, with them he has no interest. This is the sign. That is also mahātmā. Ye vā mayīśe kṛta-sauhṛdārthā. His only business is how to keep friendship with Kṛṣṅa. That is his only business. Then he is mahātmā. And so far janeṣu, people in general, who are simply interested how to maintain this body, janeṣu dehambhara-vārtikeṣu... And then what about his family? Yes, gṛheṣu, at home. Jāyā, jāyā means wife. Jāyā ātma-ja, ātma-ja means children. Gṛheṣu jāyātmaja-rātimatsu, and business about earning money, na prīti-yuktā, he's not interested. Although he is at home, he is not interested at home. Therefore generally devotees, they become very reluctant in the interest of maintaining family, children, wife. Simply as far as possible, duty. So much interested, not any more. These are the signs. If you want to find out a gṛhastha mahātmā, then he has got his family, he has got his children, he has got his wife, he has got his business, he has got to meet so many other people—but they are..., he's not at all interested. Simply behavior, official: "Yes, yes, it is all right. Yes, it is all right. What you say it is all right, but I am not interested." This is called disinterested. People are generally very much interested in these things.

So if you want to find out a mahātmā within the society, not as a renounced sannyāsī, then these are the symptoms. There are other symptoms. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma [SB 5.5.4], that we shall describe later on. These are the general symptoms of a mahātmā gṛhastha. He is not interested in this bodily concept of life, or maintaining very opulently his family members, or talking very seriously with persons who are simply materially interested, dehambhara, just to maintain this body. Of course, we require to maintain this body. He is not neglectful. There is no question of negligence. He takes care of his children, of his wife, everything—but without any attachment. That is recommended by the Gosvāmīs, that anāsaktasya viṣayān yathārham upayuñjataḥ. You give education to your children; that is required. You maintain your wife, that is also required—no negligence, but no attachment at the same time. No attachment, that I shall sacrifice everything for my wife and children and home. That is not a mahātmā's business, because he knows that he cannot improve the destiny. Everybody has got his body with certain destiny already settled up. That you cannot change. Otherwise, everyone is trying to become very rich, very important. There is no scarcity of endeavor. But not that everyone is becoming like that. That is called destiny.

So those who are believer in the śāstras, believer in the Supreme Lord, they believe in destiny also. Therefore śāstra says, tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ [SB 1.5.18]. We should try for advancing our Kṛṣṅa consciousness. That is our main business. Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido. Kovidaḥ means very expert. He should try for advancing in Kṛṣṅa consciousness, not for material advancement. This is civilization. That is, we have already discussed, nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye [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.]

If you think that "If I work very hard, then I shall improve my position," that is not possible. Your position is already fixed up. "Then shall I not try for my happiness?" Yes. That is replied in the śāstra: tal labhyate duḥkhavad anyataḥ sukham. You do not try for distress of life. Why does it come? You do not ask God, "Please give me distress." Nobody asks, but why distress comes? Similarly, if you do not pray for happiness, if you have got happiness in your destiny, it will come, as the distress comes. Tal labhyate duḥkhavad anyataḥ sukham. So don't be misled by so-called happiness and distress. It is already fixed up. Simply try for advancing in Kṛṣṅa consciousness. That is real business. Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido [SB 1.5.18].

That business can be done very perfectly well when, mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimuktes, when we associate with mahātmā. It doesn't matter whether he's a sannyāsī or gṛhastha, he must be mahātmā. Mahātmā means one who has got relationship with Kṛṣṅa. That is described in the Bhagavad..., mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ, bhajanty ananya-manaso [Bg 9.13].

[O son of Pṛthā, those who are not deluded, the great souls, are under the protection of the divine nature. They are fully engaged in devotional service because they know Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, original and inexhaustible.]

That is mahātmā. You cannot stamp anybody and become a mahātmā. No. Mahātmā's sign is, mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ, bhajanty ananya-manaso. He has no other business. Simply he has only one business: how to please Kṛṣṅa. That is mahātmā. Ānukūlyena kṛ..., just like Arjuna did. Arjuna did not like to fight. He completely denied. He set aside his arrows and bows, became very morose, and then he asked Kṛṣṅa, "I am now puzzled. You can give me instruction, what is my duty, because kārpaṅya doṣa upahata svabhāvaḥ. Actually my..., it is duty, my duty, that, uh, I am kṣatriya, and there is fight, battlefield, I should take advantage of it, but still, kārpaṅya doṣa upahata svabhāvaḥ. I am going against my nature, so I do not know what to do. Please instruct." Śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi 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.]

So actually, Arjuna was not willing to fight, because he is a Vaiṣṅava. He does not want to kill, even if he is..., even if he was put into so many difficulties. That was his attitude. So his decision was that he would not fight, but for the sake of Kṛṣṅa, when he understood that Kṛṣṅa wants this fight... Kṛṣṅa said finally, nimitta-mātraṁ bhava savya-sācin [Bg 11.33]: "Don't think that these people who have come here will go back home. They will be killed here. That is My plan. You simply become an instrument, so that you may take the credit. I shall be happy. But they are already finished. This is My plan." So when he understood that "Kṛṣṅa wants me to fight," took the credit of becoming victorious. So he doesn't care for credit, but he understood that "This is my duty, to please Kṛṣṅa." Then when Kṛṣṅa asked him, "What is your decision?" He said, "Yes, kariṣye vacanaṁ tava [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.]

I shall fight," and he fought. This is called kṛta-sauhṛdārthā. For Kṛṣṅa's sake they can do anything.

There are many other devotees also, just they..., the gopīs, for Kṛṣṅa's sake they sacrificed everything: their reputation, their family, their husband, their father, their brother. "No, Kṛṣṅa is now playing on His flute. He wants to dance with us. Let us go there." Father is asking, "Where are you going?" Brother is, "Where are you going?" "Oh, you are going to Kṛṣṅa." So this is called Kṛṣṅa consciousness. Ye vā mayīśe kṛta-sauhṛdārthā [SB 5.5.3]. One is not interested in anything else; he is only interested in Kṛṣṅa. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṅānu-śīlanam [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.]

to serve Kṛṣṅa as He desires. So as He desires... If we have no relationship with Kṛṣṅa, no connection with Kṛṣṅa, how we can understand as He desires? Yes, that we will have. Kṛṣṅa is within you, īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati [Bg 18.61].

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

As soon as you become sincere, if you are qualified to serve Kṛṣṅa, then Kṛṣṅa will dictate from within, "Do like this." Buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi taṁ yena mām upayānti te [Bg 10.10].

[To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.]

To whom? Teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam. One who is engaged in loving service of Kṛṣṅa... And Kṛṣṅa is very expert. He can understand how you want to serve Him: with a motive or without motive. When He understands, then He personally gives you dictation, "You do like this, you do like that." So that is Kṛṣṅa's friendship. Kṛṣṅa is always available. Kṛṣṅa can be seen twenty-four hours, provided you elevate to the position how to talk with Kṛṣṅa, how to see Kṛṣṅa, how to act for Kṛṣṅa. It is not very difficult.

So the symptom is described, how even a gṛhastha can become fully Kṛṣṅa conscious. The negative side is described that he's not interested with this worldly, so-called advancement of social position or advancement of economic problem. So many things they have created. These are described here. Gṛheṣu jāyātmaja-rātimatsu. Ātmaja-rātimatsu na prīti-yuktā yāvad-arthāś ca loke. Neither neglectful as far as possible, yāvat-arthāḥ, not too much overwhelmed, because after all, this is temporary. Our so-called society, friendship, love in this material world, they are all, they are called illusory, phenomenal. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya said, jagan mithyā. He says little bluntly, but actually it has no meaning, because this social condition of life is existent so long this body is there. As soon as I change my body, even in this country... We are very much fond of our country, jananī janma-bhūmiś ca svargād api garīyasī, but the country is so ungrateful. Suppose... There are many vivid examples. Mahatma Gandhi, he worked so much for his country. The result was that he was killed by his countrymen. So, just see the example.

So in this material life, you will never be able to make anyone happy by your activities. That is not possible. Neither you will be happy. Kāmādīnāṁ kati na katidhā pālitā durnideśās teṣāṁ mayi na karuṅā jātā na trapā nopaśāntiḥ [Cc Madhya 22.16].

[O my Lord, there is no limit to the unwanted orders of lusty desires. Although I have rendered them so much service, they have not shown any mercy to me. I have not been ashamed to serve them, nor have I even desired to give them up. O my Lord, O head of the Yadu dynasty, recently, however, my intelligence has been awakened, and now I am giving them up. Due to transcendental intelligence, I now refuse to obey the unwanted orders of these desires, and I now come to You to surrender myself at Your fearless lotus feet. Kindly engage me in Your personal service and save me.]

That is the intelligent, that I have served the so-called society, friendship and love just to serve my own lusty desires, that's all. Kāmādīnāṁ kati na katidhā pālitā durnideśās. Everyone is serving the so-called societies, and for his own satisfaction, sense gratification. Nobody wants to serve anyone. He wants to serve himself. That is the position, real position. So in this way, if we spoil, spoil our life... We are serving, but serving our senses, lusty desires. We have to change this mood of service to serve Kṛṣṅa. That is Kṛṣṅa consciousness. That is Kṛṣṅa consciousness. We have to serve. We cannot become master. That is not possible. As soon as you become master, you will be kicked. But that is also false position. We cannot become master; we are servant. But instead of serving Kṛṣṅa, we are serving māyā. That is our position. So we have to change this position. We, instead of serving māyā, we have to transfer our service to Kṛṣṅa. That is perfection of life.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. [break]

Prabhupāda: That is explained in Bhagavad-gītā, bhakto 'si priyo 'si [Bg 4.3]:

[That very ancient science of the relationship with the Supreme is today told by Me to you because you are My devotee as well as My friend; therefore you can understand the transcendental mystery of this science.]

"You are My dear friend, and friend, at the same time devotee." So rahasyam etad uttamam. Bhagavad-gītā is a mystery, rahasyam, and uttamam, transcendental. So without becoming a devotee of Kṛṣṅa, nobody can understand Bhagavad-gītā. The karmī, jñānī, yogī, they cannot understand Bhagavad-gītā. Otherwise, Kṛṣṅa would have instructed Bhagavad-gītā to many karmīs, jñānīs, yogīs. They were present. But He knows it well, these karmīs, jñānīs, yogīs, they cannot understand Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore He said to His devotee and friend, bhakto 'si, priyo 'si.

So in order to understand Bhagavad-gītā, one has to come to this position to become a devotee of Kṛṣṅa. It is a business between Bhagavān and bhakta. Just like, if you go to the marketplace, if some merchant is talking with some broker or somebody about business, he is talking about that business, that is concluded. Similarly, Bhagavad-gītā is spoken by Bhagavān, and it is heard by the bhakta. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā there is no other business than bhakti. There is no other business. Karma, jñāna, yoga, they are described, but with the aim to culminate in bhakti. Just like karma. Kṛṣṅa said, yat karoṣi yad aśnāsi yat tapasyasi kuruṣva tat mad-arpaṅam [Bg 9.27]: "Give it to Me." This is bhakti. So far jñānīs are concerned, Kṛṣṅa concludes, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate [Bg 7.19]. Jñānīs, after many, many births' cultivation of knowledge, when he actually begins to become a bhakta, then his perfection is there.

bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ [Bg 7.19]

[After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare.]

This is for the jñānīs. And for the karmīs, yat karoṣi. Yat karoṣi: "Whatever you do, the result you give it to Me." That means bhakti miśra karma, jñāna miśra bhakti.

And for the yogīs, He says,

yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntarātmanā 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.]

"The first-class yogī is who is always thinking of Me. He is first-class yogī." Yogī's business is to see God within the heart. That is real yogī. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yogino [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.]

Yogī's business is to see in meditation always Kṛṣṅa or Viṣṅu within the heart. That is real yogī. Dhyānāvasthita, by meditation, one has to see continually. That is called samādhi.

yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntarātmanā 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.]

He is first-class yogī. So everything is there, ending in bhakti. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā, the only talk is about bhakti, in a different way, either through karma-yoga, or jñāna-yoga, or haṭha-yoga. The point is how to become a devotee, and at the end He concludes, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṅaṁ vraja [Bg 18.66]. This is the conclusion of... So these things cannot be understood by anyone who is not a devotee. Without being devotee, you cannot understand. Therefore there are so many, the politicians, the scholars, they are commenting Bhagavad-gītā in so many ways, but they are misled. Because they are not devotee of Kṛṣṅa, they cannot poke their nose in the Bhagavad-gītā. It is not possible. So Arjuna was bhakta, therefore Bhagavad-gītā was spoken to him. Not to a yogī, not to a karmī, not to a jñānī. This is the answer.

Acyutānanda: [reading question put by audience] "Śrī Kṛṣṅa says in the end of the Gītā, sarva-dharmān parityajya [Bg 18.66], but in another place in the Gītā, twice it is mentioned, śreyān sva-dharmo, para-dharmo bhayāvahaḥ: one should perform his own duty rather than another's duty."

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Acyutānanda: "How can we..."

Prabhupāda: I may say many things to you, but when I say something directly, "Do it," your first duty is to do that. You cannot argue, "Sir, you said me like this before." No, that is not your duty. What I say now, you do it. That is obedience. You cannot argue. Of course, Kṛṣṅa never said anything contradictory, but if when one thinks foolishly that Kṛṣṅa said something contradictory, no, that is not to be. You could not understand. So "Even though you could not understand, you take My direct orders now, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām e... [Bg 18.66]. That is your business." The master says like that, and the servant's business is to accept it as it is, without any argument. That's all right.

Acyutānanda: "Are not all the poor, the miserable and the weak God? Why not worship the living God first?"

Prabhupāda: Who is living God? Who is living God? That he has not mentioned?

Acyutānanda: The poor.

Prabhupāda: Poor is God? Then why rich is not God? If you have so broad vision that you see God everywhere, so why you make distinction between poor God and rich God? Why you make distinction? If poor is God, the rich is also God. Paṅḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ [Bg 5.18]. If you have got so broader vision, then why you distinguish between poor and rich? A paṅḍita, a learned scholar,

vidyā-vinaya sampanne brāhmaṅe gavi hastini śuni caiva śva-pāke ca paṅḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ [Bg 5.18]

[The humble sage, by virtue of true knowledge, sees with equal vision a learned and gentle brāhmaṅa, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater [outcaste]]

Sama-darśī means he has no distinction. Why you should make distinction between poor and rich? That is sama-darśī. As soon as you make distinction, then your vision is imperfect. 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.]

Samata. Not that I distinguish between this particular class to another particular. That is not brahma-darśana, neither it is sama-darśana.

Acyutānanda: "You said that Lord Kṛṣṅa has many opulences, but in Chapter Thirteen, verse fifteen, He says that He is nirguṅa. How to reconcile this statement?"

Prabhupāda: What did..., does He mean by nirguṅa? That let him explain first of all. What is nirguṅa? What does he mean by nirguṅa? Nirguṅaṁ guṅa-bhoktṛ ca [Bg 13.15]. He is... Kṛṣṅa is described, nirguṅaṁ guṅa-bhoktṛ ca. He is nirguṅa, at the same time enjoyer of guṅas. What is that enjoyer of guṅa and nirguṅa? Can you explain? Nirguṅa means one who does not live under the condition of material guṅas—sattva-guṅa, rajo-guṅa, tamo-guṅa. Transcendental. That is called nirguṅa. But nirguṅa does not mean that He has no transcendental qualities. Just like Kṛṣṅa is bhakta-vatsala. That is His guṅa, but that is not material guṅa. That is spiritual guṅa. Kṛṣṅa is nirguṅa means He is not controlled by the material qualities, but He has got innumerable spiritual qualities. That is called guṅavati. So unless we understand the distinction between matter and spirit, we cannot understand what is the meaning of nirguṅa. That is not possible.

Acyutānanda: "In India, there are many svāmīs who claim themselves to be Kṛṣṅa. How to detect them?"

Prabhupāda: Hmm? Many svāmīs...?

Devotee: Claim to be Kṛṣṅa. How to detect them?

Prabhupāda: Let them prove that he is Kṛṣṅa. If you are foolish, then they will accept. If you are intelligent, then you'll ask him, "First of all lift the Govardhana Hill, then you become Kṛṣṅa. Otherwise you are rascal, I kick you on your face." [laughter] This is our version. We do not accept these rascals as Kṛṣṅa. We want to test, first of all, that you are Kṛṣṅa. Why should we accept a rascal as Kṛṣṅa unless he proves himself that he is Kṛṣṅa? Kṛṣṅa lifted Govardhana Hill when He was seven years old. What he has done that we shall accept him Kṛṣṅa? Don't be foolish. First of all let him prove that he's Kṛṣṅa. Test him. Then accept.

Acyutānanda: "Why, at the time of death, the name of God does not come to the tongue?"

Prabhupāda: Because you are not practiced. You practice to chant Hare Kṛṣṅa, at the time of death it will come. Abhyāsa-yoga-yuktena cetasā nānya-gāminā [Bg 8.8].

[He who meditates on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, his mind constantly engaged in remembering Me, undeviated from the path, he, O Pārtha [Arjuna], is sure to reach Me.]

That is advised. You practice it and you'll remember. Sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ. If you practice twenty-four hours "Kṛṣṅa, Kṛṣṅa, Kṛṣṅa," then at the time you'll chant "Kṛṣṅa, Kṛṣṅa, Kṛṣṅa." Otherwise, there is no possibility. Sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ. Yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ tyajaty ante kalevaram [Bg 8.6].

[Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, that state he will attain without fail.]

So we have to practice. That is natural. If you always think of something, at the time of death you will think like that. So if you think of Kṛṣṅa, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ nama... Therefore Kṛṣṅa adv..., mām evaiṣyasi asaṁśayaḥ [Bg 18.68]. You simply adopt these four principles: "Always think of Me, you become My devotee, and offer obeisances unto Me," man-manā bhava mad..., mad-yājī, "worship Me." You do these four things, then mām evaiṣyasi asaṁśayaḥ, "Without any doubt you are coming to Me."

So why don't you do this, four things, very easy things? Is it very difficult to constantly remember Kṛṣṅa? You can do it. You are remembering something. A mind is occupied always with something. Just practice to occupy the mind with Kṛṣṅa, that's all. Where is the difficulty? Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namas... Everything is there. You practice it. Don't [indistinct]. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṅa-padāravindayor [SB 9.4.18].

[Mahārāja Ambarīṣa always engaged his mind in meditating upon the lotus feet of Kṛṣṅa, his words in describing the glories of the Lord, his hands in cleansing the Lord's temple, and his ears in hearing the words spoken by Kṛṣṅa or about Kṛṣṅa. He engaged his eyes in seeing the Deity of Kṛṣṅa, Kṛṣṅa's temples and Kṛṣṅa's places like Mathurā and Vṛndāvana, he engaged his sense of touch in touching the bodies of the Lord's devotees, he engaged his sense of smell in smelling the fragrance of tulasī offered to the Lord, and he engaged his tongue in tasting the Lord's prasāda. He engaged his legs in walking to the holy places and temples of the Lord, his head in bowing down before the Lord, and all his desires in serving the Lord, twenty-four hours a day. Indeed, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa never desired anything for his own sense gratification. He engaged all his senses in devotional service, in various engagements related to the Lord. This is the way to increase attachment for the Lord and be completely free from all material desires.]

Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, he was a great emperor of this world, but his mind was fixed up on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṅa. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṅa-padaravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṅṭha-guṅānuvarṅane. When you talk, you will talk about Kṛṣṅa only. You practice. You always see, you see Kṛṣṅa's picture, Kṛṣṅa's Deity. You hear Kṛṣṅa's topics, Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In, in this way engage all your senses: your seeing power, your hearing power, your talking power, your eating power, your sleeping power. Everything, if you make Kṛṣṅa conscious, then generally or automatically, you'll remember at the time of death Kṛṣṅa. And as soon as you remember Kṛṣṅa, ante nārāyaṅa-smṛtiḥ [SB 2.1.6],

[The highest perfection of human life, achieved either by complete knowledge of matter and spirit, by practice of mystic powers, or by perfect discharge of occupational duty, is to remember the Personality of Godhead at the end of life.].

then your life is perfect. There is no difficulty. Simply you have to practice. Abhyāsa-yoga-yuktena cetasā nānya-gāminā [Bg 8.8].

[He who meditates on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, his mind constantly engaged in remembering Me, undeviated from the path, he, O Pārtha [Arjuna], is sure to reach Me.]

Don't allow your mind to go astray, then everything is all right. Hmm.

Acyutānanda: "When you said that everyone is destined to a particular goal, then where is the question of preaching Kṛṣṅa consciousness?"

Prabhupāda: Therefore I said, tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta ko... You should try only for Kṛṣṅa consciousness; other things are destined. That is my... You did not hear properly, that you should not try for anything else, because that is already destined. If you want success, then simply try for Kṛṣṅa consciousness. That is wanted. Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ [SB 1.5.18]. We did not try in our other life. Other than human life, we did not try it. We simply tried for eating, sleeping, mating and defending. Animal life. If you do the same thing again, and do not take to Kṛṣṅa consciousness, then you are losing your time. Therefore it is advised, you should try only for Kṛṣṅa consciousness, not for other things. They are already destined. This is the instruction.

Acyutānanda: "What would be the result if all the people became devotees of Kṛṣṅa Caitanya Mahāprabhu?"

Prabhupāda: Very good result. He is lamenting, that he doesn't want this good result that everyone will become Kṛṣṅa consciousness? Eh? There is a story in this connection that there was a haṭṭa, a fair or market. So many people came there, and one old lady began to cry, "Where shall I give them place? So many people have come here." She began to cry. Then her son said, "My mother, see in the evening. You don't worry about giving them place." So in the evening she saw everyone has gone. Similarly, in due course of nature's activities, 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.]

everything will go nicely. You haven't got to be worried. You better be worried how to develop your Kṛṣṅa consciousness. Other things will go on. And what is the harm there? If all people become Kṛṣṅa conscious and go back to home, back to Godhead, what is the harm there? Do you mean to say, to remain here in this material existence and suffer three-fold miseries, is that very good business? That will not happen. Don't be worried. Kṛṣṅa consciousness is not so cheap. Only a few fortunate people will take it. Others will remain. Don't worry. [laughter]

Acyutānanda: "How is that there are different types of religions in the world?"

Prabhupāda: There is no religion. This is manufactured religion. Real religion is to surrender to Kṛṣṅa, sarva-dharmān parityajya [Bg 18.66]. Therefore it is advised that you give up all these so-called religions, sarva-dharmān. You become surrendered to Kṛṣṅa. That is real religion. All others, cheating religion, that's all. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṅītam [SB 6.3.19].

[Real religious principles are enacted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although fully situated in the mode of goodness, even the great ṛṣis who occupy the topmost planets cannot ascertain the real religious principles, nor can the demigods or the leaders of Siddhaloka, to say nothing of the asuras, ordinary human beings, Vidyādharas and Cāraṅas.]

Just like there may be so many laws, but the real law is what is given by the government. Similarly, there may be so many so-called religious system, but the real religious system is what is spoken by God Himself. That is real.

Acyutānanda: "Do you think Kṛṣṅa consciousness will last forever? Some people accuse that you are hippies."

Prabhupāda: Some people says, "You are hippie"? So you take that. What can be done? These are all nonsense questions. [chuckles] Any other question?

Acyutānanda: "Even after repeated chanting of kṛṣṅa-nāma, I could not get solace due to family worries. May I leave the family to their fate and devote myself to become a devotee of Kṛṣṅa?"

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Devotee: He wants to know if he should leave his family and become a devotee, because...

Prabhupāda: No, we never said that. Just now we explained, ye vā mayīśe kṛta-sauhṛdārthā: you keep your intimate relationship with Kṛṣṅa, it doesn't matter whether you are in family or without family. It doesn't matter. Just like I have given already example. Arjuna, he is a family man, he is not a sannyāsī. Not only family man, a military man and politician. But he was prepared to sacrifice everything for Kṛṣṅa. That is wanted. If you do not become a family man, so what is the gain there? Or if you remain a sannyāsī, if you have no Kṛṣṅa consciousness, just like you said, "So many svāmīs, they want to become Kṛṣṅa instead of becoming devotee of Kṛṣṅa." So this kind of sannyāsī is also useless. Similarly, gṛhastha, if he's simply attached to family, that is also useless. Any condition of life, if you remain fixed-up with Kṛṣṅa consciousness, that is your perfection of life. Yei kṛṣṅa-tattva-vettā, sei 'guru' haya [Cc Madhya 8.128].

[Whether one is a brāhmaṅa, a sannyāsī or a śūdra—regardless of what he is—he can become a spiritual master if he knows the science of Kṛṣṅa.]

Anyone who is fully Kṛṣṅa conscious and fixed-up in devotional service, knowing fully well what is Kṛṣṅa, he is guru. It doesn't matter whether he is a sannyāsī or gṛhastha or brāhmaṅa and śūdra. It doesn't matter.

Is that all right? Chant Hare Kṛṣṅa.

Devotees: Jaya Prabhupāda. [end]