Bhagavad-gītā 7.1

Prabhupāda:

śrī bhagavān uvāca mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṅu [Bg 7.1]

[Now hear, O son of Pṛthā [Arjuna], how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt.]

Kṛṣṅa, Bhagavān, the Supreme... Bhagavān means... Bhaga means opulence. Just like we use the word bhāgyavān. From this bhāgya, "fortune," comes from the word bhaga. So personally the Supreme Bhāgyavān, or Bhagavān... Bhagavān is never unfortunate. If somebody claims that he is Bhagavān, but Bhagavān is never unfortunate. He is always fortunate. Saṅṅām iti bhaga iṅganā [Viṣṅu Purāṅa 6.5.47].

[Full wealth, strength, fame, beauty, knowledge and renunciation—these are the six opulences of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.]

There are six kinds of opulences. Which one possesses in full, He is called Bhagavān. There is meaning.

So we have several times explained: aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ [Viṣṅu Purāṅa 6.5.47]. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, because He is the proprietor of all wealth, sarva-loka-maheśvaram, He is the proprietor of all the planets, all the universes, so who can be fortunate than Him? 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.]

If you have got one lakh shillings or one ten lakh shillings, we think we have become very rich. But Kṛṣṅa says, sarva-loka-maheśvaram: "I am the proprietor of all the planets." So who can become richer than Him? Therefore He is Bhagavān. The highest rich man, the richest person, is called Bhagavān. Nobody can claim that he is the richest. That is not possible. So one who claims that "I am the richest. Nobody is equal to Me, and nobody is greater than Me," He is Bhagavān. Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya [Bg 7.7]:

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

"Nobody is greater than Me." That is Bhagavān. Bhagavān cannot be so cheap that anyone can claim that "I am God. I am Bhagavān." That is cheating. He must prove first of all that he is the richest of everyone. Not only richest, aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya, in strength also. Vīryasya. Vīryasya yaśasaḥ, also reputation.

Now, Kṛṣṅa is, at least in this material world, in this planet, everyone knows Kṛṣṅa. Who is such a person who is so famous all over the world? Especially since we have started this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement, anywhere we go, they chant "Hare Kṛṣṅa." As soon as they us..., see us, our men, jokingly or seriously they chant "Hare Kṛṣṅa." When I was first coming to Nairobi from London, the plane stopped at Athens at twelve o'clock at night. So we got down and was in the public room, and some young men, immediately they began to chant "Hare Kṛṣṅa," at twelve o'clock. [laughter] So Kṛṣṅa is so famous at twelve o'clock in Athens even. Who is such a person within this world? This is Bhagavān. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ. Yaśaḥ mean reputation. He is so reputed. Anywhere Kṛṣṅa is known.

So yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ. Śriya, beauty. Kṛṣṅa is so beautiful, nobody can surpass Him. Kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya-viśeṣa-śobham [Bs 5.30].

[I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is adept in playing on His flute, with blooming eyes like lotus petals with head decked with peacock's feather, with the figure of beauty tinged with the hue of blue clouds, and His unique loveliness charming millions of Cupids.]

Although He is blackish, but He is so beautiful He enchants the most beautiful, Rādhārāṅī. So aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ [Viṣṅu Purāṅa 6.5.47].

[Full wealth, strength, fame, beauty, knowledge and renunciation—these are the six opulences of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.]

Śrī means beauty. He is so beautiful; therefore His name is Kṛṣṅa. On account of His beauty, He attracts everyone. Beauty attracts. So nobody can be more beautiful than Kṛṣṅa. Aiśvaryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ, and jñāna. Not only He is beautiful... Just like a flower, very beautiful to see but no good smell, no aroma—useless. So Kṛṣṅa is not only beautiful but He is the most wise. He spoke Bhagavad-gītā. Five thousand years ago He spoke. Still big, big scholars, religionists, philosophers, they are studying. This is called jñāna. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ, jñāna and vairāgya. Vairāgya means renouncement.

So Kṛṣṅa claims that He is the proprietor of all the planet, but if you think, "Where is Kṛṣṅa? Let me find out. He is the proprietor," oh, that you cannot find out. Vairāgya. Although He is the proprietor of all the planets, you won't find Him within this material world, although His authority is going on. Just like the president of your country is not to be seen everywhere, but his authority is going on. Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ [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.]

Everything is situated on Kṛṣṅa's opulence, but not that you will find Kṛṣṅa there. You will find Kṛṣṅa there when you are advanced. Otherwise you will not find. Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ. Kṛṣṅa is situated in everything, but still, you cannot see in Kṛṣṅa unless you have got eyes to see. That is Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement: to give you the eyes to see Kṛṣṅa everywhere. So how this thing can be done?

So if you are serious, then you can see Kṛṣṅa. So that Kṛṣṅa is advising in this verse in the Seventh Chapter, or throughout the whole Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṅa is instructing us how to understand Him. That is our only business. This human form of life is meant for understanding Kṛṣṅa, because we are very thickly related with Kṛṣṅa, just like father and the son. This relation cannot be broken. Maybe son is out of home, son may have forgotten, but Kṛṣṅa, the supreme father, He does not forget. He comes. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham [Bg 4.7]. So Kṛṣṅa is so kind that He has come to explain Himself, what He is. We should take advantage of it, because this human form of life is meant for understanding Kṛṣṅa. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. That is the Vedānta-sūtra. "Now you should inquire of the Absolute Truth." In the Bhāgavata also it is said, jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā yaś ceha karmabhiḥ [SB 1.2.10].

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

Jīvasya, all living entities, especially the human being, his only business is inquire about the absolute knowledge, Kṛṣṅa.

But we are missing the opportunity. Nature has given us the opportunity, possessing this human form of body after evolution, 8,300,000 [sic] different types of bodies, but there is no cultivation of this knowledge how this evolution is taking place, how many different species of life there are. We can see, but we don't see very seriously. I see there is a tree in front of my house and it is also a living entity; I am also living entity. I have got very nice house, apartment, living very comfortably, and the other living being, the tree, a few yards from me, he cannot move an inch. He has to stand up in scorching heat, in cold. He cannot protest. If you cut, he cannot cry. Of course, he feels, but he cannot do anything. This is also life and I am also life, so why these differences? But they do not consider, "How he has got this life, and how I have got this life?" There is no university education wherefrom they are coming. No knowledge. Still, they are passing on as great scientist, great philosopher. This is the position.

So our real business is to understand Kṛṣṅa. So Kṛṣṅa is explaining Himself. Then there is no difficulty. If you want to know me, you can imagine so many things: "Swāmījī may be this. Swāmījī may be that, like that, like this, like that." They are all imperfect. But if I tell you about myself openly, that "I am like this," then your knowledge is perfect. Everyone says, "There is no God." Somebody says, "God is there, but He has no form," and somebody says, "He has any form you like. Imagine any form." In this way speculation is going on all over the world. Actually they are not interested in God. That is the plain simple thing. They do not want to know God, and they think there is no need of understanding. But that is the only need—to understand God. That they do not know. Therefore they are called fools and rascals, mūḍha. Mūḍho nābhijānāti mām ebhyaḥ param avyayam. So Kṛṣṅa therefore left His instruction behind Him that "These mūḍhas, rascals, after studying Bhagavad-gītā they may understand Me. I am keeping behind Me."

So we should take advantage of Bhagavad-gītā. And even though we take advantage, we interpret in a different way. The same business is going on, how to kill Kṛṣṅa. Instead of understanding Kṛṣṅa, the endeavor is going on to kill Kṛṣṅa. Asura. Just like Kaṁsa. He was always thinking of Kṛṣṅa. His sister was pregnant, and it is foretold that "The eighth child of your sister will kill you." So he was thinking of Kṛṣṅa, that "The eighth child...," but with a purpose to kill Him. That is the business of the asuras, how to wipe out Kṛṣṅa, Kaṁsa philosophy. So we haven't got to follow Kaṁsa philosophy. We have to follow Kṛṣṅa philosophy. Then our life will be successful. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṅānuśīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā [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.]

Ānukūlyena, favorably, favorably to think of Kṛṣṅa. As 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.]

This is favorable. Kṛṣṅa never said that "Like My uncle Kaṁsa, you think of Me, how to kill Me." Kṛṣṅa does not say that. Kṛṣṅa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru. That will make your life successful.

So here also Kṛṣṅa says,

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṅu [Bg 7.1]

"My dear Arjuna, I have already explained in the Sixth Chapter that to become first-class yogī..." When Arjuna was advised by Kṛṣṅa to become yogī, haṭha-yogī... Haṭha-yogī means to train the mind how to become Kṛṣṅa conscious. The mind is disturbed always. This way, that way, mind is going, cañcala, restless. So the haṭha-yoga system is meant for persons who are too much under the bodily conception of life, that "I am this body." For them the haṭha-yoga is there so that by practicing several sitting posture, controlling the mind, controlling the senses, they can concentrate on Kṛṣṅa or Viṣṅu, the Supreme Lord. This is yoga system. This is real yoga system. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ [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.]

Who is the yogī? He is yogī who in meditation, dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā, always thinking of Kṛṣṅa by the mind. And gradually, when he is perfect in samādhi, trance, he can see Kṛṣṅa.

premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti yaṁ śyāmasundaram acintya-guṅa-svarūpaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi [Bs 5.38]

[I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is Śyāmasundara, Kṛṣṅa Himself with inconceivable innumerable attributes, whom the pure devotees see in their heart of hearts with the eye of devotion tinged with the salve of love.]

Śyāmasundara. You have come to this temple. Here is Śyāmasundara's form. You see always. Come as many times as you like. See the ārati. Hear the kīrtana. See the Deity nicely dressed. In this way the impression of God will be within your mind. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena. And when you have got this impression, if you always meditate upon Kṛṣṅa as Kṛṣṅa advises, man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ, man-manāḥ, "Always think of Me," that is the perfect yoga system.

Therefore, at the end of the Sixth Chapter Kṛṣṅa says, yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā: "Of all the yogīs..." The Kṛṣṅa and Arjuna was talking. Kṛṣṅa advised Arjuna to become a yogī, but Arjuna said that "Kṛṣṅa, it is not possible for me. Because I am a politician, I am a soldier, I cannot sit down to practice yoga superficially. My mind will be disturbed in political affairs, in state affairs." So, cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṅa pramāthi balavad dṛḍham [Bg 6.34]: "My mind is so restless, it is not possible." Then Kṛṣṅa, to encourage him, said,

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.]

"Anyone who is thinking of Me always," mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā śraddhāvān sa me yuktatamaḥ, "he is the first-class yogī."

So we are trying to make our students the first-class yogī, always think of Kṛṣṅa. This is our Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement. And Kṛṣṅa is also saying the same thing, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogam. How you can think of Kṛṣṅa always? That is not possible unless you become too much addicted. Just like if you love somebody, then you can think of him always. Artificially, if I say, "You think of Mr. John always," how you'll be possible? Artificially it is not possible. If you have got some love for Mr. John as a friend, as a lover or as somebody, or son or master or something, then you can think of Mr. John always. Otherwise it is not possible. So that thinking you can revive.

There is relationship with you, with Kṛṣṅa. So you have to revive that relationship. It is not artificial. Just like these European, American boys, Kṛṣṅa was unknown to them. They are coming from Christian, Jews. So what they had to do with the Kṛṣṅa? They had nothing to do, but why they are mad after Kṛṣṅa? They are no longer mad after anything. They have given up everything. Simply for preaching in your country they have come here. They have not come as a businessman to exploit African resources like other Europeans. They have come to distribute Kṛṣṅa consciousness. Why? Why the responsibility they have taken? Because they have learned to love Kṛṣṅa. This is the basic principle. Anyone can understand. Otherwise, do you think they are poor men? They have come here to earn some money? They are not poor men. The Americans are the richest country. Any third-class man, he earns there 400,000's rupees, any third-class man, and what to speak of the first-class man. This is America. The lowest pay to a person, whatever qualification, he has, must be at least four thousand dollars. This is their law. So how they can be poor? There is no question of poverty in America. Nobody thinks, "What shall I do next? I have no money." Money is there on the street. Go and take it and spend. So why they have come here, taking so much troubles? Because they love Kṛṣṅa, therefore they have come. This is the... Mayy āsakta. Āsakta, attached.

So we have to increase the attachment. Kṛṣṅa is already attractive, but we are trying to go away from Kṛṣṅa. This is our business. "Kṛṣṅa may not touch me." We are so clever that "Kṛṣṅa may not touch me." This is māyā. Big, big scholars, big, big politicians, they are writing comments on Kṛṣṅa's book, Bhagavad-gītā, but their aim is very acute, that "Kṛṣṅa may not touch me." This is going on. And then why they are writing on Kṛṣṅa's book? Now, that is their business. Because this book, Gītā, is very famous, so if they can distribute their nonsense philosophy through Gītā, it will be taken very easily. Otherwise they do not know Kṛṣṅa; they do not know what is Bhagavad-gītā. But they take advantage of the popularity of Bhagavad-gītā and push their nonsense philosophy through Bhagavad-gītā. The purpose is to kill Kṛṣṅa, Kaṁsa philosophy. So then, that way, they'll never get Kṛṣṅa. They'll never understand Kṛṣṅa. Kṛṣṅa says that "If you want to know Me," asaṁśayaṁ samagram, "if you want to know Me in full, completely, without any doubt, then you have to follow this yoga system," mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. Otherwise it is not possible.

So all these nonsense speculators... We use purposefully "nonsense," because they have no sense, simply speculating. God is unlimited. How you...? Your mind is limited. What you can speculate? "May be like this, may be like that," that's all. "Perhaps it is like this." All simply theoretical. It is never possible to know Kṛṣṅa, God, perfectly and completely by the speculating method. It is not possible. If you want to know Kṛṣṅa, or God—when we speak of Kṛṣṅa: God—so then Kṛṣṅa's formula must be followed, as it is said here, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. The principal factor is to become attached to Kṛṣṅa. Attached means become a lover of Kṛṣṅa. Then you can understand asaṁśayam, without any doubt. Without any doubt. Otherwise you will find there are so many hundreds of religious system all over the world. Ask anyone who are their follower, "Do you know what is God?" They'll never be able to answer clearly, because they do not know God. And if you do not know God, then what is the meaning of your religion?

Religion means to know God. 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.]

One must know God, and one must know what God desires. That is religion. Just like you must know your government, and you must know what government wants, expects from you. If you do that, then you are a good citizen. And if you don't know what is government, if you do not know what government desires, expects from you, then what is the meaning of your good citizenship? There is no meaning. Similarly, to become religious without any clear understanding of God is bogus, is cheating. That is cheating. That is not religion. Therefore Kṛṣṅa said that "If you want to know Me," asaṁśayam, "without any doubt..." God may be personal, impersonal, or this, that, but you must know it perfectly well. Don't say, "Perhaps it may be like this. Perhaps may be like this." That is imperfect knowledge. That is no knowledge. So therefore Kṛṣṅa personally says, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan. This is a yogī. This is the first-class yogī. Kṛṣṅa has explained that yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ sa me yukta... [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.]

So śraddhāvān bhajate yo mām, one who is worshiping Kṛṣṅa with śraddhā, with faith, complete faith, bhajate, and serving Him... So who is that person? A devotee. Without being a devotee, how with faith and adherence and reverence and obedience you can serve Kṛṣṅa unless you love Kṛṣṅa?

So mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha. We have got attraction for so many things in this material world. Somebody has got attraction for his family, somebody has got attraction for his wife, children, or somebody has got attraction for some sporting, or somebody has attraction for his country, so on, so on. We have got attraction. That is not a new thing. We have got attraction, but we have got attraction in different subject matter, material. So this yoga system, bhakti-yoga system, means you should be only attracted by Kṛṣṅa. That is wanted. Attraction is there. Nobody can say that "I have no attraction for anything." That is false. Everyone has got attraction. If you have nothing to be attracted, then you keep a cat and a dog to be attracted. That is the nature. Especially in the Western countries we see. He has no family, but he keeps one pet dog or pet cat because he wants to be attracted by somebody. This is nature.

So here Kṛṣṅa says that "You have got already attraction, but in false things which will not exist. You turn that attraction unto Me. Then you'll get pleasure." You are attracted to something for getting some pleasure. So that pleasure is interrupted because we have posed our attraction in some false things. You have to change that attraction to the real thing, Kṛṣṅa. Then you'll be happy. Mayy āsakta. Mayy āsakta. Mayi: "Unto Me," Kṛṣṅa says personally. If you... Attraction means you have to engage your mind. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ. Attraction does not come in the air. The mind, mind fully engaged in something, is called attraction. So this is yoga, bhakti-yoga. And this yoga has to be executed... Kṛṣṅa says, mad-āśrayaḥ: "You have to execute this yoga system, taking shelter of Me." "Me" means either Kṛṣṅa Himself or His representative. Just like Kṛṣṅa says in the Fourth Chapter, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ [Bg 4.2].

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

So you have to learn this bhakti-yoga directly under Kṛṣṅa or under the direction of Kṛṣṅa's representative. So if you do this, then asaṁśaya, without any doubt, and samagram, in completeness, mayy āsakta, asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṅu [Bg 7.1]. So Kṛṣṅa will explain, item by item, how you can increase your attraction for Kṛṣṅa. Then you will be able to execute the bhakti-yoga system under the guidance of Kṛṣṅa directly or directed by His representative. Then it will be successful.

So one of the Kṛṣṅa's representatives, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, he has defined how this attachment can be increased. He has explained, ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ [Cc Madhya 23.14-15].

[In the beginning there must be faith. Then one becomes interested in associating with pure devotees. Thereafter one is initiated by the spiritual master and executes the regulative principles under his orders. Thus one is freed from all unwanted habits and becomes firmly fixed in devotional service. Thereafter, one develops taste and attachment. This is the way of sādhana-bhakti, the execution of devotional service according to the regulative principles. Gradually emotions intensify, and finally there is an awakening of love. This is the gradual development of love of Godhead for the devotee interested in Kṛṣṅa consciousness.]

Ādau śraddhā. Just like you have come here with some śraddhā, some faith. This is required. And you have to increase this śraddhā, this faith, more and more. How it can be increased? Sādhu-saṅga [Cc Madhya 22.83],

[The root cause of devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṅa is association with advanced devotees. Even when one’s dormant love for Kṛṣṅa awakens, association with devotees is still most essential.]

to intermingle with the persons who are engaged in Kṛṣṅa consciousness. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ. Sādhu means who is a devotee of Kṛṣṅa. Otherwise he is not sādhu. Kṛṣṅa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ [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.]

That is sādhu. You cannot create sādhu unless he is devotee of Kṛṣṅa. Bhajate mām ananya-bhāk. He is sādhu. So if you want to increase your advancement in Kṛṣṅa consciousness, then you have to intermingle with the person who is sādhu, who are sādhu, mean devotees. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ. But sādhu-saṅgaḥ... Then gradually you will be inclined to execute devotional service as the sādhus are doing—chanting Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra, offering ārati, offering foodstuff, dressing, so many things. Śravaṅaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṅoḥ smaraṅaṁ pāda-sevanam arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyam... [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.]

The nine different types of methods, that is called bhajana-kriyā. And ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgo 'tha bhajana-kriyā tato 'nartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt [Cc Madhya 23.14-15]. Then anartha, all unwanted things which you have learned unfortunately, that will be finished. If you mix with, intermingle with sādhu, then you will be purified, and things which are not required at all—artificially you have learned by bad association—that will be... Anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. Nobody learns to smoke from the very birth. He has to eat something. He drinks milk, the child. He doesn't say, "Give me a cigarette," but you have learned it by bad association. This is called anartha. You have learned it, drinking tea, coffee, not from the beginning of your life but by bad association. Then this is anartha. So if you engage yourself in devotional service, then these things will disappear automatically. You'll find in our temple, we are cooking so many nice preparations. Perhaps you have tasted some of them. But we are not preparing tea or coffee or meat—nothing. These are anarthas. What is the necessity?

So anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. Then you become purified. Then you become... When anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt, when you are free from all these unwanted nonsense things—illicit sex, intoxication, gambling and meat-eating... This is anartha. Then you, being purified, then your faith in Kṛṣṅa becomes confirmed. Anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgo 'thato bhajana-kriyā anartha-nivṛttiḥ..., tato niṣṭhā. Then you become firmly fixed up: "Yes, I shall continue, Kṛṣṅa." Niṣṭhā. How this niṣṭhā, artificial? No. Ruci, taste. You cannot do without Kṛṣṅa consciousness. That is called tato niṣṭhā rucis tataḥ bhāvaḥ, "Oh, Kṛṣṅa is so exalted." sādhakānām ayaṁ premṅaḥ prādurbhāve bhavet kramaḥ [Cc Madhya 23.14-15]. This is the step-by-step increasing perfection of Kṛṣṅa consciousness. And when you are on the perfectional stage of Kṛṣṅa consciousness, then your human life is perfect. This is Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Prabhupāda. [break]

Prabhupāda: Reduce sex. Because material life means sex. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham [SB 7.9.45].

[Sex life is compared to the rubbing of two hands to relieve an itch. Gṛhamedhīs, so-called gṛhasthas who have no spiritual knowledge, think that this itching is the greatest platform of happiness, although actually it is a source of distress. The kṛpaṅas, the fools who are just the opposite of brāhmaṅas, are not satisfied by repeated sensuous enjoyment. Those who are dhīra, however, who are sober and who tolerate this itching, are not subjected to the sufferings of fools and rascals.]

In the material world, not only in the human society but also in the birds, beast, animal, insect, everywhere the sex impulse is very strong. And if you indulge in sex life, then you'll be complicated more and more in this material body. This is the law of nature. Therefore whole Vedic civilization is meant for curtailing sex life. First of all brahmacārī, no sex life. First of all training is brahmacārī, how to train him to remain without sex. That is brahmacārī. Tapasā brahmacaryeṅa [SB 6.1.13].

[To concentrate the mind, one must observe a life of celibacy and not fall down. One must undergo the austerity of voluntarily giving up sense enjoyment. One must then control the mind and senses, give charity, be truthful, clean and nonviolent, follow the regulative principles and regularly chant the holy name of the Lord. Thus a sober and faithful person who knows the religious principles is temporarily purified of all sins performed with his body, words and mind. These sins are like the dried leaves of creepers beneath a bamboo tree, which may be burned by fire although their roots remain to grow again at the first opportunity.]

Tapasya means to remain brahmacārī. This is tapasya. It is very difficult. Therefore it is called tapasya, because the whole world is attracted by sex life, puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam [SB 5.5.8], whole world—not only in this planet, every planet, even in the demigods' planet.

So our this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement means not bodily consciousness. The material world means bodily consciousness: how to keep the body in comfortable. But that is not possible. Body means misery. You cannot keep it comfortable. That is māyā. It will never be comfortable, but they are all trying to make it comfortable. This is called māyā. Kleśada āsa dehaḥ. So long you'll have a material body you'll have to suffer. So this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is not on the bodily platform. It is on the spiritual platform. To come to the spiritual platform, it is necessary that you reduce or make nil sex life. So if one remains brahmacārī throughout the whole life it becomes very easy for him to go back to home, back to Godhead. This is the secret. Therefore the whole Vedic civilization is based on first of all brahmacārī, no sex life. Gṛhastha, that is also very regulated. Only for begetting child one can have sex life, father, mother, man and woman. So dharmāviruddho kāmo 'smi. In the Bhagavad-gītā you will find Kṛṣṅa says that "Sex life which is prescribed by the religious system, that is, I am." Otherwise it is illicit sex. So illicit sex, there is punishment. These things are there.

So tapasya means tapasā brahmacaryeṅa śamena damena vā [SB 6.1.13]. You have to control. The more one controls, he becomes advanced in spiritual culture. The yoga system means yoga indriya-saṁyamaḥ. Yoga means how to control the senses. This is yoga system. And therefore Kṛṣṅa says, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha. So sex indulgence is against spiritual advancement of life. Therefore you have seen that the brahmacārīs, they go; there it becomes very easy to enter into the spiritual kingdom. So that you can do here also. If you increase your attraction for Kṛṣṅa, then naturally you lose attraction for sex. That is Kṛṣṅa consciousness. Therefore Kṛṣṅa's name is Madana-mohana. Madana means sex life. He can enchant even madana.

So these are things which the devotee will learn by studying the literature. But even without studying, if you sincerely chant Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra under regulation, everything—all good qualification—will come.

Devotee (1): Śrīla Prabhupāda, you said that if we asked the other religious sects what is God... [break]

Prabhupāda: Nothing to do with any physiological, anatomical. We have to see that we are advancing in Kṛṣṅa consciousness. So we have to eat something. We have to eat the remnants of foodstuff taken by Kṛṣṅa. Prasāde sarva-duḥkhānāṁ hānir asyopajāyate [Bg 2.65].

[For one who is so situated in the Divine consciousness, the threefold miseries of material existence exist no longer; in such a happy state, one's intelligence soon becomes steady.]

That is our policy. We do not see to the physiological, anatomical condition. That is not our business. That is automatically done.

Jñāna: Śrīla Prabhupāda, Brahmā is mentioned in Kṛṣṅa consciousness as the first living entity. And in the Bible we say the same thing, that Adam and Eve are mentioned as first living beings. Now, my question is that in Kṛṣṅa consciousness, is there any part where they mention Adam and Eve in Kṛṣṅa consciousness?

Brahmānanda: He says that according to Kṛṣṅa consciousness philosophy, the first living being was Brahmā, and in the Christian Bible it says Adam was the first man. So he wants to know if in Kṛṣṅa consciousness scriptures there is any mention of Adam.

Prabhupāda: Why you want to tally with Bible and Kṛṣṅa conscious literature? Do you think that Kṛṣṅa conscious literature has to tally with Bible? There is, that "There is first living being, Brahmā," and Brahmā was also married couple. So you can take it as Adam and Eve. That's all. [laughter] Why do you want cent per cent tally? But this nonsense theory, that there was a monkey first of all, [laughter] in Darwin's theory, and from monkey, human being has come, this is nonsense. So any other question?

Indian man (1): Swāmījī, some religions, the guru, if someone wants to be his disciple, he is being given a sort of beads by the guru himself. Is it possible to get beads through Your Worship?

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is our process. When we accept a disciple we give him beads, we give him direction.

Indian man (2): This mantra we chant for Kṛṣṅa and Rāma both, but this movement glorifies the Kṛṣṅa's pastimes and not much of Rāma.

Prabhupāda: Yes, there is... Vaiṣṅavas... Rāmāyaṅa is also approved. Rāmāyaṅa is also Vedic literature, Vālmīki Rāmāyaṅa, not any other. So we discuss Vālmīki Rāmāyaṅa. In the Bhāgavata there is discussion about Rāmacandra's activities. So we are giving Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. There is Rāmacandra's activities there. Where is Rāmacandra, which planet He is now, that is also described in the Bhāgavatam. So it is not that we are without Rāma. And our direct worshipable Rāma is Balarāma, Kṛṣṅa-Balarāma. We have opened the temple of Kṛṣṅa-Balarāma in Vṛndāvana. So Rāma is there.

Rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan nānāvatāram akarod bhuvaneṣu kintu [Bs 5.39].

[I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who manifested Himself personally as Kṛṣṅa and the different avatāras in the world in the forms of Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Vāmana, etc., as His subjective portions.]

Kṛṣṅa has got many, many incarnation. Rāma is also one of them. So when we speak of Kṛṣṅa, it means including all the incarnation—Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha—everything. Rāmādi... Therefore rāmādi, "taking Rāma as the original," mūrtiṣu, "in such forms," rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan, "He is existing." Kṛṣṅa is not alone. He is always existing with His different incarnations—Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha, Matsya, Kūrma—so many. So either you worship Kṛṣṅa or Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha, Matsya, Kūrma, anyone you can worship. We don't say that don't worship Rāma. We never say, because Rāma and Kṛṣṅa, the same. We shall... In future we have got a hope we shall start a Rāma-Lakṣmaṅa mūrti, yes, in some temple. That is our worshipable Deity. We have got in my room Lord Rāmacandra's mūrti, Sītā-Rāma. So it is not that we are neglecting worship of Rāmacandra. There is. Yes? Somebody else?

Jñāna: Śrīla Prabhupāda, Kṛṣṅa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is controller of everything, whole universe, everything. So why He is having these demigods to help Him? Because He's controller, He has got power to control whole universe, and why there are all these demigods [indistinct]? Why He can't control over this universe?

Prabhupāda: He can control everyone, but He has given little freedom that He does not interfere the freedom given to you. Otherwise, He can control. Just like in Bhagavad-gītā you will find, after explaining Bhagavad-gītā to Arjuna, He is giving the freedom to Arjuna, yathecchasi tathā kuru [Bg 18.63]: "Whatever you like, you do." He is supreme controller, He can force him to do it, but He doesn't do that. The little independence you have got, you have to utilize it favorably. Therefore Kṛṣṅa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṅaṁ vraja [Bg 18.66]: "You do this." He can forcibly make me to do that, but He doesn't do that, because He has given little independence, and He wants that voluntarily we surrender, not by force. That is wanted. Otherwise it is not that He cannot control you. He can control everyone.

Jñāna: Śrīla Prabhupāda, when we are preaching to Christian people or to Muslim people, is there advantage in being familiar with their scriptures, or simply Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam?

Prabhupāda: We are not preaching to Christian or Hindu or Muslim. We are preaching to human being. We do not see, "Here is a Christian. Here is a Muslim. Here is a Hindu. Here is a white man. Here is a black man." No. Every living being, his duty is to understand God. This is our preaching. This is our preaching, that "You are living being. You are part and parcel of Kṛṣṅa. This designation, that 'You are Hindu,' 'You are Muslim,' 'You are Christian,' 'You are this'—these are all designations. Actually you are living being, part and parcel of Kṛṣṅa. Therefore your main duty is to understand Kṛṣṅa." This is our preaching. We are not going to convert Hindu into Muslim, Muslim into Christian. No, that is not our... That is not our business. He may think that he is Christian, he is Hindu, he is Muslim, but we think that he is a spirit soul, part and parcel of God. That is stated in the Bha...:

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]]

If one is learned paṅḍita, he does not see Hindu, Muslim, Christian. I went to America. I did not go there to turn the Christian to become Hindu. No, I never said that. Did I say, any, anyone, that "You are Christian. You become a Hindu"? No, never I said. That is not my business.

Indian man (4): Just now you said we are all part and parcel of God. What would you say is God?

Prabhupāda: That we have explained, what is God. Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṅu [Bg 7.1]. You have to become God conscious. Then you will understand what is God. It is not a so trifle thing you ask me and, one minute, you understand God. That is foolishness. You have to study the science of God. God is not so cheap.

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

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

Out of many thousands of men, one wants to become perfect, and out of many millions of perfect men, one can understand God. So God is not so cheap thing. Therefore Kṛṣṅa recommends,

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṅu [Bg 7.1]

If you want to know God without any doubt, completely, then you have to adopt this yoga. So first of all come to the yoga. Then speak of God understanding. It is not so cheap thing.

Jñāna: Kṛṣṅa consciousness is the oldest teaching of God, or Kṛṣṅa.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is mayy āsakta-manāḥ. That is explained.

Jñāna: But the Gītā was written about five thousand years ago.

Prabhupāda: No. You have not read Bhagavad-gītā. Did you read? Did you read Bhagavad-gītā?

Jñāna: Yes, I read some portion.

Prabhupāda: Then why do you say like that, five thousand years?

Jñāna: All the scriptures were written five thousands ago.

Prabhupāda: Hmm? What does he say?

Jñāna: Then how come in the locational[?], archaeological and ontological records, Kṛṣṅa consciousness is not mentioned like other religions?

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṅa consciousness is always there. You are calculating with reference to your age, but Kṛṣṅa consciousness is there. In the Fourth Chapter you read, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam [Bg 4.1]:

[The Blessed Lord said: I instructed this imperishable science of yoga to the sun-god, Vivasvān, and Vivasvān instructed it to Manu, the father of mankind, and Manu in turn instructed it to Ikṣvāku.]

"I spoke this Kṛṣṅa consciousness science first of all to the sun-god." Then how do you say five thousand years? And there is reference to the Manu. And if we take the, all these advanced calculation, then it becomes that forty millions of years ago Bhagavad-gītā was spoken by Kṛṣṅa to the sun-god. Have you got forty millions' history? [laughter] You haven't got even five thousand years' even history. Your history is so imperfect. So don't bring it into historical reference. It is eternal. [end]