Bhagavad-gītā 7.7 [with Translator]

[translated throughout]

Prabhupāda: So śrī-bhagavān uvāca means the supreme authority. 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.]

If you learn from the supreme authority without any deficiency, then the knowledge is perfect. Ordinary person, they have got four deficiencies: they commit mistake, they are illusioned, their senses are imperfect, and with imperfect knowledge they try to speak—that is cheating. Therefore we have to receive knowledge from the person who knows past, present and future. So the best personality—there are so many others—Kṛṣṅa and His representative. Both of them are perfect because Kṛṣṅa is perfect, there is no doubt, and one who speaks according to Kṛṣṅa, he is also perfect. A human being or a living being is not expected to become as perfect as Kṛṣṅa. That is not possible. Therefore, if a person sticks to the instruction of Kṛṣṅa, does not make any addition and alteration, he is also perfect.

Unfortunately, at the present moment especially... It was done formerly also five thousand years, that they make addition and alteration on the version of Kṛṣṅa. Just like Bhagavad-gītā is misinterpreted by so-called scholars and politicians. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ [Bg 1.1].

[Dhṛtarāṣṭra said: O Sañjaya, after assembling in the place of pilgrimage at Kurukṣetra, what did my sons and the sons of Pāṅḍu do, being desirous to fight?]

Somebody interprets, "This dharma-kṣetra is this body." Why? Why one should interpret in that way? Interpretation is required when things are not very clear. Dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre is still there. People go to Kurukṣetra for executing religious rituals. And in the Vedas it is stated, kuru-kṣetre dharmam ācaret. So why it should be interpreted as "body"? And where is the dictionary where dharma-kṣetra means "body"? So in this way, if we interpret Bhagavad-gītā, then we spoil the whole thing. I spoil myself and spoil others. Therefore the conclusion is we shall accept Bhagavad-gītā as it is, as it is spoken by Kṛṣṅa.

So here the bhagavān uvāca, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is speaking. So we shall take it without any interpretation. The Bhagavān says, mayy āsakta-manāḥ.

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

So Bhagavān says, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the supreme authority, says that "You require to transfer your āsakti, attachment, to Me." Everyone has got āsakti. Āśakti means attachment, this material attachment. Someone has got attachment for his family, some to society, some to nation, some in business and so many things. Āśakti is there. But to make your life perfect, you have to transfer the āsakti to Kṛṣṅa. In the Western countries, I have seen, most of them, they have got no family, no āsakti family, but because the āsakti is there, every one of them keeps a dog. So they are accustomed to place their āsakti to cats and dogs. That means āsakti cannot be finished. That is not possible.

So you haven't got to learn what is āsakti. Āśakti is there. Everyone has got experience. Simply that āsakti, that tendency of attachment, should be transferred to Kṛṣṅa. That is Vṛndāvana life. In Vṛndāvana the center of āsakti is Kṛṣṅa. There is Nanda Mahārāja, Yaśodā—they have āsakti to Kṛṣṅa. The young girls, they have got āsakti to Kṛṣṅa. The cowherd boys, they have got āsakti to Kṛṣṅa. The trees, they have got āsakti to Kṛṣṅa. The fruits, flowers, they have got āsakti to Kṛṣṅa. The water, Yamunā River, the āsakti to Kṛṣṅa. So if we make our central point of āsakti, then you can create Vṛndāvana everywhere. So this is the success of life. We have to change the āsakti to Kṛṣṅa. That is the highest form of mystic yoga. Kṛṣṅa has already explained in the previous verse,

yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gata antarātmanā 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.]

Aneka yogīs... There are many yogīs, many form of yoga practice, mystic, but the yogī who is always thinking of Kṛṣṅa, he is first-class yogī.

So our this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement means to educate people how to become attached to Kṛṣṅa. But if one does not know what is Kṛṣṅa, there is no question of increasing his āsakti for Kṛṣṅa. So to understand Kṛṣṅa, Kṛṣṅa personally appears to draw our attention to Kṛṣṅa. When we forget our āsakti, that is material life. Forget our āsakti for Kṛṣṅa, that is our material life, or we struggle for existence in the material life. That is said by Kṛṣṅa: yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham [Bg 4.7]. This dharmasya glāni, deviation from the occupational duty... Dharma means occupational duty. Then Kṛṣṅa, out of His causeless mercy, He appears to teach us how to divert your attention and āsakti to Kṛṣṅa. So dharmasya glāni, deviation in the path of religious system, means to forget our eternal relationship with Kṛṣṅa. Therefore Kṛṣṅa ultimately, at the end of the Bhagavad-gītā, He says, as the Supreme Person, He orders, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṅaṁ vraja [Bg 18.66]. Therefore He did not come to establish the so-called Hindu dharma or Mussulman dharma or Christian dharma, this dharma or that. He came to establish the real dharma, that is, to surrender to Kṛṣṅa.

So Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is establishing also in the beginning, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo atra [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.]

In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam the so-called cheating ways and cheating type of dharmas are kicked out, projjhita, thrown away. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is explaining what is real dharma as it is established by Kṛṣṅa, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṅaṁ vraja [Bg 18.66]. According to dharma-śāstra, material dharma-śāstra, it is said, dharma artha kāma mokṣa [SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90],

[Any person who desires the fruits of the four principles religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and, at the end, liberation, should engage himself in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for worship of His lotus feet yields the fulfillment of all of these.]

up to mokṣa. In this connection Śrīdhara Swami, the great commentator of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, he says, atra mokṣa-vāñchā api nirasta: "In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam there is no chance or opportunity for thinking of so-called liberation." The purpose is that if one fully surrenders to Kṛṣṅa, he immediately becomes liberated. The Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura, he says, muktiḥ mukulitāñjali sevate asmān. Why... For a devotee, why he should be anxious for mukti, because mukti is always standing on his door to give him service, mukulitāñjali-sevā, with folded hands. So a devotee hasn't got to endeavor separately for mukti. As soon as he is engaged in devotional service, mukti is already there. Just like if a person becomes rich man, automatically his poverty is gone away. So a rich man does not require to endeavor separately to drive away poverty. So therefore the central point is, Kṛṣṅa is advising here, "Just increase your āsakti, attachment, for Me. Then everything will come."

So He recommends, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. This word mad-āśrayaḥ is very important, because you cannot increase your attachment for Kṛṣṅa without being mad-āśrayaḥ. Mad-āśrayaḥ means to be directly under the direction of Kṛṣṅa or to be directly under the direction of somebody who has taken shelter of Kṛṣṅa. Therefore He recommends mad-āśrayaḥ. You cannot execute the yoga system, devotional service, bhakti-yoga, without being under the control of somebody who is under the control of Kṛṣṅa. Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī has recommended therefore, yad upāśrayāśrayā. One has to take shelter of a pure devotee; then he becomes purified. Yad upāśraya... Upāśraya means to take shelter of a pure devotee. And in that case,

kirāta-hūṅāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ ye 'nye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ śudhyanti prabhaviṣṅave namaḥ [SB 2.4.18]

So not only those who are highly elevated brāhmaṅa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra... Śūdras... Less than śūdra, they are called kirāta, hūṅa, āndhra, pulinda, pulkaśā, ābhīra, yavanāḥ, khasādayaḥ. They also can be purified if they take shelter of a pure devotee. Kṛṣṅa also says in the Bhagavad-gītā, māṁ ca...,

māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ striya vaiśyās tathā śūdrās te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim [Bg 9.32]

[O son of Pṛthā, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth—women, vaiśyas [merchants], as well as śūdras [workers]—can approach the supreme destination.]

Means that "Anyone, even if he is born in the pāpa-yoni, the pāpa-yoni, kirāta, hūṅa, if he takes shelter of Me, then he also gets the supreme perfection," te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim. Now it is the duty of a devotee of Kṛṣṅa to expand this progressive march toward devotional service. Otherwise, how the pāpa-yoni will learn? This is para upakāra. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission,

bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya janma haila yāra janma sārthaka kari kara para-upakāra [Cc Ādi 9.41]

[One who has taken his birth as a human being in the land of India [Bhārata-varṣa] should make his life successful and work for the benefit of all other people.]

That every Indian who has taken birth in India as a human being, he should first of all make his life successful by understanding Kṛṣṅa, and then he must preach outside to render service to others as welfare activities.

So Kṛṣṅa appeared as Caitanya Mahāprabhu to teach us practically how to preach Kṛṣṅa consciousness and how to deliver persons from the pāpa-yoni. Śrī Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, a ācārya of the Gauḍīya sampradāya, he says in his song, śrī-nanda-nandana yei..., nanda-suta haila yei, śacī-suta haila sei. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He appeared as the son of Mother Śacī. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura sings, "The same Personality of Godhead who appeared as the son of Mahārāja Nanda," nanda-suta haila yei, śacī-suta haila sei, "He has now appeared as the son of Mother Śacī." And balarāma haila nitāi: "And the same Balarāma has appeared as Nityānanda prabhu." Now, what is Their business? That is described: pāpī tāpī yata chilo, hari-nāme uddhārilo. So pāpī tāpī yata chilo, harinām..., ta'ra sākṣī jagāi and mādhāi. Then he is giving evidence how the pāpī and tāpīs are delivered. "Here is the example of Jagāi-Mādhāi." This Jagāi-Mādhāi, they took birth in a good brāhmaṅa family, but by bad association they became drunkard, thief, woman-hunter and so on, so on. But they were also delivered by Caitanya Mahāprabhu to become first-class Vaiṣṅava.

So our aim should be how to increase our attachment. The attachment is there. It is not artificial. It is said in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta that,

nitya-siddha kṛṣṅa-bhakti sādhya kabhu naya śravaṅādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya [Cc Madhya 22.107]

[Pure love for Kṛṣṅa is eternally established in the hearts of the living entities. It is not something to be gained from another source. When the heart is purified by hearing and chanting, this love naturally awakens.]

The Kṛṣṅa bhakti, attachment for Kṛṣṅa, is quite natural. It is already there. Simply it has to be awakened.

nitya-siddha kṛṣṅa-bhakti sādhya kabhu naya śravaṅādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya

If you engage yourself to hear about Kṛṣṅa, then your heart will be purified and your original Kṛṣṅa consciousness will be awakened. For this purpose Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu also advises, paraṁ vijāyate śrī-kṛṣṅa-saṅkīrtanam: "All glories to the saṅkīrtana movement," because simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra, everything will automatically come in. The complete instruction of Caitanya Mahāprabhu is,

ceto-darpaṅa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṅaṁ śreyaḥ-kairava-candrikā-vitaraṅaṁ vidyā-vadhū-jīvanam ānandāmbudhi-vardhanaṁ prati-padaṁ pūrṅāmṛtāsvādanaṁ paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṅa-saṅkīrtanam [Cc Antya 20.12]

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

So the saṅkīrtana movement, Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement, the more you chant Hare Kṛṣṅa mahā-mantra, your, the heart disease, material enjoyment, that will decrease, and then you will understand what is your position and you will be gradually attracted by Kṛṣṅa. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt [SB 11.2.42].

[Devotion, direct experience of the Supreme Lord, and detachment from other things—these three occur simultaneously for one who has taken shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in the same way that pleasure, nourishment and relief from hunger come simultaneously and increasingly, with each bite, for a person engaged in eating.]

This is the test of bhakti, that if you engage yourself twenty-four hours in devotional service, then immediately you become liberated. Bhaktiḥ pareśā... Liberation means to become detestful to material enjoyment.

So Kṛṣṅa attachment is so nice that... Dhruva Mahārāja, he was in the beginning attracted by material enjoyment. He wanted a kingdom more than his father, and he went to the forest for meeting the Supreme Personality of Godhead to get this benediction. So Dhruva Mahārāja actually when he saw the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he refused to accept any benediction. Svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce [Cc Madhya 22.42].

[[When he was being blessed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Dhruva Mahārāja said:] ’O my Lord, because I was seeking an opulent material position, I was performing severe types of penance and austerity. Now I have gotten You, who are very difficult for the great demigods, saintly persons and kings to attain. I was searching after a piece of glass, but instead I have found a most valuable jewel. Therefore I am so satisfied that I do not wish to ask any benediction from You.]

This is the benefit of Kṛṣṅa āsakti. If you actually become attached to Kṛṣṅa, then you'll think yourself completely filled up. There is no more asking for any material benefit. Therefore in the śāstra it is recommended,

akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā mokṣa-kāma udāra-dhīḥ tīvreṅa bhakti-yogena yajeta paramaṁ puruṣa [SB 2.3.10]

Even if you have got material desires, sarva-kāma, still you be attached to Kṛṣṅa so your material aspiration will be fulfilled; at the same time, you'll get Kṛṣṅa. When Dhruva Mahārāja refused to take any benediction, Lord Viṣṅu informed him that "Don't bother. You had some desire for material fulfillment, so there is Dhruvaloka. You enjoy, and after your life is finished, you'll come to Vaikuṅṭha."

So Kṛṣṅa is so nice, so liberal, that if you have got a little tinge of aspiration He will fulfill you, and at the same time, you'll go back to home, back to Godhead. Therefore it is recommended, yajeta paramaṁ puruṣa. If you have got some material desire, still you worship Kṛṣṅa. He'll fulfill; at the same time, you will be able to go back to home, back to Godhead. Kṛṣṅa is all-powerful, almighty, with full with six opulences. So if you have got any material desire, that also Kṛṣṅa can fulfill. But you stick to Kṛṣṅa so that your āsakti will be increased. If you divert your attention to other demigods, then this āsakti will fail. Therefore for a devotee who sticks his faith in Kṛṣṅa, he has no chance for worshiping other demigods. The Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, anya devāśraya nāi, tomāre kahinu bhāi, ei parama bhakti karaṅa. For a devotee of Kṛṣṅa there is no scope for worshiping other deity, because that will not help him to increase his attachment for Kṛṣṅa. But if we want our āsakti, attachment, to increase for Kṛṣṅa, then absolute...

anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy anāvṛtam ānukūlyena kṛṣṅānu- śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā [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 have to give up all other material desires, simply stick to Kṛṣṅa to serve Him, always ready to serve Him. 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.]

Just like Arjuna. He was ready to serve Kṛṣṅa. Similarly, everyone should be ready to serve Kṛṣṅa. That is the perfection of life.

So one has to execute this process of devotional service, as Kṛṣṅa said, mad-āśraya: "Take shelter of Me or My devotee." Now, at the present moment, in the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṅa is personally instructing, so let us take shelter of His personal instruction and make our life successful. And not only he becomes a devotee, but a pure devotee understands Kṛṣṅa as it is said here, asaṁśayaṁ samagram, not partially but fully. It is, of course, not possible to understand Kṛṣṅa fully. Still, almost fully a devotee can understand Kṛṣṅa. That is also confirmed in the last paragraph, last chapter,

bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā viśate tad-anantaram [Bg 18.55]

[One can understand the Supreme Personality as He is only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of the Supreme Lord by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God.]

So if we want to go back to home, back to Godhead, then we must increase our attachment for Kṛṣṅa, and by that process we can understand Kṛṣṅa, what He is. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti [Bg 18.55]. Then our door to go back to home, back to Godhead, is clear. The conclusion is, therefore, that we should take to the bhakti process as it is enunciated in authoritative śāstra, by Kṛṣṅa, by the ācāryas. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṅaṁ vraja [Bg 18.66]. That is the way, only, for our perfection of life.

Thank you very much. [end]