knowledge is the Solution

Śrīla Prabhupāda's First Talks in America (NewYork, March 1966)

by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda

tad viddhi praṅipātena paripraśnena sevayā upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ

"Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you, because he has seen the truth." [Bhagavad-gītā 4.34]

Knowledge is the solution. And for knowledge we have to go to the right person, the tattva-darśī. Tattva-darśī means "one who has actually seen or experienced the Absolute Truth." Unless we find such a person—one who has actually seen the Absolute Truth or who has experienced what the Absolute Truth is—there is very little chance for our making spiritual advancement.

So we have to find a person who is experienced in the Absolute Truth and then follow the principles stated here: praṅipātena paripraṣnena sevayā. Praṅipātena means to surrender, paripraṣnena means to inquire, and sevayā means to render service—three things. You should find a person who is self-realized, who has experience in the Absolute Truth, and then, on your part, you have to surrender to him, you have to inquire, and you have to render service. When these things are completed, there is no doubt about your spiritual salvation. If you have actually found a person who is self-realized, and if you have surrendered to him honestly, with inquiry and service, then you must know that your spiritual salvation is guaranteed. Guaranteed. There is no doubt about it.

Next Lord Kṛṣṅa says,

yaj jñātvā na punar moham evaṁ yāsyasi pāṅḍava yena bhūtāny aśeṣāṅi drakṣyasy ātmany atho mayi

"And when you have thus learned the truth, you will never again come under delusion, for you will know that all living beings are but part of Me, and that they are in Me, and are Mine." [Bg 4.35] Here Lord Kṛṣṅa says that as soon as one gets knowledge from the right person, then he never again comes into the field of delusion. The whole thing is that in the present stage of our life, we are conditioned and deluded—we do not know things as they are, and that is the cause of all our miseries.

Otherwise, constitutionally we are ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt—by nature we are jolly. In the Vedānta-sūtra you'll find that the nature of Brahman, or spirit, is ānandamaya, full of bliss. And in Brahma-saṁhitā [5.1] it is said, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṅaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ: "Kṛṣṅa is the supreme controller, and His form is composed of eternity, knowledge, and bliss." Sat, cit, ānanda. Sat means "eternity," cit means "full knowledge," and ānanda means "pleasure." This is our constitution. We are all fragmental portions of Kṛṣṅa, the Supreme Lord. Therefore, because He is eternal and full of knowledge and pleasure, we are also eternal and full of knowledge and pleasure.

Unfortunately, we have been put into contact with the material energy. Therefore, we are experiencing just the opposite. What is the opposite of sac-cid-ānanda? Sat means "eternity." So we are now just the opposite: asat. Asat means "non-eternal." This body will cease to exist. We are put into such a condition that however hard we may try to keep our youthfulness—by so many medicines, injections, and so many other things which we have invented by our advancement of material science—death is sure. Antavanta ime dehāḥ: the body must one day be finished. Therefore, there is no question of sat, eternity. And cit... cit means "knowledge." We have no knowledge. We have senses, but these are all imperfect senses. When somebody speaks about the Lord, we challenge, "Can you show me the Lord?" But we do not know that our senses are so imperfect that we can barely see even what we are daily seeing. If the light is turned off, then we cannot see each other, even in this room. So our seeing power is conditional. It is not perfect. Similarly, all our senses are imperfect. So by imperfect senses and by speculation with our imperfect mind, we cannot reach the Absolute Truth. It is not possible—not possible.

Therefore the Bhagavad-gītā says, tad viddhi praṅipātena: "If you are at all serious about understanding transcendental knowledge, then you must approach a person who has experience of the Absolute Truth." Otherwise, it is not possible for you to understand. If you think, "I shall realize the Absolute Truth by mental speculation," it is not possible, because you are fortified with only imperfections. Your senses cannot approach the Absolute Truth, or Brahman. Therefore it is said, avāṅ-mānasa-gocaraḥ: "Brahman is beyond mental speculation." In fact, one name of the Supreme Lord is Adhokṣaja. Adhokṣaja means "the one by whom our material senses are defeated." Our material senses are defeated in every respect. So it is not possible to realize the Absolute Truth if we do not find a person who is a realized soul, who is absolute, who has understood.

In India, generally the brāhmaṅas [saintly intellectuals) are expected to be the spiritual masters, because brāhmaṅa means "he who has sufficient knowledge in the transcendental science" (brahma jānātīti brāhmaṅaḥ). That is a brāhmaṅa. Now, due to this modern age, Kali-yuga [the age of quarrel and hypocrisy], it is very difficult to find a qualified brāhmaṅa. Therefore, it is also very difficult to find a qualified spiritual master. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu [the incarnation of God for this age] has recommended,

kibrā viprā, kiba nyāsī, śūdra kene naya yei kṛṣṅa-tattva-vettā sei 'guru' haya

"Never mind whether one is a brāhmaṅa or a śūdra [a workingman] or a sannyāsī [a renounced monk] or a householder. Never mind what he is, that doesn't matter. If he knows the science of Kṛṣṅa, then he is a bona fide spiritual master." [Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.128]

So here in the Bhagavad-gītā is the science of Kṛṣṅa. Every one of you should study Bhagavad-gītā very scrutinizingly, with all your arguments, with all your sense, with all your philosophical knowledge. As it is said here, tad viddhi praṅipātena paripraṣnena: it is not that you have to submit yourself blindly. Although your spiritual master may be self-realized and experienced in the Absolute Truth, still you have to question him. You have to understand from him all critical points by your intelligent questions. That is allowed.

So it doesn't matter where he's born or what he is—whether he's a brāhmaṅa or a śūdra or an American or an Indian or whatever. Never mind. When you go to a doctor, a medical practitioner, you do not ask, "Well, Doctor, are you American or Indian? Are you a brāhmaṅa? Are you a Jew? Are you a Christian?" No. If he has the qualifications of a medical man, you surrender: "Doctor, treat me. I am suffering." There is no question. Similarly, if you find someone who has the qualifications of-a spiritual master, you can accept him as a spiritual master and surrender to him.

You'll be surprised that Lord Caitanya's principal disciples were all so-called fallen men in society. He appointed one Haridāsa Ṭhākura as nāmācārya. (Nāmācārya means "the prime minister, or the authority, in chanting the Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra.") This Haridāsa Ṭhākura was a Muhammadan. He happened to take his birth in a Muhammadan family, but he became a follower of Lord Caitanya. And after training him, Caitanya Mahāprabhu gave him the highest post in His spiritual mission.

Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared in this world to introduce the system of chanting the holy names of God: Hare Kṛṣṅa, Hare Kṛṣṅa, Kṛṣṅa Kṛṣṅa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. And Haridāsa Ṭhākura, who happened to be a Muhammadan, became so enlightened that Caitanya Mahāprabhu appointed him the supreme minister for administering this Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra. Haridāsa was made the authority, the nāmācārya. So there is nothing barring anyone from becoming a spiritual master. Everyone can become a spiritual master, provided he knows the science of Kṛṣṅa. And that is very reasonable. If you do not know the subject matter, how can you be a teacher? A teacher is he who knows the science.

So Kṛṣṅa says to Arjuna and to all the human race, yaj jñātvā na punar moham: "By understanding this science, you will not be illusioned." Because Arjuna was illusioned, he was not prepared to fight. So this Bhagavad-gītā instruction was given to Arjuna. Here Kṛṣṅa says, "If you actually undergo the training under an experienced, bona tide spiritual master, then you will not succumb to the illusory energy."

Then Kṛṣṅa says,

api ced asi pāpebhyaḥ sarvebhyaḥ pāpa-kṛttamaḥ sarvaṁ jñāna-plavenaiva vṛjinaṁ santariṣyasi

"Even if you are considered to be the most sinful of all sinners, when you are situated in the boat of transcendental knowledge, you will be able to cross over the ocean of miseries." [Bg 4.36] Now, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṅa says we are in the midst of the ocean of ignorance. This life, this conditioned life in the material world, is just like an ocean of ignorance. Lord Caitanya therefore prays to Śrī Kṛṣṅa like this: ayi nanda-tanuja kiṅkaraṁ patitaṁ māṁ viṣame bhavāmbudhau—"My dear Lord Kṛṣṅa, I have fallen in the ocean of ignorance." So, we are in the ocean of ignorance. Now, if you have a very good ship, you can very easily cross the Atlantic Ocean without any difficulty. Similarly, if we have the ship or the boat of perfect knowledge, then there is no fear. We can cross the ocean of ignorance very easily.

Now, here Kṛṣṅa says, api ced asi pāpebhyaḥ sarvebhyaḥ pāpa-kṛttamaḥ: a person may be the most sinful man, the supermost sinful man, but if he gets this knowledge of the Kṛṣṅa science, then he can cross over the ocean of ignorance very easily. This means that it does not matter what our past life was. Any Vedic literature, especially Bhagavad-gītā, does not take into account what you were in the past—that doesn't matter. Because we are in ignorance, we might have done so many things which are not approved, which are not virtuous. That is quite possible. Every one of us is subjected to suffering, because due to ignorance we do so many sinful things. Nobody can say, "I am free from any sinful activities." Nobody can say that. But that doesn't matter, because Lord Śrī Kṛṣṅa says, api ced asi pāpebhyaḥ sarvebhyaḥ pāpa-kṛttamaḥ: "Even if one is the most sinful man, when he understands the Kṛṣṅa science, he's free." He's free, and he can cross over the material ocean of ignorance very easily.

How is it possible? In the next verse [Bg 4.37], Kṛṣṅa gives a very nice example:

yathaidhāṁsi samiddho ’gnir bhasma-sāt kurute ’rjuna jñānāgniḥ sarva-karmāṅi bhasma-sāt kurute tathā

"As the blazing fire turns firewood to ashes, O Arjuna, so does the fire of knowledge burn to ashes all reactions to material activities." Whatever you put in a fire, the fire will go on burning. It will burn everything to ashes. Never mind whether it is wood or some dirty thing, the fire will turn it into ashes. Similarly, if you get this Kṛṣṅa science, if you understand this Kṛṣṅa science, then all your reactions to your sinful activities-whatever you might have done in the past—will all be burned to ashes. Burned to ashes.

In the next verse [Bg 4.38], Kṛṣṅa says,

na hi jñānena sadṛśaṁ pavitram iha vidyate tat svayaṁ yoga-saṁsiddhaḥ kālenātmani vindati

"In this world there is nothing so sublime and pure as transcendental knowledge. Such knowledge is the mature fruit of all mysticism. And one who has achieved this enjoys the self within himself in due course of time."

Therefore, we must seek knowledge. And the perfection of knowledge, as we have several times explained in these meetings, is to understand Kṛṣṅa. That's all. In the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā, you'll find, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate: "After culturing knowledge for many, many births, one comes to Kṛṣṅa, and he understands that Vāsudeva [Kṛṣṅa] is everything." Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ: "Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṅa, is everything, the cause of all causes." He's the cause of all causes. Always remember that when I speak of Kṛṣṅa, I am speaking of God—God is the cause of all causes.

Now, these days the idea of communism is becoming very prominent. So, in the Kṛṣṅa science there is a very nice conception of spiritual communism. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam you'll find that there was once a discussion between Nārada [a great devotee-sage] and Yudhiṣṭhira [a great devotee-king]. Nārada was explaining that in this inuinlyyteil material world—whether on the higher planets or on this planet or in outer space—whatever wonderful things and material resources there are, they are all manufactured by the Supreme Lord. Just try to understand. Nothing in this world is done by any human being. Everything is done by God. Nobody can deny it. Atmāvāsyām idaṁ sarvam: "Everything in existence is owned and controlled by the Supreme Lord." Therefore, all living entities—from the ant on up to Brahmā, the highest human being, or the highest demigod—all of them have the right to use the material resources.

Now, Nārada says that you can use all these material resources, as much as you require, but if you want more- if you take more, men you'll become a thief, and you are punishable. Just see the idea of spiritual communism! Everything in the universe (on this planet or on other planets), belongs to God. Now people are trying to go to the moon. The Russians are trying to put their flag first on the moon, so that they'll conquer. It is just like when you Americans first came from Europe. You conquered this tract of land, America, and you put up your flag. So now people are trying to go to the moon. But this putting up a flag is ignorance. Why are you putting up your flag? It is not your property; it is God's property. This is knowledge. But if I think, "It is my property, so I must put my flag here," that is ignorance.

In this morning's lecture I gave another example. If you throw some bags of grain in the street, many pigeons will come, but each pigeon will pick up only four, five, six, eight, ten grains—and then go away. He will not take even one grain more than he needs. As soon as he's satisfied to his heart's content—"Oh, I am full"—he'll go away. He'll not stock any grain. And this is natural. But if we put a hundred bags of flour on the street, and if we ask people to come and take, then somebody will take ten bags, somebody will take fifteen bags, somebody will take thirty bags, and somebody will not take any bags, because he's weak and cannot. So the distribution will not be equal. That is our advancement of civilization. The knowledge which the pigeons, the cats, and the dogs have, we are lacking. What is that knowledge? That the whole thing belongs to the Supreme Lord and that we can accept whatever we need—but not more than that. This is knowledge.

When everyone understands this knowledge, there will be no difficulty. The whole world is made by the Lord's arrangement, so that you will have no scarcity. Everything is sufficient. There will be no scarcity, provided you know the distribution process. Now there is a fallacy in the distribution process. One is taking more, and another is starving. Therefore, the starving people are making a protest: "Why shall we starve?" But their knowledge is also defective. Here is the perfect knowledge; atmāvāsyām idaṁ sarvam—we have to understand that everything is God's property, not our property. Then we can use things which are available as nature's products. Suppose there is an iron ore mine. So, whatever iron ore one requires, he can take. But if somebody makes the iron ore mine his own property, then according to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam he becomes a thief. Then he's punishable, because the mine is God's property. Nobody can create the iron ore mine. We cannot create anything—we can simply transform things.

Suppose you are a worker or a laborer. You may manufacture a very nice table, but the ingredients—the wood, the iron, the instruments—they are supplied by God. You cannot manufacture iron. You cannot manufacture wood. So why do you claim that the table is yours'' This is ignorance. So by the culture of the Kṛṣṅa science, when you understand the Kṛṣṅa science, then you become free from this ignorance.

We are suffering due to ignorance. It is just as if we were in a law court. Ignorance is no excuse in the law court. Suppose you have done something wrong. If you say to the judge, "I did not know, sir, that this is the law," that is no excuse. You'll be punished, Now, in the śāstra, in the Vedic literature, it is said that everything belongs to God, everything is manufactured by God. So everyone has a right—not only human beings, even the animals—everyone has a right to live and use things, as much as he requires. But if he stocks more, if he acquires more, he becomes a thief. And he's punishable. Now, suppose I say, "Oh, I do not know this law, therefore, I have accumulated so many things." That ignorance does not mean that you'll not be punished. You will be punished,

Therefore, we have to know the Kṛṣṅa science. Now, people of the modern age are lacking this knowledge. That is why we have formed this international society, and we invite all sincere souls to take part in the society and teach this science all over the world.