Knowing Krishna

You can't understand Krishna by speculation; that is not possible, because your senses are imperfect. But if you begin this process of service, then it will be possible-one day Krishna will reveal to you: "I am like this," just as Krishna is revealing to Arjuna. Arjuna is a devotee, and he is submissive, and he is in contact with Krishna as a friend. Therefore Krishna is revealing to him.

The Bhagavad-gita was spoken to Arjuna-not to any Vedantist philosophical speculator. In the beginning of the Fourth Chapter, you will note that Krishna says, "I am speaking to you that ancient system of Yoga." It is stated, "Unto you." Arjuna was a Kshatriya, a fighter. He was a householder, not even a Sannyasi, not a renouncer-but these are no qualifications to understand Krishna. Then what is the qualification? This: "One who has developed the service spirit, with love and devotion, can understand Me." No other. Not Dr. Radhakrishnan or similar great learned persons; but a child can understand Krishna, if he has full faith in Him. So faith and devotion qualify one.

Simply by such faith and service you will understand that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Just as the writer is preaching Krishna Consciousness: he is not wasting your time or his own, because he is in full faith that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Theoretically or practically, you should accept Krishna, that He is the Supreme Person. Theoretically, there is the revealed scripture. You will understand from the Vedic literature, from the great devotees in the past and in the present.

For the present, there is Lord Chaitanya. Lord Chaitanya is the great authority. None is greater. He was mad after Krishna. And then, after Him, His six disciples, the Goswamis, have left us an immensely valuable literature-especially Jiva Goswami. They have written volumes on Krishna. So, under disciplic succession, we have come to this point; and if you like past history, then go back a long, long time to Vyasadeva. He is known to have written the Srimad Bhagwatam and other literature on Krishna. Srimad Bhagwatam is nothing but a description of Krishna. Vyasa is also the writer of The Bhagavad-gita. The Gita was spoken by Krishna, and noted down by Vyasa who put this Gita into the Mahabharata, his chronicle of events in the previous age of world history.

So Vyasadeva accepts Krishna as the Supreme Person. In the Srimad Bhagwatam he has given the description of the different incarnations-there are twenty-five of Them. And, in the conclusion, he says that the descriptions that are given of different incarnations are all parts of the representations of God. But Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. He is not part, but 100%-100% God. So, there is the evidence of authority.

And, practically, if we believe the "Shastras," the scriptures, then we can see: Who can be more powerful than Krishna? Who can be more beautiful than Krishna? Who can be more famous than Krishna? Krishna appeared five thousand years ago, but His knowledge, which He gave in the form of The Bhagavad-gita, is still worshiped. It is worshiped not only by the Hindus or the Indians, but is read all over the world. In your country there are at least 50 different editions of The Bhagavad-gita, written by different men. Similarly, in England, in Germany, in France and in all other countries, you will find hundreds of editions of The Gita. So, who can be more famous?

There are many other evidences, if you believe in Shastra: that Krishna married 16,108 wives, and He provided each one of them with a big palace, and each one of them had 10 children, and from the 10 children there were many other children born. So we have the evidence of revealed scriptures; and in the Brahma Samhita also, Krishna is accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is a very old book, supposed to have been written by Brahma, the first living being in the universe.

In that Brahma Samhita it is said, "Iswara Parama Krishna." Iswara means God. There are many gods. It is said that there are many demigods, and there is the Supreme God. So Brahma Samhita says "Iswara Parama Krishna"-He is the God of gods. "Iswara Parama Krishna," and then: "Sat-Chit-Ananda Vigraha"-and His body is eternal, and full of bliss and knowledge. And next: "Anadi": He has no beginning, but He is the beginning of everyone. "Anadi gadi Govinda." Go means senses, Go means cow, and Go means land. So He is the Proprietor of all land, He is the Proprietor of all cows, and He is the Creator of all senses.

We are after sense pleasure, but our perfection of sense pleasure can be achieved only when we reciprocate our pleasure with Krishna. Therefore, His Name is Govinda, the Supreme Original Personality of Godhead.

The same Personality of Godhead spoke to Arjuna in The Gita. Personally, about Himself. How can you say that somebody, by his thinking, by speculation, can say something about God that is more important than what is being said by Krishna Himself? It is not possible. No one can speak better than Krishna about God, because God Himself is speaking. If you speak about yourself personally, who can say more than you? So, if you have faith, if you believe theoretically or practically in Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then, by the speeches that are delivered by Krishna in The Bhagavad-gita, you can understand God. There is no difficulty.

And, if you believe Krishna, then the result will be that you can understand God-how He is working, how His energies are acting, how He is manifesting, what is this material world, what is the spiritual world, what are the living creatures, what is their relationship-so many things are to be found in God's literature.

The whole Vedic literature deals with three things: the first is your relationship with God; then, next, after you understand your relationship with God, how to act in the spiritual way. Just as a man or woman may not be related, but as soon as the relationship is established that one is husband and the other is wife, then the dealings begin.

Once they understand their relationship with God, people generally believe that God is the Father, and the son's business is to ask father for whatever he needs. But that is really a lesser relationship. If you understand God perfectly, then there are intimate relationships also. Your intimate relationship will be revealed when you are perfectly liberated. Each and every living creature has a particular relationship with God, but we have, for now, forgotten. When that relationship is revealed in the process of devotional activities, or Krishna Consciousness, you will know that that is the perfection of your life. Krishna Consciousness is a great science, it is not a sentimental speculation regarding love. It is based on scientific propositions described in The Bhagavad-gita, in the Vedas and in the Brahma Samhita; and it is accepted by authorities like Lord Chaitanya, Ramanuja Acharya, Madhya Acharya, Narada, Asita, Vyasa-there are so many authorities. Krishna Consciousness is not an ordinary love-making or money-making business; it is reality, and if you stick to it seriously, your life will be perfect.