720329BG.BOM

Prabhupada:

This is the verse which we were discussing yesterday, about an hour to increase our attachment for the Lord and the process of the same was discussed by us as well. So, there is a rule for that, whatever we accept we should follow it with rules and regulations. Krsna has said in the Bhagavad gita 16.23;

Those who give up the prescribed process and attempt whimsically and tries to achieve the Lord then the Supreme Lord Krsna Himself says in the Bhagavad gita na siddhim sa avapnoti, he will never attain perfection in his attempts, na sukham, nor happiness. So, there is a recommended procedure for everything. Devotional service also, is of two types one is vidhi method and another is raga method. Vidhi marga means when a person executes devotional service following the rules and regulations of the scriptures under the guidance of a spiritual master.

In this way, one should follow sadhu, guru and sastra. It is not like that one should choose a guru who has no knowledge of the scriptures. Such a person is not a guru. Guru means the one who himself has knowledge of the scriptural injunctions, he follows them himself and also teaches his disciple. This is a guru. Sri Narottam Das Thakur says, sadhu sastra guru vakya cittete kariya ekya, we need to put some effort in understanding who is a saintly person sadhu and what are the scriptures. Scriptures means those which are in pursuance of the Vedas. The books which agree with the Vedas are called sastras or scriptures. And who is a guru? Those who believe in scriptures. We have to confirm by these three things sadhu, guru and sastrasadhu guru sastra.

So, to attain the Supreme Personality of Godhead the path has been enunciated by the Lord Himself when He says mayy asakta-manah partha [Bg. 7.1], the process for this as recommended in the scriptures, that we are following. Rising early in the morning, attending the Mangala Artrika of the Lord, offering bhoga to the Lord, then dressing the Lord and His altar, all of this has been detailed in the Nectar of Devotion, Bhakti rasamrta sindhu. And in accordance with various Vedas and Puranas Srila Rupa Goswami sruti-smrti-puranadi-pancaratra-vidhim vina [Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.2.101]. Sruti, sruti means the Vedas and smrti means the scriptures which are in pursuance of the Vedas, such as the smrtis or puranas. You all know that here are eighteen puranas, i following of Narada Pancaratra when on needs to know how to worship the Lord, it is given in the pancaratriki vidhi. So, all of this should be followed.

So, Rupa Goswami says that one who goes independent of all these scriptural procedures sruti-smrti-puranadi-pancaratra-vidhim vina, then aikantiki harer bhaktir utpatayaiva kalpate. Giving up all the scriptural injunctions when one tries to perform a hoax of devotion in front of the world then it becomes simply useless. Therefore, in the scriptures as it has been recommended the procedure to develop one's attachment towards the Lord, it should be accepted and its benefit will be asamsayam samagram mam yatha jnasyasi: There will be no doubt remaining asamsayam samagram mam, if anyone follows the scriptures one will never be in doubt. There will be no doubt asamsayam samagram and understanding the Supreme Lord completely, after all he is unlimited but the perfect way we can understand him completely is being described by the Lord Himself. Just by our speculation we will never be able to attain the Supreme Lord, Krsna. We have to follow the way it has been said by the Lord, by the scriptures, by the spiritual master and by the saintly person. If we follow such a process then Krsna says asamsayam samagram we will be able to understand Him perfectly and without doubt.

Then Krsna says,

So, in relation with the knowledge of science of the Supreme, another name of the Lord is vijnanavirya, which means that the potency of the Supreme Lord is scientifically incontestable. It is not like that we have imagined that this may be how the Lord is potent or such and such may be the Lord's name. No, vijnana samanvitah, yad vijnana samanvitah. In the Srimad Bhagavatam it has been said jnanam param guhyam me yad vijnana samanvitam [SB 2.9.31], the knowledge of the Supreme is completely scientific. Everyone wishes to understand things by science and also as it has been said in the scriptures that everything about Krsna the Supreme Lord is scientific. Moreover, it is not like the way now-a-days people simply propose without evidence. Whimsical thinking which considers every person's path to be right, is inappropriate. To attain the Lord the process recommended should be scientific. The scientific nature can be understood by the example that scientifically two and two add up to four but if someone says that they add up to five or just three, that is not scientific. Therefore, Krsna declares that the knowledge about Him should be scientific. Whoever pushes his whimsical thought in it will not be able to attain the Supreme destination of Godhead.

Jnanam te 'ham sa-vijnanam idam vaksyamy asesatah [Bg. 7.2]. So, asesatah I am explaining to you perfectly. Krsna is saying to Arjuna asesatah "I am explaining this to you very nicely, completely. So listen." And if you understand this yad jnatva, if you understand the Lord in such a scientific way then He Himself says-yaj jnatva neha bhuyo 'nyat [Bg. 7.2] once you understand the Supreme Lord, the every other kind of knowledge you will attain automatically with it.

In the Vedas also, it has been said yaj jnatva, Yasmin vijnate sarvam evam vijnatam bhavati [Mundaka Upanisad 1.3]. Yes, if one obtain the real knowledge then everything else that is worth learning will automatically become learnt. So, this is a the subject worth striving for. Those who have understood God, Yasmin vijnate sarvam evam vijnatam bhavati and the Lord says Himself yaj jnatva... As soon as one is situated in the knowledge of the Supreme Lord yaj jnatva neha bhuyo 'nyaj jnatavyam avasisyate nothing will be left unknown. Such a person will become the perfect knower.

So, this knowledge about the Supreme Personality of Godhead is difficult to attain, which is why the Lord Himself states,

This knowledge is the scientific knowledge of the Absolute Truth and therefore, Krsna says manusyanam sahasresu out of hundreds of thousands of human beings kascid yatati siddhaye one of them attempts to reach perfection… As we can see every day that most of the human beings work hard just to attain facilities of eating, sleeping and mating. No one is practically interested in spiritual knowledge of Godhead. That is why it is said manusyanam sahasresu, we are organizing this Krsna Consciousness movement here but people are not interested in it. If this was a political meeting then everyone would have attended. But because here there is Hare Krsna movement, no one is interested, no one is interested in Krsna. They would all better sleep.

That is why Krsna, the Supreme Lord says that among millions of people there is one who thinks about attaining perfection of life. Almost, no one is interested in perfection of self-realization. Manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye, and this siddhi means perfection of life. What kind of perfection? Perfection means realizing the knowledge perfectly nobody is interested. mea what I am? What God is? Such are the components of self-realization. Is realized In the Brahma sutras it has been termed as brahma jijnasa. The only business in the human form of life is how to attain self-realization brahma jijnasa: athato brahma jijnasa, in the Srimad Bhagavatam it has been said jijnasuh sreya uttamam [SB 11.3.21]. Those who are inquisitive about the topmost subject matter he should approach a spiritual master. tasmad gurum prapadyeta in the Vedas also it has been said, tasmad gurum prapadyeta… Tad vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet: [MU 1.2.12].

This is the injunction of the Vedas but many of us don't believe in them. The one who is inquisitive about the topmost subject matter, tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasuh sreya uttamam [SB 11.3.21] Uttama sreya, so there are two things sreya and preyas. That which we will enjoy very much now is called preya and that which will give us benefit in the future is known as sreya Just like the children, they think that playing all day long is good. But their parents wish for them to go to school to study and become knowledgeable but the children are seldom interested in that. So, there is sreya and preya, so amongst all sreya there is one topmost sreya. The topmost sreya means that which is not at all a product of this material world uttama means ud gata tama yasmad, tama or tamasi means that this material nature is in darkness. Practically, it is dark and you all know practically that if the sun wouldn't come up there would have been perpetual nighttime, simply darkness. That is why this world is known as tama. So, uttama, tama means this material world and to go beyond it by being inquisitive of the subject of the Supreme Lord, the subject which is the ultimate sreya. To obtain such a sreya jijnasu sreya uttamam one needs to approach a spiritual master. Tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasuh sreya uttamam, the general population however is not interested in this subject matter. they are not interested.

Therefore, Krsna the Supreme Lord Himself says manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye. No one wishes to remain like an animal only engaging in eating, sleeping, mating and defending. These are the only things animals are interested in, eating, sleeping, having sex with the opposite gender and defending against danger. This is sense gratification and most of are interested in just this and consider only this to be siddhi perfection.

However, such perfection is available to even the animals ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunam ca samanyam etat pasubhir naranam [Hitopadesa]. There is no need of extra endeavor for these activities. We strive a lot of eating, getting to sleep, keeping free from danger and arranging for sense gratification. And unlike the human beings the animals and birds don't have to run a business to arrange for these facilities such as eating, sleeping and mating. Still, by the will of the Lord he gets food. Elephants are animals and there are hundreds of thousands of such elephants who can eat about forty kilos at one time, all of them get food to eat. So, God arranges for everyone's eating.

In the Vedas it has been said eko bahunam yo vidadhati kaman, God gives everyone to eat. God provides for everyone's necessities so there is no specific problem for them. By the arrangement of Lord everyone has all his needs met. However, in human society these four things eating, sleeping, mating and defending are considered to be big challenges and it is aggravating with time. The only business for those in the human society is to attain devotional service and become perfect, this is the instruction of the scriptures, but no one is following it. Manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye and then Krsna continues yatatam api siddhanam no just those who have attained perfection but amongst the perfected beings only a few know Krsna in essence. Krsna is elaborating himself, that to attain knowledge of Krsna in essence. This is only possible by Krsna's mercy no otherwise.

This knowledge of Godhead can be known in essence only my the mercy of the Supreme Lord. Therefore, only one my hope to achieve His mercy. Not that one may try to understand something nonsense from here and there. Some of those will say that God is dead, others will say that He is impersonal and still others may say that you and me and everyone else is God. This is going on. The real knowledge of the Supreme is attained only by His mercy. Jnanam te 'ham sa-vijnanam idam vaksyamy asesatah [Bg. 7.2] Krsna is explaining Himself. Being merciful upon Arjuna Krsna is saying idam vaksyamy asesatah, so how has Arjuna understood Krsna? If we follow the footsteps of Arjuna just the way he understood then we will also attain the knowledge of the Supreme.

Arjuna says to Krsna, the Supreme Lord, in the tenth chapter of Bhagavad gita param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan: you are the Supreme Parabrahman. Arjuna understood that Krsna is Parabrahma. As it has been said in the scriptures isvarah paramah krsnah, Arjuna understood it as it is and therefore he addressed Krsna as param brahma param dhama. If we follow Arjuna's footsteps we will also be able albe to understand this Krsna is Parabrahma. If a person understands Krsna as the Supreme Controller that is perfect. Whereas Krsna also says in the Bhagavad gita avajananti mam mudha manusim tanum asritah, because Krsna is performing His pastimes just like an ordinary human being. Thus, if we take Him to be anyone other than God or just an ordinary human being who is the son of a person named Vasudeva, who appeared in Vrindavan. If we understand this in such a superficial way then our understanding will not be perfect and essential. Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead should be understood in essence and that essence has been described by Krsna Himself:

Now, Krsna is explaining how He can be understood perfectly by us in essence,

Whatever little worldly language we have the Lord is teaching just in those terms. It is not possible for us to see Krsna with these eyes. Atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih [Cc. Madhya 17.136], these material senses will not be able to help us attain the knowledge about the Supreme. Atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih. This chanting of the holy names that we perform it is a start, sravanam kirtanam, so first comes sravanam, hearing. First we hear the name of God and then we learn how His form is. Then comes what are His qualities, then activities, his associates and finally his glories. So, upon starting we will be able to gradually proceed in this way. So, by our eyes as they currently are we will not be able to understand the Supreme. But by the chanting of:

So, first let us consider that what is the benefit of chanting this Hare Krsna? Yes, these material senses that we have, we cannot use them to understand the name and form of the Supreme Lord. Therefore, Krsna says that all the knowledge that you have pertaining to cement and stones, let's start with that. Looking behind the name of God, that is why Krsna says bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh. Krsna says that when you look around all that you see is bricks, stones, water, sand and air. So, Krsna says that bhumir soil, apo water, analo fire and vayu air kham sky, then mind, intelligence and ego all these eight things ahaṅkara itiyam me bhinna prakrtir astadha [Bg. 7.4].

This is my separate energy bhinna prakrtir astadha. Bhinna means it is the potency of the Supreme but is separated from Him. This material world is God's potency, there are different types of God's potency parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate [Svetasvatara Upanisad 6.8]. Big stalwart acharyas has categorized the potencies of the Supreme Lord in to three. The first is the bahiranga sakti, His external potency, then there is His internal potency finally tatastha or marginal potency. This concept has been given in the Visnu Purana. The external energy of the Lord is manifest as this material world; the spiritual world is the manifestation of His internal potency. This world is like a dead place but in the spiritual world everything is alive. Just like Krsna [break]

There are six kinds of changes always occurring within this material world. There is birth but that is not enough, then there is old age and finally death, these are the primary of the six kinds of changes known as sad vikara. Whereas, there are no such changes in the spiritual world, nirvikara. Just like we exist within this body sarira and sariri: dehino 'smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara [Bg. 2.13]. The embodied living being is within the body and the body undergoes transformations which finally leads to dwindling and death.

So, this body, material body is made up of bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh. But this is an external thing, separate bhinna, external energy. There is internal energy of the Lord followed by:

These eight types of element are material and not spiritual. The mind is also material. It is not spiritual. Many people think that this mind this itself is spirit. No, Krsna says that mind is a subtle material element, it is a very subtle thing. There are things which are grossly perceivable and mind, intelligence and false ego are subtle matter. Gross matter includes bhumir, apo, analo and vayu. So, even though very subtle the mind is a material element. Krsna Himself is declaring ahaṅkara itiyam me bhinna prakrtir astadha. These eight types of elements are separate from me, external to me. This material nature is para or inferior where as the spiritual world apart from this is apareyam itas tv anyam prakrtim viddhi me param [Bg. 7.5]. subtle aur gross gross matter and subtle matter so mind intelligence, subtle matter

So, yes just like you go to the marketplace to purchase something. There the shopkeeper says that this article costs this much and this another article of cloth costs more. So, there also there are things inferior and superior. Similarly, this material world is the energy of the Supreme Lord but it is inferior. So, the material nature with elements of eight kinds is known as the inferior energy apara. Apara means inferior: apareyam itas tv anyam prakrtim viddhi me param and the superior nature, what is that superior nature? Jiva-bhutam maha-baho, these living beings, the living entities are also nature, an energy but they are not enjoyer or purusa. The purus purusa ha is the enjoyer and prakrti or nature is the enjoyed. So, the living being as the impersonalists say that the living entities themselves are the Paramatma or the Supersoul and they themselves are Supreme Lord but this is incorrect. There is the nature of the Supreme Lord and the Personality of the Supreme Lord Who is? the only eternal living being:

So, the purusa is the enjoyer and the nature is enjoyed. That is why the living entities will never be able to become enjoyers or purusa. The living entities are enjoyed in the service of the Supreme Lord. Therefore, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu defines the nature of the living entities as the eternal servants of Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The living entity is forever the servant of the Supreme Lord, Krsna jivera 'svarupa' haya-krsnera 'nitya-dasa': [Cc. Madhya 20.108]. Dasa means servant but not a servant just like we do in this world. This is no ordinary servitorship. Therefore, the living entities are known as superior energy, still, living entities are not enjoyers but apareyam itas tv anyam prakrtim viddhi me param. These are the two verses of the Bhagavad gita bhumir apo 'nalo vayu the description of superior and inferior prakrtis, if we understand this perfectly then we will advance greatly. Therefore, we request all of you that if you mercifully come here then we will try to understand this thing. So, we are out of time, let's do some kirtan. [end]