Bhagavad-gītā 10.1–3– December 30, 1966, New York

661230BG-New York [29:59 Minutes]

Prabhupada:

This verse we have been discussing last meeting. Lord Sri Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is advising Arjuna that "I am speaking to you again further, confidential part of knowledge. And why I am speaking to you? Because you are My dear friend."

Now, in the beginning of the Bhagavad-gita, in the Fourth Chapter, we have discussed this point that the Bhagavad-gita was specifically instructed to Arjuna for his only one qualification that he was a devotee. Bhakto 'si priyo 'si me rahasyam etad uttamam [Bg 4.3].

The Lord said that "The mystery of Bhagavad-gita is very confidential. So, without becoming a purif..., unalloyed devotee of Mine, it is very difficult to understand."

Actually it is so. In, in the market you'll have so many commentaries of the Bhagavad-gita. In India we have counted, there are about six hundred and forty-five different commentaries of Bhagavad-gita. One Dr. Rele of Bombay, he has interpreted Bhagavad-gita as the talks between the patient and the medical practitioner. Yes. He has imposed on Krsna as the physician and Arjuna as the patient. And in his commentary he has tried to, I mean to say, interpose all the meanings of anatomy, physiology, everything in his own imagination.

So similarly, at the present moment, there are so many commentaries, and people have taken that anybody can interpret in his own way. This is the modern view. So everyone is perfect and he can interpret any scripture in his own way. But so far we are concerned, we are not agreeable to that point. We agree to read Bhagavad-gita in terms of the instruction as it is given in the Bhagavad-gita. The Bhagavad-gita says that this knowledge has to be taken by the parampara system, or the disciplic succession. It is not that anyone can interpret. This viewpoint no bona fide student of Bhagavad-gita will accept.

So this Bhagavad-gita is being taught by the Supreme Personality of Godhead to Arjuna. He says again the same thing. He's repeating that yat te 'ham priyamanaya vaksyami hita-kamyaya: "Because you are My dear friend, I desire that you become prosperous, you become happy. Therefore I am speaking to you." Do you think that Krsna is not interested with others, to make them happy and prosperous? No. He's, He's equally disposed. He wants everyone to be happy and peaceful and prosperous. But they do not want it. That is the difficulty.

Just like the sunshine is open to everyone. Sunshine is not for any particular nation or particular country or particular person or community. It is open for everyone. But, if somebody wants to remain in darkness, closing his doors, do not come out, then what poor sunshine can do for him? Similarly, this Bhagavad-gita, the instruction of Bhagavad-gita, is open to everyone. Everyone.

It is stated in the Bhagavad-gita,

Anyone, never mind what he is... There are different kinds of species of life. Some of them are considered as lower, some of them are considered higher. That is our material conception. And actually, according to the different qualities, according to the different modes of nature, there are different situation and there are lower grade, higher grade understanding also. That is a fact. But Krsna says that "Anyone, never mind what he is, papa-yonayaḥ..." Papa-yonayaḥ means "those who are in the lower birth."

So, so Bhagavad-gita is transcendental subject matter. It does not depend on the qualification of the student. Anyone. Anyone can understand Bhagavad-gita, provided he agrees to understand according to the principles. That's all. The principle is, evam parampara praptam imam rajarsayo viduḥ [Bg 4.2].

This is stated in the Fourth Chapter, that this Bhagavad-gita is coming by disciplic succession from sun-god. Imam vivasvate yogam proktavan aham avyayam: "I first of all instructed this yoga system of Bhagavad-gita to the sun-god." The sun planet, the Vivasvan... The present ruler of the sun planet is known as Vivasvan. So Vivasvan, his son was Manu, and Manu, the father of the mankind, his son was the king Iksvaku, and King Iksvaku was the king of this earthly planet and, from him, this parampara system or disciplic succession is coming down. But it has broken down. The Lord said to Arjuna, sa kaleneha yogo nastaḥ paran-tapa: "In course of time, that disciplic succession has now broken. Therefore I make again you as My disciple."

He has already accepted Krsna as spiritual master in the Second Chapter. In the beginning of the Second Chapter Krsna said, sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam prapannam [Bg 2.7]: "So long we are talking as friends, but now I surrender myself as my spiritual master, Krsna." So therefore Krsna was speaking to Arjuna on the platform of spiritual master. So we should note it that the spiritual..., perfect spiritual master is Krsna. And anyone who is following the principles, as Krsna says, he's also representative of Krsna. And the teacher is Krsna and the Arjuna is the student. Similarly, as the spiritual master is the representative of Krsna, similarly a student must be also the representative of Arjuna. Then Bhagavad-gita discussion will be nice.

So what is that, Arjuna's position? You'll find in this chapter which we are now just beginning. He said, sarvam etad rtam manye yad vadasi kesava [Bg 10.14]: "My dear Krsna, whatever You are speaking, I accept. I accept it." So that should be the process of understanding Krsna, er, Bhagavad-gita. Not that "I don't like this. So I'll reject this portion. I like this portion, therefore I accept it." This sort of studying Bhagavad-gita is useless, nonsense. Sarvam etad rtam manye: "Whatever You have said, I accept it." That is stated.

Similarly, a teacher of Bhagavad-gita should be a representative of Krsna. Representative of Krsna means a confidential devotee, unalloyed devotee of Krsna. The same thing. He also accepted Krsna as his... The student also should be like that. Then the study of Bhagavad-gita is perfect. Otherwise, it is useless waste of time. There is a nice verse in Srimad-Bhagavatam. It is said,

If one, anyone wants to understand the spiritual science, or the science of Krsna, then he should associate himself with the satam, those who are pure devotees. Those who are pure devotees. Satam prasahgat. When discussions take place between pure devotees, then the potency of spiritual knowledge, as they are depicted in the scriptures and sacred books, they become revealed. Simply armchair, I mean to say, mental speculator discussing on Bhagavad-gita, that is useless, futile. Here it is stated that satam prasahgan mama virya-samvido bhavanti hrt-karna-rasayanaḥ. If it is discussed in the association of pure devotees, then the potency of that spiritual language will be revealed. Will be revealed.

In the Vedic literature also, in Svetasvatara Upanisad, it is stated,

It is said there that one who has got firm faith in God and similar faith in God's representative, yasya deve para bhaktiḥ... Deve means God. Yasya deve para bhaktir yatha deve tatha gurau. Gurau means spiritual master. Spiritual master means a perfect devotee of God. He's spiritual master. Tasyaite kathita hy arthaḥ: so all this, I mean to say, import of the Vedic language will be revealed to him. Will be revealed to him. We cannot understand Vedas simply by academic qualification. We have to..., we must have the qualification of becoming a devotee of the Supreme Lord and His representative, the spiritual master or the saintly persons. These are recommended in all Vedic scripture.

Similarly, here it is stated by the Supreme Lord that "Because you have become My dear." We have to cultivate such practice in Krsna consciousness that we may become dear to God. My spiritual master used to say that "You do not try to see God. Just act in such a way that God will see you." Just try to understand. This is very nice. If I want to see God, and I make God as my order-supplier, that "Please come, and I'll see You," so God is not so small that He, at once I call Him and He'll come. No. We have to qualify ourselves. We have to qualify ourselves. Therefore by the qualification, by your qualification, God will Himself come and see you.

There are many instances. God is... Just like Dhruva Maharaja. Dhruva Maharaja, he went to the forest to undergo severe penance to see God. So when he was..., God saw him, or when he saw God, then God asked him, "What do you want? What benediction you want? I shall give you." The Dhruva Maharaja, a small boy, five years old, he said, svamin krtartho 'smi varam na yace [Cc Madhya 22.42]: "Now I am so satisfied that I have nothing to ask from You." So one who sees, one who can perceive God, he has no more any demand, because he's transcendental to all these material demands.

So long we are in the material sense, we are always dissatisfied. Na abhavaḥ vidyate sataḥ, nasato vidyate bhavaḥ, nasato vidyate bhavaḥ. Asat. Asat means the circumstances which will not continue. Everything, any circumstances of this material world, is temporary. Suppose I am very happy. Oh, then your happiness is temporary. Suppose you think or I think I am in very sorry plight, or I am in distress. That will also not exist for some time, just like seasonal changes. So this, this is called duality. You are feeling happy or miserable, we are feeling cold and heat, everything duality. But these things are coming and going. So when one is in transcendental position, he is above this duality; he's in the absolute.

So in that absolute stage, if we want to go to that absolute stage, then this is the process. This is the process, Krsna consciousness. Gradually, as we develop, so Krsna is within everyone, the Supersoul, the Supreme Personality of Godhead as Paramatma, He's seated in everyone's heart, and as we become purified, as we become sincere, so all the dictation will come from within, and He will show you the path which, following, you shall be happy and prosperous and, at the end, by quitting this body, you shall reach the supreme abode of Krsna in the spiritual sky. These are..., all these have been discussed in the last chapters, Eighth Chapter, Seventh Chapter.

Now Krsna says that,

Now He says that "Nobody knows Me." Lord says, Lord Krsna says, "Nobody knows Me." Na me viduḥ sura-ganaḥ. Sura-ganaḥ means the demigods, those who are in the higher planets; they are called demigods. Sura-ganaḥ. Na me viduḥ sura-ganaḥ prabhavam [Bg 10.2]: "My influence, or My activities, My power, My extensions [expansions?], everything...," prabhavam, na maharsayaḥ. Maharsayaḥ means great sages. Maha-rsayaḥ. Maha means great; rsi means sages. "They also do not know." What they do not know? Now, aham hi, aham adir hi devanam: "I am the original person of all demigods and," maharsinam ca sarvasaḥ, "I am the original person of all the rsis."

Now, suppose we had some forefather, ten generations before. So we do not know many things about. We may hear something by parampara system or in the family history that our tenth, tenth generation before there was one forefather. So even we do not know. So from Krsna, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, so many generations. In the beginning of this creation, the first beginning, Brahma was created. Brahma. So millions and millions and years before, Brahma was created. So what do we know about Brahma and the demigods? So practically we do not know anything about God. It is not possible. Our teeny brain cannot approach such extensive, I mean to say, foremost platform where we can understand God.

In Srimad-Bhagavatam also it is said, ataḥ sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaiḥ [Cc Madhya 17.136]. Indriya means these material senses. We gather knowledge by senses. But these material senses are very limited. So it is not possible to understand God, or Krsna, by speculating our mind. Mind is the center of all senses. So senses help mind gathers knowledge. So it is not possible, because our senses are all imperfect. By imperfect senses we cannot reach to the perfect or to the unlimited. Therefore we cannot know. Ataḥ sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaiḥ. It is not possible by manipulating your different senses and knowledge and mind you can understand God.

Then, how it is possible? The possibility is sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. The..., if you engage your senses in the service of the Lord, then He'll reveal to your senses. The same thing. We have to acquire knowledge of God through these senses. But in our conditional life, the senses are all impure. Therefore these senses cannot understand God simply by speculating. It is not possible. Therefore Lord says, na me viduḥ sura-ganaḥ [Bg 10.2].

Now we have got developed senses. Suppose a child, a child, his understanding and his father's understanding, there is difference, because his senses are not so developed. Father's senses are developed. Similarly, as we are here in this earthly planet, there are many, many other superior planets, their senses are far, far improved. But still they cannot understand God. Still they cannot understand. Similarly, rsayaḥ. Rsayaḥ means great philosophers, saintly persons, sages; they also cannot understand God.

Now people today can say that "What is the use of understanding God? Let God remain in His place and let me remain in my place. What is the use?" Suppose... We cannot understand God. Now argument may be, "Yes, you don't understand God. There is no necessity of bothering for understanding God." But Krsna says, "No." If you don't take that botheration, then you'll never be happy. Neither you'll be liberated. So it is your interest to understand God. Not that God will be profited if you understand Him. No. You will be profited if you understand Him.

Therefore He says that yo mam ajam anadim ca vetti loka-mahesvaram: "Anyone who can understand Me as the origin of everything and," loka-mahesvaram, "and the, I mean to, the proprietor or the master of everything," yo mam ajam anadim ca vetti loka-mahesvaram... Loka-mahesvaram is the supreme proprietor or master of all planets or all, everything; asammūḍhaḥ, without any doubt; asammūḍhaḥ sa martyesu, even in this material world; sa martyesu sarva-papaiḥ pramucyate, he becomes free from all sinful reaction, simply by knowing, understanding that God is great, He's the proprietor of everything, He is the friend of everyone and He's the origin of everything-these things if one can understand, asammūḍhaḥ. Asammūḍhaḥ means... Not that because Bhagavad-gita is speaking like that, not that because a svami is speaking like that, but you should understand yourself asammūḍhaḥ, without any doubt. When you understand doubtlessly that God is the proprietor of everything, then you'll be liberated and freed from all, I mean to say, anxieties and miseries.

So it is our interest to know God. We are always full of anxieties. Nobody is free from anxiety. Nobody's free from miseries of this material world. And here is the process. And Bhagavata confirms it: na te viduḥ svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. We are making progress, but we do not know what is the ultimate goal of progress. That we do not know. Na te viduḥ.

So similarly, Bhagavata also confirms: na te viduḥ svartha-gatim hi visnum durasaya. Durasaya means some impossible hope. They are being conducted under the guidance of this illusory energy with some hope which is impossible to be fulfilled. Durasaya. Na te viduḥ svartha-gatim hi visnum durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninaḥ. Why they are thinking of that impossibility, impossible hope? Because they have taken..., they are captivated by this material energy.

So Krsna says that,

Papaiḥ. Of course, in the modern civilization there is no distinction between pious and impious, but according to scripture, there are pious activities and impious activities. We are always engaged in some kind of activity, either pious or impious. If we are engaged in pious activities, then we become happy in future-not exactly happy, but a little of the upper stage than others.

It is stated in the scripture that by pious activities, you can have your birth in a very good place, in a very good family. You can have..., you can become highly educated. You can become very beautiful and, janmaisvarya-sruta-sri [SB 1.8.26]. Janma, just like birth in good place, in good family, good country; and aisvarya, and wealth and opulence. And sri means beauty. And education. These things are result of pious activities. Similarly, just the opposite number is impious, or sinful activities. So by sinful activities you suffer. By... Suffering is always there, either in pious or impious, but there is some distinction between pious and impious.

So here it is said that anyone who understands God, that He's the supreme proprietor, sarva-loka-mahesvaram [Bg 5.29], vetti, without any doubt, then he becomes freed from all sinful reaction. Immediately.

Thank you very much. Any question? [end]