Bhagavad-gītā 10.1–3 – March 6, 1973, Calcutta

More or Less Demons-Still We Can Become Jubilant

Prabhupada: This is Bhagavad-gita.

[aside:] That's all right.

[aside:] Why this talk?

Devotee: [aside:] Turn it down.

Prabhupada: Bhūyaḥ. Bhūyaḥ means "again," "repeated." Krsna consciousness, it is very easy, at the same time it is very difficult. If we take it easily, just like Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg 18.66], then it is very easy. God, Krsna, is great, and I am a fractional portion, minute portion, of God. It is my duty to remain surrendered unto Him. Then the matter is very easy. But we have made the matter very difficult.

We are thinking in different ways, that "I am God," "God is dead," "Why you are searching God? The God is loitering in the street, so many Gods. Why you are going to temple?" So many. Means it is the business of the asuras to get away God. Kamsa's business, Ravana's business, Hiranyakasipu's business, demon's business is to drive away God consciousness.

[aside:] Just you have to stop this, this disturbance. [noisy ceiling fans]

Therefore, because this material world is full of demons… Every one of us who is in this material world is more or less a demon. Every one of us. Because just like in the prison house there may be some first-class prisoners, second-class prisoners or third-class prisoners, all of them to some extent are criminals-violated the laws of the state. That is the position. Everyone. Similarly, anyone who is in this material world, he is to some extent a criminal. Criminal in this respect: that he has defied the authority or the supremacy of God. The degree may be different, but all of them, they have defied.

That is the explanation given by one Vaisnava kavi:

Our this material contact is due to our forgetfulness of Krsna-that Krsna is the only enjoyer, Krsna is the predominator, Krsna is the Supreme, Krsna is the proprietor. That we have forgotten. "Why Krsna should be only proprietor? I shall be proprietor. Why Krsna should be only enjoyer? I shall also enjoy." This mentality has put us in the material world.

This is our position.

So the maya has captured us. Why? Because we have defied the supremacy of Krsna. So all of us, more or less. Therefore Krsna says in the Tenth Chapter, bhūya eva maha-baho [Bg 10.1]. Arjuna is great soldier; therefore he is addressed as maha-baho. Baho, we have got baho. We have got baho. But Arjuna's baho is different: he can fight with thousands of men alone. We cannot fight even with one man, although we have got this baho. Therefore he is addressed as maha-baho. And another meaning is that unless one is very strong in determination, he cannot make any advancement in Krsna consciousness. He must be a hero. He must be able to fight with the laws of material nature.

Just like in our society there are four prohibited principles: no illicit sex life, no intoxication, no meat-eating, no gambling. So especially at the modern age, it is very difficult to give it up unless one is maha-baho, very strong. Very strong. They cannot even give up drinking tea. How much strength required? So many people come, respectable gentlemen, they want me to initiate them. As soon as I say that "You have to follow these principles," immediately they go away. It is very difficult.

Therefore Krsna says that bhūya eva maha..., srnu me paramam vacaḥ [Bg 10.1]. Everything what Krsna says, that is paramam, supreme truth. Krsna cannot commit any mistake. The difference between Krsna and ourself is that whatever we do, they are subjected to so many deficiencies, because we commit mistake, we are disillusioned, and our senses are imperfect and we cheat. Krsna is not like that. Therefore whatever He says, that is supreme, that is transcendental. And still, because we are conditional, Krsna is speaking to Arjuna in so many different ways just to convince him. This is the duty, because Krsna has been accepted by Arjuna as the spiritual master. Sisyas te 'hamsadhi mam prapannam [Bg 2.7]. And Krsna is teaching him.

So a teacher repeatedly says the same thing-this way, that way, negative way, positive way-so the student may be convinced of the actual truth. Therefore He says bhūya, "again." "Again I am saying to you." Actually the Bhagavad-gita means to surrender to Krsna. Two words: surrender to Krsna. But we'll not surrender. Therefore Krsna has to speak to Arjuna in so many ways. Otherwise, if immediately we accept to surrender to Krsna, that is perfect knowledge. Aradhito yadi haris tapasa tataḥ kim [Narada Pancaratra].

If one is engaged in worshiping, in rendering devotional service to Krsna, then all his tapasya finished. He has got the result of all tapasya. Aradhito yadi haris tapasa tataḥ kim. No more tapasya. If you have developed your love for Krsna, and in loving attitude you are engaged in His transcendental service, then your all tapasya finished; you have got the result, result of all tapasya. Because human life is meant for tapasya. Tapo divyam [SB 5.5.1].

It is not to waste our time like cats and dogs. Cats and dogs: eating, sleeping, sexual intercourse and defending. This is business of cats and dogs and hogs. The human business is tapasya. That is Vedic civilization. Tapo divyam. Divyam tapasya. Not like Hiranyakasipu. Hiranyakasipu also underwent very severe penances and austerities. But what was his aim? His aim was that "I shall be very, very powerful, and I shall live forever.

And I shall go on acting like a demon, without any check." That was his tapasya. Everyone is doing like that: "I shall acquire so much money, bank balance, and my business should be so big, and I shall be minister, I shall be president, so that everyone will offer me respect." Labha-pūja-pratistha: profit and adoration and fame. These three things everyone wants. So…, but we have to submit. We are so much puffed-up that we cannot submit.

Therefore, Krsna has to say repeatedly, Arjuna. He's instructing as student. He's student; Krsna is guru. It is the business of guru to instruct.

Priyamanaya: "You are My dear friend." Unless one is very dear… So to become dear to the teacher, therefore our system is "Submit."

You have to very humbly submit to the spiritual master, give him service, satisfy him. Then priyamanaya: he'll think that "Here is a student who is very submissive, very humble. He requires to be taught very nicely."

Therefore Krsna says,

Well-wisher. Teacher must be well-wisher. At the present moment, teachers are disrespected. How he can be well-wisher? The other day I went to the university for lecture. One of the teachers said that "I was bombed in this room. A few months ago, I was bombed in this room. The student threw bomb." This is going on. So how the teacher shall be well-wisher of the student?

It is the injunction of the sastras that the physician, the teachers, they should be very much respected. According to Vedic system, if a physician comes to a patient, the patient should accept the physician as father, so he may be compassionate so he can administer the best medicine. Similarly, the teacher should be respected so that he may be compassionate. Hita-kamyaya: he'll give the best instruction. So Krsna…, Arjuna has already proved that he is a very submissive student: sisyas te'ham sadhi mam prapannam [Bg 2.7]. "Already you have surrendered," prapannam. Therefore Krsna says, hita-kamyaya, "For your welfare."

So He again says,

The first thing is: what is Krsna? He has repeatedly said. Again He said: devanam. One may think that Krsna is born some five thousand years ago. They may question that, that before Krsna is born, there was no Krsna worship. Because they do not know what is Krsna. Krsna is worshiped long, long, long, long-from the beginning of the creation. Just like Brahma. Brahma is the beginning of creation. So he also worshiped. Yam brahma varunendra-rudra-marutaḥ stunvanti divyaiḥ stavair [SB 12.13.1]. Yam brahma. Brahma worships Him. Varunendra, Indra: all the demigods worship Him. So Krsna is adi, that's a fact.

Therefore Krsna says, aham adir hi devanam. Because Brahma is the first deva, then Lord Siva, then other all devas. Visnu, of course, before Brahma. Visnu is, in the material world, Visnu is also considered as one of the devas. Maha... Brahma, Visnu, Mahesvara, Adi-deva. Adi-deva.

That Visnu is also caused by Krsna. That I have explained several times. Krsna is the origin of Visnu. From Krsna, first expansion: eko bahu syama. Krsna is expanded in many forms-visnu-tattva, jiva-tattva. We are also Krsna's expansion, and the visnu-tattva is also Krsna's expansion, and the demigods, they are also Krsna's expansion. Everyone: eko bahu syama. He has become one. The Supreme One has expanded Himself in so many ways-visnu-tattva, jiva-tattva, sakti-tattva.

Therefore Krsna is the origin of everything, aham adir hi devanam [Bg 10.2]. Because we take the first, the devas: Brahma, Visnu, Mahesvara. Krsna, Krsna's first expansion is svayam prakasa, baladeva-tattva. Svayam prakasa. From baladeva-tattva, the quadruple tattvas, namely Vas…, Sahkar…, Vasudeva, Sahkarsana, Pradyumna, Aniruddha.

Then again, from Sahkarsana, there is Narayana. Then again, from Narayana, second quadruple expansion, again Sahkarsana, Pradyumna, Aniruddha. And from Sahkarsana, these three Visnus. Three Visnus means Karanarnavasayi Visnu, then Garbhodakasayi Visnu, Ksirodakasayi Visnu. Then from Ksirodakasayi Visnu… From Garbhodakasayi Visnu is Brahma, and Visnu also, Ksirodakasayi Visnu.

And from Brahma is Lord Siva. In this way, other devatas-Indra, Candra, Varuna, Sun, Moon, so many. There are millions of demigods, millions of human being, millions of lower than. Deva-tiryah-naradisu [SB 1.2.34]. Deva means demigods; tiryah means lower than human being-animals, birds, beasts, trees; and the human being, naradisu.

So the expansion is very much, but the origin of all expansion is Krsna. That is to be understood. Aham adir hi devanam. Na me viduḥ sura-ganaḥ. Sura-ganaḥ means these devatas.

And great sages, Marici-adi… There are seven great sages: Marici, Vasistha, Atreya. The seven stars we see on the northern pole, they are the planets of these great seven rsis. So they are there. So even these great sages, they also do not know what is the actual position of Krsna. Krsna Himself does not know what is His actual position, Krsna is so great. Krsna, to understand Himself, He came as Caitanya Mahaprabhu, devotee of Krsna, to understand.

Because Krsna wanted to know Himself, so He could know Himself in the attitude of Radharani. So He took the attitude of Radharani. Therefore Radharani-Krsna, when combined together, that is Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Radha-krsna nahe anya, sri-krsna-caitanya [Caitanya Bhagavata]. Sri Krsna Caitanya, the Gosvamis, they have studied that,

Krsna is one, but when Krsna wants to enjoy, He must expand His pleasure potency. That is Radharani. Radha krsna-pranaya-vikrtir. Krsna cannot enjoy anything material. The original spiritual potency, pleasure potency, is Radharani. So first of all He expanded, then again He combined together. That is Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. This is the study of the Gosvami. Radha krsna-pranaya-vikrtir hladini.

Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu is given seat along with Krsna. He's combination of Radha and Krsna. We may not misunderstand that Caitanya Mahaprabhu is... Imitating Caitanya Mahaprabhu, there are so many so-called avataras. But this is approved by the sastra. Krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam [SB 11.5.32]. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Krsna, same category, krsna-varnam. Just like we say varna: brahmana varna, ksatriya varna, sūdra varna, vaisya varna. Varna means the same category, varna. Or krsna-varnam means who is always describing Krsna. Just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu is passing on the road, He's chanting,

Therefore krsna-varnam is He; iti krsna. Krsna is describing Himself: krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam. But by His complexion, He is not black-very fair complexion.

But He is always accompanied by His associates.

So this Krsna… Caitanya Mahaprabhu is also Krsna, but people misunderstand. Because to understand Krsna, it requires knowledge from Krsna or from Krsna's representative. Krsna is not knowable.

Out of many millions of persons, one may be liberated, yatatam api siddha. Siddha means "liberated." Siddhi. Siddhi means to know oneself. At the present moment we are conditioned; we are thinking that "I am this body." Yasyatma-buddhi-kunape [SB 10.84.13]: to think of this body as self is the business of the cats and dogs. Sa eva go-kharaḥ. Go-kharaḥ means "animals." Go means "cows," and kharaḥ means "ass." So every one of us, practically, we are identifying with this body. Therefore we are not siddhas.

Siddha means one who is completely free from the bodily concept of life.

Unless one is fully convinced that "I am not this body," and similarly, if I am not convinced that "These people, they are also not body; they are all spirit soul..." Therefore one who is actually panḍita, in the real understanding of things, panḍitaḥ sama-darsinaḥ, he sees everyone part and parcel of Krsna. That is sama-darsi.

Then bhakti begins.

Bhakti is not a sentiment. Bhakti is the highest stage of understanding, knowledge. That is bhakti. Bhaktyasruta-grhitaya [SB 1.2.12], Bhagavata says. Bhaktyasruta. Bhakti must be executed sruta-grhitaya, by hearing. Sruta, by hearing from disciplic succession. That is perfect bhakti. And in that bhakti, bhaktya mam abhijanati [Bg 18.55], when you are on the transcendental platform of bhakti, then you can understand what is Krsna.

Therefore Krsna says that na me viduḥ sura-ganaḥ [Bg 10.2]. The sura-ganaḥ, the big, big demigods, they are also not in the pure stage of bhakti. They have got bhakti-bhakti-misra, mixed bhakti. They have got desire to enjoy this material world. They are called devatas. Just like Brahma, what to speak of other, he has got a desire to lord it over the material world. So he has been given. But he's a bhakta, but not pure bhakta. Pure bhakta means anyabhilasita-sūnyam [Cc Madhya 19.167], no material desire.

Just like Bhaktivinoda Thakura says, brahma-janme nahi mora asa: "I do not desire even to take birth as Lord Brahma." Because that is not pure bhakti. Brahma is bhakta, undoubtedly. Unless he is very high class bhakta, how he can be offered such exalted post? Just like in government service, unless one is not very confidential, he cannot be given any confidential post. Similarly, all these devatas, they are devotees undoubtedly, but karma-misra, jnana-misra. They are not pure devotee. Pure devotee, Caitanya Mahaprabhu teaches us,

This is pure devotion.

"I don't want all these things. I don't want money, I don't want big followers, I don't want very beautiful wife." Sundarim kavitam va jagad-isa kamaye. Then what you want?

Ahaitu: "Without any reason, without any desire, I want to serve You."

So unless we cannot come to that position, pure devotional life, we cannot understand Krsna. It is not possible. Therefore Krsna says, na me viduḥ sura-ganaḥ prabhavam. Because they do not know, therefore they think Krsna… Just like Brahma was bewildered. When Lord Krsna was playing as cowherd boy, then everywhere it is advertised that "Krsna has come in this world, and now He's in Vrndavana playing as a cowherd boy." So Brahma became doubtful: "Krsna is my Lord. I worship, and He has become a cowherd boy. Let me test if He is really God, really Krsna."

So he took away all His cowherd boys, calves and everything, by his… He is very powerful. But Krsna immediately expanded Himself in so many cows and cowherd boys and calves. And then he understood that "Yes, here is Krsna." So, muhyanti yat sūrayaḥ, Bhagavata says, that great, great demigods, sūrayaḥ: they become bewildered to understand Krsna. They become bewildered.

Therefore it is not very easy to understand Krsna. But if we can acquire, somehow or other, a little mercy of Krsna, then we can understand. This is the process.

By your gymnastic process of these indriyas, senses, mental speculation, you cannot understand Krsna. That is not possible.

The thing is, Krsna should be understood in tattva. So to understand Krsna in tattva, you have to become submissive, render service to Krsna, under the direction of Krsna. Then:

Then you can understand Krsna. Otherwise it is not possible to understand Krsna. And those who are mudhas, means those who are thinking of Krsna as ordinary boy, ordinary human cowherds boy, avajananti mam mūḍhaḥ… [Bg 9.11]. Just like Krsna is attacked by so many atheists that He was taken as ordinary human being. No. Krsna is not human being. Therefore Krsna says, na me viduḥ sura-ganaḥ. Na me viduḥ sura-ganaḥ prabhavam. Krsna's prabhava, prabha, His influence also not known. He's so influential; He can do everything, anything. Anything, whatever He likes. That is Krsna.

Sarvasaḥ: "I am the origin of everyone." This we should understand, how He becomes origin of everything. If you accept Krsna's statement, that is sufficient, that Krsna is the origin of everything. If you do not accept, you can make an analytical study how Krsna is everything. The sastra will give you evidence: "Yes, Krsna is the origin of everything." This is Krsna consciousness. One must be fixed up in his understanding of Krsna, that He is the origin of everything. He is the origin of everything,

[looking for next verse:]

Oh, so many pictures. Then Krsna says,

Anyone who is fully convinced, yo mam ajam… Ajam means "unborn." If one takes Krsna that Krsna is born historically five thousand years ago, and as the son of Vasudeva and Devaki, and He accepted..., Vasudeva, Devaki could not raise Him; He was dispatched to Yasoda-this is also good. But He does not take birth. Because people contest that "How God can take birth?" He does not take birth. That is misunderstanding. Therefore one should know how Krsna takes His birth.

Therefore in the Fourth Chapter it is clearly said if anyone understands this simple fact how Krsna takes His birth, this one item: How Krsna-Krsna is aja-how He takes His birth, janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvataḥ… [Bg 4.9]. Simply this one thing, if one can understand how Krsna takes His birth, and why does He come to work with us. Just like Krsna came and worked with Arjuna, and He took part in the battlefield as charioteer of Arjuna. Only these things if we can understand, then we can become liberated. Janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvataḥ [Bg 4.9]. If we understand these two things in fact, then what happens?

Then he becomes liberated. Liberated. Liberation begins as soon as you begin devotional service. Immediately. Because Krsna says,

Immediately you are liberated. Bondage means so long the reaction of karma is there. But He says, He assures, that aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami: "I shall give you liberation from all sinful reaction of life."

We are entangled for sinful reaction of life. If you are actually pious, then there is no more birth. "Actually pious" means to become a devotee. Unless one is a pure devotee, he is not pious. Comparatively, he may be pious, because there are degrees of pious. Therefore Krsna says, yesam anta-gatam papam [Bg 7.28]: one who is completely free from all impious activities, papam. Because here, sometimes we think that we are making so many sacrifices.

This is punya, punya karma. But there is papa, also. And because in the sacrifices there are sometimes animal sacrifice, so that is papa. For one kind of punya, we commit another kind of papa. Or in ordinary ways, sometimes a big man accumulates some money and spends for charitable purpose, for opening schools, hospitals, but he has earned the money from black market.

So this is the world. If you want to do something pious activities in this material world, you have do something impious activities also. That is papa. So therefore, unless you transcend all this business of papa and punya, you cannot be free from this material bondage. Therefore Narottama dasa Thakura says, karma-kanḍa jnana-kanḍa sakali visera bandha. Karma-kanḍa means pious activities, and jnana-kanḍa means culturing knowledge. This is called jnana-kanḍa. So, karma-kanḍa jnana-kanḍa sakali visera bandha [Prema-bhakti-candrika]. Narottama dasa Thakura, in a very simple Bengali language, visera bandha: a pot of poison. Amrta baliya yeba khaya. If you take a pot of poison as nectarean, then what will be there?

So you should not take karma-kanḍa, jnana-kanḍa. We have created our activities on these two fields: karma-kanḍa and jnana-kanḍa. Karma means karmis, those who are trying to enjoy this material world by activities, different types of activities. They are karma-kanḍa, in the rough estimate. And another, jnana-kanḍa. Jnanis, they say, when they are frustrated in doing, they say, "This is all false." Brahma satyam jagan mithya. So this is jnana-kanḍa. But bhakti is above karma-kanḍa, jnana-kanḍa.

Here in this material world, karma-kanḍa or jnana-kanḍa is going on. The karmis are thinking they're very clever; they're enjoying life. They will enjoy life in this world; again they will be elevated to the heavenly planet. There they will enjoy. There they will enjoy. So according to their estimation, they're very intelligent. And the jnanis, they are thinking that "We have worked as karmis, but we have never derived any benefit out of it; therefore this is all false." The grapes are sour. Give it up, jackal.

"Now let us become sannyasi and become Brahman, become one with God." They have left this, I mean to say, paltry enjoyment. "Let me become the Supreme Narayana." They introduce themselves, "Narayana." Narayana means the enjoyer of Laksmi, Laksmi-Narayana. So at the heart they have got the desire to capture Laksmi, the original Laksmi, and outwardly they are sannyasi. They have given up everything, mithya, but at heart there is the desire to enjoy Laksmi. So therefore phalgu-vairagya. Phalgu-vairagya. But the devotee is above this karma-kanḍa, jnana-kanḍa.

They are ready to serve the order of Krsna, never mind what it is. It may be jnana-kanḍa, karma-kanḍa or anything. But that is not the fact. If you are ready to serve Krsna in all conditions… Just like Arjuna became: "Yes," karisye vacanam tava. "Yes, I shall work what You're instructing me." Nasto mohaḥ [Bg 18.73]: "Now my all illusion is gone. I was thinking on the platform of karma-kanḍa and jnana-kanḍa. Now my illusion is gone."

Tvat-prasadan madhusūdana: "By Your grace I am now above this. I am now prepared. You want me to fight? Yes, I shall kill all the other side, never mind they are my grandfather, brothers." This is bhakti-kanḍa. Karma-kanḍa, jnana-kanḍa... If we remain in karma-kanḍa, jnana-kanḍa, then we cannot come to the bhakti-kanḍa. Bhakti-kanḍa is above.

When Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya, that means we have manufactured so many religious system on the basis of karma-kanḍa and jnana-kanḍa. So we have to give up all these; then we come to the bhakti-kanḍa. Bhaktya mam abhijanati. When we understand Krsna on the platform of bhakti, then our life is successful. Evam prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ [SB 1.2.20]. Mukta-sahgasya jayate. Bhagavat-tattva-vijnanam mukta-sahgasya jayate. Evam prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ. When by executing devotional service, when we become sublimely jubilant, prasanna-manaso…

Because in bhakti-kanḍa, when you are engaged in the service of the Lord, we become jubilant, because that is our real life. Mukti means to come to the real position. Our real position is jivera svarūpa haya nitya krsna dasa [Cc Madhya 20.108].

So when we come to that position, to become Krsna's dasa-that is our real constitutional position-naturally we become jubilant. So, karma-kanḍa jnana-kanḍa sakali visera bandha.

This is bhakti.

So the Krsna consciousness movement means to place everyone on the platform of bhakti. And it is very easy in this age. Very easy. Every time it is very easy, but people are not very much inclined to accept the easy things. Sahaja, sahaja. Saha-ja. Sahaja means "with my birth," "what is born." Saha-ja. Ja means "take birth." So sahaja: as we are living entities, our birthright is to serve Krsna. That is sahaja. Therefore Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya [Bg 18.66]: "You are meant for this purpose." Therefore in every human being there is bhakti. Nitya-siddha krsna-bhakti. There is sahaja, spontaneously born, bhakti. Just like a child is obedient to the parents. This is sahaja.

So we give up this sahaja; we take the difficult things: "I am…, I become Lord," "I am…, I am God," "There is no God." We take all these nonsense, giving up the sahaja. Therefore if we become sahaja, if we take up the simple thing, that "God is great. We are small particle, part and parcel of God. Our business is to serve God," then it is sahaja. It is very simple. Otherwise it is very difficult.

So Krsna is teaching Bhagavad-gita, how to become situated in your original position to understand yourself, that you are eternal servant of God. Then your life is successful. Thank you very much.

Devotees: Hare Krsna. Haribol. [end]