Bhagavad-gītā Lecture – [Hindi] – August 29, 1975, Vṛndāvana

Prabhupada: [Transl. If we want, there is no power in this world that can check our devotional service to the Supreme Lord.

So in this way, if someone is engages in pure devotional service then the soul becomes very blissful. That is why the Lord says, jnanam te 'ham sa-vijnanam, [Bg 7.2] "the knowledge that I am imparting to you, it is not impersonal Brahman realization. This is Bhagavan realization." Impersonal Brahman realization, that is for liberation. And this knowledge that the Lord is imparting is for the liberated, for those who are already liberated. That is why He says, jnanam te 'ham sa-vijnanam, along with scientific knowledge. sa-vijnanam means [I forget the word in Hindi] practical application or practical knowledge, not just theoretical. Having just theoretical knowledge, Aham brahmasmi, this is knowledge that, I am not a material substance, I am not this material body, I am Brahman. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannatma, [Bg 18.54] if we have this self-realization, the soul definitely becomes blissful because all the miseries are due to our material knowledge. So long we go on accepting a material body we will always be full of anxiety. Prahlada Maharaja has said,

So long we have this material body we will always be, samudvigna, full of anxiety. Once we come into the realm of actual knowledge this anxiety udvignata will be destroyed. If this anxiety is destroyed but we do not make further advancement... Just like if a man is suffering from fever and the fever subsides, but though the fever has subsided that does not mean he has become healthy. Only if he gets out of the bed, walks around, eats properly and feels good only then can we say that he is healthy. Just to get rid of fever is not the goal. Similarly if we just acquire knowledge, Aham brahmasmi, I am spirit, I am not this material body, this is not sufficient knowledge. That is why the Lord says,

One who is in possession of knowledge, this kind of devotional service is obtained after many many births, bahūnam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate, to surrender at the lotus feet of the Lord- that is real knowledge. With just theoretical knowledge we may be blissful, but until we surrender at the lotus feet of the Lord, the knowledge is not complete, this is the conclusion of the scriptures. That is why it is said in the Bhagavad-gita,

Those who have acquired knowledge and are joyful, that I am not material, Aham brahmasmi, So'ham, [Sri Īsopanisad 16] this is all right but if you do not advance, then you will fall down. You will fall down from the platform of knowledge. This is the conclusion of the scriptures.

O lotus-eyed one, those who falsely think themselves liberated, they are not actually liberated, it will take time to be so, but they falsely assume themselves to be liberated " I am now liberated". Mukta-maninas. Their intelligence is still not purified. Why? tvayy asta-bhavad, because they have not yet searched out Your lotus feet. That is why the Lord says, jnanam te 'ham sa-vijnanam, sa-vijnanam, practical application,

"Now, I shall now speak to you. Arjuna, I shall now tell you about the real knowledge along with the practical knowledge."yaj jnatva, if you have this real knowledge, knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is said in the Vedas also,

If you understand God-the Supreme Personality of Godhead then you will automatically have knowledge of everything. We are preaching in the West, where big scientists, psychologists come to meet. But we prove it to them that the knowledge they have is insignificant, incomplete. Although we are not scientists or psychologists, by the mercy of God, it is possible and we are doing this. I have a disciple Dr. Svarūpa Damodara. He is a great scientist in chemistry. He has written a book, "Scientific Basis of Krsna consciousness." What I mean is although he is a recognized scientist but still by acquiring this knowledge about the absolute truth, he is feeling himself more competent and he is writing many more books. This is vijnana - practical knowledge. Knowledge of the absolute truth means practical knowledge.

"I am giving you complete knowledge." yaj jnatva, if you are able to understand this then, na iha bhūya anyat jnatavyam avasisyate. There is no need for you to acquire any other knowledge after this. So this practical knowledge, sa-vijnanam, that is devotional service. The Lord will explain further on, these are all topics related to devotional service only, as to how to use this practical knowledge, sa-vijnanam to increase our attachment for the Lord. This is there in the beginning of this chapter.

So this yoga that is devotional service is the one that includes practical knowledge. Devotional service is not a sentiment. Devotional service is with practical application. Devotional service is approved by the Vedas, therefore with practical application.

Just like Rūpa Gosvami has said,

Sruti, the Vedas and smrti, the Puranas and pancaratriki-viddhi if all these are given up and one is engaged in devotional service, that devotional service is according to Rūpa Gosvami a disturbance, utpata. You understand, disturbance? It is not pure devotional service, it merely creates a disturbance in the society. So vijnanam: those authorised by the Vedas etc.

So when the Lord Himself is talking about devotional service He gives the example of Brahma-sūtra.

So the path of devotional service, sruti-smrti, according to the scriptural injunctions we should engage in devotional service. That is why to guide us Srila Rūpa Gosvami has written the book, Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu. This we have translated into English, Nectar of Devotion. This Nectar of Devotion is a textbook in many of the western universities. So sa-vijnanam, vijnanam [scientific] you understand. So this devotional service is not a sentiment, it is scientific. It is accepted by saintly persons, by the acaryas. Acarya-upasana, [Bg 13.9] without worshipping the acaryas, it is difficult to understand the process of devotional service. That is why Narottama Das Thakura says, ei chaya gosani yahra mui tahra dasa, tah-sabara pada-renu mora panca-grasa [Sri Nama sahkirtana Text 6] We are Rūpanugas. When we follow in the footsteps of the six Gosvamis Sri Rūpa, Sanatana, Bhatta Raghunatha, Sri Jiva, Gopala Bhatta, Dasa Raghunatha, [Sri Nama-sahkirtana Text 4] tahdera carana sevi bhakta-sane vasa, [Sri Nama-Sahkirtana Text 7] to follow in the footsteps of the those who discovered Vrndavana, the six Gosvamis [coughs], we should serve them [coughs] and bhakta-sane vasa, we should live in the association of the devotees, only then can we understand this science. Just like there is a society for the business, similarly for engaging in devotional service we should definitely associate with the saintly persons. Adau sraddha tataḥ sadhu-sahgo [Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.4.15] Who is a sadhu? Bhajate mam ananya-bhak [Bg 9.30] one who knows nothing other than to be engaged in the devotional service of the Lord, he is a sadhu. So this is called sa-vijnanam.

Then the Lord says,

We have to understand the Supreme Lord as He is. Bhagavan means the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna. The original. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28]. There are other Bhagavans, but the original is govindam adi-purusam, [Bs 5.39] Govinda, the original personality of Godhead. And all the incarnations of the Lord, ramadi-mūrtisu kala-niyamena tisthan [Bs 5.39] Rama, Nrsimha, Varaha etc. The Supreme Personality of Godhead has many incarnations, They are also Bhagavan. It is not that because Krsna is the original personality therefore He is the greatest. All the Supreme Lords are great. The Lord is not big or small. Just like the tulasi leaf, it may look big or small but the value of all of them is the same. You can offer the small tulasi leaf at the lotus feet of the Lord and a big leaf also you can offer, the purpose will be served. Similarly the Supreme Personality of Godhead has many incarnations, Advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rūpam. [Bs 5.33]

So the Lord's potencies are all one. Even the holy name of the Lord is Lord Himself. This Hare Krsna is the "Sound incarnation" of the Lord. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has confirmed this, Namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-saktis. The holy name of the Lord has all the potencies of the Lord in it. This has been told by Caitanya Mahaprabhu. It is not that... The Hare Krsna names that we chant, is Krsna Himself. Krsna in the form of His name. That is why Caitanya Mahaprabhu says,

This arca-vigraha: worshipable deity of the Lord needs to be worshipped at certain times, certain rules are to be followed, but to chant the names of the Lord there is no restriction. Niyamitaḥ smarane na kalaḥ. Everyone can do it, whenever and wherever you want to do it. That is the mercy of the Lord in this Kali-yuga.

Sukadeva Gosvami says that this Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults,

Despite being an ocean of faults there is one great benediction. What is that? kirtanad eva krsnasya. By chanting this Hare Krsna the ill effects of this age of Kali-yuga are destroyed and one goes back to Vaikuntha dhama, mukta-sahgaḥ param vrajet. So in this Kali-yuga the chanting of the holy name is foremost.

So the Lord says that this acquiring of knowledge is not for everyone. manusyanam sahasresu. Jnana,vijnana, what is that? That is knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Knowledge means, just like Vedas, Vedas mean knowledge. So the Lord says,

After studying the Vedas and other scriptures if one does not acquire knowledge about the Supreme Lord then it is srama eva hi kevalam, simply a waste of time. This is a scriptural conclusion. The scriptures say,

We have thoroughly studied all the Vedas and read all the scriptures but if we have not acquired knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead then it is only a wasted labour, hard work and nothing. This is a scriptural conclusion. Dharma, dharma means brahmana-dharma, ksatriya-dharma, vaisya-dharma, there are different duties, but the goal is one, to engage in devotional service unto the Supreme Lord.

This is perfection. What is that perfection? Perform your respective occupational duties but the purpose of it is hari-tosanam, how to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Samsiddhir hari-tosanam. So these are scriptural conclusions. So how to please the Lord, is disclosed by the Lord Himself.

What is that perfection? Not the mystic perfection. Devotees of the Supreme Lord do not endeavour mystic perfection because the Lord Himself is, Yogesvara. He is the master of all mystic powers. So those who are surrendered at the lotus feet of the Lord, all these mystic yogic perfections are automatically attained by them. There is no need for any separate endeavors. Those who are under the protection of the Lord and the Lord Himself is Yogesvara, so all the power attained by the mystic perfections is automatically gained.

This is what the scriptures declare. The mystic perfection is achieved by the mercy of the Lord. This is practical, we have seen it practically. This hari kirtan, kirtan movement which is spreading all over the world is astonishing because every year all over the world about ten Deities of the Lord have been installed. This is also a yoga-siddhi. So yoga-siddhi, we do not know any yoga perfection but the Lord is Yogesvara, and so by His mercy this is all possible. So the devotees of the Lord do not want yogic perfection but because they are surrendered to Yogesvara, they naturally attain yogic perfection. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, yatra yogesvaraḥ krsno [Bg 18.78] where there is Yogesvara, Hari and where there is Yogesvara Hari, Krsna, and where there is a devotee like Arjuna , there all perfection exists. There is no need for any separate endeavor.

Even if one acquires yogic perfection and all such kinds of other perfections, one will not be able to understand the Absolute Truth. The Supreme Absolute Truth can be understood only by a devotee of the Lord and by one who is favoured by Lord.

So this Krsna Consciousness movement that I am preaching all over the world, this is knowledge of the Absolute Truth. That is why it is named "Krsna Consciousness: Krsna Bhavanamrta." And this Krsna bhavanamrta is possible if you develop attachment for this Deity form of Lord Krsna. That is why these temples are established that you all come, see the Lord, hear the topics of the Lord, then slowly by adau sraddha tataḥ sadhu-sahgo, and by these processes you will become attached to the Lord and that is the perfection of life.]

Thank you very much. Hare Krsna

Jaya Srila Prabhupada! [end]