Bhagavad-gītā 4.1 – February 7, 1974, Vṛndāvana

740207BG-VRNDAVAN [61:46 Minutes]

The gopis always kept Krsna within their hearts

[Poor Recording]

Prabhupada:

Yesterday this yoga system... Anything attempting to understand the Absolute Truth, it is called yoga, yoga system, mainly. This Bhagavad-gita is bhakti-yoga. It is a conversation between the Lord and the devotee. Arjuna is a devotee, and Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So when there is serious conversation between the devotee and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then what should be the subject matter of conversation? Suppose if a big businessman is talking with his secretary seriously, so anyone can suggest what is the subject matter of this conversation. It must be about business. When a big businessman, talking with his business secretary, what would be the subject matter of the talking? It must be business. Similarly, bhakti means the transaction between the Lord and the devotee. Bhakti is the dealings: sambandha, abhidheya, prayojana.

The whole Vedic system as propounded by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is sambandha, abhidheya and prayojana. Actually, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ [Bg 15.15]: "The Vedic subject matter is to understand Krsna." And who can understand Krsna? That is explained by Krsna: bahunam janmanam ant…, er,

To understand Krsna, or God, is not very easy subject matter. Manusyanam sahasresu: "Out of many millions of human beings," kascid yatati siddhaye, "hardly one may be trying for perfection of life." Hardly-not all. There are millions and millions of persons all over the world, but some of them come here in Vrndavana to achieve perfection. It is a fact. Not that everyone is eager to make his perfect life. [indistinct] Everyone is working very, very hard, like asses, dogs, to enjoy sense gratification: eating, sleeping, mating, defending. This is their business. So out of many such persons… We have traveled all over the world, all Western countries-they're only busy for this purpose: eating, sleeping, mating and defending. That's all. So out of many, many millions of such persons, try to understand what is the value of life, how to make the life perfect: manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye.

And those who are trying to achieve perfection, most of them are trying to understand the Absolute Truth, karma-kanḍi, by performing yajnas, charitable work, opening schools, colleges, hospitals-pious activities. Karmis... Karmi means those who are aspiring to execute pious activities. Those who are acting for impious activities, they are called vikarmis-they are not karmis. Karma, vikarma, akarma. Vikarmi means those who are acting against the principles of Vedic instructions-they are vikarmis. And karmis means those who are working according to the direction of Vedas to achieve higher standard of life. They are karmis. So karmis, vikarmis mostly-taking all as working under the direction of Vedas accepted. So out of many millions of such karmis, one becomes jnani. Jnani means one who has understood the spiritual position-he is jnani. And that is perfection, or siddhi. And some of them are yogis. They are also trying for asta-siddhi: anima, laghima, prapti, isitva, vasitva. There are eight kinds of yogic systems, er, yogic perfections.

So karmis are trying to achieve the perfection by elevating themselves to the higher planetary systems: Svargaloka, Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, Brahmaloka. Jnanis are trying to go further, to merge in the Brahman effulgence-impersonal Brahman. Everyone is trying for siddhi-siddhaye-and the yogis, they are also trying to achieve eight kinds of yoga-siddhi: to become smaller than the smallest, to become lighter than the lightest, to become bigger than the biggest. And whatever they like, immediately to achieve: isitva, vasitva, prapti. So they are…, everyone is trying for siddhaye, siddhi:

Ordinary persons then come to the right platform from karma-kanḍa, jnana-kanḍa-they are all trying for siddhis, kascid yatati… Not all, but some of them.

And those who have achieved perfection in the karma-kanḍa, jnana-kanḍa yoga practice, mystic art, yatatam api siddhanam, they do not know Krsna. But kascid, out of them-many of them, millions of them-one can understand Krsna.

So to understand Krsna is not so easy thing. Krsna can be understood by the mercy of Krsna, not by this karma-kanḍa, jnana-kanḍa, yoga-kanḍa, upasana-kanḍa. No. That will be explained: bhaktya mam abhijanati [Bg 18.55]. Krsna never said that "One can understand Me by practicing karma-kanḍa or jnana-kanḍa or mystic yoga practice." No. Krsna never said. So Bhagavad-gita is the knowledge by which you can understand Krsna. Therefore here it is said, imam vivasvate yoga. This yoga means not that eightfold mystic yoga. This yoga means bhakti-yoga. And you'll find also in this Bhagavad-gita that the first-class yogi-jnana-yogi, karma-yogi, dhyana-yogi, hatha-yogi-out of many such yogis, yoginam api sarvesam, out of many [indistinct], yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantaratmana. Antaratmana-within the core of the heart, who has accepted Krsna only to think of: mad-gatenantaratmana. Sraddhavan: with faith and persistence. Bhajate mam-bhajate means bhakti. Bhakti comes from the word bhaj-dhatu, so this word has been used, bhajate mam; it means "engaged in devotional service." Yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantaratmana-"a person who is keeping Me always within the core of the heart."

The best example are the gopis. They, they had no other business than to keep Krsna always within the heart. Gopis requested Krsna, "Please, if You get out from our hearts then we can concentrate to our household duties. These yogis and munis and great saintly persons, they are trying to keep You within the heart, and we request You, 'Kindly go out of our hearts so we can concentrate on our household duties.' " They wanted to do it, but they could not. This is gopis' position. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu has advised, ramya kacid upasana vraja-vadhū-vargena ya kalpita [Caitanya-manjusa]:

There is no more better method of worship than what was done by the gopis, because gopis always kept Krsna within their hearts. So therefore they are the most perfect yogis, because Krsna said: yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantaratmana bhajate mam sa me yuktatamo [indistinct] [Bg 6.47]. So they are the perfect. Yatatam api siddhanam kascin vetti mam tattvataḥ [Bg 7.3]. In the Vrndavana-dhama, to practice that yoga system, following the footsteps of the gopis, that is stated by Srinivasacarya in the prayers of the Gosvamis: tyaktva [indistinct] tyaktva tūrnam asesa-manḍala-pati-srenim sada tucchavat [Sri Saḍ-gosvamy-astaka 4].

Manḍala-srenim. Manḍala-pati-srenim. Manḍala-pati means great leaders, political leaders, social leaders-they are called manḍala-pati. Still in Indian village, the chief man is called manḍa, in Bengal. So manḍala-pati. There were many villagers, and above them there was one manḍala-pati. So Rūpa Gosvami was minister; naturally he had connections with many manḍala-patis. Manḍala-patis used to come to see him-political leaders, ministers. Tyaktva tūrnam asesa-manḍala-pati-srenim-not one, two manḍala-pati-srenim was coming to see him for interview, but asesa, many. Tyaktva tūrnam asesa-manḍala-pati-srenim sada tucchavat: he gave up, became a mendicant. He did not like: "What is this nonsense, seeing these manḍala-patis?" So he gave up. Tyaktva tūrnam asesa-manḍala-pati-srenim sada tucchavat. Then what did he become? One gives up something and accepts another thing. One cannot remain vacant. If you give up something, then you must take something. That is also described. What is called?

Devotee: Bhūtva dina-gane…

Prabhupada: Eh?

Devotee: Bhūtva dina…

Prabhupada: No.

Devotee: Gopi-bhava…

Prabhupada: That is nice. Param drstva nivartate. Param drstva nivartate [Bg 2.59]. If you find something better, then you can give up the inferior. If you get rasagulla, then you can give up gur. You have something sweet, gur, but if you take rasagulla, like that, then you will prefer to give up gur and take rasagulla. Param drstva nivartate. To give up means to accept something better. So all these ministers-Sanatana Gosvami, Rūpa Gosvami-tyaktva tūrnam asesa-manḍala-pati. They are aristocratic association, all ministers, zamindars, big men. They used to sit down with them, talk with them, eat with them. That was the system. But he gave up:

And they accepted… They thought it better to become a beggar, a mendicant: tyaktva tūrnam asesa-manḍala-pati-srenim sada tucchavat. Tucchavat: "insignificant." You know that then he must have taken some valuable things. What is that? Bhūtva dina-ganesakau karunaya kaupina-kanthasritau: accepted kaupina and kantha. And you see in Vrndavana there are many imitation of Rūpa Gosvami-kaupina and kantha. Bhūtva dina-ganesakau karunaya. Because Caitanya Mahaprabhu's movement means to reclaim the downtrodden mass of people, bhūtva dina-ganesakau karunaya, becoming compassionate upon them. Caitanya Mahaprabhu's movement means to become compassionate to the poor people. Poor people means that those who are poor in spiritual understanding, Krsna consciousness. They are poor. They are thinking they are very big men, but they are the poorest, because they are losing the chance of understanding Krsna in this human form of life. They are thinking this motorcar or this big, high palatial buildings and bank balance, big business profits-that is the aim of achievement. No. That is not the aim of achievement. The aim of achievement it to athato brahma-jijnasa-to understand Brahman. That is the aim of life. But they are not interested in that aim of achievement; therefore very, very poor. And Caitanya Mahaprabhu's business, or mission, is to reclaim these poor human beings-those who are not interested in spiritual understanding.

So Rūpa Gosvami, Sanatana Gosvami wanted to help Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; therefore they also resigned their exalted posts of ministers, and bhūtva dina-ganesakau karunaya kaupina. Caitanya Mahaprabhu ordered them to go to Vrndavana and excavate the pastimes of Sri Caitanya Maha…, Lord Sri Krsna. Vrndavana means it is the gift of Rūpa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami. So they came here and became mendicants-simply loincloth, one water pot. You have seen the pictures. Why? Dina-ganesakau karunaya: to give contribution of Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, Vidagdha-madhava, Lalita-madhava, so many other books-later on, Jiva Gosvami, Sat-sandarbha-so that these poor people may take advantage of these books and may develop their dormant Krsna consciousness. That is their gift to the human society. But from material point of view they all of a sudden became kaupina-kanthasritau, and they were ministers. How they could live? It is not possible. We have taken sannyasa, but still we are covering this body, sitting in a comfortable room, because we are not practiced to accept such severe type of renouncement that the Gosvamis did. But it is yukta-vairagya. We should not imitate unnecessarily-dress is like Rūpa Gosvami, but cannot give up biḍi. [laughter] Not that type. I cannot give up the attraction of biḍi, how I can give up the life of a materialistic man?

So abruptly to jump to imitate Rūpa Gosvami is not possible. This is another gift of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, that don't imitate Sri Rūpa Gosvami. Better gradually try to learn, as Caitanya Mahaprabhu suggested, sthane sthitaḥ sruti-gatam tanu-vah-manobhir [SB 10.14.3]. "Don't try to change your garments all of a sudden. Better remain situated in your position, but try to hear about the Supreme Lord from the realized soul." Sthane sthitaḥ sruti-gatam tanu-vah-manobhir. In this way gradually you will be able to conquer the Supreme Lord, Ajita. Krsna is Ajita-nobody can conquer Krsna-but if you simply hear of Krsna, then gradually you will be able to conquer Krsna. This is the process: krsna-katha. Hearing of krsna-katha is so important: srnvatam sva-kathaḥ krsnaḥ punya-sravana-kirtanaḥ [SB 1.2.17].

If you hear about Krsna from sanmukharitam, not from the-how would you say-professional men, who are talking of Krsna to make a business, profession, to maintain family. Not that kind of hearing. Sanmukharitam-those who are actually realized, not Krsna businessmen, those who are making business with Krsna. To hear from them will never benefit you. But you have to hear from really realized soul [indistinct].

So that is called sanmukharitam bhavadiya. Jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva sanmukharitam bhavadiya [Brahma-stotra]. Therefore sat-sahga is very, very important-hearing about Krsna.

First thing is sravanam kirtanam visnoḥ, Lord Visnu. So they are actually the persons who are realized Krsna, interested to hear about Krsna: sravanam kirtanam visnoḥ. So manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye [Bg 7.3]. The yogis, karmis, jnanis, they are not interested about hearing Krsna; they are trying to become Krsna. And that is another maya. Nobody can become Krsna-it is not possible. To become Krsna is ludicrous. Krsna, when He was present, He never tried to become Krsna. He was Krsna from the very beginning. That is Krsna. Krsna killed the Pūtana demon when He was three-months-old child. So He had no chance practicing mystic yoga to become Krsna. Nowadays it has become a fashion to become God by mystic yoga. That kind of God is not Krsna. To try to become Krsna-that means he was not Krsna; now by mystic yoga he has become Krsna. This theory is most ludicrous theory. Krsna cannot be… One cannot become Krsna by some mystic yoga process. So we are not talking of that Krsna, that God, who has become God by mystic power. Nobody can become, but they are thinking, vimukta-maninas, they are thinking that "I have become Narayana. I have become Krsna. I have become God." In the Bhagavata it is said, vimukta-maninas-"thinking that [indistinct], I have become God." You will find many, many persons, they are thinking that "Now I have become God." This is another maya, you see. This is maya, because Bhagavata says,

Their intelligence is not yet purified. Not yet purified, avisuddha-buddhayaḥ. Ye 'nye 'ravindaksa vimukta-maninas tvayy asta-bhavad: "Because they cannot understand You, because they cannot understand Krsna, therefore their intelligence is not yet purified," avisuddha-buddhayaḥ. Aruhya krcchrena, "Therefore in spite of their practicing austerities and penances very severely, undergoing," aruhya krcchrena param padam, "although they achieve the Brahman effulgence, impersonal Brahman understanding," aruhya krcchrena param padam tataḥ, "again they come there," patanty adho-"he falls down." Falls down. There are many examples that they go very high up, learned scholars, sannyasis-maybe Brahman-realized or not realized, they call themselves Brahman-but again they come down to the platform of politics. So param padam tataḥ patanty adho [SB 10.2.32]-falls down. Why? Anadrta-yusmad-ahghrayaḥ-they could not worship the lotus feet of Krsna, therefore they have no standing, no standing and life. He wants variegatedness, life. Anandamayo 'bhyasat. Ananda means you have varieties. Just like if I alone sit down in this room, that is one kind of ananda, but when so many devotees come and we speak and talk with them about Krsna, that is better ananda, real ananda. Ananda means with m... If I speak alone, that is also ananda, but if I speak with many-in a festival, in a function-that is better ananda.

So the jiva is anandamayo 'bhyasat. By practice he wants ananda. So nirvisesa-vadi-to live alone in the sky-that is not ananda. We have experience when flying in the airplane, after some hours you want to get down, [laughs] because this impersonal sky becomes suffocating. Or you go in the sea-I have got all experience-[laughs] [laughter] after three days, four days in the sea we are hankering, "Where is land? Where is land? Where is land?" Not only that, that Russian aeronaut, when he went up into the sky he was trying to find out, looking down to the earth, "Where is Moscow?" That was published in the papers. So a living entity without varieties of ananda-he cannot enjoy. That is real ananda. It is artificial to become alone, without any society, friendship and love. That is not ananda. That is not ananda. But because we have got very bad experience of this society, friendship and love in this material world, the Mayavadis, materialists, imagine another ananda-to make it zero. Because we are getting bad experience of this material varieties, therefore they want to make it zero. But zero-we cannot remain in the zero. That is also another difficulty. So when he goes to the zero, aruhya krcchrena param padam tataḥ. Zero means neutral stage between spiritual and material. Material world is the reflection of the spiritual world, and spiritual world, the real varieties of ananda. So the impersonalists, because they cannot get information of the spiritual varieties-Krsna's rasa dance-they think that this rasa dance is also material, maya; therefore we call them Mayavadis: everything maya. Krsna's pastimes also maya-therefore Mayavadis.

So to understand Krsna-just we have tried to explain little bit-it is not very easy:

So this yoga system, where we can understand the spiritual varieties of Krsna's activities, that can be understood by bhakti-yoga: bhaktya mam abhijanati [Bg 18.55]. Here it is said,

So one cannot understand Krsna tattvataḥ, in truth. But that tattvataḥ can be understood by bhakti-yoga:

When who has understood Krsna in truth, then he becomes a fit candidate to enter into the spiritual kingdom. [break] ...original form, aham evasam evagre [SB 2.9.33]: "Before the creation, I was there." Krsna's form is not material form, because before material creation He was there. Then how His form can be material? Therefore any person who considers Krsna as material, His body also material-he is a mūḍha: avajananti mam mūḍha manusim tanum asritam [Bg 9.11]. That mūḍha thinks Krsna, because He is playing just like a human being, therefore He is one of us, one of us. The rascals, they try to imitate Krsna. How you can imitate Krsna? Krsna is not an ordinary human being. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Krsna says, mattaḥ parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya [Bg 7.7].

The Mayavadis, because they are impersonalists, they cannot understand Krsna; therefore they think that "I am also Krsna. I am also Krsna. If Krsna can say mattaḥ parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya, I can also say that." But how he can say? First of all, you show the activities of Krsna. Krsna killed the Pūtana Raksasi when He was three months old. Krsna, as a cowherd boy, was going daily to the forest, and He was killing Aghasura, Bakasura, Dhenukasura-so many asuras. Krsna lifted the Govardhana Hill. What is your record of activities? Simply by meditating you have become Krsna? This is not… This is maya. Therefore yatatam api siddhanam kascin vetti [Bg 7.3].

He does not know what is Krsna, and he is thinking that "I have become Krsna by [indistinct]." That is not possible. Therefore one has to learn the yoga system by which you can understand Krsna. Before learning Krsna... You cannot become even by learning Krsna. By learning Krsna you can become a pure devotee of Krsna, not Krsna. That is nonsense. If anyone says, "Now I have become Krsna. Why shall I go to see the temple of Krsna? I am Krsna," so they are in maya; they are not. Therefore this yoga system, how to understand Krsna, is described by Krsna in this Fourth Chapter:

This system was spoken to sun-god Vivasvan. That means the sun-god is also His devotee. Not only sun-god, all the demigods-they're all devotees of Krsna; therefore they are called demigods. And those who are not devotees of Krsna, they are called demons. There are two classes of living beings. One class is called the devas:

Those who are devotees of Visnu-Visnu or Krsna are the same thing-they are called demigods, daivatas. And asuras tad-viparyayaḥ, and just the opposite number. Just like Hiranyakasipu: he was not devotee of Krsna but against the devotees of Krsna; therefore he is called asura. Ravana, he was very powerful, but he was not in favor of Lord Ramacandra-therefore he was a demon, raksasa. So whatever high qualifications he may possess, if you are not a devotee, you are a demon. This is the conclusion of the sastra. The demons cannot understand Krsna; only devatas, the devotees, they can understand. And Krsna says that "This yoga system-bhakti-yoga system-was first explained by Me to the sun-god." Sun-god or any other god-moon god, or there are many planets-the demigods are there: ūrdhvam gacchanti sattva-stha [Bg 14.18]. They are in sattva-guna. They are situated in the higher planetary systems. And this yoga system was being distributed by the parampara system, disciplic succession, as it is stated here, that vivasvan manave praha [Bg 4.1].

This Vivasvan, sun-god, he explained this system of yoga to his son Manu, Vaivasvata Manu, and Vaivasvata Manu again explained this yoga system to Maharaja Iksvaku. Maharaja Iksvaku is the first king of the sūrya-vamsa on this planet, Iksvaku-raghu-vamsa. In that dynasty Lord Ramacandra appeared. So Maharaja Iksvaku. Then Maharaja Iksvaku explained to his disciple or son. Son or disciple, there is no difference. There are two kinds of disciplic succession: by dynasty or by mantra-viddhi [indistinct]. Sons-sons and disciples-they are not different, because they receive the knowledge from the real father, or spiritual master. So, there is some purport if you want to read it?

Devotee: Herein we find the history of the Bhagavad-gita... [break]

Prabhupada: …monarch or president, simply to exact taxes. He's for the real benefit of the citizens. So Bhagavad-gita is not a book on bhakti-yoga for a person only, individual. No. It is meant for the whole mass of people, the whole human society, the leader of the human society or the leader of the family. Everyone should understand Bhagavad-gita very nicely and distribute the knowledge to his subordinates. The father should know the purport of Bhagavad-gita and distribute the knowledge to his sons, daughters, family members. Similarly, the king or the president, he must also know Bhagavad-gita. Just like vivasvan manave praha manur iksvakave 'bravit [Bg 4.1].

It is not a subject matter that I read it privately and keep it private. It is meant for distribution to the human society. This Krsna consciousness movement is seriously meaning this: that the knowledge of Bhagavad-gita must be spread all over the world-as it is, not with malinterpretation. So that is being done in the Krsna consciousness movement for the benefit of all citizens.

Go on.

Devotee: [reading from Bhagavad-gita] "Human life... [break]

Prabhupada: Because the human life is meant for this purpose. Human life is not meant for imitating the cats and dogs. Athato brahma-jijnasa [Vedanta-sūtra 1.1.1]: this life is meant for understanding the Supreme Brahman.

Therefore this knowledge must be spread in schools, colleges-everywhere. But that is not being done. [indistinct] The leaders or misleaders, unfortunately, at least in India they should have done it, because now the present political situation in the Congress, they are following the example of-at least they are supposed to follow-the examples of Mahatma Gandhi. The Mahatma Gandhi… You have seen the photograph of Mahatma Gandhi-he is taking Bhagavad-gita in his hand with heart and soul. Why aren't they teaching Bhagavad-gita? In the current status of political situation, where is the teaching of Bhagavad-gita? And if it is being taught, it is by malinterpretation. That is the defect. Bhagavad-gita should be taught all over the world. I requested Mahatma Gandhi before starting [indistinct], that "Mahatma Gandhi, you are very devotee of Bhagavad-gita. Now you have got your svaraja, let this svaraja management be taken care by your disciples. You teach Bhagavad-gita. People will accept it because you have got position. People respect you." But he did not do it. And I gave him hint also, that "If you do not do it, you may be killed by your…" And that was done.

So Bhagavad-gita is so important-not only in India, all outside India, all over the world. It is meant for the human society. Krsna is not meant for the Indians or Hindus and like that, sanatanists. Of course, he is for sanatanists, but they do not know what is sanatana. Sanatana means "eternal," but they have made a sectarian, that "These people are sanatanists." Sanatanist means those who are interested in eternal life. They are sanatanists. The jiva is sanatana, Lord is sanatana, and there is another word, that is called sanatana-dharma. Sanatana. Paras tasmat tu bhavo 'nyo [Bg 8.20]. Sanatana. So the relationship between the supreme sanatana, Krsna, and the subordinate sanatana, the living entities in the sanatana-dharma… That is called sanatana-dharma. The sanatana-dharma means this bhakti-yoga-sanatana-dharma. But they do not know. Sanatana-dharma means having a stick in the mouth in the forest. So sanatana will be explained:

So this science which teaches people sanatanaḥ to meet the supreme sanatana at the place where it is known as sanatana-that is sanatana-dharma. So sanatana-dharma, therefore it is meant for all human beings. The science which teaches his eternal relationship, the human being's eternal relationship with the supreme sanatana-that is sanatana. It is not a sectarian function. No. Of course, there is sectarian. Just like we have also got the function: chanting Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna. So that is really sanatana-dharma, to chant Hare Krsna. Kirtaniyaḥ sada hariḥ .

Then?

Devotee: [reading from purport] "And the executive heads of all states and all planets are obliged to impart this lesson to the citizens by education, culture and devotion. In other words, the executive heads of all states are intended to spread the science of Krsna consciousness so that the people may take advantage of this great science and pursue a successful path, utilizing the opportunity of the human form of life.

"In this millennium, the sun-god is known as Vivasvan, king of the sun, which is the origin of all planets within the solar system. In the Brahma-samhita it is stated:

"Let me worship...' "

Prabhupada: The sun planet is moving. In the Srimad... All the... It is about 16,000 miles per minute, the rotation. It is not fixed-up. Yasyajnaya bhramati sambhrta-kalacakro. [indistinct] Sun is also moving. It is not fixed-up. So yasyajnaya. Therefore he is devotee of Krsna, and Krsna taught him the bhakti-yoga. Yasyajnaya bhramati sambhrta-kalacakro govindam adi-purusam. The sun is also under the control of Krsna.

Then?

Devotee: [reading] " 'Let me worship,' Lord Brahma said, 'the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda, who is the original person, and under whose order the sun, which is the king of all planets, is assuming immense power and heat...' "

Prabhupada: Sun is the king of all planets, all planets. Because without sunshine we are all black, just like this night. We have got…, very proud of our eyes: "Can you show me God?" So with defective eyes we remain, but when the sun-god rises before our eyes we can see; therefore... What else?

Devotee: "…king of all planets is assuming immense power and heat. The sun represents the..."

Prabhupada: Asesa-tejaḥ-immense heat and light. Then?

Devotee: "The sun represents the eye of the Lord and traverses its orbit in the obedience to His order."

Prabhupada: Yes. God is seeing through the sun; therefore sun is the eye. We may do something very secret, but daytime the sunlight is there-even within your room. How you can keep it secret? So you cannot conceal anything from the eyes of God. That is not possible. You can cheat the police or the state by some secret things, but you cannot do anything. Not only as sun He is seeing, but He is sitting within your heart: isvaraḥ sarva-bhūtanam hrd-dese [Bg 18.61]. Now how you can hide yourself? You cannot play hide and seek with Krsna. That is not possible. [laughter] Go on.

Devotee: "The sun is the king of all planets, and the sun-god [at present of the name Vivasvan] rules the sun planet, which is controlling all other planets by supplying heat and light. He is rotating under the order of Krsna, and Lord Krsna originally made Vivasvan His first disciple to understand the science of Bhagavad-gita. The Gita is not, therefore, a speculative thesis for the insignificant mundane scholar but is a standard book of knowledge, coming down from time immemorial. In the Mahabharata we can trace out the history of the Gita as follows:

"In the beginning of the Treta-yuga millennium this science of the relationship with the Supreme was delivered by Vivasvan to Manu. Manu, being the father of mankind, gave it to his son Maharaja Iksvaku, the king of this earth planet and the forefather of the Raghu dynasty, in which Lord Ramacandra appeared. Therefore Bhagavad-gita existed in the human society from the time of Maharaja Iksvaku.

"At the present moment we have just passed through 5,000 years of the Kali-yuga, which lasts 432,000 years. Before this there was Dvapara-yuga [800,000 years], and before that there was Treta-yuga [1,200,000 years]. Thus, some 2,005,000 years ago, Manu spoke the Bhagavad-gita to his disciple and son, Maharaja lksvaku, the king of this planet earth. The age of the current Manu is calculated to last some 305,300,000 years, of which 120,400,000 have passed. Accepting that before the birth of Manu the Gita was spoken by the Lord to His disciple, the sun-god Vivasvan, a rough estimate is that the Gita was spoken at least 120,400,000 years ago; and in human society it has been extant for two million years. It was respoken by the Lord again to Arjuna about five thousand years ago. That is the rough estimate of the history of the Gita, according to the Gita itself and according to the version of the speaker, Lord Sri Krsna. It was spoken to the sun-god because he is also a ksatriya and is the father of all ksatriyas who are descendants of the sun-god, or the sūrya-vamsa ksatriyas. Because Bhagavad-gita is as good as the Vedas, being spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, this knowledge is known as apauruseya, superhuman. Since the Vedic instructions are accepted as they are, without human interpretation, the Gita must therefore be accepted without mundane interpretation. The mundane wranglers may speculate on the Gita in their own way, but that is not Bhagavad-gita as it is. Therefore Bhagavad-gita has to be accepted as it is, from the disciplic succession, and it is described herein that the Lord spoke to the sun-god, the sun-god spoke to his son Manu, and Manu spoke to his son Iksvaku."

Prabhupada: The people are not able to hear it. People are so impatient that they cannot hear it even.

Guest: What are you requesting?

Prabhupada: We are requesting simply by hearing: sthane sthitaḥ sruti-gatam tanu-vah-manobhir [SB 10.14.3]. If one simply hears, never mind if he remains in his own position-either grhastha, sannyasi or brahmacari, it doesn't matter-just let him hear. But he cannot patiently hear. That is the qualification observed in me by my Guru Maharaja when he accepted me as cela. At that time he recommended that "This boy hears. He does not go away." That was my qualification. And I was also hearing him. I could not follow him-still I was trying to hear. That was my...: "Let me hear." I used to hear his speaking, not to understand. Even I cannot understand what he has spoken-still not-but I used to hear him; therefore he accepted me. Hearing is so important. People cannot even hear, especially. They have become so disturbed, impatient; he cannot hear. It is pinching. The hearing becomes pinching. Maya kicks him, "Get out, get out." [laughter]

All right, have kirtana.

[56:37]

[Prabhupada leads kirtana] [prema-dhvani] [end]