Bhagavad-gītā 4.4 – February 12, 1974, Vṛndāvana

740212BG-VRNDAVAN [50:44 Minutes]

Mūḍha means "foolish" or "rascals"

[Poor Recording]

Pradyumna: [leads the chanting word-for-word and verse] [devotees repeat]

[break] [01:16]

Prabhupada: This is the misgiving of ordinary human being-to misunderstand Krsna. Generally Krsna is understood as a historical person. Therefore suppose if Krsna was born as contemporary of Arjuna... Because they were two... [aside: Who is talking?] The modern scholars also-so-called scholars-they also think that Krsna is a person like us. That is spoken in the Bhagavad-gita that,

Because Krsna appears like ordinary human being... Not ordinary. His activities are not ordinary, but still, some foolish mūḍha-the exact meaning of the mūḍha means "foolish," or "rascals"-they think Krsna as ordinary. To accept a human being as God and to accept God as human being, both things are foolishness. God is God; human being is human being. That is the difference. A human being cannot become God, and God cannot become human being.

So Krsna is not that God which are very cheap nowadays, so-called Gods. He is not that. He... Just like nowadays by mystic power, by worshiping some demigod one becomes God. These are ludicrous. You know that a person is going on, is being worshiped as God in a great big Mission. And how he became God? By worshiping Goddess Kali. This is going on. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita that,

There is no need of worshiping any demigods. We offer our respect, all respect, to demigods. It is not that we Vaisnavas, we do not offer respect to Goddess Kali or Lord Siva; it is not that. We offer proper respect. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has taught us that amanina mana-dena . A Vaisnava gives honor even to the lowest creature, because he sees every man in relationship with God, Krsna. So if you are Vaisnava, offer respect to everyone, then why not to the demigods? But they do not equalize the demigods with God. They are not such fools. They cannot say that Krsna or Lord Siva or Goddess Kali and Lord Brahma, they are all the same. They do not commit this mistake. They know by following the footsteps of acaryas. Just like in the Caitanya-caritamrta the author says, ekale isvara krsna, ara saba bhrtya :

"Only master is Krsna." And all others, including Lord Siva, Lord Brahma, Indra, Candra, very, very big, big demigods, they are also servants in one sense. When Krsna requires personal service, His incarnation Sesa, He serves Krsna. Sesa, Sesa Naga, is expansion of Sahkarsana, but Krsna accepts service by His own expansion. He enjoys pleasure by expanding His pleasure potency, Srimati Radharani. Radha krsna-pranaya-vikrtir hladini saktir asmad . Radharani is also Krsna, potency, expansion of Krsna, pleasure potency. So in this way Krsna is the original person. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28], that is the version of Vedic literature.

Krsna is the original person.

Īsvaraḥ means controller. Every one of us are more or less controller. Just like I am controlling my disciples, the family man is controlling his family, the big office manager is controlling his office. Managing director, some big businessman like Birla or others, they are controlling their big, big factories. So more or less every one of us is a controller, small or big; so in that sense everyone is isvara. But Krsna is not that type of isvara. isvaraḥ paramaḥ-that is Krsna. It is not very difficult to understand what is God if you have got little sense. This is very nice explanation of God in the Brahma-samhita: isvaraḥ paramaḥ krsnaḥ [Bs 5.1]. isvaraḥ we can understand, "controller"; that is not very difficult. But here a controller is controlled by another controller. Suppose a gentlemen is manager of Vrndavana bank; he is controller, but he is controlled by another person. It is very difficult..., not difficult. Similarly, if you go on researching, that "Here is a controller, but he is controlled by somebody else. And who controls him? Who controls him?" If you go on research-there are many research scholars-now find out the supreme controller, and that is Krsna. If you can find out the supreme controller, that is Krsna. Janmady asya yataḥ, adi-purusa, adyam purusam sasvatam.

After hearing from Krsna, Arjuna, Arjuna accepted that "You are the Supreme Person, param brahma," because as the brahma... The Mayavadis, they are after brahma: brahma-sukhanubhūtya.

The whole universe, innumerable universes containing innumerable planets, they're simply floating on the bodily rays of Krsna. Just like we have got experience, the sunshine. There are innumerable millions and trillions of planets, they are floating in the sunshine, floating, every one. Even the sun is floating. Every one is floating, weightlessness, modern scientific proof. So therefore Krsna is the original person. The people, the man who does not know Krsna, he thinks, "He is a human being; therefore let me imitate Him. I am also Krsna. I am also God." You may be god, but you are not that type of God as Krsna. That is not... You may be god. As I have explained, there are many gods. So god means controller, but real God, svayam bhagavan, krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28]. So Arjuna knows everything, but because he was talking with Krsna as his friend, people may not misunderstand him. Therefore his answer is the question of the ordinary people:

Krsna said that,

"I spoke this bhagavat bhakti-yoga, Bhagavad-gita, first to sun-god." So at the present moment people are so foolish they cannot understand even what is sun-god. Hopeless. They have no information, that the..., in the sun there is a predominating deity, or the president. Just like here in this planet we find presidents-not one president, hundreds of presidents. But actually time was there when on this planet there was only one president. Up to Maharaja Pariksit, the one monarch, he was controlling the whole world, one flag. And nowadays, because people have advanced, so we see in New York almost every day on the First Avenue...? [aside: Is that on the First Avenue, in that, in the store? Eh?]

Tamala Krsna: First Avenue.

Prabhupada: Yes. So there is the United Nations organization, and you pass through, we see hundreds of flags-not one flag. Although they are trying to be united, United Nations, they are becoming more and more disunited. But where is the strength of unity? They're missing the point. Unity can be made possible when we become Krsna conscious; otherwise there is no question of unity. On the material platform there cannot be unity; therefore there is no peace. But the peace formula is explained by Krsna, that bhoktaram yajna-tapasam sarva-loka-mahesvaram [Bg 5.29].

If anyone understands perfectly well that Krsna is the supreme enjoyer, Krsna is the supreme proprietor, Krsna is the supreme controller...

He is the proprietor of all universes-not only one, but millions of universes. Spiritual world, material world, He is the supreme enjoyer and proprietor, and He is the supreme friend. Suhrdam sarva-bhūtanam [Bg 5.29]. We are searching after friends who can help me. We make friendship with another person, expecting some help and assistance from that friend. But if we accept Krsna as the supreme friend, supreme protector, then there will be peace. This is the peace formula.

Therefore one who has selected Krsna as the supreme friend, he is not disturbed by any dangerous position.

Narayana-paraḥ, those who are devotee of Narayana, Krsna, they can face anything. They do not invite danger, but this material world is such a place that you have to face with danger in every step. You cannot avoid it. Padam padam yad vipadam. Padam-every step. So who can avoid this dangerous position in every step?

This is the only safe position: if you completely depend on Krsna, mahat padam, punya-yaso murareḥ. Krsna's another name is Murari because He killed of the name one demon, Mura, Murari. So if we accept the lotus feet of Krsna as the boat for crossing over the ocean of nescience, then you are safe, param padam. That is param padam. Everyone has to take shelter of Krsna, that is the success of life. So Krsna is so great, ekale isvara krsna, ara saba bhrtya . Krsna also says in the Bhagavad-gita, mattaḥ parataram nanyat kincid asti [Bg 7.7]

These things are there. So here Arjuna says, aparam bhavato janma [Bg 4.4]. Arjuna is taking the part of a foolish man, like us; he is..., as if he does not know Krsna. He knows Krsna perfectly, and Krsna also knows him, because Krsna has already said, bhakto 'si me [Bg 4.3]. So if Arjuna is bhakta and Krsna is accepting him as "My dear devotee, My friend," so it is not that Arjuna does not know, but because as Krsna has said, that "This philosophy I spoke to the sun-god," foolish persons like me will not believe. These are all stated. Krsna says, avajananti mam mūḍha [Bg 9.11], because we are all mūḍhas. So it is our business to neglect Krsna. So in order to clarify the position of Krsna, the talk between Arjuna and Krsna means to understand Krsna as He is. One inquiry by Arjuna, and the answer by Krsna makes the whole thing clear, to understand the position of Krsna, so that we may be out of this ignorance that Krsna is ordinary person, or ordinary human being. In this way,

Vivasvataḥ.

So next verse He says that,

This is the difference between Krsna and ordinary human being. Krsna knows past, present, future-everything. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam the supreme authority, supreme Brahman is explained, janmady asya yato'nvayad itaratas carthesv abhijnaḥ. He knows everything. Just like I am living in this room, but something is missing... [break] ...So I can say, "Now the matches are there in your pocket." I am abhijnaḥ, the contents of my room. Similarly, Krsna is the supreme creator of everything. He is anḍantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham [Bs 5.35]. He is conscious, abhijnaḥ, of everything.

He knows everything, even within your heart, what you're thinking, what you are planning. It cannot be concealed to Krsna. This is our foolishness, that we are doing something, concealing. You can conceal my eyes, other friend's eyes, but you cannot conceal the eyes of Krsna. He is upadrastanumanta [Bg 13.23]. That is explained in Bhagavad-gita. Upadrasta: He is seeing always what you are doing. You cannot play tricks with Krsna; that is not possible.

So those who are anxious to become Krsna conscious, sincere devotee of Krsna, they should not try to play tricks. Krsna will know everything. So Krsna is abhijnaḥ; Krsna is situated everywhere. He has no past, present, future [indistinct Sanskrit]. So Krsna [Arjuna] is questioning this simply to clarify Krsna's position. This is happening. [aside: read that purport] [break] ...a devotee, that he believes Krsna:

Arjuna said. Just like modern scholars, they cut some portion, "Oh, this is not fact; this is some imagination." The devotee does not do that-ardha-kukkuti-nyaya . Ardha-kukkuti-nyaya-to accept some portion and reject other portion-this is not the business of the devotee. A devotee accepts each and every word of Krsna. That is devotee. Not that..., not only Krsna or Krsna's devotee who is in the parampara system. So devotee means who accepts everything in toto, either spoken by Krsna or by His devotee. That is sarvam etad rtam. Arjuna said this: "I accept whatever You have said."

So if you simply follow these footsteps of Arjuna, that is parampara. Don't... Why do we interpret Bhagavad-gita otherwise? Krsna says,

Parampara. So apart from other parampara, whatever Arjuna says. Arjuna talked directly with Krsna; he heard Krsna directly. So whatever Arjuna is admitting, you follow that footstep, then you are perfectly well[?]. Arjuna says, param brahma or paramesvara, paramatma. So isvaraḥ atma, we are also atma; there is no difference of opinion. But we are not paramatma. Just like Krsna said... [aside:] What is that? Sarva-ksetresu dehinam. What is that in the thirteenth chapter? Open that verse, thirteenth chapter. I have forget it.

Devotee: Sarva-ksetresu bharata?

Prabhupada: That's it. From the beginning. Huh? Ksetra-jnam, that's right. Ksetra-ksetra-jna. Ah. But Krsna says,

He is explaining ksetra. Ksetra means this body, and ksetra-jna, the proprietor, and one who knows of the body, he is called ksetra-jna. Just like there is some itching in my body; I know, so but you do not know. There is some itching in my body, it is known to me; therefore I am ksetra-jna of this body. As this body is ksetra, and because I know the pains and pleasures of this body, therefore I am ksetra-jna. So you are ksetra-jna in your body, I am ksetra-jna in my body, another person is ksetra-jna in his body, but Krsna says that,

I am also ksetra-jna, but what is the difference between you? You are also ksetra-jna and I am also ksetra-jna, then what is the difference? The difference is sarva-ksetresu bharata: "I am ksetra-jna in every body." You are ksetra-jna only in your body. The pains and pleasures of your body you know, but others do not know. Similarly, in others' body the pains and pleasures he knows, but you do not know. This is the proof that we are all individual souls.

And when Krsna says that ksetra-jnam capi mam viddhi, therefore He is Supersoul. Simple thing, but the rascals, they say there is no soul or Supersoul; there is only particle[?]. They simply want to pose themselves as Krsna. How you can be Krsna? How you can be the Supreme God? You may be god, and certainly you have got some power from total power, but you cannot become Supreme God; that is a different person. The Mayavadis, they say that there is no such thing as Supreme God. "We are God. Now in maya we have forgotten that we are God, but when the maya will be dissipated, then we shall be one." Now that oneness is not possible, because even if you are thinking that you have become God, can you feel my pleasure and pains? You cannot. So how I can accept that you are the Supreme God? You may be god of your body; others may be god for the others' body; but you cannot expand yourself in all bodies. That is Supreme God, isvaraḥ. That is the Supreme isvaraḥ.

So here is the difference between Krsna and ordinary human being, that He is also individual-Krsna is also individual, person; you are also individual person, nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam [Katha Upanisad 2.2.13].

But the difference is that Krsna is the supplier of necessities of all others: eko bahūnam yo vidadhati kaman [Katha Upanisad 2.2.13]. We cannot supply the necessities of everyone. It is very difficult even to maintain a family of a few members, and how we can supply the necessities of the whole world, all living entities?

So if you study Bhagavad-gita very nicely, so you will never be bluffed by these so-called mūḍhas, avajananti mam mūḍha. You will never be bluffed. You will understand Krsna, what He is: He is the Supreme Person.

Krsna says, "There is no more superior person than Me." Therefore He is,

He is not impersonal. Vigrahaḥ. Vigrahaḥ... When Krsna says aham adir hi devanam [Bg 10.2], so "I am person. The devatas, the demigods, they are also persons. So I am adir hi devanam." So He is also person. How is it possible?

He is purusam. The Supreme Lord cannot be prakrti. Prakrti is Krsna's energy. Bhūmir apo 'nalo vayuḥ bhinna me prakrtir astadha [Bg 7.4]. Jiva also. Jiva-bhūtam maha-baho. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakrtim param [Bg 7.5]. The jiva is also prakrti. How he can be purusa? Purusa is enjoyer; jiva is not enjoyer. That is prakrti. We must understand.

So any way we go, Krsna is the Supreme Person, He is the enjoyer, He is the friend of everyone. And if we understand these things only, these three things, then you become liberated immediately.

Simply if you understand these three things: that Krsna is the supreme enjoyer, Krsna is the supreme proprietor and Krsna is the supreme friend. So I must take shelter of Krsna, then I am in safe custody. Simply if we know these three things, then divyam, then we become fit to go, to enter into the kingdom of Krsna.

You can be allowed to enter into the Goloka Vrndavana, where Krsna is situated. Goloka eva nivasaty akhilatma-bhūto [Bs 5.37]. It is not that because He is staying in Goloka Vrndavana, therefore He is absent here. No. Akhilatma-bhūto, He is everywhere. Anḍantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham [Bs 5.35]. He is even within the atom. This is the understanding of Krsna.

So we are preaching this Krsna consciousness on the basis of the Bhagavad-gita as it is, without misinterpretating, to show our so-called scholars that that is not the way of understanding Krsna. We should understand Krsna submissively, as Arjuna is. Sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam prapannam [Bg 2.7]. Krsna also asks Arjuna to surrender fully; so he has already surrendered. When Arjuna saw that there are so many perplexities and this cannot be solved except by Krsna, so he surrendered: sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam. In this way, if we surrender to Krsna through His representative... Representative means one who says exactly what Krsna says; he does not change anything. Krsna says,

And His representative says that "You give up everything, surrender to Krsna"-the same thing. So there is no difficulty. One hasn't got to manufacture some idea, some philosophy. No. Everything is there. And if you preach what Krsna has said, then you are spiritual master. It is not also a very big job; simply you have to become sincere to Krsna, and you learn Krsna through His representative, you become sincere to the representative of Krsna, and Krsna:

Then you are spiritual master. It is not very difficult. And become, every one of you, become spiritual master and preach this gospel of Bhagavad-gita as it is. Then the world will be saved. Otherwise they are already in trouble, and they will go more and more into the depths of the troubled, dangerous position, and they will never become happy. So Krsna consciousness movement is very, very important movement for saving humanity, civilization, human society. Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya! All glories to Srila Prabhupada. [break]

Devotee: Is it offensive if you are not chanting with the mind [indistinct] spiritual master?

Prabhupada: The chanting process is that you chant with your tongue Hare Krsna and hear. That's all. Then you are saved. Hare Krsna must be chanted by the use of tongue, and you hear it, that's all. Where is the difficulty?

Devotee: [indistinct]

Prabhupada: Yes. Everything may come, but this is the process. This is the process. Chant Hare Krsna and become happy.

Devotee: [indistinct]

Prabhupada: Nothing is difficult in Krsna consciousness movement. One has to execute it very seriously and sincerely. Then it will come. Nothing is difficult, not at all.

Chant Hare Krsna and hear, and everything will come. Krsna's... By chanting purely, without any offense this Hare Krsna mantra, then you will understand Krsna's form, Krsna's qualities, Krsna's pastimes, Krsna's entourage-everything. Vidya-vadhū-jivanam. Sarvatma-snapanam param vijayate sri-krsna-sahkirtanam [Cc Antya 20.12]. Caitanya Mahaprabhu, param vijayate sri-krsna-sahkirtanam. Simply by chanting you get all such. Iha haite sarva-siddhi haibe tomara, Caitanya Mahaprabhu . You get all siddhis. The greatest siddhi is to understand Krsna as the Supreme Personality, that's all. [laughter] That's all. If you simply admit this, that Krsna is... Just like Krsna says,

So why should you wait for bahūnam janma? We accept Krsna, "My Lord Krsna, You are the Supreme. So, so long I was forgotten. Now I accept You. I surrender," and your life is successful. Of course, it is not very easy to do that; therefore there are sastra, sadhu and guru to take their help. But the real thing is this: accept Krsna the Supreme Absolute Truth and surrender unto Him-this is a basic principle-and stay in that position. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has given so nice and easy for the fallen souls in this Kali-yuga. They cannot do anything, so-called yoga, so-called austerity. This is not possible. Not possible.

It is not possible to proceed according to the ways of sacrifices, yajna, or mental speculations, yogic siddhis. Nobody can perform perfectly. And even one performs perfectly, that is not ways to understand Krsna. Krsna says personally, bhaktya mam abhijanati [Bg 18.55]. That is the only way; there is no other way. They say there are many ways, and any way you accept that will lead you to Absolute Truth. But that is not a fact. To understand the Absolute Truth you have to accept the absolute path. That is bhakti-yoga. And Krsna says,

If you want understand Krsna superficially, that is another thing. But if you want to know Krsna as He is, then only this devotional service:

Krsna is revealed. He is so kind. If you simply sincerely engage in devotional service to Krsna, then you will see Krsna everywhere. Krsna is everywhere. So chant Hare Krsna mantra, purify your heart which is full of dirty things.

Even if you do not understand anything, simply hear Hare Krsna and Krsna's katha; then you will become pious. In this way, as you become more and more pious, you, your path to understand Krsna is clear. And at the last moment, when you're completely pure from all contamination of sinful activities, you are engaged in Krsna's service.

One who is engaged in Krsna's service with firm faith and devotion, it means he has already freed himself from all kinds of reaction of sinful activities. This is the test. Without being freed from all contamination of sinful activities, nobody can pinch his faith at the lotus feet of Krsna. If one hesitates, that means he is still sinful. That's all.

Duskrti. Duskrta means sinful; you cannot surrender. These are the [indistinct]. Is that all right? [laughter] Hare Krsna. So any other question? [break]

When we are to talk of Krsna, those who are advanced devotees, they go away. Advanced devotees, they do not like to hear about Krsna. Why not? We are talking of Krsna, someone goes away. Why? He doesn't like to hear about Krsna; he has become so advanced. That is sahajiya. That is sahajiya: "Oh, we have heard all these things. Now we have to hear about Krsna, He's embracing Radharani and kissing, that's all. These are ordinary things." Krsna's talk is not ordinary talk. It is ordinary for the sahajiyas, one who has taken everything very easily, they have understood everything. One who has understood Krsna, he will agree to hear more and more about Krsna, "Ah, here is Krsna and His talk. Krsna is being placed in the supermost position. So nice." That is the taste. There is a verse in the Bhagavatam, "As soon as there is krsna-katha, one should be very much pleased, 'Oh, [indistinct].' " That is the taste.

Ruci, this taste, is very further on, after artha-nivrttiḥ syat. Nistha then ruci, taste. Jnana-sakti, then bhava, then prema. This is the process. adau sraddha tataḥ sadhu-sahgo. These are the paramahamsa[?], not jump over, immediately, to rasa-lila without understanding Krsna, then smoking biḍi. Caitanya-caritamrta:

Siddhanta: one has to understand what is Krsna, then one becomes firmly faithful to Krsna. That's all he understands: Krsna. One who does not understand Krsna, they think that "Krsna is as good as I am." Avajananti mam mūḍha [Bg 9.11].

[aside: I think by this [indistinct]

So, is that all right about Krsna? Hm? Any questions, anyone? All right, chant Hare Krsna. [end]