Bhagavad-gītā 8.5–8– October 23, 1966, New York
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661023BG.NY
Bhagavad-gita 8.5-8
- October 23, 1966, New York 661023BG-New York [63:38 Minutes] CDM_120-1
Prabhupada: There is a story, in a cowshed there was fire. So, after that incidence the cow as soon as the cow sees something red oh, they began to disturb. "Oh, there is fire." Similarly, here tasting the bitterness of so-called rascaldom, they think that Radha-Krsna is also similar rascaldom.
Devotee: Begin?
Prabhupada: So, when they have sent the file? Did you ask?
Devotee: Oh, I think two, two days ago.
Prabhupada: Oh. Then they might have received.
Devotee: Yes.
Prabhupada:
om ajnana-timirandhasya jnananjana-salakayacaksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri-gurave namaḥ
sri-caitanya-mano-'bhistam sthapitam yena bhū-tale
svayam rūpaḥ kada mahyam dadati sva-padantikam vande 'hamsri-guroḥsri-yuta-pada-kamalamsri-gurun vaisnavams ca
sri-rūpam sagrajatam saha-gana-raghunathanvitam tam sa-jivam sadvaitam savadhūtam parijana-sahitam krsna-caitanya-devamsri-radha-krsna-padan saha-gana-lalita-sri-visakhanvitams ca In the eighth chapter, Bhagavad-gita Lord Krsna says,
anta-kale ca mam eva
smaran muktva kalevaram yaḥ prayati sa mad-bhavamyati nasty atra samsayaḥ [Bg. 8.5] Anta-kale means "at the time of death." At the time of death, one who remembers Me. Anta-kale ca mam eva, mam eva, mam eva means…Eva means "certainly" and me means… mam means "me." "Certainly Me." The Supreme Personality of Godhead says, "certainly Me." That means Krsna, or Krsna's expansion the form, not formless-mam. Formless, this is explained in the 12th chapter:
One who is attached to the impersonal Brahman then his business is troublesome. Klesa, klesa means "troublesome". Avyakta hi gatir duḥkham, dehavadbhir avapyate. Dehavadbhir because we are in this material body and our senses are not able to understand except something form. So, if by artificial way I want to think of formless, it becomes a troublesome business. Actually, God is not formless, but his form is different. Everything has form without form there is nothing, even the smallest atom it has got form. Ah, [coughs] just like in geometry they describe that the point has no length, no breadth. Because the point is so small that our instrument, measuring instrument fails to measure what is its length or breadth. Therefore, the [indistinct], that it has no length and no breadth but actually it is not a fact it has got length and breadth, but we have no instrument, we have no power to see.
So, spirit soul is anor aniyan mahato mahiyan [Katha Upanisad 1.2.20]. This is "soul is the greater than the greatest and the smaller than the smallest."So, we cannot see the smallest, we cannot see the greatest, "greater than the greatest." We can think of the greatest-the sky, the expansion of the sky-unlimited. But such sky, God is so great that innumerable millions and billions of skies are within it. In the Brahma-samhita [5.48] it is stated: yasyaika-nisvasita-kalam athavalambya. Therefore, we have to refer to the authoritative scriptures, to get knowledge. As I told you the other day that transcendental knowledge has to be acquired by oral reception. There is no other way. Just like practically the geometrical calculation is that the sun. The dimension of the sun is many, many hundred thousands of greater than the earth. But we are seeing just like a disc. So, our sense is unable to see how great it is. It is a material thing so how we can see the greatness of God with this material eyes? It is not possible. As you are understanding about the sun by authoritative statement of the geometry that this sun globe is so great. So many hundred thousands greater than the… But you are seeing just like a disc. So, how do you get the knowledge of the sun? By receiving through the ear. That's all. Simply you have to receive the knowledge from the authority it is not that practically you are experimenting by going to the sun that it is so great and so long, so broad. That is not possible, you have to receive such knowledge through authority, that's all.
So even for material understanding which is beyond our sense perception we have to receive knowledge from authority. Similarly, we cannot understand what is God. But from the authoritative sources we can understand God is so great. Just like in the Brahma-samhita it is stated that:
You see this universe, and in each universe, there is a predominating demigod which is called Brahma or jagad-anḍa-nathaḥ-the master of the universe. That master of the universe is living only taking the duration of breathing of Maha-Visnu. Just like you are breathing inhaling and exhaling, so when Maha-Visnu exhales innumerable universes come out. And when He inhales, all these universes go into His body. So, just imagine how great He is. How big He is. That is not I mean conceivable, with our limited sense. But if we believe then you get the perfect knowledge. There is no doubt. If you don't believe there is no other way you cannot understand what is God or what is His length, what is His breadth. So whenever in the scripture it is said that God is without form, that means He has no form which we have got experience. But He has got form, just the same example. When you cannot measure you say point has no length, no breadth. But actually, it is not a fact, the point has length and breadth, we have no instrument to measure it, that's all. Similarly, when as soon as we say form we understand this form, just like I am seeing your form, you are seeing my form. So, we understand that God maybe a form and because God also comes in this form also. Just like Bhagavad-gita it is said:
"Because I have come in the form of a ordinary human being they are deriding. How He can be God?" So many scholars, so many philosophers they deny to accept Krsna-God. Why? Because He appears to be just like you and me a human being, but God can appear in any way because He is all powerful. He sometimes appears as fish, sometimes He appears as a tortoise. Sometimes He appears like a boar, sometimes He appears half lion-half man. Similarly, sometimes He appears man, sometimes He appears as woman. So, we cannot restrict God that He cannot be like this. He cannot come here; He cannot take any shape. No, He is not under my restriction, then how God is great? If I put God under my restricted knowledge or limited knowledge, then God becomes under my understanding. But the Vedic language says: avah-manasa gocara-He is beyond the expression of words, He is beyond the conception of mind, He is greatest of the great and the smallest of the small.
How He is the smallest of the… We are also because we are spirit spark, now do you know what is our measurement. That we can find in the sastra. I have several times mentioned that one-ten thousandth part of the tip of your hair-is the measurement of the soul. Now you have no instrument you cannot measure even the tip of your hair and what to speak of one-ten thousandth part of it. Impossible, therefore because you cannot find out by dissecting this body, where is that spirit spark? There is but your present eyes cannot find it out therefore you say nirakara or no form. But actually, it has form we say, we get information from the sastra. Just like we get complete information of the sun globe from geography or from authoritative sources. Scientists, astrologer, astronomer, mathematician. So similarly, you can get information, what is the form of individual soul, what is the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They are there. But His form is not like your form or my form.
The Brahma-samhita [5.1] says ah, sac-cid-ananda vigraha, His form is full of bliss and full of knowledge and eternal. But this body, this body our body is neither eternal, neither full of knowledge, neither blissful. So, we can distinguish what is the form of God, sac-cid-ananda. Sat, sat means "eternal"; cit means "full of knowledge" and ananda means "full of blissfullness". So, this body is neither blissful, neither eternal nor full of knowledge. It is full of ignorance and full of miseries and not permanent, temporary. So, God hasn't got such body therefore sometimes it is said in the Vedic literature formless. Formless means the form which you can conceive at the present moment God hasn't got that form. But when He descends ah, like you and me that is His mercy.
He comes just to, being, being visible to our eyes. Just like this picture, this picture is not, it is not to be taken that He is not God, he is picture. The picture of God is also God. The picture of Krsna is Krsna, the, the sound name Krsna-that is also Krsna. But just to give us facility to understand you do not think that this picture of Krsna is painted by some artist imagination. No. It is not imagination, there is description in the scripture what is the form of Krsna.
venum kvanantam aravinda-dalayataksam-
barhavatamsam asitambuda-sundarahgam kandarpa-koti-kamaniya-visesa-sobhamgovindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami [Bs. 5.30] Venum means "flute". He is playing on flute; venum kvanantam aravinda-dalayataksam. Aravinda means "lotus petal", His eyes are so nice like lotus petal. Venum kvanantam aravinda-dalayataksam-barhavatamsam. Barhavatamsam means "a peacock feather." You'll find Krsna and Visnu He is very fond of this peacock feather. Everywhere, you will find the peacock feather. Barhavatamsam asitambuda-sundarahgam, and His color is a cloud-darkish cloud. Masi, masitambuda, ambuda means "cloud" and masitam means "blackish." Sundarahgam-but a still, He is so beautiful.
venum kvanantam aravinda-dalayataksam-
barhavatamsam asitambuda-sundarahgam kandarpa-koti… He is so beautiful that He surpasses the beauty of millions of cupids. Cupid is supposed to be very beautiful. It impels lust-Cupid. So, He's many more thousand times that beautiful than Krsna-Cupid. Kandarpa-koti-kamaniya-visesa-sobham, visesa-sobham-He has got His particular beauty. Ah, govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami, in this way there are descriptions so according to the description these pictures are drawn. It is not imagination. So, this form is factual it is not imagination. The Mayavada philosopher, impersonalist they answer the Bhagavad-gita's word that:
One who is attached to impersonal views, their process of meditation or execution of spiritual activities is very troublesome. Now, therefore Mayavada philosophers they say that "God has no form but because you cannot meditate upon the formless, so you just imagine any form you like." So, God is not subjected to your imagination that is not God's form. If you imagine something and that has been degraded. Sahkaracarya limited such imaginative forms to five only. Five. What is that five? Visnu, Lord Siva, and Sun, and Ganesa and Devi-Durga. He limited, then any of these five forms you can meditate upon, you worship. Ultimately, it is formless. But at the present moment unauthorized person has degraded in such a way that you can imagine any form. You can imagine even stool. They say like that. You, see?
So, neither God is limited to any five imaginative forms or this form or that form. His form nobody can imagine neither He is within our perception. But He is as He is.
Therefore, we have to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead from authoritative sources. Just like the Bhagavad-gita the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself speaking-what I am. This is the science of God. If we take Him as He is saying, then we become perfect knower of God. There is no difficulty but if we deny then you are in difficulty. Those who have accepted Krsna as He is, God as He is they have attained perfection also, that is practical. Not that we are, there are millions and billions followers of Krsna in India. Not only ordinary followers, just like many great stalwarts, educationalists. I mean to say saintly person like Sahkaracarya, Madhavacarya, Ramanujacarya-great educated and learned scholars. They have accepted, Lord Caitanya has accepted, and there are so many others also. And there are millions and millions of temples of Krsna. They are being worshipped by millions and billions of devotees-a still. A still if you go some Krsna temple in South India you will find thousands of thousands of people always assembled. They have no imagination, you, see?
In Jaipur temple, Jaipur temple the king's palace, within the king's palace there is Jaipur temple. So, whenever you go in that Jaipur temple you will find at least 1,000 men assembled-at least. If you go Jagannatha Puri you will find at least 2,000 men daily coming and going. If you go to Vrndavana you'll find at least 5,000 men daily coming and going. So, and in Vrndavana itself there are 5,000 temples, out of that only seven or eight temples are very big temples. In other words, each and every house is Krsna temple.
So, it is not that somebody asked me, James. How many there are in India Krsna consciousness? Oh, you… The Krsna conscious men in India at least the Hindus oh there are 90%-at least. All Krsna conscious.
So, His form, His form, His name, His quality, His pastimes, everything transcendental. Therefore, in the Bhagavad-gita it is said: anta-kale ca mam eva [Bg. 8.5], mam eva-only unto Me. If you simply practice the Krsna's form-to see just like if you chant Hare Krsna. At once, you see the form of Krsna within your mind. Therefore Bhagavad-gita says one who is thinking of Me-Krsna, always he is the greatest yogi. He is the greatest yogi. Yoginam api sarvesam, there are many kinds of yogi but Krsna says that of all the yogis. Yoginam api sarvesam. Sarvesam means "you can count as many millions of yogis." But of all them, all of them the…
One who is always thinking of Me antaratmana-within himself, within the heart, within the mind. Sraddhavan-with faith and love. Bhajate yo mam, bhajate means "engaged in devotional service"- "Krsna please be kind upon me. I am fallen kindly accept me." This is yoga that's all, very simple thing. Krsna I mean that Lord Caitanya has said: ayi nanda-tanuja. He has especially mentioned nanda-tanuja, "oh the son of Maharaja Nanda." Because in Vrndavana Krsna acquired Himself as the cowherd boy, son of Maharaja Nanda. So, Lord Caitanya is teaching us, ayi nanda-tanuja-oh the beloved son of Maharaja Nanda. Ayi nanda-tanuja patitamkihkaram mam -I am your eternal servant now somehow or other I am fallen to this material existence.
With a great ocean of material existence. Don't you see the biggest outer space it is… What to speak of ocean. We cannot compare with even ocean. So many millions of oceans can be pushed in this [outer] space of material space. So patitam kihkaram mam visame bhavambudhau krpaya-by Your causeless mercy,
Pahkaja means "a lotus flower." And lotus flower you'll find some dust, saffron. So, the devotee is praying that as, "as in the lotus flower, there are so many dusts. You kindly accept me as one of the particles of that dust."
So, this is very nice bhakti-yoga. Simply surrender and pray, and that is the best and the highest type of yoga. If you accept this Bhagavad-gita, if you believe in this Bhagavad-gita, if you follow the footprints of great personalities who have followed this Bhagavad-gita. Then your life is perfect, there is no doubt about it. Mahajano yena gataḥ sa panthaḥ [Mahabharata], you cannot… Everyone is following the footprints of great personalities in every department of knowledge. Even scientific, scientific ah… Scientists they are also following the law of gravitation basing their further progress on the law of gravitation. There are so many laws. How the laws are there they do not know. But that law is found out and scientific advancement is going on.
So mahajano yena gataḥ sa panthaḥ, so as in the material field also we are following the great personalities and authorities. Similarly, in spiritual realization, if you follow the great personalities. There are specifically mentioned the great personalities in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. If you cannot find out who is great personality. The list is there, and who are they?
svayambhūr naradaḥsambhuḥ
kumaraḥ kapilo manuḥ prahlado janako bhismo balir vaiyasakir vayam [SB. 6.3.20-21] They are given there, just like Prahlada Maharaja. Prahlada Maharaja is a great authority in the devotional service a five years old boy he was chanting Hare Krsna his only fault was that his father become enemy. His father insistently wanted "you stop this nonsense-Hare Krsna." He would not, so the father wanted to kill him, put him into so many tortures. At, at last he came out successful and he was blissful. So therefore, he is mahajana, in spite of so much tortures by his father. He did not give it up. Similarly, if we stick to the principle as it was done by great personalities Brahma, Lord Siva, Narada, Prahlada Maharaja, Janaka Maharaja. Their stories, their life history is there, everywhere in the Puranas. So, mahajano yena gataḥ sa panthaḥ we have to accept the path of great personalities. Otherwise, if we want to understand the Absolute Truth simply by arguments and logic, oh it will never be achieved.
athapi te deva padambuja-dvayam-
prasada-lesanugrhita eva hi janati tattvam ah… na canya eko 'pi ciram vicinvan [SB. 10.14.29] The path of spiritual realization is for him, who has a slight mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Athapi te deva padambuja-prasada-lesanugrhita, prasada means "mercy,"lesa is "slight." If one has achieved a slight benediction from of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he can understand what he is. Na canya eko 'pi -and others eko 'pi-those who have not achieved that causeless mercy. Na canya eko ciram vicinvan-one life together, if they go on contemplating and meditating and speculating, it is not possible. It is not possible.
Therefore Bhagavad-gita says, bahūnam janmanam ante [Bg. 7.19], after such so-called meditation and so-called speculation. That is also valid, but it takes long, long long way. They are not rejected but our life is very short especially in this age our intelligence is very short we cannot perform real meditation, we cannot perform the preliminary activities, yam, yam, asana, pranayama, it is not possible at the present moment. So those principles are not rejected, but it is not possible, at the present moment. Therefore Lord Caitanya says, harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam . As soon as you chant this transcendental vibration-Hare Krsna, immediately the form of Krsna is in within yourself without…, yourself and here in the Bhagavad-gita the Lord says:
"One who, at the time of death, simply thinks of Me."Smaran-simply by remembering. Muktva-immediately, he becomes liberated. Muktva kalevaram, yaḥ prayati-anyone who passes away from this body. So, what is the result? Yaḥ prayati sa mad-bhavam, mad-bhavam means "he gets the next body just like Krsna." That means that sac-cid-ananda vigraha-eternal body, blissful life and full of knowledge. Yaḥ prayati sa mad, yati-he attains yati. Nasty atra samsayaḥ-do not be doubtful it is fact. How it is fact? The next verse says it is not a fact because somebody is thinking of Krsna he gets a body like Krsna and goes to the Krsna's abode, but it is the general rule. What is that?
Anyone at the time of his death the, the mind being absorbed by some kinds of thought. So, he gets the body, and there are instances just like Bharata Maharaja. Bharata Maharaja he was a great king but at an early age only. He was only 24 years old; he gave up his kingdom. Bharata Maharaja means the king by whose name India is called Bharata-varsa. Not only India this whole planet was known as Bharata-varsa. Gradually it is declined, just like recently we have partitioned Pakistan. Similarly, the whole planet was known as Bharata-varsa. So anyway, that Bharata Maharaja, at the time of his death he had a pet deer. He thought of the deer, and he became next life a deer. Therefore, Lord Krsna says that it is not that because you think of Me you get a body like Me, but it is the general rule if you think at the time of your death. Whatever you think, you carry the idea with your mind, and you get the, immediately a similar body. That means you are put into the womb of a mother to get a similar body.
So instead of thinking of Krsna always, if we think of our dog as Bharata Maharaja was thinking of the deer. Oh, there is risk of getting a dog's body.
Oh, my dear Arjuna he gets a similar body ah, sada tad-bhava-bhavitaḥ. Because he is always thoughtful of that particular body. So, this practice of Krsna consciousness is sada tad-bhava-bhavitaḥ. If you always think of Krsna naturally you will think at the time of death Krsna, and the result will be next life you get a body like Krsna.
Thank you very much. [break]
Any question?
Devotee: I'm not sure that I understand how the process of which one might be thinking of something with his mind and how that soul is put into a body. Similar to what that thought is. In other words, how can the soul be subject to what the mind is thinking of?
Prabhupada: Because soul is now covered by the subtle body and the gross body. When the gross body stops to work, just like at night, the gross body is lying, but the subtle body mind is working; therefore, you are dreaming. The subtle body is working, so when you give up this body your subtle body, mind, intelligence that carries you where you find. Just like the flavor is carried by the air. If the air passes on some rose trees the air becomes flavored like rose. There is no rose, but the flavor is there. Similarly, the flavor of your mentality, the flavor of your understanding is carried that is the subtle body and you get a similar body. Therefore, at the time of death the examination is tested. How one has advanced in Krsna consciousness. The best thing is it is said in the next verse eh: tasmat sarvesu kalesu [Bg. 8.7]. Krsna says tasmat sarvesu kalesu [break]…you are transferred to a body like Krsna in the abode of Krsna.
Devotee 2: Only that is that person who will not Krsna conscious [indistinct], but at the time of death he becomes Krsna conscious then what is [indistinct]
Prabhupada: He goes to Krsna.
Devotee 2: So, then it is that he has performed bad actions during our life and only at the time of death…
Prabhupada: Yes if you are so fortunate. Just like Ajamila when he was at the point of death, he was… He had a pet child whose name was Narayana. So, he was calling him "my dear boy Narayana."So, when he was calling Narayana he thought of Narayana. So immediately, he achieved Narayana.
Devotee 2: Don't you think it is a contradiction that if a man is unfaithful all his life and only at the time of death, he thinks of Krsna, and this means that…[indistinct]
Prabhupada: No, that history. That history of Ajamila is different. In his childhood he was a son of a brahmana. He was faithfully discharging the duties of a brahmana but accidentally when he was young. He was married also, accidentally when he was young, he was passing on the road and some sūdra girl and boy they were embracing and kissing, and he became attracted, and he become attracted by the prostitute. And he left home wife and everything and then he became a great dacoit and smuggler and everything he did. But… And he had so many children the youngest was Narayana, so at the time of death because generally people become attached to the youngest son. So, he was calling Narayana, but he remembered oh that Narayana's severanced to the context. As soon as he called Narayana in his boyhood he served Narayana under the direction of, of his father. So, he remembered Narayana. Therefore, it is not always possible, but therefore, in the Bhagavad-gita it is said:
"If someone has executed devotional service, even a little bit. Oh, it may be, it, it can save him from the greatest danger."
Devotee 3: I don't understand, I don't, I don't see how man in one life can achieve a, a level of consciousness that he, he could sit with Krsna. Don't you have to go through a chain, I mean according to you know what you do with your life? Don't you either have to be elevated, stay the same one. Because…
Prabhupada: Yes, that elevation you can achieve immediately. Simply by changing your consciousness. What do you mean by elevation? A man is called uneducated, and another man is called very learned what is that. He has practised how to become educated, that's all. Similarly, you practice, here is the practice and you become elevated. There is no, I mean to say impediment anyone can elevate himself immediately. There is no question of waiting because the process of change is going on. If you accept the change immediately and then you follow, you will become elevated.
Mataji: A person's life experience is difficult [indistinct]
Prabhupada: Hm?
Mataji: A person experiences difficulties in attaining the level of consciousness [indistinct]
Prabhupada: Yes. Difficulty is there always. Even you go to school there are so many difficulties. But if you practice with bhava and rigidity you become successful. Difficulties may be there, in every field of our activities there are difficulties. You cannot say this world is full of difficulties. So, difficulties may be there, but you have to struggle against the difficulties. And you have to adopt the process, then your difficulties will be over. It is not that because there is difficulty, I shall refrain from. No.
These are process. Just like you have come here with some sraddha-with some faith. Oh, here is Krsna consciousness, let me sit down, let me hear. This is the preliminary stage, if you become a little serious, then you come daily and try to understand what is this. This is called sadhu-sahgaḥ. Then, gradually, as these boys they offer themselves Svamiji I want to be your regular student-initiate. Third stage.
adau sraddha tataḥ sadhu-
[sahgo] 'tha bhajana-kriya And if he follows the rules and regulation the, gradually the difficulties are over; anartha-nivrttiḥ syat. And when the difficulties are over then he gets faith, tato nistha. He gets taste-tato ruci, athasakti-then attachment. Then bhava-ecstasy and the highest perfection after that.
So, difficulty may be there, we are in difficulties this material life. But we have to come over-that is required. It is not that you cannot come over the difficulties, in every step of our life there are difficulties. The material life is like that: padam padam yad vipadam [SB. 10.14.58]. In every step, there is danger. It is a place like that even if you are comfortably in a nice car you are going. There may be any moment accident. You are going in a plane there maybe any moment accident. Even you are sitting here there maybe accident. So, difficulties, this world is full of difficulties. One who does not understand this difficult position he is a fool.
If one thinks that I am very comfortable, then he is a fool. This is animal life, because an animal thinks "oh I am very comfortable, I am very nice." And dissatisfaction is human life. He is not happy unless he gets the greatest happiness, that is human life. And if he thinks "yes I am well off I am very happy" then he is animal. Because there is no happiness here. Full of distress, full of miseries, how he says that I am happy? That means he is ignorant. So, difficulties are there, you have to overcome-that is the problem.
Mataji 2: Svamiji, last night's initiations you gave me a spiritual name could you tell me now what that name means?
Prabhupada: You have forgotten? [chuckles] Madhavilata. Why don't you write it? Madhavilata.
Mataji 3: She asks what it means Svamiji?
Prabhupada: Eh?
Mataji 3: She asks what it means.
Prabhupada: Madhavilata, Madhavilata is a plant which was very much liked by Krsna. Madhavilata. It is a flower plant Madhavilata and Krsna and Radha used to take pleasure underneath that plant. So, anything related with Krsna-is Krsna.
Any other question?
Devotee 4: I have a question about the taking a body of Krsna after death. If you are thinking of Krsna at the time of death or taking the body of a dog or a deer if you are thinking about it. That sort of thing when you die. Ahm, there must be if… different times of a taking of a body. Because the different kinds of body. The bodies of dogs and deers and things are not the same as the body of Krsna. Now, how do you take on this form of Krsna?
Prabhupada: By thinking of Krsna.
Devotee 4: No what I mean, how does the soul assume this form? How does it become…
Prabhupada: Not become Krsna. Just like you are spirit soul, when you take the body of a certain type of body you act according to the body. Just like the dog is acting differently from human body because he has got a different body. Hog is acting differently because he has got a different body. So, there are 8,400,000's of different bodies. So mad-bhava, mad-bhava means "the nature." Krsna's nature, you keep your individuality, but you get Krsna's nature. And what is Krsna's nature? Krsna's nature is always blissful, ananda-mayo 'bhyasat [Vedanta Sūtra 1.1.12]-always joyful. So, you get a body joyful, full of knowledge and eternal. Not that you become Krsna you get exactly the same bodily constitution as Krsna has got. That is sat-cid-ananda-vigraha.
As we are even at the present moment, we are particle of Krsna. Krsna is vibhu-the whole, we are anu-we are small. Similarly, as now we have got this material body if we pass our life in Krsna consciousness we get our spiritual body which is non-different from the soul. The clear example just like a man put into the water is, is raised from the water and placed in the land. So, in the land he is happy, similarly because we are spirit soul, we are in a very unfavorable condition of this material world as soon as we perfect our self in Krsna consciousness. We get into the spiritual platform or body or [indistinct].
Devotee 4: I have one more question. If in taking on a body like Krsna we assume a nature [indistinct]
Prabhupada: Yes…
Devotee 4: Krsna's nature.
Prabhupada: Yes…
Devotee 4: When, when you say taking on a body of a dog or a cat or take whatever. Is this also… Do you mean literally a body like a pig, or do you mean a nature of a pig or a dog or a cat?
Prabhupada: No, here, the body and the soul different. The soul is spirit, and the body is matter but when you attain a body like Krsna's that means that is spiritual body. There is no difference between the soul and the body. Here there is difference between soul and body. But in the spiritual world, there is no difference between soul and body.
Devotee 5: Svami are we now, are we all part of Krsna and at the time of death, if we think of Krsna like we become what? Like meshed in with Krsna, like now we are, let's say, suspended within Krsna, but at the time of death, if we think of Him, we, we merge. Is that, is that what you're saying?
Prabhupada: Yes. The merge means you merge into the spiritual existence. But that does not mean you lose your individuality. You are already merged in the matter; we are all merged. Now your soul, my soul, his soul you cannot distinguish where is the soul. But body, the material body we have got, everyone but in spite of our being merged in the matter we have got our individuality. Similarly, to become merged in spiritual existence does not mean that we lose our individuality. Try to understand, just like we are all merged into the matter. If, if you dissect my body, you won't find where is that small particle spirit. It is already merged but a still we have got individuality. That means spirit soul is individual. Otherwise so far, your body is concerned, my body is concerned, there is blood, you have got blood, you have got muscle, I have got muscle. You have got bones, I have got bones, what is the difference? But why you are individual, I am individual? Because the spirit soul is individual. We are merged in the matter, but we keep our individuality, similarly you merge in the spirit you keep your individuality. How can you lose your individuality?
Devotee 5: [indistinct]
Prabhupada: No.
Devotee 5: [indistinct] individuality.
Prabhupada: Yes. You are individual always. Just try to understand your present position.
Devotee 5: [indistinct] I am trying [indistinct]
Prabhupada: Yes, you are merged in the matter. I am merged into the matter but a still you keep your individuality, I keep my individuality. Similarly, when you merge in the spirit, why the individuality should be stopped? The only difference is at the present moment the soul and the matter the qualitatively different. And when you get spiritual body the quality of the body and the soul is the same. But individually you must continue, how can you stop individuality? But that individuality and this individuality is different. In that individuality there is no disagreement, in this individuality there is always disagreement. Therefore, in spite of individuality there is oneness.
So, individuality will continue. There is, if there is no display of individuality then you will have to come back again to this display of individuality-in the material world. Because everyone, individual means he has got his own choice. If I tell you that you can come here but you, you haven't got any choice. [phone rings] Then you won't like to sit down here. You can sit down here, you can go, go out immediately. That's your choice but if I made the condition that you can sit down here without your choice, oh you will hate to come here. "Oh, I don't care for your meeting." That is individuality. But that choice maybe very nice and that choice may be very bad. That is different thing, but you have got your choice. That is individuality.
So, in the spiritual world the choice is there to serve Krsna, somebody is thinking I shall serve Krsna like this. Somebody is thinking I shall love Krsna like this, the choice is there. The individuality is there but the center is Krsna. Therefore, there is no disagreement. Just like in this world there maybe dozens of parties they may fight with one another, but the center is nationalism. Therefore, those parties are not null and void. They are accepted by the government they may be fighting with one another with things and objects. But because their point is nationalism, they are accepted. There is the agreement. Similarly in the service of Krsna there maybe individuality the choice of individual maybe. But the center being Krsna that is absolute.
There are many authoritative books that means, Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, Caitanya-caritamrta, Priti Sandarbha but generally if you simply try to understand Bhagavad-gita-as it is, without any mal-interpretation. Then you get all information of these things.
Just like here Krsna advises yudhya saḥ anusmara-you go on fighting. Because he was… You cannot stop your fighting because you are a soldier. But mam anusmara, at the same time, you think of Me. This is the secret. That nobody can stop his activities, but he can think of Krsna at the same time. This is Krsna consciousness.
I have given several times the example that a woman who is in love with other man in spite of her husband. She is very mindful to the household duties, but she is always thinking when at night I shall meet with my friend. This yudhya saḥ anusmara. Apparently, she is very busy, very nicely she is performing this household duties, her household duties but at mind she is always thinking of the lover. When she will meet. As it is possible why not Krsna? Is it very difficult? Meditation, perfect meditation, always 24 hours, you cannot forget Krsna just like a lover cannot forget the beloved. So, you have to contact Krsna in love then the meditation continues for 24 hours.
Bhaktijana: Is the, is the Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore is he nice?
Prabhupada: Hm?
Bhaktijana: Do you know if that Rabindranath Tagore.
Prabhupada: Yes, why not?
Bhaktijana: Is he nice?
Prabhupada: Huh?
Bhaktijana: Is he a nice poet? [indistinct]
Prabhupada: He is a nice poet from a materialistic point of view, that's all. To satisfy the materialistic person, he is not a nice poet from the spiritualistic point of view. We have nothing to do with him. [laughs]. We have to do with the poet like Vyasadeva. Don't you see how nicely he has written Srimad-Bhagavatam? There is no comparison, even from the literary point of view. He is perfect poet.
Lokasyajanataḥ, people do not know this that to get out of the clutches of maya. All this nonsense the only thing is bhakti-yogam. And people do not know it-lokasyajanataḥ vidvams cakre satvata-samhitam. The greatest poet-vidvan, learned Vyasadeva has written this Bhagavatam. So, he is the greatest poet.
Devotee 6: Svamijiwhile it's true that anyone who thinks of Krsna as he is dying can take on the body of Krsna. Is it not true that if you don't spend your life thinking of Krsna it may be difficult at the time of death to remember Him. Because of attachment?
Prabhupada: Certainly, if you don't practice, then at the time of examination certainly you will fail. [laughs]. If you say all right I shall see in the examination hall, I shall write everything nice. That is nonsense. You have to study nicely before the examination. Therefore, it is said yudhya saḥ anusmara. Practice it, abhyasa-yoga-yuktena. What is yoga? Yoga means practice.
Yoga means you do not allow your mind to go anywhere else. Just try to engage it; sa vai manaḥ krsna-padaravindayor [SB 9.4.18]. Always fix up in Krsna, that is the highest type of yoga.
All right question finished, let us chant.
End
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