So Bhagavad-gita is the science of God. Everything has scientific process of understanding. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said, jnanam me parama-guhyam yad vijnana-samanvitam. Knowledge or science of God is very confidential. This science is not ordinary science. It is very confidential. Jnanam me parama-guhyam yad vijnana-samanvitam. Vijnana means... Vi means specific. It is a specific knowledge, and it has to be understood by a specific process. Generally, we understand, we acquire knowledge by direct perception, experimental knowledge, direct perception. But bhagavad-vijnana, the science of God, is so extensive and so intricate that it is not possible to apply our imperfect senses to understand the science of God. Then we have to understand with our senses. Otherwise what is the meaning of understanding? Hear. Therefore these senses, when they will be purified, then we can understand. Just like a man cannot see due to some cataract complication, but if the cataract portion is surgically operated, he can see also. Treatment. Similarly, it is said in the sastras that atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih [Cc. Madhya 17.136]. Our senses are very imperfect. That we can understand. For example, we are daily seeing the sun globe, but our experience is just like a disc because my eyes cannot see things placed in long distance, neither can see which is very near. Just like the eyelid is just attached to the eye, but I cannot see. This is imperfect. Neither we can see very close, neither we can see very long distance point, neither we can see in darkness. There are so many conditions. If those conditions are fulfilled, then our senses can act. Therefore it is to be understood that our senses are imperfect.

Therefore Bhagavata says atah, therefore, sri-krsna-namadi, Sri Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, namadi... Nama means His name, His holy name, adi, that is the beginning. To understand Krsna is to begin chanting His name, nama. Namadi. Adi means in the beginning. Therefore we recommend the students to chant Hare Krsna. Atah sri-krsna-namadi. Nama means after you understand or realize nama, then you'll understand His qualities, transcendental qualities. When, in the Vedic scripture, when it is said that the Absolute Truth is nirguna... Nirguna means, guna means quality, and nir means negative. And nir, nir, na arthe. Nir also used to ascertain. So nirguna can be used in two senses. The first sense is negative, "no guna, no quality," and the second is "it is difficult to ascertain."

So both can be applied in the understanding of the Absolute Truth. How? First thing, He has no quality. He has no quality means He has no material quality. He has no material quality. In the Vedic literature it is said that apani pado javano grahita. The Absolute Truth has no hands or legs, but He accepts everything. Now this acceptance, suppose if you are giving me something, if I accept, then it is supposed that I have got hands or I have got senses. So when in the Vedic literature it is said that the Absolute Truth has no hand or leg, that means He has no hand and leg as we conceive in this material world. When we speak of hand, immediately I think "my hand" or "your hand," but this is limited. So when we cannot adjust that God has got hands and also legs... In the Upanisads it is said that God, the Absolute Truth, Brahman, can walk so fast that even air cannot go so fast. In this way, there are descriptions. So that means, as stated in the Brahma-samhita, that isvarah paramah krsnah sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah [Bs. 5.1]. His form, He has got form undoubtedly, but His form is different. The Mayavadi philosopher, whenever they think of form they think in terms of his own form. That is their defect. Therefore it is said in the Bhagavata, atah sri-krsna-namadi. Sri-krsna-nama is not ordinary nama, name. Nama means name. Sri-krsna-nama is transcendental, absolute. There is no difference between the name and person and object. Here, there is difference. The name and the object is different. Water and the name "water" and the substance waterdifferent. I cannot satisfy my thirst simply by chanting "water, water." But by chanting Hare Krsna, I can realize God. That is the difference.

Therefore we have to purify our senses. These senses will give you opportunity to hear His transcendental name, to see His transcendental form, to understand His transcendental quality, and so many things. He has got His name, He has got His qualities, He has got His form. Then He has got His associates. Everything. Whatever we see in this material world, they are simply perverted reflection of the reality. Real form is there. Real name is there in the spiritual world. Just like my name, "such and such," your name, "Mr. John." This "John" is not actually your name, because you are spirit soul, eternal. But this "John" name is in relationship with this temporary body. As soon as this body is finished, the "John" name is finished. Then again, you take another body, you have got another name. Therefore this is not your name. But Krsna, His name in the spiritual world and in this world, the same. His name does not change. Atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih sevonmukhe hi jihvadau [Cc. Madhya 17.136]. By service attitude. Svayam eva sphuraty adah. The name, form, quality, associates, when we are in service attitude, they become revealed to us. It is not that... Just like we ask you, "What is your name?" So if I ask God, "O God, what is Your name?" God is not subject to our, such, I mean to say, challenging. You see? He will not reveal His name. You cannot understand. If you want to know God by your challenge, that "I can understand, I can see; therefore I shall see God, then I'll...," you'll never see Him. You'll never see. God is not under your challenge. Therefore the qualification of understanding God is surrender. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. And the process of understanding God is from God, not from others. He's so great, how can you understand by your mental speculation?

So here in the Bhagavad-gita, Lord Sri Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is revealing Himself by His causeless mercy. So how does He reveal, we shall try to explain from the Fourth Chapter:

So when we speak, as Krsna is saying, that imam vivasvate yogam proktavan aham avyayam [Bg. 4.1], that means this Bhagavad-gita was spoken long, long before. It is not that Arjuna is the first man who heard Bhagavad-gita from Krsna. Krsna said that "This yoga system I spoke to Vivasvan, sun-god." And vivasvan manave praha. "And the sun-god explained this science to his son, Manu." Manu is the forefather of the mankind. In Sanskrit, from Manu, it has come manusya or manava. Manava-jati, in Sanskrit. So Manu from "man." And similarly, in English also, from Manu the mankind or the man. The original word is Manu. Here it is said that vivasvan manave praha. Formerly, there were transportation service from one planet to another. That transportation service is still existing, but not with this planet. But higher planetary system there is transportation service from one planet to another by different kinds of airplanes. And in the Siddhaloka... There is another planet, which is called Siddhaloka. In the Siddhaloka the living entities or human beings are so advanced in yogic practice that they can travel with this body from one planet to another. This description are there in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Second Canto. And in this planet also there are many yogis even still existing, they can travel in this planet very swiftly by yogic power. There are many yogis who daily take bath in four places: in Prayaga, in Ramesvaram, in Jagannatha Puri, and in Hardwar. Still there are some yogis in India. So they can transfer themselves, transport themselves, from one place to another very quickly. So there was no difficulty in communicating with Manu or Manu's son, Iksvaku. The communication was there, or the radio system was so nice that communication could be transferred from one planet to another.

So here it is said that vivasvan manave praha manur iksvakave 'bravit. First of all, this was spoken to sun-god Vivasvan, and Vivasvan spoke to his son Manu, and Manu spoke to his son Iksvaku. This Maharaja Iksvaku happened to be an ancient emperor on this planet, and in his dynasty Lord Ramacandra appeared, Maharaja Iksvaku. He is ksatriya. These are all ksatriya. Surya, Vivasvan is also ksatriya. There are two ksatriya families, one from the sun and one from the moon, candra-vamsa and surya-vamsa. They're existing. And the Indo-European stock, they are also coming from the ksatriyas. From the history of Mahabharata, we can understand the Aryan families who migrated to Europe, they also belonged to this surya-vamsa or candra-vamsa. Anyway, that is another department of knowledge. Here it is said that..., Krsna says that "I spoke this philosophy or this system or this doctrine of Bhagavad-gita, yoga."

This is also yoga. This is bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga is the direct method of approaching God. Imam vivasvate yogam proktavan aham avyayam [Bg. 4.1]. This yoga is infallible. It is never lost. Avyayam. Avyayam means it has no annihilation because it is transcendental. Anything spiritual, transcendental, has no annihilation. Even matter has no annihilation. Modern science says conservation of the energy. So in God's creation there is no question of annihilation. But the difference between matter and spirit is this, that matter is, the nature of matter is bhutva bhutva praliyate [Bg. 8.19]. It appears, it manifests. Just like you prepare a pot from clay, and some day the pot will be annihilated, but it will go to the clay again, and again you can prepare from clay, pot. Just like the garbages. You are throwing daily, and again you are getting material from earth to manufacture so many things. So this is going on. This karma-yoga... This world is so made that the matter is there. You simply take it and transform the shape. That is your activity. Avidya-karma-samjnanya trtiya saktir isyate. [Cc. Madhya 6.154] In the Visnu Purana it is said that this material world is full of ignorance. Just like children, they make so many playthings from earth or clay and again break it. And this practice is very prominent in your country. I see in big cities like New York, Boston, very nice buildings, well-built with stone and iron, breaking it. And again some skyscraper. And it is suggested in your Almanac, World Almanac, that next hundred years they will break all these buildings and they will go underground. Yes. Because atomic age. So nobody will... I have read it in the World Almanac. The prediction is there that world, next hundred years, nobody will live on the surface of the earth. Everyone go subway. And when they want some pure air, they'll come out to see what is the surface of the world. It is suggested. You can read it.

So this nature of material world is like that. Punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30]. Chewing the chewed. You chew something, you throw it, and again somebody comes, chewing it. You see: punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30]. Bhagavata says that they are engaged with this material body and material activities. Just like you are changing, bhutva bhutva praliyate [Bg. 8.19], we are changing our body from one body to another. Similarly, as, with the change of my body my activities are also changed. The material is supplied by the material nature and my activities are different. In this way I am going on. Bhutva bhutva praliyate [Bg. 8.19]. But we cannot come to the conclusion that if there is any possibility for eternal life or eternal activity or no change, because you don't want change. Even at the time of death you are very sorry because you have to change the body. Even for changing one apartment for another apartment you are sorry. Therefore for a sannyasi it is recommended that he should not live more than three days in a place. Because as soon as he lives more than three days, he'll get some attachment. Attachment. So he is forbidden. But at the present moment everything has changed. So bhutva bhutva praliyate. We are in the existence of changing, always transforming from one platform to another, one form to another, one business to another. But our nature is eternal. Na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. This is, all this explained in the Bhagavad-gita. So how we can get that eternal life, eternal nature, eternal happiness, and eternal knowledgethe Bhagavad-gita is meant for that purpose. If you are interested for eternity, then Bhagavad-gita is very congenial.

So this science was spoken first of all to Vivasvan, the sun-god. He spoke to his son Manu, and Manu spoke to his son Iksvaku. And in the second verse, the Lord says, evam parampara-praptam: "In this way, by disciplic succession," evam parampara-praptam. That means the process of understanding this particular type of yogaany yoga or this yogais to understand from disciplic succession. Parampara. Evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh [Bg. 4.2]. Rajarsayah means all the names mentioned here, either Vivasvan or Manu or Iksvaku. They were all great emperors and kings. Formerly the emperors and kings were familywise. Just like... At least, in England you have got the king by familywise. In every country it was... Now monarchy is abolished. So these ksatriyas, they were qualified. There was no question of democracy. At the present moment, by democracy if somebody can some way or other acquire some votes he becomes the chief man, but formerly the practice was that a qualified man who is trained, a king, he was on the seat. They were called rajarsi. Rajarsi means practically they were sages. Just like Maharaja Janaka. There were many kings, ideal kings. Maharaja Yudhisthira, Maharaja Ramacandra. Many kings. Even Maharaja Pariksit, five thousand years before he was so responsible king that when he was on tour he saw that one cow was being attempted to be killed, and the cow was crying. At once the king stopped, "Who are you? In my kingdom a cow is crying? I shall immediately kill you." So the king was so responsible that even animal was not allowed to be dissatisfied, what to speak of man. So they were so responsible. Therefore they were called rajarsi. Rajarsi. And it is particularly, everything, knowledge is meant for high class of men. Low class of men, what they will understand?

So this Bhagavad-gita was spoken to the rajarsis, the great kings who were just like saints and sages. They were on the throne, but they were all, I mean to say, dedicated souls for the peace and prosperity of the people. Just like Maharaja Pariksit. When he was born, this Maharaja Pariksit is the... What is called? Posthumous son? Born after the death of his father? What is called, English word? Posthumous. So his father died before his birth. In the Battle of Kuruksetra there were two parties, cousin-brothers fighting. So Maharaja Pariksit's father, Abhimanyu, the son of Arjuna, he was only sixteen-years-old boy, but he was fortunately married. His marriage is also very peculiar. The daughter was... Uttara was offered to Arjuna, but Arjuna said that "This girl, I have treated her as my student." He was teacher. "I cannot marry. She is my daughter." So then Arjuna said, "I have got grown-up son. I'll arrange her marriage with my son." So Uttara was married with his son at the age of sixteen years. The boy and the girl, both were sixteen years old, and they were married. Fortunately, when the battle was going on, this boy was also called to fight, and the girl was pregnant. But the boy never returned. He died in the battlefield. So Pariksit Maharaja remained in the womb of his mother.

So after the Battle of Kuruksetra, everyone died. That child was the only, I mean to say, descendant of the whole Kuru dynasty. So he was very carefully protected, and the attempt was made to kill this child also by the other party, but Krsna saved him. Anyway, when the child was born, Maharaja Yudhisthira, his grandfather... Five grandfathers, no son. Only one grandson. So the system is when a child is born, great panditas and brahmanas are called to ascertain the future history of the child. Nama-karana. What is called? There is a particular name. So Maharaja Yudhisthira was very much anxious to know how this child will be affectionate to his praja. Just see. The astrologer was speaking so many things about the child, that "He'll be like this, he'll be like this, he'll be like this." But he was anxious that "Whether he'll be worthy of our dynasty." Because in this dynasty, this surya-vamsa, all the kings were just like father of the citizens, "Whether he'll be like that or he'll be exploiter?" Then the brahmanas explained, "No, this child will be like this," and actually he was that.

So these rajarsis, they were great personalities. They were, although on the royal throne, they were not for luxury and tax collecting. No. They were just exactly like real father. Always thinking of the happiness of the prajas. It was actual democracy. There was committee of the brahmanas who guided the king, and the king was, I mean to say, control over the citizens by the guidance of the brahmanas. This was the system. So here it is said, evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh [Bg. 4.2]. This system for understanding Bhagavad-gita was current. Krsna says to Arjuna. Now He says also, sa kalena iha mahata yogah... [break]...spoke the secret of this Bhagavad-gita to his son Manu. Manu spoke the secret of the Bhagavad-gita to his son Iksvaku. So now that system is now lost. Kalena mahata. By the great power. Kala means time. Time has got his influence, very great influence. Time's business is, whatever you make, time will try to kill you. That's all. You make a nice house, very nice house, but as soon as it becomes older it is being killed. You have very good body, nice body, but the influence of time is trying to kill you. That is the influence of time. So in the Bhagavad-gita you'll also find that when Arjuna saw the universal form of Krsna, he asked that "Who are You?" And Krsna said in that universal form that "I am Kala. I have come to kill." That's it. This was the answer.

So kala's business is, kala, time, to kill. So here also it is said sa kalena iha, kalena mahata. Mahata is also karana, and kalena, by the influence of..., that is now lost. Because it is a struggle. Our struggle for existence means we are trying to exist, but kala is fighting to kill. That is going on. So kala's business, time's business is to kill, but that system is now lost, is now killed by the influence of time. Sa kaleneha...yogo nastah parantapa. Then, what is to be done? Sa eva ayam maya te adya yogah proktah puratanah. "So I have already begun to teach you about this Bhagavad-gita. So it is not a new doctrine that I'm presenting before you." That, called... Sa eva ayam maya te 'dya yogah proktah puratanah. Puratanah means the same old system, puratana. Puratana means Purana. Purana means the old, historical events. Purana. And this Mahabharata, Mahabharata is also... Mahabharata, great history. And the Srimad-Bhagavata is also called Maha-Purana, the great history of olden days.

So here also, the same word is used, that Krsna says, sa eva ayam, "This yoga system, the Bhagavad-gita yoga system which I am now speaking to you, is very old. How old you can imagine that I first spoke it to the sun-god." If you calculate only the age of Manu, it is about forty millions of years ago. To speak the minimum. So anyway, it is very, very old. Not that it is doctrine which is presented... Just like in the modern educational system somebody is presenting some doctrine, and he's getting the title "Doctor," some new thesis. It is not like that. There is nothing to be researched. Eternal knowledge has nothing to be researched. There is no question of research. It is already established. Otherwise there is no meaning of eternal. This knowledge of Bhagavad-gita is eternal. It is not a product of modern research or doctrine. Puratanah sa eva. Sa evayam maya te adya. Adya means "today." "Today I am speaking on the battlefield." Yogah proktah puratanah. "Why You are selecting me? Why You are selecting me and why this battlefield? You are speaking a philosophical doctrine and the science of God, and You are speaking to me. I am not a Vedantist, I am not even a brahmana, I am not even sannyasi. Ordinary grhastha. Of course, I have got the privilege that I am Your friend. So much so. Otherwise, yoga system is not to be spoken to me. Why You are speaking to me?" This may be questioned. Why specifically it was spoken to Arjuna? The reply is, bhakto 'si. "The only qualification is that you are My devotee. That's all."

Therefore from the very beginning it is to be understood one who is not a devotee of Krsna, he cannot understand what is Bhagavad-gita. Those who are not devotees... There are different classes of men. Some of them are karmis, some of them are jnanis, some of them are yogis, and some of them are bhaktas. The enlightened, cultivated persons, they can be divided into four groups. Those who are ordinary men, they do not know anything except to keep this body comfortably. They're materialistic more or less. In this life or next life they simply want material comforts. They are called karmis. And jnanis... Jnanis means they are disgusted with this karma. Because there is a time, a point, when they become disgusted. Just like the American young men, they are now disgusted with this material civilization. So they are searching after knowledge. But unfortunately, the state is also not very enthusiastic, and there are many who are exploiting. But here is the knowledge. And that point comes, when the karmis become disgusted, confused. Because the spirit soul, he wants spiritual life. He cannot be happy with any amount of materialistic life. In our childhood we read one poetry that a boy has brought one bird, and the bird is talking with the boy. "My dear bird, you live with me. I shall give you very nice fruits. I shall talk with you," and so many things. But the bird says, "No, I want to go away. I want to go away." "No, I shall give you a golden cage. You don't go away." So he says, "No, no. I don't like golden cage. I want freedom." So that was talk. So similarly, if a bird is kept in golden cage and if golden foodstuff is supplied to him, it is not happy. It is not possible. Similarly we are spirit soul. Any amount of material happiness will never make me happy. That is a fact. But due to our ill faith, we do not know what is happiness. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. They do not know what is the ultimate aim of life, what is the goal of life. They are trying to be happy with this matter, and the material happiness means sex life, and they are trying to squeeze the sex life in different ways. Yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham [SB 7.9.45]. That is not possible. That is not possible.

Therefore this Bhagavad-gita yoga system, which is very old... Forty millions of years before, ago it was spoken. And before that it was also spoken. That is not stated here. Because it is eternal. Avyaya, puratanah, old. So who is qualified to understand Bhagavad-gita? You can understand. Those who are not bhaktas, they can also understand superficially. Just like one has got the bottle of honey. If one thinks that "I have got the bottle of honey. Let me lick up the bottle," so licking the bottle, what taste you will get? The bottle has to be opened and see what is there. (laughter) And if a rascal thinks that "I am licking this bottle, I am eating honey, I am tasting honey," he's a rascal number one. Simply. So similarly, if one is not bhakta, if one is not Krsna's devotee, that rascal cannot understand Bhagavad-gita. Plainly. Plainly it is stated here. First of all, try to become the devotee of Krsna. Then try to understand what is Bhagavad-gita. Not by your scholarship or by your speculation. Then you'll never understand Bhagavad-gita. If you have to understand Bhagavad-gita, then you have to understand by the process as stated in the Bhagavad-gita, not by your own mental speculation. This is the process of understanding. Bhakto 'si me sakha ceti.

Bhakta means... Who is bhakta? Bhakta means one who has revived his eternal relationship with God. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. Now in this body I am thinking, "I am American." How long I am American? I am American so long this body is there. That's all. I am thinking, "I am Indian." I am thinking, "I am brahmana," "I am this or that." Whatever I may think. How long? So long this body is there. And the next life? If you get a dog's body, then you'll think, "I am dog." If you get a cat's body, then you'll think "I am cat." So bhakta means not that superficial relationship. My relationship with the society, family, country, or humanity, they're all superficial because my body is superficial. The real relationship is with Krsna. Mamaivamso jiva-bhutah [Bg. 15.7]. "All these living entities are My part and parcels," Krsna claims. Sarva-yonisu kaunteya sambhavanti murtayah yah [Bg. 14.4]. "In each and every species of life, as many forms as there are, they're all My parts and parcels." Krsna (is) explaining like that.

So bhakta means when we revive our relationship, how I am connected with Krsna. Then he is bhakta. Then he is bhakta. That relationship is pervertedly reflected in this material world. That relationship. Somebody is related with Krsna as master and servant. That is reflected here also. There is master and servant, but both of them are cheating one another. The master is trying to exploit the servant, and the servant is trying to exploit the master. They are also forming unions, how to exact money from the capitalists, and the capitalists trying to exploit this labor from the laborers. So here, that master and servant is there, but both of them are cheaters and cheated. That's all. But if we really want to be master and servant, the supreme master is Krsna and you engage yourself in His service. You'll never be cheated. You'll never be cheated. You want to love. You love Krsna as your husband or lover, you'll never be cheated. You love children. You love Krsna as your childjust like Yasodamayi accepted Krsna as his childyou'll never be cheated. So the same relationship is there, but it is perverted reflection, and there is no happiness. But when we become bhakta or establish one's relationship with Krsna... Just like Arjuna. Arjuna is bhakta. What kind of bhakta? Bhakto 'si me sakha, sakha ceti. "You are bhakta, at the same time My friend." So to become bhakta means either you become a friend of Krsna or a servant of Krsna or a lover of Krsna or father of Krsna or mother of Krsna. In this way, there are so many. Or you become enemy of Krsna. Just like Hiranyakasipu.

So this is the process of understanding Bhagavad-gita. Therefore I am speaking from this Fourth Chapter. The secret of understanding Bhagavad-gita is here, and if you follow these principles... Just like when you purchase one bottle of medicine from the, I mean to say, drug shop, there is dose. Read, "This medicine is to be taken by this dose." If you follow the direction of the bottle label then you get benefit. Similarly, here is the direction: evam parampara-praptam [Bg. 4.2]. You have to understand Bhagavad-gita from the disciplic succession, and that means one who is devotee, a devotee. Devotee. This disciplic succession devotee. Otherwise there is no possibility. If that disciplic succession is something else than devotional service, then he cannot understand Bhagavad-gita. There are many practical experiences, and so many scholars, books we have studied, and their commentary is all nonsense because they are not bhakta. They try to understand Bhagavad-gita simply by their academic qualification. That is not possible. That is not possible. If somebody is trying to Bhagavad-gita by his academic qualification... What is the value of this academic qualification? It has no value in the presence of spiritual science. It is a different thing. It is to be understood in a different process.

So we shall discuss this Bhagavad-gita, how Arjuna understood. If... This is a clear fact mentioned here, that before Arjuna, before meeting Arjuna, the science of Bhagavad-gita was lost. It is clearly said. Sa kaleneha yogo nastah parantapa. That was lost. Although it is eternal, still, because the parampara system or the disciplic succession broke, therefore the real meaning or real purport of Bhagavad-gita was not received. It was broken. Nasta means the parampara system broken. Therefore Krsna is appointing Arjuna to understand because he is devotee and friend. So if you accept Bhagavad-gita as Arjuna understood it, then you are directly hearing from Krsna. That is the process.

Thank you very much. Any question?

Now, here, the bhakti-yoga system is that if you stick to the hearing of Hare Krsna and the music, melodious music of khol, karatala, then naturally you become detestful for hearing other songs. So this is practically indriya-samyama. The bhakti process is that sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. You cannot stop the senses to work. That is the negative process. Because the senses are meant for working. Therefore you have to give better engagement to the senses. That will be explained in the... It is already explained in the Bhagavad-gita, Second Chapter, param drstva nivartate [Bg. 9.59]. Param drstva nivartate. If you force one to stop, it is very difficult. Therefore so many yogis also failed. Just like Visvamitra Muni. By force, he was trying to control his senses, but as soon as the sense got opportunity, one Menaka, a heavenly society girl, came before him, he became captivated. He became captivated. These examples are there. And the child was born, Sakuntala. You know, everyone. So he was a great yogi. He also failed because it was artificially being tried.

But there is another instance, Thakura Haridasa. He was to be... He was also enticed by a prostitute at night, but he turned the prostitute to be a devotee. You see. At night, she came. She was induced by some of Haridasa's opponent's party and she came, very beautifully dressed, at night, and Haridasa Thakura said, "How you have come here?" "Oh, you are so nice, so beautiful, so young. So I have come to embrace you." Like that, whatever. "All right. Please sit down. I shall fulfill your desire. Let me finish my chanting. Then we shall enjoy life." (laughter) So he was chanting, the morning came. So the prostitute became disturbed. "It is now..." "All right. I could not finish my chanting. So come this night, I shall fulfill." In this way, second night, third night, when she came, she surrendered: "Sir, I came with this purpose. Please save me. This is my business." So Thakura Haridasa told, "Yes, I know that. But because you came to me, therefore I stayed for three days..., three days to purify you. Now I'm glad that you are purified. You sit down here, chant Hare Krsna. I am going from this place." [break] ...Visvamitra failed, but this bhakti-yogi, he conquered. This is karmendriya. If you want to force your senses to stop work, it is very difficult. But if you engage your senses for transcendental loving service of the Supreme Lord, it will be automatically, automatically stopped. That is stated. Atma-samyama juhvati jnana-dipite. That jnana, that jnana means knowledge. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, bahunam janmanam ante vasudevah sarvam iti [Bg. 7.19]. If that stage of knowledge is achieved, that "Krsna, or Vasudeva, is everything, and I am eternal servant of Krsna," that is perfection of jnana.

So when that perfection of jnana comes, then he engages his senses. Hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. When your senses are purified and you engage them in the service of the Supreme Lord, Hrsikesa, the master of the senses, that is called bhakti. That is the highest perfection. So we have to engage our sense, sarvanindriya-karmani, by understanding, by coming to the, I mean to say, mature platform of knowledge. If you engage your senses in the Supreme, that is real controlling senses. Artificially if we want to control our senses, it is very difficult.

So any other questions? We are inviting that you come and let us discuss. This is a very great science, Krsna consciousness, and it is the, I mean to say, the necessity for the human being. Why? When there is opportunity... This temple is here. We are opening different centers. Why? Just to give opportunity to the people to understand this science of Krsna consciousness. It is not a bluff. We have got authority behind this movement. Whole Vedic literature, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, we are supported. It is nothing. The same thing. Just like Arjuna said, or Krsna said that yogah proktah puratanah. Puratana, it is very old. But the time is so cruel that sometimes it is... Just like by time sometimes a clear sky is overclouded, covered with cloud. But that does not stay. Similarly, this cloud of ignorance at the present moment, it guhyatamam bhuyah srnu me paramam vacah. "Most confidential I am speaking to you. The most confidential and topmost of knowledge." Why? Isto 'si me. "Because you are My..." The same thing. Isto 'si. "I want your welfare." Isto 'si me drdham iti. "Because you are My devotee, so I want that you be benefited." That is Krsna's... As soon as you become devotee, bhakto 'si priyo 'si me [Bg. 4.3].

Just like here also, if you have got a very intimate friend, he wants how you can be happy. So drdham iti, isto 'si me drdham iti tato vaksyami: "I am not speaking to the rascals. I am speaking to you, because you are My most confidential friend." What is that?

So these boys, they are undergoing tapasya. Don't you think that in this countrythey are (?) will not stay. As soon as people are anxious to get this knowledge, ignorance will go away. Jnana-dipita. Jnana-dipika. So that jnana-dipika, that is also explained in the Bhagavad-gita,

Just like Arjuna, he was very much painful to kill his kinsmen, but for Krsna's sake he agreed. That is tapasya. It was not very happy for him to kill his grandfather and nephews, but for Krsna he accepted. That is tapasya. So people cannot understand, "Oh, he was a fighter. How he was a tapasvi?" But that is... Anything which you do not like, but for Krsna's sake if you accept, that is tapasya. Because your, the central point is, you love Krsna; therefore you have sacrificed. The point is that for Krsna's sake, you are voluntarily accepting this inconvenience. That is tapasya. And as soon as you become tapasvi, your whole existentional condition becomes purified. Tapo divyam yena suddhyet sattvam yasmad brahma-saukhyam tv anantam [SB 5.5.1]. So there is a link between one Vedic literature to another. There is no contradiction. But different things are there for different classes of men. But this is for the highest class. Bhakto 'si priyo 'si [Bg. 4.3]. That is the highest position. Yes?