Bhagavad-gītā 4.24 – April 13, 1974, Bombay

You Can't Separate Anything

Pradyumna: ...because of his full contribution to spiritual activities in which the consummation is absolute and that which is offered is of the same spiritual nature.

Prabhupada:

This is Krsna consciousness, sarvam khalv idam brahma [Chandogya Upanisad 3.14.1]. Actually, there is nothing as material. Because the energy and the energetic, there is a verse in Visnu Purana.

That is Krsna, Krsna is expanding himself. Just like the heat and light but that does not mean Krsna is finished. It is not material, purnasya purnam adaya, purnam evavasisyate. Krsna is spread in so many ways by his energy, by his personal expansion. Advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam adyam purana-purusam nava-yauvanam ca. [Bs 5.33] He is not finished, this is material idea that if Brahma is spread everywhere then where is the existence of Brahma in one place? This is the Mayavadi idea, just like you take a big paper, a newspaper and tear it into pieces and throw all over the original newspaper is finished.

Krsna is not like that because Krsna is spread by his energies, prakrti. Energy means prakrti, that does not mean Krsna is finished. This is Mayavadi philosophy, that when Brahma the supreme is distributed everywhere the original form or the fact is finished. No. That is not being done. That Isopanisad is said that, He is so perfect and complete, even complete is taken away from complete it is still complete, that is Brahma. We have got this limited idea, I have got balance say $1000 in the bank and if it is taken little by little the whole balance is finished. It is not like that. Purnasya purnam adaya, purnam evavasisyate. You have got $1,000 you take $1,000 and is still $1,000, this is spiritual. One plus one equal to one. One minus one equal to one. That is described here that brahmarpanam brahma havir, brahmagnau brahmana hutam. Actually, the sacrificer, the ingredients, just like grains, and ghee is being offered in the fire. So, the fire is also Brahma, the ingredients are also Brahma, the person who is offering ingredients, he is also Brahma. But in different categories. Not that because everything is being Brahma, therefore everything is God. No. Everything is, this is called Caitanya Mahaprabhu's philosophy, acintya-bhedabheda-tattva.

The example can be given, just like a drop of seawater and the sea. Chemical composition is the same, but the drop of seawater is not equal to the sea. This is Vaisnava philosophy.

The Mayavadi philosophy is, the drop when it is taken then it is separate and again if you put it there then it is one. So, the Vaisnava philosophy accepts it is one and separate. Both. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's philosophy, acintya-bhedabheda, simultaneously one and different. And it is explained in the Bhagavad-gita that, maya tatam idam sarvam jagad avyakta-murtina. [Bg 9.44] I am spread all over the universe, jagad avyakta-murtina. Nonmanifested murti, He has got his murti. He says maya, by Me, Me means person, maya. So, how He is spread? Just like we are person, I am here but I am not in my apartment. You are here, you are not in your house. That is the difference between Krsna and me. Krsna is also a person, I am also person but Krsna can remain anywhere and everywhere and still he remains His personality, that is Krsna. Akhilatma-bhuto. [Bs 5.37] That is stated in Brahma-samhita.

In the Bhagavad-gita also it is said, isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati. [Bg 18.61] Isvarah, the supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart. Your heart, my heart, it is particularly mentioned in the heart. We are searching out, where is the soul, where is the Supersoul but it is in the heart. And we see also so long the heart is going on beating the living condition is there as soon as the heart stops everything finished. And the sastra says also, isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati. Now you find out where is the Supersoul and the soul but because you cannot find out it does not mean that there is no soul, no Supersoul. That does not mean. That is your imperfectness of knowledge, or process of knowledge. And how you can find out? The magnitude of the soul is stated in the sastra, 1/10000 part of the tip of the hair. We cannot measure even the tip of the hair, and why, how we can measure it? And because we cannot find out we say there is no soul. No. There is soul.

Therefore we have to see through the sastra, not by our blunt eyes and senses, that is useless. adukik[?] Those who are bringing spiritual master as spiritual matter to be, to be subjected to the experimental knowledge, it is not possible. Experimental knowledge is defective, therefore we have to understand spiritual subject matter, sastra-yonitvat. The Vedanta-sutra says, you have to learn from the sastra. So here Krsna says that everything can be converted into Brahma. It is a fact, sarvam khalv idam brahma [Chandogya Upanisad 3.14.1].

How to realize, that is Krsna consciousness. That is described in the Bhagavad-gita very nicely. Just like Krsna says, everything is Krsna, how to realize? The Krsna says those who are not very advanced they have been advised to understand Krsna, how? Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya, [Bg 7.8] my dear Arjuna, I am the taste of the water. Begin like that. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya, apsu, in liquid, any liquid thing you have some taste, otherwise how you will drink the liquid things. You have got some, everything has got taste. The whole world is full of taste, unless there is taste no one can be inclined to enjoy something. Anything you take. Therefore sex life is called adi-rasa, the original taste. So in the water, when we drink water, or milk, or even wine, any liquid thing, if you simply try to practice this, that this taste of water that I am enjoying that is Krsna. That begins Krsna consciousness. It is not very difficult, everyone can do that. If you cannot chant, if you cannot hear about Krsna, if you cannot understand about Krsna because the devotional method is, sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam. [SB 7.5.23-24]

So to hear about Krsna it does not appeal to everyone. Krsna is fighting in the battlefield of Kuruksetra and Krsna is playing on the courtyard of Yasodamayi. There are so many description in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, ordinary less intelligent man they cannot understand that the Param Brahma, supreme Brahma can crawl in the courtyard of mother Yasoda. It is very difficult for them to understand. Therefore the 10th Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam there is description of Krsna's activities because unless one understands what is Krsna, he is not interested in the activities of Krsna. But those who are devotees they know that Krsna and Krsna's activities are one and the same. Absolute. So if we cannot understand Krsna, Krsna is so kind that he descends and plays in so many ways, if we simply hear about Krsna, then that means that we associate with Krsna, chanting of Krsna, Hare Krishna nama is Krsna, nama-cintamani-krsnah caitanya-rasa-vigrahah. [Cc Madhya 17.133] these are the statement of the sastra.

Krsna's name, cintamani is spiritual, it is not material. You cannot go on chanting on any material name. Mr John, Mr John, Mr John, you will be tired. But you go on chanting Hare Krishna, 24 hours you will never be tired. That is the difference, they do not understand. And the more you chant you relish, otherwise these European and American boys and girls four or five years ago. They did not know what is Krsna or what is Krsna's name, and now they are chanting all over the world. It is a fact. One priest, Christian priest he was astonished, in Boston. He issued one pamphlet, he said, that these boys they are our boys some of them are coming from Christian family or Jewish family. But before this, before they are taking to Krsna consciousness they did not care for anything, Bible or church or... Never. Now how is that, these boys are mad after God?

Therefore it is a fact, that Krsna and Krsna's name there is no difference. Here in the material world, if you want, if you are thirsty, if you want water, if you simply chant, water, water, water. That will not satisfy you. You require water, the fact. But spiritually when you chant Krsna, you relish Krsna. Nama-cintamani-krsnah. That is because Krsna and Krsna's name is not different. So, as we advance in realization then we can understand that everything is Krsna, that is described here. Brahmarpanam brahma havir brahmagnau brahmana hutam [Bg 4.24].

Because everything is Krsna's energy, the same example. Just like the fire, has got two energies. Heat and light. So whenever there is heat there must be fire and wherever there is light there must be fire. You cannot say that heat is here, light is here but fire is not here. That you cannot say. As soon as, even smoke is there, the fire is there. Even the smoke, this maya external energy is considered as the smoke of the fire but in the smoke also you can perceive fire. And in the light also you can perceive fire, in heat also you can perceive fire. There are three things, smoke, light and heat from fire. So one who is realised soul he sees everywhere the connection of fire, nirbandhah krsna-sambandhe yuktam vairagyam ucyate [Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.2.255-56].

He can see, this is advancement. Just like, we are offering Krsna something prepared, so how it becomes prasadam? Others will see that the same dal, bharata, sujior halva. We are also preparing how these people are calling it prasadam? And why they take with so respect, the prasadam, that is also Krsna. This is the process to understand, as I have already said, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya. For the neophytes by taking prasadam, by thinking the taste of water, Krsna, he will gradually develop his Krsna consciousness that is dormant. It is not artificial simply by certain process it has to be awakened. It is not something foreign. In the Caitanya-caritamrta it is said, nitya-siddha krsna-bhakti sadhya kabhu naya sravanadi-suddha-citte karaye udaya. [Madhya 22.107]

Sadhya means practice. It is not, we practice so many things by association but we forget but once you... [distortion]....premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santah sadaiva hrdayesu vilokayanti. [Bs 5.38] Santah sada. So we have to become santah, saintly person by devotional service, this is the process. The beginning is, hearing. This center is made for giving chance to people to hear about Krsna. That is the beginning. There is no loss but if there is any gain, why not take it? Anyone who is coming here it is not necessary that one has to pay some fees, or there is some loss. There is no loss, everything is gained, simply by hearing. And Krsna is speaking about himself. So we should take advantage of this Krsna consciousness movement that will be beneficial for us. So, Krsna and Krsna's name, or anything in this world, sarvam khalv idam brahma [Chandogya Upanisad 3.14.1].

How to realize, that is Krsna consciousness. That is described in thethat is Krsna because it is energy of Krsna. And you cannot separate the energy from the energetic. I have already explained, that you cannot separate fire, or heat, or smoke from the fire because the three things are emanating from the fire. Therefore in the Vedanta-sutra it is said, janmady asya yatah, the first quote is, athato brahma-jijnasa. Now this human life is meant for enquiring about the absolute truth. In cats and dogs lives, we cannot. By evolution process when you come to human form of life, there is chance of understanding Krsna. Therefore, when we get this human form of life, if you do not understand Krsna then you are committing suicide, atma-ha, cutting one's throat himself. So, we should not be atma-ha, labdhva su-durlabham idam bahu-sambhavante, manusyam artha-dam. [SB 11.9.29]

This human form of life is purposeful, don't waste. That is the injunction of the sastra, therefore there are so many Vedic literatures just to awaken this humanity or human society to the point of Krsna consciousness so that he may be relieved from this business of, janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi duhkha-dosanudarsanam [Bg 13.8-12] this is required. So this is, brahmarpanam, brahmarpanam Krsna is brahma, param-brahma. Param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan. [Bg 10.12-13] Arjuna has accepted, who directly heard from Krsna about Bhagavad-gita and he is experienced about Krsna. He expressed, you will find it in the 10th chapter, param brahma param dha param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan. My dear Krsna you are the param brahma, everything is brahma but he is param brahma. That is the distinction, sarvam khalv idam brahma [Chandogya Upanisad 3.14.1].

This all right but where from this Brahma is emanating? That param brahma, janmady asya yatah. Brahma is also emanating, brahma aham pratisthaya[?] Everything Brahma is situated on param-brahma, therefore he is described as param dhama, dhama means the platform. Just like we stand on the surface of the globe, so similarly there must be some standing, just like the light is coming. Where from the light is coming? The standing is the lamp, if the lamp is broken there is no more light. Similarly, the brahma-jyoti, where from it is coming? Where is the source? Brahma-jyoti, the impersonal brahma-jyoti, is not ultimate, brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate.

The absolute truth is one either you say Brahma or Paramatma or Bhagavan but still there is a grace of realization. Brahma realization is impersonal realization, Paramatma realization is localised and Bhagavan realization is the perfect ultimate realization, brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan. The same example, just like you are in the sunshine that is also light, it is not darkness. Similarly, those who are realised impersonal Brahma that is also light. Those who are realised localised Paramatma, isvarah sarva-bhutanam, the yogis. The yogis realised Paramatma, dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa pasyanti yam yogino. [SB 12.13.1] Yogis business is in meditation to see Krsna within the heart and the jnanis they realize impersonal feature, brahma-jyoti. But the bhaktas they directly come to the original source of Brahma and Paramatma. Bhagavan, isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati, [Bg 18.61] isvarah has expanded in everyone's heart and who is that isvarah? Isvarah paramah krsnah.

So if we understand Krsna and Krsna's energies then we can realize the Vedic slogan, sarvam khalv idam brahma [Chandogya Upanisad 3.14.1]. But without understanding Krsna it is not possible, without understanding Krsna there will be fall down. Therefore we see so many impersonalists they cannot give up their attachment for this material world. That is not possible. That is described in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, ye 'nye 'ravindaksa vimukta-maninas tvayy asta-bhavad avisuddha-buddhayah. [SB 10.2.32]

Anyone who has neglected your personality, aravindaksa, oh the lotus eyed Krsna, aravinda, ye 'nye he aravindaksa tvayy asta-bhavat. They cannot understand what you are, avisuddha-buddhayah. Their intelligence is still contaminated, not purified avisuddha. Then what is the result? The result is, aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah, after severe austerities, penances they may come to the impersonal understanding of your brahma-jyoti. But patanti adhah, again comes to the material world. Therefore the impersonalist without understanding of Krsna even very much advanced they do not get any occupation they come down again to the material platform to open hospital, school, college, why? Because the impersonalist says that this material world is false. If the material world is false why you come down again to the false platform to open schools and hospitals? That means, aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah patanty adho 'nadrta-yusmad-aṅghrayah.

Just like if you go very high with your aeroplane, just like they are trying to go to the moon planet because they are not getting any shelter they are coming back again. And if you are going to the moon planet why you do not stay there? But they cannot stay. Similarly these so-called Brahma realization or actual Brahma realization that will not help, you must stay some year[?], that is lotus feet of Krsna. Samasrita ye pada-pallava-plavam, [SB 10.14.58] we have to take shelter that is Krsna's aim paramam guhyam, you take shelter of my lotus feet. Sarva dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg 18.66] that is Krsna's advice. Not sarva-dharman means there are so many system of religion. But any system of religion if it does not lead you to the platform of devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that is defective. Therefore Bhagavata says, sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje. [SB 1.2.6]

That is first class system of religion. What is that? Which teaches one how to become unalloyed, unflinching devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is first class, all others they are defective. Sometimes they are described as cheating. Just in the beginning of the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said, dharmah projjhita-kaitavo 'tra [SB 1.1.2], kaitavah means cheating. So anything and going in the name of religion but it is cheating that is rejected here, dharmah projjhita, projjhita means prakrsta-rupena ujjhita. Just like a sweep with a broomstick you cleans all the dust, throwaway. Similarly in the Srimad-Bhagavatam in the beginning it is said that cheating type of religious system is some completely swept away, dharmah projjhita-kaitavo 'tra paramo nirmatsaranam. Then for whom it is meant? For paramo nirmatsaranam.

Those who have achieved the stage of nirmatsaratah, without any jealousy because the material disease is jealousy. I am jealous of you, you are jealous of me. This is the business here. Here however I may be a very great personality but in the material affair there are many instances they become very, very jealous. That is material disease, material disease means we are all jealous therefore this bhagavata-dharma, Krsna consciousness movement is meant for paramo nirmatsaranam, who is not jealous. For him it is meant for, paramo nirmatsaranam, vastavam vedyam atra. These are described there and actually our jealousy begins from Krsna. Krsna is asking, sarva dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja but I am jealous, why shall I surrendered to Krsna? Why? He is also as good as I am, maybe a little learned, avajananti mam mudha manusim... because he is asking, demanding your surrender and I am thinking he is an ordinary man. So I am losing the chance, avajananti mam mudha. So our jealousy business has begun from Krsna. Oh why shall I am accept Krsna, as the supreme person although in the sastra's Krsna says personally, mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya [Bg 7.7] there is no more superior truth than me. But we don't believe it although we read Bhagavad-gita but we don't accept Krsna's person. This is our disease because jealous. Jealousy, why shall I except Krsna as the supreme. This is jealous, therefore so long we are jealous we cannot understand Krsna, paramo nirmatsaranam, satam, and who is not jealous? Satam, satam those who are devotees.

So we have to discuss about Krsna amongst the Krsna's devotees, not outsiders, outsiders they cannot understand Krsna. They simply waste their time by commenting on Bhagavad-gita because they are mudhas they cannot understand Krsna. Krsna says to Arjuna, I shall explain Bhagavad-gita because you are my bhakta, bhakto 'si priyo 'si me [Bg 4.3].

So who can understand Bhagavad-gita unless he is a bhakta of Krsna? And therefore Krsna selected Arjuna. Arjuna was not a Vedantist, he was a householder, ksatriya, fighter, soldier. A soldier is not expected to be Vedantist. Neither very much well versed in all the Vedic literature. That is not the business of ksatriya, that is the business of the brahmana. Brahmana is pandita but ksatriya is not supposed to become a pandita. But still Krsna selected him. Krsna: "Arjuna I shall speak to you the same old story which I spoke to, imam vivasvate yogam proktavan aham avyayam, [Bg 4.1]

that is now lost. Therefore I shall revive it again, and I shall speak to you because you are my bhakta you are my friend." So this is the qualification of understanding of Bhagavad-gita. First of all to become a devotee of Krsna otherwise it is licking the bottle of honey. Here is honey, oh it is honey, and if you go on licking at the bottle what taste you will get? It must be opened then inside, rahasyam hy etad uttamam, [Bg 4.3] and who can open? The devotee can open. Otherwise lick up go on by licking the bottle for many thousands of years you will never taste what is within. So those who are actually advanced in Krsna consciousness they can understand that everything is Krsna, that is really Brahma realization. Yasmin vijnate sarvam idam vijnatam bhavanti. [Mundaka Upanisad 1.3].

this is the Upanisad, if you simply understand Krsna then you understand what is Paramatma, what is Brahma, what is material cosmic manifestation. Everything you understand. And when you understand Krsna properly then you will see that everything is Krsna because everything is Krsna's energy. Just like heat and light I have already explained. That is sarvam khalv idam brahma, that understanding but does not mean the supreme Brahma Krsna is lost. No. Krsna in spite of expanding in so many ways as Paramatma as Brahma, as cosmic manifestation, material energy, everything, still Krsna is there. Person. So, there are so many ways explained in the Bhagavad-gita to understand Krsna and if we get this opportunity to understand Krsna. If we cannot understand Krsna by reading Bhagavad-gita and sastra. Krsna is therefore giving us the very easiest method. All right, you cannot understand me, you are drinking water every day, four times, three times, you just remember this taste is Krsna. That is all. Smaranam. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam [SB 7.5.23] because you'll remember Krsna, your life will be successful. Simply by drinking water, it is so easy. You don't required to undergo very severe austerities and patience. Simply try to follow one instruction of Krsna. That while drinking water the taste is Krsna. Begin this life and your life will be successful, you will be successful. [end]