Bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam. Ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. In Sanskrit language, it is said... Lord Caitanya. Lord Caitanya's picture you have seen on the showcase. He's dancing, and chanting Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare. This sound vibration of Krsna, Hare, Rama, as soon as the mind is cleared off, then we'll see our real position, and the immediate result is bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam. There is a fire always blazing over this material world. Everyone is trying to extinguish it, but it is not possible to extinguish this fire of material miseries unless we are situated in our pure consciousness of spiritual life. That is the whole thing.

Now, we were discussing last meeting,

This point we have already explained. Just like the liquidity of water cannot be changed. If it is changed... Suppose the water becomes solid. Under certain temperature, it becomes ice. But that is not its constitutional position. It is under certain condition. Similarly, our position is, our religion, or dharma, is, that we are part and parcel of the Supreme, and with that supreme consciousness we have to dovetail our activities with the Supreme. That is our constitutional position. That service attitude, transcendental service attitude, which has to be dovetailed with the supreme consciousness, is being misused by our material contact.

The service attitude or the engagement is there. Every one of us is a servant. Nobody is a master. He must be serving somebody. This point we have discussed. Even President Johnson, he is the chief man of your state; still, he's a servant of the state. So nobody's master here. To think of oneself that "I am the master, I am the master of all I survey," this is called maya, illusion. I am not ser... I am not master. I am servant. So my service is now being misused under different designations. So as soon as we become free from the designations, ceto-darpana-marjanam... [Cc. Antya 20.12]. That means when we can see exactly the position on the mirror of our mind after dusting over, that "My position, my constitutional position is that I am eternal servant."

But we should not think that my service in the material world, and my service in the spiritual atmosphere is the same. No. It is not the same. We, we are shuddered, "Oh, after liberation, we have to become a servant. Oh." We shudder because we have no idea that what sort of servant is in the transcendental world. In the transcendental world, there is no distinction between the servant and the master. Here is distinction between the servant and the master, but in the transcendental world, in the absolute world, everything is one. Therefore there is no distinction between servant and master.

For example, we are speaking on the Bhagavad-gita. Just see the position of Krsna. He has taken the position of servant, chariot driver of Arjuna. Arjuna is practically, in his constitutional position, he is the servant of Krsna, but in behavior we see, sometimes the Lord becomes the servant of the servant [Cc. Madhya 13.80]. So we should not carry the materialistic idea in the spiritual... Although anything that we materially experience is a perverted reflection only of the spiritual life...

So that constitutional position, which cannot be changed, which is called dharma, in order to pre..., when that is deteriorated by contamination of matter, at that time, the Lord Himself comes as incarnation or He sends some of His confidential servitors. Just like Lord Jesus Christ, he said that "I am son of God." So he's representative of the Supreme. And similarly, Hajrat Muhammad, he also identified himself as a servant. Padat hi bandhah., a servant of the Lord. So this is the position that whenever there is discrepancies in the natural law of our constitutional position, the master, the Supreme Lord, either He Himself comes in incarnation or He sends some representative to inform us what is actually the position of the living entity. So this is explained here by Lord Krsna, yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati [Bg. 4.7].

So this position, this dharma, is not exactly a kind of created faith. It is the constitutional position. Dharma means the constitutional position. Just like sugar. Sugar's constitutional position is to become sweet. Saltconstitutional position is to become salty, alkaline taste. And water is liquid. Stone is solid. These specifical, specific qualification is called dharma. Similarly, we living entities, we have got a specific qualification: the eternal attitude to serve others. So that, how to serve Krsna, how to attain Krsna consciousness, how to give up our material engagement in different designationsthis science and this truth is described in the Bhagavad-gita. Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati [Bg. 4.7]. Paritranaya sadhunam [Bg. 4.8].

The sadhu... In the Bhagavad-gita, in the last meeting, I have described to some extent what is the qualification of a sadhu. Sadhu means saintly person. Titiksavah karunikah suhrdah sarva-dehinam [SB 3.25.21]. He's tolerant, he's very kind to everyone, and he's friend to all living entities. He has no enemy, or he is nobody's enemy. And he's peaceful. These are some of the qualification. There are twenty-six qualification in detail. But these are some of the qualification. And in the Bhagavad-gita you'll find the description of a sadhu, saintly person, is given by the Lord Himself.

And what is that? He says,

What is that? Now, suppose we have contaminated so many things in our material life. There are, in the material calculation, there are so many things which are the list. One list is for morality, and another list is for immorality. I do not wish to discuss this list because in, for a person which is immorality, for another person, it is not immorality; it is morality. Just like according to our conception, Hindu conception, drinking of wine is immoral, whereas in your country drinking of wine is not immoral. It is common thing. Of course, so according to time, class, place, the conception of morality and immorality are different. But there is a, a sense of immorality and morality in everywhere. That is a fact.

So Krsna says that "Even if you see a person immoral, but he is completely engaged in Krsna consciousness, then it should be concluded that he is a saint." He's a saintly person. That is the description given by Krsna of sadhu. Api cet su-duracaro bhajate mam ananya-bhak, sadhur eva sa mantavyah [Bg. 9.30]. So in other words, He says, "Any person who is engaged in Krsna consciousness... Never mind, he might have something externally immoral habits due to his past association. It doesn't matter." So some way or other, one should be Krsna conscious. And then, gradually, he will become a saintly person; as he goes on executing this process of Krsna consciousness, then, with his advancement, he becomes a perfect saint. That you'll find in the Bhagavad-gita. And how Krsna says that even if he's externally a little immoral... Of course, a devotee or a person who is Krsna conscious, he's never immoral. But it may be that due to his past association he may appear to be immoral or he may fall down, fall down. Due to habits, we may sometimes fall down.

There is a story how habit is the second nature. There was a thief, and he went to pilgrimage with some other friends. So at night, when other friends were sleeping... Because his habit was to steal at night, he, so he got up at night and he was taking one body's baggage and tried to pickpocket or take something. But he was thinking, "Oh, I have come to this holy place of pilgrimage. Still, shall I do that, committing theft, my habit? No, no. I shall not do it." So he was taking the bag of one person and was keeping in another place. So in the whole night the poor fellow did like that. But due to his conscience that, "I have come to this holy place. At least, during my stay here I shall not do this stealing business." So in the morning, when all other friends got up, everyone said, "Oh, where is my bag? I don't see!" Another man says, "I don't see my bag." Then somebody says, "Oh, here is your bag!" So there was some row. So they, they thought, "What is the matter? How it so happened?" Then the thief rose up and told all friends, "My dear gentlemen, I am a thief by occupation, but because I have that habit to steal at night, so I wanted to steal something from your bag, but I thought that 'I have come to this holy place. I shall not do it.' So I placed, I might have placed one man's bag in another man's place. So excuse me." So this is the habit. This is the habit. He does not want. He does not want to commit theft. But he has got the habit of doing that. So similarly, here he has decided not to commit theft anymore, but because he's habituated, sometimes he does.

So therefore Krsna says, "In that condition, one who has decided to stop all bad or immoral habits and just to make his progress in Krsna consciousness, even by chance, if he does something which is immoral in the face of the society, that should not be taken account of." Of course, that is by chance. And in the next verse, you'll find, ksipram bhavati dharmatma: "Because he has dovetailed himself in Krsna consciousness, it is sure that he will become a saintly, I mean to say, a pure saint very soon. Very soon."

The example is... Just like the electric fan is going on, and if you put off the switch, you'll see the fan is still going on. But that going on will stop because the switch is already off. Similarly, if one dovetails himself in Krsna consciousness, then automatically he'll become a saintly person, automatically. Because his switch is made off. Just like the fan, when the switch is made off, the current supply is stopped. Now... There was a force of running. You may see that it is running for few minutes. But it will stop. Similarly, anyone, it doesn't matter what he is, if he puts himself, dovetails himself in Krsna consciousness, then he, all his material contamination will be washed off, washed off.

This is the easiest process. There was many examples. Of course, there are, in scriptures, there are many, many good examples. But it is a fact that anyone who takes to Krsna consciousness, he doesn't require to endeavor for becoming a good man, I mean to say, separately. That Krsna consciousness will help him to be the best man in the world. Api cet su-duracarah. And there are other confirmation in the Bhagavata, that yasyasti bhaktir bhagavaty akincana sarvair gunais tatra samasate surah: [SB 5.18.12] "Anyone who has attained the Krsna consciousness, he attains all good qualities automatically." And harav abhaktasya kuto mahad-gunah: "Anyone who is not in Krsna consciousness, or God consciousness..." When I speak of Krsna, you can take it as God.

So in... So a person who is devoid of God consciousness, however he may be qualified from the material point of view, the scripture says that his qualification will not help him in doing things which are not desirable. He'll, he'll, he'll not be prohibited to do things which are not desirable. Harav abhaktasya kuto mahad-guna manorathenasati dhavato bahih: [SB 5.18.12] "Because he's devoid of Krsna consciousness, then he's sure to commit mischief in this material world."

Now, the next verse is

But here, from the Bhagavad-gita, we understand that God comes. We shall always remember that we are reading Bhagavad-gita, and whatever is spoken in the Bhagavad-gita, we have to, at least, we have to accept that. Otherwise, there is no question of reading this Bhagavad-gita. Here the Lord says that "I am, I am present here as incarnation, and this is My mission." And as He comes with a mission, there are some activities.

Just like Lord Krsna is taking part with Arjuna, and He's taking part in the battlefield of the Kuruksetra. Just like ordinary man. When there is war between two parties, somebody takes part with this party, or somebody takes part, or some nation takes part with one party or another nation takes part with another nation. So here also, we see that Krsna is taking part with Arjuna. Partiality. It appears that Krsna is partial. So Krsna is not partial. But it, externally, it appears that "He is partial. How He can be God?"

Now, therefore this verse is spoken by Lord Krsna. So janma karma me divyam: [Bg. 4.9] "My activities and My coming down to this material world is transcendental." Divyam means transcendental. It is not ordinary thing. Just like Krsna, we observe in India the Krsna's birthday. This month of August, by the end of August, there will be Krsna's birthday, and every Indian home, especially the Hindus, never mind in whatever sect or division they belong, they observe Krsna's birthday. As here in the Christian world you observe the birthday of Lord Jesus Christ, similarly... So janma... Now, here Krsna says that "My janma, My birth..." And because there is birth, so there are some activities. Just like we have taken our birth and there are some activities. So this Krsna's birth and Krsna's activities are transcendental. Transcendental means they are not these material activities.

Now, people will be surprised, "How Krsna's activities are transcendental? He's taking part with Arjuna. He's taking part in the battlefield of Kuruksetra. Oh, He's born of a father whose name is Vasudeva. And He has got a family. And so on, so on. So just like us." But He says it is transcendental. Transcendental. And again He says, divyam evam yo vetti tattvatah. Tattvatah means "in truth." Simply by knowing, "Oh, Krsna is born here at Mathura, and He was brought up by His foster father at Vrndavana. Then, when He was grown up, He went back to His father at Dvaraka. And when He was old, He married so many wives and He had children, and there was a battle of Kuruksetra, and He took part." These things are there in the history or in the scriptures, but one has to understand this tattvatah, tattvatah, in truth.

And the one who understands this Krsna's birth and activities and His presence tattvatah, in truth, then what the result is? The result is tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya [Bg. 4.9]. The result is that any person who understands this Krsna's activities, His birth and His pastimes, His paraphernalia, everything, the result will..., simply by understanding it, the result will be that after leaving this material body, he goes directly to Krsna. He goes directly to Krsna. That means he becomes a liberated soul, and he goes to the eternal world, and he becomes in his constitutional position of blissful and knowledge and eternal life. Simply by knowing this. Simply by knowing in truth the transcendental nature of Krsna's birth and activities, one is at once promoted to the, I mean, the transcendental world. This is clearly stated here. Tyaktva deham.

Just like when... Ordinarily, when we give up these bodies, we quit this body, we have to accept another body. Vasamsi jirnani yatha vihaya [Bg. 2.22]. We have discussed this point that we living entities, our life is going on simply by changing dresses from one body to another, transmigration of the soul according to our work. So this, this body is dress. Therefore I have got an actual body. Just like at the present moment we think, "This material body is my actual body and there is dress, shirt and coat. The shirt and coat is superficial to this actual body." But here in the Bhagavad-gita you'll find that we have got our real, spiritual body, separate from the material covering. And as we give up old garments, old dress, and take up another, new dress, another new garment, similarly, we give up this body, material body when it is old enough, when it cannot be used or... Then we give it up, and we take another body. And this change of body is going on every moment and every second. This point also we have discussed.

That, that particular verse,

So every moment we are having a new body. And that is a medical science truth. Medical science, it is... We are having new body at every moment. Similarly, when we take another body, oh, a person who knows things as they are, they are not bewildered. Dhiras tatra na muhyati. Dhira means who is conscious of this bodily change, who knows things as they are, he's not, I mean to, bewildered. He's not, he's, he's steady, "Oh, he has changed his body. That's all." A person who does not know, he's crying. He..., "Oh, my son is gone. My son is gone. My son is gone." But if he's, I mean to say, in the consciousness, he knows, "Oh, my son has simply changed body." That's all. Just immediately, exactly, "My son, when he was little baby... Now he has grown up to be a boy." So the father and the parents do not lament, "Oh, where my, that son gone, that small baby gone?"

Similarly, that change of body... So our body is like that. We are changing. In the material condition. In the material condition we are simply changing our body. That is our disease. This conditional life of changing the bodies, one after another, one after... Not only human body. We may have to change to animal's body, or to another demigod's body. There are different species of life. I have several times spoken before you, that there are 8,400,000's of species of life. So our body's being changed in this circle of these 8,400,000's of different species of life. This is called our material bondage.

Now, here Krsna says that one who knows the Krsna's transcendental birth and activities in truth, he gets free from this entanglement. He at once gets free from this entanglement. Now, here the word tattvatah is very important. This tattvatah is the science of Krsna. Tattvatah, "in truth." Simply by knowing by historical facts that Krsna is born in such and such date in such and such place in such and such family... He did such and such activities. No. One has to learn them in tattvatah, in truth. Then he becomes free from this bodily entanglement. (door slams) How it is closed?

Now, how that tattvatah, in truth, the Krsna science, how one can understand? Krsna science, that is explained in the Eighteenth Chapter, how Krsna science can be understood. Krsna science can be understood by this devotional service. You'll find this verse, that bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah [Bg. 18.55]. Yavan yas casmi tattvatah. The truth of Krsna science can be understood by become, by becoming a devotee, or a person of Krsna consciousness. One who is Krsna conscious, the process of Krsna consciousness, he can simply understand what is this science of Krsna; others cannot. Now, it is very clearly stated, bhaktya mam abhijanati. Bhaktya means Krsna consciousness, the science of Krsna consciousness. Bhaktya mam abhijanati: "One can understand Me very clearly by the process of that devotional service, or Krsna consciousness."

And in the Fourth, beginning of the Fourth Chapter, we have also discussed that Krsna said to Arjuna that "I am speaking to you the old process of yoga system, this bhakti-yoga system of Krsna consciousness in the Bhagavad-gita unto you, because you are My devotee." This point also we have discussed, that without becoming a Krsna conscious person, nobody can understand the mystery of Bhagavad-gita. Bhagavad-gita is not a book that you can purchase from the market, and simply by your scholarship you can understand it. No. It is not possible. That, that point we have discussed. Bhakto 'si priyo 'si: [Bg. 4.3] "You are, because you are My devotee..." Krsna, Arjuna was ordinary family man. He was a military man. And Krsna said that "I am speaking to you." He was not a Vedic Vedantist or a very good scholar in Vedanta philosophy, or he was not a brahmana, or he was not a renouncer, nothing of the sort. He was a military man. Krsna, Arjuna was a military man, and he was a family man. He was to look after the interest of his family. Still, Krsna selected him to be the authority of Bhagavad-gita. Why? Now, bhakto 'si: "Because you are My devotee." So that is the qualification.

So to become Krsna conscious is the qualification to understand Bhagavad-gita as well as to understand Krsna as He is. Therefore we have to become Krsna conscious. And what is that Krsna consciousness? Now, this process which you have adopted, which you have adopted. Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. Now, this chanting and this hearing of Bhagavad-gita. Bhagavad-gita hearing as it is, from persons who are engaged in this business. That will help us to become Krsna conscious. And as soon as we become Krsna conscious, Krsna also help us to understand.

In the Bhagavata, there is a verse:

Srnvatam... How He'll help you? He'll help you in the same process, dusting over, I mean to say, dust out, to take out all the dirty things which have accumulated within our mind. Srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah, hrdy antah-stho hy abhadrani. Abhadrani means the dirty things, the dirty things which we have accumulated by our material association, Krsna will help us to remove that dirt. Hrdy antah-stho hy abhadrani vidhunoti suhrt satam. Because He is a friend of all saintly persons. He's a friend. So our endeavor to become Krsna conscious is a saintly endeavor, and so He also cooperates.

And this is the process, sravanam kirtanam, sravanam kirtanam [SB 7.5.23], chanting and hearing of this Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam with aural reception, submissive aural reception. That very process will teach us the truth of the Krsna science, and when we understand the Krsna science, automatically we understand what is Krsna, and as soon as we understand Krsna, the next result is that after leaving this material, this present material body, we go at once to the kingdom of Krsna. This is the whole process. Tyaktva deham, tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya [Bg. 4.9]. Then he does not come again to this miserable world. He goes back to Godhead, back to home.

And what is that home? That you'll find. Yad gatva na nivartante tad dhama paramam mama [Bg. 15.6]. Such description is there also in the Bhagavad-gita, what is the position of that transcendental world. Na tad bhasayate suryah. There is no, there is no need of the sun. There is no need of the moon. There is no need of electricity. That is mentioned in the Bhagavad-gita.

So this is this world. This material world is dark, is always dark. Therefore here we require the sun and the moon and the electric light. Otherwise, it is dark. As soon as the electricity will fail, then whole city will be in darkness. So the nature of this... And the Vedic mantra also says that "Don't remain in this darkness." Tamaso ma jyotir gamaya: "Just try to transfer yourself in that illuminated world." Jyotir gamaya. Jyoti means illumination. So this world, this material world, is full of darkness. Darkness, one meaning of darkness is ignorance. And another darkness, you know, without, absence of light. So this nature of this material world is darkness. So if we understand the Krsna science, and the activities of Krsna, how He comes, how He works, what is the mission of His activity...

Because as the Supreme Lord, He has nothing to do. But why He comes? In the Vedic literature you'll find, na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate. The description of the Supreme Brahman is described there, that, Upanisad... Na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate: "The Supreme, the Absolute, He has nothing to do." He has nothing to do. Just like if we want to do, have something, we have to do. But there, the Absolute, He has nothing to do.

Na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate. Na tat-samas cabhyadhikas ca drsyate. And there is nobody who is equal to Him, and nobody who is above Him. That means everyone is below Him. Nobody equal to Him and nobody above Him; that means everybody is below. Na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate na tat-samas cabhyadhikas ca drsyate, parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate: [Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport] "The Supreme has got many, manifold energies." Therefore everything is done, svabhaviki jnana-bala-kriya ca.

And His knowledge and His activities are svabhaviki, natural, natural. Just like we have to acquire knowledge from a greater personality, but He has got all the natural, all knowledge. Just like Krsna is speaking the Bhagavad-gita to Arjuna, but He was never taught of Bhagavad-gita. I am speaking to you Bhagavad-gita, just learning from my spiritual master. So I have to learn it, but when Krsna spoke, He hadn't, had not to learn it. He had no business to learn it. Because svabhaviki jnana-bala-kriya ca. His knowledge is natural.

So these things are to be understand. Then one who understands the science of Krsna in truth, then the benefit is, the result is that he, he no more comes back to this world of darkness. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti [Bg. 4.9]. Neither he has to undergo the repeated birth and death. We are just now undergoing the term of repeated birth and death under different species of life. So that thing will be stopped.

So human, human mission, human life should be utilized for this purpose. This is the dharma. This is real, our engagement. We have diverted our engagement for satisfying our material needs. Oh, that is not the mission of human being. That is the mission of lower animals.

So the defect of modern civilization is that we are giving too much stress for simply for solving these problems: eating, sleeping, defending and sense gratification. But as spiritual beings, as spiritual living entities, we have got the necessity of getting out of this entanglement of repeated birth and death, and if we do not care for it, then we shall be missing the opportunity. And Lord Krsna comes to teach us how you can utilize your human form of life for the ultimate goal of your life. This material, whole material creation is there just to give you a chance to have your things done nicely. Bhutva bhutva praliyate [Bg. 8.19]. This material creation is giving a chance. But even after getting the chance, and even after getting the supreme body of human life, we do not develop this Krsna consciousness and just to get rid of this material entanglement, then we shall be missing the opportunity.

So everyone's duty is that he should take to this Krsna consciousness by engaging himself in this process of sravanam kirtanam visnoh [SB 7.5.23], chanting and hearing, the simple process. You have nothing to do. Simply if you give aural reception, that will clear everything within your mind, and you, you'll get enlightenment because Krsna will help you. He's present within. You have simply to, I mean to say, spare a little time. You, you'll see actually. If you kindly spare a little time in this process which you have adopted here, you'll feel yourself... Nobody has to canvass you that oh, whether you are making your progress? No. You'll understand it. Because it is actual, you'll understand it.

Just like a hungry man. If he's given foodstuff, he knows how far he's satisfied. Nobody has to certify that "You are certified." He will say, "Yes, I am satisfied. I have had very good foodstuff." Similarly, this is the thing. If you kindly spare a little time, you'll feel yourself how much you are making progress in Krsna consciousness and how much making progress in your human mission of life. So I shall request you that we are just trying to, just endeavor, our poor endeavor... It is, still our duty to do it. If you kindly take advantage of this opportunity, both, we shall be benefited. Then that is the process we have adopted here, the Society for Krsna Consciousness, and I invite you all to come and take part in it and make your life successful.

Thank you very much. Any questions? [break]

You have to associate yourself with persons who are in that business. Then gradually you'll also develop the sense and you'll also become... So there is no cause of disappointment that because you have no taste for such things. So this is the chance. It is our duty to give chance everybody to have this opportunity because we have dedicated our life for this service. So we are ready. You take advantage of our humble service, and then you'll understand and you'll know. There will be no difficulty. Yes?

Just like in our Bengal there is proverb, ghuriye nag nag naki.(?) Now, now, you are asking me... Just like sometimes we ask small child, "Where is your nose?" He says, "It is nose." "Where is your eye?" "It is eye." So that is a simple thing. But one child... Not child. One man is asked, "Where is your nose?" He says, "Oh, here is my nose." (laughter) "Here is my nose," this is simple thing. But one should show, "Oh, here is my nose." So Bhagavad-gita is interpreted like that, "Here is my nose." Nobody shows that "Here is my nose." You see? So that is the difficulty. They have created difficult, create a situation of this Bhagavad-gita under, I mean to say, catastrophe. So if you, any sincere student who will take Bhagavad-gita as it is, this self-realization is as cheap as anything.

Just like I am repeatedly mentioned here that in our country Mahatma Gandhi, he had his philosophy of non-violence, and he wanted to prove non-violence from Bhagavad-gita. But Bhagavad-gita is spoken in the warfield. Bhagavad-gita is spoken when Arjuna was in problem, whether to fight or not to fight. That is the, I mean the, background of Bhagavad-gita. Now, if anyone wants to prove that Bhagava..., in Bhagavad-gita there is non-violence, then you, you, you something else. Violence is there in the Bhagavad-gita. So similarly, we should not try to under... Yes! We should not try to understand Bhagavad-gita according to my viewpoint of view. I must understand Bhagavad-gita as it is presented by Krsna. Then it is (indistinct). Then it is (indistinct). (end)