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761017LE.CHA
Address to Rotary Club

Chandigarh, October 17, 1976
Prabhupada: Ladies and Gentlemen, the President, I am very much thankful to you that you are eager to hear about what Krsna wants to speak. Krsna is accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. All acaryas-Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya, Visnu, Nimbarka, and latest, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and before that, other acaryas like Vyasadeva, Narada, Asita, Devala, and before that, the original acarya, Lord Brahma, Lord Sivaeveryone accepted Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We are searching after whether there is God or there is no God. If there is God, what is the nature? What is the form? Whether He is person or imperson? There are so many questions. And to solve all these questions, the God Himself descends and speaks about Himself, and that speaking is this Bhagavad-gita. God is speaking about Himself personally, personally present. So you can know Him, you can see Him, what He is, what is His function. Just to mitigate all our doubts, God is present here. And Krsna says in the beginning of the Seventh Chapter of the Bhagavad-gita how you can understand God without any doubt and in complete. That is spoken by God Himself.
"My dear Partha, Arjuna, in order to know Me, God, asamsayam, without any doubt, and samagram," means in completeness, "as you can know Me, I am personally speaking to you." That means if you want to know God, you can know Him when He explains Himself. Otherwise, you cannot speculate. God is unlimited, and your speculative power is limited. So you cannot understand God without the mercy of God. That is the verdict of the Vedic literature. It is very easy to understand. Suppose here is a big man, rich man, learned man. You want to know about him. So you cannot understand him by speculation: "He may be of this standard. He may be like this. He may have so much money." You suggest; another friend suggests. In this way the study of that particular man is not complete. But if the same person kindly speaks and explains about himself that "Sir, I am like this." (aside:) Water. "My position is like this. I have got so much bank balance," that is the way. This is the way of understanding. It is called descending process. And there is another process, which is called ascending process. In Sanskrit it is called aroha-pantha, avaroha-pantha. Aroha-pantha... You want to go, to know about the sun planet or any other. Just like they are trying. They are trying to go there, Mars planet, Moon planet, by rising on the sky by their aeroplanes, sputniks. But they have not been able to understand what is the position of these planets. This is called aroha-pantha. But if somebody comes from the planet and explains everything, then you know it very easily. Similarly, God has come to explain Himself. You'll find in the Bhagavad-gita.
This Bhagavad-gita is recorded in the greater Indian history, Mahabharata. Mahabharata means greater India or greater Bharata. Greater Bharata means the whole planet was formerly Bharatavarsa. Now it is cut into pieces. Recently we have got experience that Pakistan was also India. Now it is cut out. Similarly, this Bharata... Bharata means... Bharatavarsa means the sapta-samudra, sapta-dvipa. This sapta-dvipa still acceptedthe North America, South America, Asia, Africa, Australia. In this way there are sapta-dvipa, islands. So that is Bharata. Now it is cut off under different circumstances. And the capital was this New Delhi or Hastinapura, and the kings, emperors, were the Pandavas family. So this is the history of greater India. That is called Mahabharata. So Mahabharata... In the Mahabharata this Bhagavad-gita is set up, and the writer of Mahabharata is Vyasadeva himself, and therefore the recorder of the speech, what Krsna said in the Battlefield of Kuruksetra, is also Vyasadeva. So Vyasadeva, you'll find in the Bhagavad-gita, he says everywhere, bhagavan uvaca. He never says that "I am writing." He says, bhagavan uvaca. That you'll mark, those who have read Bhagavad-gita. [break] ...tac chrnu. Then you'll understand Bhagavan without any doubt and in completeness. Asamsayam samagram mam yatha jnasyasi tac chrnu [Bg. 7.1]. It is very easy. If you simply concentrate your mind on Krsna, sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayoh [SB 9.4.18], as Maharaja Ambarisa did, and many other great personalities did it... Arjuna did. Now we are concerned with Arjuna and Krsna. Krsna is speaking, and Arjuna is hearing. So what is the situation? The situation is that the Kurus and the Pandavas assembled together on the great battlefield. It is not battlefield, Kuruksetra; it is dharmaksetra.
This is the question by Dhrtarastra. Dhrtarastra was the father of the Kurus, and the Pandavas were the five brothers, the sons of the younger brother of Dhrtarastra, Maharaja Pandu. So Dhrtarastra was blind, born blind. Actually he was to inheritthe eldest son of the family. But on account of his blindness the throne was given to his younger brother, Pandu. So the sons of Pandu is known as Pandavas, and the sons of Dhrtarastra are known as Kurus or Dhrtarastra. So after all, politics, it is always very intriguing in all times. So Dhrtarastra was very sorry that he could not become the emperor. At least his son should be. Because he was blind, that's all, but his sons were not blind. So naturally father wants... So this is the whole history of Mahabharata, intriguing, politics, and ultimately there was fight between the two parties, Kurus and the Pandavas, to decide. By logic, by morality and other things, everything failed. Then there was declaration of war. The Bhagavad-gita is spoken in that warfield.
Krsna was engaged as the chariot driver of the chariot of Arjuna. And while the chariot was brought in the battlefield between the two groups of soldiers... Senayor ubhayor madhye ratham sthapaya me 'cyuta [Bg. 1.21]. Arjuna requested, "My dear Krsna..." Krsna was his friend and Krsna was familywise related both with the Kurus and Pandavas. Krsna's father and the Pandavas' mother, they were real brother and sister. In this way there were family relationship, and Krsna therefore denied to take part in the actual fighting. The whole world was divided. Some of them joined this party; some of them joined that party. Just like it actually happens when there is big war. Even nowadays, all the nations, they make a group. Some of them forming were forming one group; another some of them, they formed another group. Exactly the same thing was done. Now Krsna was the charioteer, but when the chariot was brought in front of the two soldiers' party, Arjuna became little bit disturbed that "I have to fight. On the other side they are my brothers, they are my nephews, they are my gurus, Dronacarya, and they are my grandfather, Bhismadeva. So what kind of fight this is that I have to fight with my friends and relatives and family members?" So he hesitated, that "Krsna, what kind of fight this is? They are not my enemies; they are all family members. So I am not interested in this fight." So he practically decided not to fight. And Krsna said that "What is this nonsense? You are a military man, and you have come to fight here, and you are My friend and My relative also, and if you decide not to fight, what people will say?" This is the beginning. Then, after some arguments, Arjuna thought it wise that "Actually, I am a military man and I have come to fight a decision that we shall fight. Now what I am trying to do, to avoid this fighting? Actually it is not my business. I am deviating from my duty." Therefore... (aside:) Find out this, karpanya-dosa. Find out.
karpanya-dosopahata-svabhavah
prcchami tvam dharma-sammudha-cetah
yac chreyah syan niscitam bruhi tan me
sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam tvam prapannam
[Bg. 2.7]
Prabhupada: Translation.
Pradyumna: "Now I am confused about my duty and have lost all composure because of weakness. In this condition I am asking You to tell me clearly what is best for me. Now I am Your disciple, and a soul surrendered unto You. Please instruct me."
Prabhupada: Yes. So Arjuna understood his weakness, his weak point. Therefore he said to Krsna that karpanya-dosopahata-svabhavah. Karpanya, this word, comes from krpana. Krpana... Krpana, this word, is known practically everyone. Krpanata means miserly. A person who has got enough resources but if he does not use it properly, it is called, he is called a krpana, miser. And the opposite word of krpana is udhara, or liberal. So there are two words, krpana. So Arjuna said, karpanya-dosa: "I know I can fight. I am quite competent military person, but I am not using my resources; therefore it is karpanya-dosopahata-svabhavah." Svabhavah means naturally a military man, a ksatriya, is very bold enough to fight. That is one of the qualification of a military man. Yuddhe capalayanam. The saurya, virya, tejah, yuddhe capalayanam, these are the symptoms of ksatriya. He would never go away from fighting. When there is challenge, fighting, a ksatriya will never deny. Yuddhe capalayanam. So when ksatriya, is especially a ksatriya like Arjuna... He is the best military man of that age, and he was denying to fight. So he could understand his weakness. He said, karpanya-dosopahata-svabhavah: [Bg. 2.7] "Naturally I should fight, but on account of my crippled decision or miserly decision, I am perplexed." So Krsna... He knew Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. "Therefore I am surrendering unto You." What is that? Two, last lines?
Prabhupada: Sisyas te 'ham. Aham te sisya: "I just become Your disciple, and You just educate me. Please enlighten me." This is the position. Before that, Krsna and Arjuna, they were talking like friends. Friends means argument. We can go on arguing for days together, but there is no decision. That is friendly talk. But when there is talk between a master and disciple, there is no question of arguing. The disciple has to accept what is ordered by the master.
So Krsna is accepted guru or the spiritual master, and Arjuna says, sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam prapannam [Bg. 2.7]. Prapannam means that "I am surrendered to You. I don't think myself on the equal level with You." The spiritual master and the disciple, they cannot be on the equal level. Therefore a spiritual master is called guru. Guru means heavy. Just like in the scale we put something this side, something that side. The thing which is weighty, that goes down. Similarly, guru is supposed to be weighty than the sisya. So Krsna begins to speak when He is accepted as guru; otherwise He does not speak. Now, our subject matter is "Let Krsna speak for Himself." So we have to accept Krsna as the supreme authority. Then His speaking will be useful for us. Otherwise, if we think that Krsna is on the equal level"He is also a historical personality and His education and my education equal and so on, so on"so long we think like that, then we cannot hear or understand Krsna. But if we take the position of Arjunasisyas te 'ham sadhi mam prapannamthen Krsna will speak to the disciple like Arjuna, and everything will be clear.
So the point is Bhagavad-gita is well known all over the world. Not now... Because we are preaching Bhagavad-gita through this Krsna consciousness movement, and millions of people are interested... We have got so many books, and the calculation is already submitted. They are accepting this Krsna consciousness movement through literature, and big, big scholars, professors, librarian, they are purchasing our books very nicely. The total collection daily is five to six lakhs of rupees. So now this Krsna movement is being appreciated all over the world. Unfortunately, although Bhagavad-gita is spoken in this land of Bharatavarsa, Chandigarh, the Kuruksetra, we do not allow Krsna to speak. This is our misfortune. Krsna spoke these words of Bhagavad-gita. Many scholars, many so-called saintly persons, they have misinterpreted the words of Bhagavad-gita. They did not allow to speak Krsna. They wanted to speak on behalf of Krsna... Not on behalf of Krsna. I am sorry. They wanted to speak about themself. If one speaks on behalf of Krsna, he is guru. But if one manufactures some idea from the words of Krsna by misinterpretation and does not allow Krsna to speak, it is a great dangerous position. That has become actually the fact in India. Otherwise such a big culture, complete culture... From the Bhagavad-gita, any question you can raise, the answer is there. Political, social, religious, philosophical, culturalany way you study Bhagavad-gita, the complete answer is there. Therefore our request is that let Krsna speak for Himself. Don't try to misinterpret the words of Krsna or the words in the Bhagavad-gita. That will spoil it. Just like in the beginning it is said,
Now this Kuruksetra... Everyone knows there is a place Kuruksetra. From time immemorial in the Vedic literature it is mentioned about Kuruksetra. Kuruksetre dharmam acaret: "Go to Kuruksetra and perform ritualistic ceremonies there." So it is dharmaksetra. So how you can interpret Kuruksetra as the body? Where is that dictionary, and where is the necessity of interpreting like that? There is no necessity. Interpretation is required when the meaning is not clear. But if the meaning is clear, why should you interpret it unnecessarily? That is malinterpretation, and that is going on. Krsna is accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but somebody says, "He is fictitious. There was no fight like Kuruksetra. There was no such person as Krsna," and "Krsna is a person from the black aborigines," so on, so on, so many interpretation. What is the benefit? The benefit is that we have lost our Vedic culture. This is the benefit.
Therefore our request is... This Krsna consciousness movement is specially meant for this purpose, that do not try to be overlord of Krsna. Don't speak anything manufactured by you on the plea of Krsna speaking. If you want to speak something, good or nonsense, you can speak. Everyone has got the freedom to speak about his philosophy, about his thesis. But why through Krsna? Why through Bhagavad-gita? This is our protest. Let Krsna speak Himself as He is and as He wants. Why should you speak by malinterpretation? That is the practice now, that everyone can interpret Bhagavad-gita as he likes. Then where is the authority of Bhagavad-gita? Can you interpret the law given by the government in your own way? That is not possible. Similarly, if Krsna is accepted, He's accepted actually. (aside:) Find out this verse, param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan [Bg. 10.12]. Tenth Chapter.
ahus tvam rsayah sarve
devarsir naradas tatha
asito devalo vyasah
svayam caiva bravisi me
Prabhupada: So... Yes. Read it.
Pradyumna: "Arjuna said: You are the Supreme Brahman, the ultimate, the supreme abode and purifier, the Absolute Truth and the eternal divine person. You are the primal God, transcendental and original, and You are the unborn and all-pervading beauty. All the great sages such as Narada, Asita, Devala, and Vyasa proclaim this of You, and now You Yourself are declaring it to me."
Prabhupada: So the student of Bhagavad-gita, as Arjuna says, sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam prapannam. After hearing Bhagavad-gita in detail, he accepted Krsna as param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan purusam sasvatam adyam [Bg. 10.12]. So one may say that "This is a friendly talk. So Arjuna accepted Krsna as it is described in the Bhagavad-gita, that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So as a friend he accepted." Because Krsna says, aham adir hi devanam [Bg 10.2].
So Arjuna accepted Him, "Yes, you are param brahma." Brahman and Parabrahman. We, all living entities, we are also Brahman, but we are not Parabrahman. Parabrahman is Krsna.
Ete camsa kala-pumsam krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28]. These are the verdict of the Vedic literature. Here it is also repeated by Arjuna, that "Not that after hearing You I accept You as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Parambrahman, but formerly Asita, Narada, Vyasa, they also accepted it." The next verse?
Prabhupada: So "I accept all Your instruction." What is again? Read it.
Prabhupada: Sarvam etad rtam manye. This is actually student of Bhagavad-gita, not that "The portion which I like, I accept, and the portion I do not like, I reject." This is nonsense. If you want to become the student of Bhagavad-gita, if you want to derive some benefit out of it, then you should be like Arjuna, like this. He said, sarvam etad rtam manye: [Bg. 10.14] "Whatever You say, I accept it." Rtam means truth. "Not that I am accepting, but previous to me..." What is the next line?
Prabhupada: Then?
Prabhupada: "Because Your personality cannot be understood even by the demigods, what to speak of ordinary human being." And Krsna has said that avajananti mam mudha manusim tanum asritah param bhavam ajananto [Bg. 9.11]. The mudha, those who deride at Krsna, that "He's an ordinary human being," such person is condemned herewith as mudha. Mudha means ass. Avajananti mam mudha manusim tanum asritah [Bg. 9.11]. Because he does not know param bhavam, what is the background of Krsna. So similarly, there are many passages. Anyone who does not understand Krsna and at the same time he declares himself as the student of Bhagavad-gita, as a scholar of Bhagavad-gita, he is misleading himself and misleading his followers. That is the verdict of Bhagavad-gita and everyone. Bhagavad-gita has to be understood. In the Fourth Chapter you find out that,
This is parampara. The truth of Bhagavad-gita was first spoken to the sun-god, and he spoke to his son, to Manu, Vaivasvata Manu. And Vaivasvata Manu spoke to his son, Iksvaku. And Krsna said, evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh [Bg. 4.2]. Rajarsaya. This philosophy of Bhagavad-gita, it is meant for the rajarsi, not for the loafer class. Rajarsi: king, at the same time, saintly person. Imam rajarsayo viduh. Krsna does not say that ordinary scholar or so-called philosopher can understand. Only the rajarsayo viduh. So Arjuna is one of the rajarsis. So he understood Krsna. He says, param brahma param dhama [Bg. 10.12]. So we have to accept this parampara system. If we take Bhagavad-gita seriously then we should follow the footprints of Arjuna as he understood. He accepted Krsna as the Parambrahman. So what is spoken by Parambrahman, the Supreme Lord, the Supreme Person, how we can interpret His words and squeeze out some meaning and mislead myself and mislead others? This is not good.
So our this Krsna consciousness movement is trying to rectify this mistake. Bhagavad-gita is the most authorized scripture in the Vedic literature. Vedic literature means it is not spoken by any ordinary human being. Apauresaya means this literature, Vedic literature, is spoken directly by the Supreme Person or Lord. So it was instructed through Brahma, Lord Brahma. Tene brahma hrda adi-kavaye. Janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1]. Om namo bhagavate vasudevaya. These are the Vedanta philosophy's beginning. The Vedanta philosophy begins with the word athato brahma jijnasa. This human form of life is meant for inquiring about Brahman. The human life is not meant for any other purpose. That is the distinction between a dog's life and a human being's life. A dog cannot inquire about Brahman. That is not possible. But a human being can inquire about Brahman. Therefore this life is meant for brahma-jijnasa about Brahman. So if we accept these aphorisms of the Vedanta-sutra... Vedanta-sutra is supposed to be the most authorized summary, cream of all the Vedas. So Krsna has said in the Bhagavad-gita, vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyam vedanta-vid vedanta-krd ca aham [Bg. 15.15]. So if we accept these words of Krsna, then we become actually Vedanti. Without understanding these things as spoken in the... Bhagavad-gita is the summarized Vedanta or Vedic philosophy. Because in this age, Kali-yuga, we are not very advanced. About us, it is described in the sastra, mandah sumanda-matayo manda-bhagya upadrutah, prayenalpayusah kalav asmin yuge janah [SB 1.1.10]. In this age, Kali-yuga, we are living not very long time. In Kali-yuga, the duration of life will be reduced so much, gradually, that if a person lives for twenty to thirty years, he'll be considered a grand old man. That day is coming. Now we have got practical experience. Our grandfather or father lived for so many years, but we are not living for so many years. Our sons will not live so many years. In this way the duration of life, the memory, the mercifulness, the bodily strengtheverything will be reduced. This is already foretold in the sastras. So therefore in this age we are all short-living, mandah, very slow or bad, and sumanda-matayo. Everyone has got a obnoxious opinion about philosophy, about the goal of life. Mandah sumanda-matayo, and manda-bhagya, unfortunate also. The description, if we try to describe, it will take long time. The short-cut description is there: mandah sumanda-matayo manda-bhagya hy upadrutah. At the same time, disturbed always. This material world means always disturbed condition, but in this age, Kali-yuga, the disturbance is more and more.
So under the circumstances, it is out of Krsna's kindness that making Arjuna as a target of His instruction, Bhagavad-gita, He has given us this valuable instruction. We should accept it as it is. Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gita As It Is, without any malinterpretation. Take Bhagavad-gita As It Is. You'll be benefited. And so far as brahma-jijnasa, the Krsna begins with this aphorism of brahma-jijnasa. When Arjuna submitted to Krsna that "I am Your now disciple. There is no need of friendly talks. You can give me instruction seriously because I am surrendered to You, and You give me the real instruction," so the first instruction was, as soon as Arjuna submitted... Because unless you submit, it is useless to talk because you'll not hear. Therefore to accept an authority is submission. First thing is, tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya [Bg. 4.34]. Unless you submit, if you think yourself that you are a very big scholar, very learned scholar and very good philosopheryou don't require any instruction from guruthen there is no possibility. The first thing is Krsna instructs in the Bhagavad-gita, tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya. If you want to know the substance, then the first thing is that you must be submissive, pranipata. Prakrsta-rupena nipata. You fall down. Therefore the system is: the disciple falls flat before the spiritual master. That is the etiquette, pranipatena. And if you think that you know better than Krsna or Krsna's representative, the guru, there is no necessity of accepting guru. Do not keep a guru as a pet dog. No. You must be submissive. Tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya [Bg. 4.34]. This is wanted. That Krsna... That is the example given by Arjuna. Sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam prapannam [Bg. 2.7]. This prapannam is required.
So when Arjuna submitted, then Krsna spoke. The first speaking was that,
asocyan anvasocas tvam
prajna-vadams ca bhasase
gatasun agatasums ca
nanusocanti panditah
[Bg. 2.11]
"Arjuna, you are talking with Meof course, you are My friendon equal level. You are talking just like a very learned man." You have read in the Bhagavad-gita. He submitted his proposition, that "How can I kill my..., the other side? They are my brothers, and if the brothers are dead, my sister-in-laws will be widow and they will be polluted, and there will be varna-sankara. And so..." These things are facts, but Krsna says that "You are simply taking calculation of the body. Body. You have no spiritual calculation. The life is meant for spiritual understanding, athato brahma jijnasa. But you have no such understanding. You have no such knowledge, and still you are speaking." Asocyan anvasocas tvam prajna-vadams ca bhasase: [Bg. 2.11] "You are talking like a very learned man, but My dear friend, you are not learned." He said in a different way. Agatasun. Gatasun agatasums ca nanusocanti panditah. "Because this body... You are thinking in terms of bodily relationship, but a pandita, a learned scholar... Actually he is learned scholar when he does not lament for this body, either alive or dead." This is the first instruction. This body is already dead. It is matter, dead matter. But you should try to understand the living spirit within this body. The next verse He said that,
dehino 'smin yatha dehe
kaumaram yauvanam jara
tatha dehantara-praptir
dhiras tatra na muhyati
[Bg. 2.13]
This is knowledge, beginning of knowledge. Try to understand about the soul, the part of Parabrahman, the spark of Parabrahman, the spirit soul. That is within this body. So "You are lamenting on this body, but you have no information of the active principle within the body." So nanusocanti panditah: "So this is not the statement of a pandita." In other way He... He is friend. Or as sisya..., that "This kind of things never happens in the case of a pandita." That means, "My dear friend, you are apandita. You are not pandita." One who does not know about the spirit soul, he is not a pandita. Dhiras tatra na muhyati. This transmigration of the soul... Just like you condole d one Rotarian who has died. But Krsna says, dhiras tatra na muhyati. "Yes, he's not dead. He has transmigrated to another body. He's not dead." That is the... Na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. This is the instruction of Krsna, that "Don't think that because the body is annihilated, therefore the person is annihilated. No." Na jayate na mriyate va kadacit: "That soul never takes birth, never dies." Nityah sasvato 'yam, na hanyate hanyamane [Bg. 2.20]. This is the first instruction of Bhagavad-gita. There are so many students of Bhagavad-gita, but because they are not actually pandita, they do not take account of the simple thing, how the soul transmigrates from one body to another. This is the position. And therefore we should not continue to remain apanditah, nanusocanti panditah, and lament. So long we are not panditah, our business is to lament and to hanker. We lament what is lost, and we hanker what is not in our possession. This is material disease. So when we understand that aham brahmasmi... That hint is given by Krsna, that asmin dehe dehinah: "The proprietor of the body is there, asmin dehe. On account of presence of the proprietor of the body, the body is changing." Dehino 'smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara [Bg. 2.13]. The kaumara, the childhood, the boyhood, the youthhoodthese changes of body is taking place on account of presence of the dehina. So where is this education all over the world? There is no such education. But there is knowledge. This is Bhagavad-gita. We don't take advantage of Bhagavad-gita; therefore there is no such education, athato brahma jijnasa, or to understand Brahman.
So everything is very nicely explained in the Bhagavad-gita, and you have got a nice club. So I request you to discuss on the Bhagavad-gita as it is, without any malinterpretation. Then it will be beneficial for your club. Because Canakya Pandita... You have heard the name of Canakya Pandita. In New Delhi there is a Canakya Puri. He was a great politician, very learned scholar, brahmana and great moralist also. So he has instructed about this Brahman knowledge in various ways. So our point is that we should not spoil this life. We should utilize every moment of our life very properly. This Canakya Pandit I am referring because he has given very good instruction how to utilize our life. He says,
We are calculating of loss and gain. Canakya Pandita says that "Even one moment of our life, if it is lost, then you cannot get it back even by paying hundreds and thousands of dollars." One moment of this day, if it is lost, you cannot get it back by paying hundreds and thousands of dollars. So if the moments of your life is spent uselessly, then how much loss you are suffering, you just imagine. Therefore our request is that we have got this valuable life, human form of life, bahu-sambhavante, after many, many births in the evolutionary process. Now we should try to understand what is Brahman. Athato brahma jijnasa. Don't spoil it otherwise. And that brahma-jijnasa and answer is there in the Bhagavad-gita. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54]. Bhagavad-gita instruction is given just to bring you back to Brahman consciousness or Krsna consciousness, not this bodily consciousness. Bodily consciousness is there in the dog and the cat. So that is not very glorification. We should come to the Brahman consciousness, then brahma-bhutah prasannatma. Then you'll be jubilant. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na kanksati-samah sarvesu bhutesu [Bg. 18.54]. And when you come to that platform of understanding Brahman, then there is question of sama, samata. Samah sarvesu bhutesu. And on that stage you can attain the para-bhakti, or devotional life to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
So that is our propaganda, and we are trying to bring people to that stage of para-bhakti. That para-bhakti is achievable by the simple method, as Krsna said,
Unless you understand Krsna, why should you surrender unto Him? Para-bhakti begins when you surrender. So that takes place [break] ...the darkness of bodily conception of life. That is condemned in the Vedic literature. Sa eva go-kharah [SB 10.84.13].
yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke
sva-dhih kalatradisu bhauma ijyadhih
yat-tirtha-buddhih salile na karhicij
sa eva go-kharah
[SB 10.84.13]
If we keep ourself on the bodily concept of life, and then we are defeated. This is the verdict of the sastra. Parabhavas tavad abodha-jato yavan na jijnasata atma-tattvam. So long you are not inquisitive about your Brahman identification, aham brahmasmi, then whatever you are doing, that is defeat. That is not advancement. So with these words I shall request you that in your club you cultivate this knowledge of Bhagavad-gita and utilize your time fully and just try to make your life successful.
Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)

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