Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.2.6 – [Hindi-Translated into English] – March 21, 1975, Calcutta

Nitai: Om namo bhagavate vasudevaya. Om namo bhagavate vasudevaya. Om namo bhagavate vasudevaya. [devotees repeat] [leads chanting of verse, etc.]

[break] [00:56]

Prabhupada:

Religion, as it is understood in English, as mentioned in the dictionary, is a faith, a kind of faith. I have taken my birth in a Hindu family therefore I have faith in Hindu religion. If I have taken birth in a Muslim family, I will have faith in Muslim religion. So in dictionary, religion is mentioned as a kind of faith. But our bhagavata-dharma is different. It is not a faith, "dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam" [SB 6.3.19].

Religion means, if we accept what the Supreme Personality of Godhead has said as it is, it is called religion. The Supreme Lord comes personally and explains that "sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja" [Bg 18.66] this is religion. All others are not religion. A religion where God is not understood, as to what is God, what is our relationship with God and how to perform our duties in accordance to that relation, if one does not understand these things, then he does not know anything about religion. If there is only a sentiment that this is my religion and I follow this, then according to the scriptures that is not proper religion. "dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam" [SB 6.3.19] pranitam means manufactured, God is eternal and what God says that is also eternal. Everything in association with God is eternal, God is eternal, God's form is eternal, God's qualities are eternal, God's activities are eternal, God's abode is eternal, God's devotees are eternal. Everything is eternal. "dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam" [SB 6.3.19] that is why in this particular verse of Bhagavatam, Sūta Gosvami is saying-"sa vai pumsam paro dharmo". Paro means eternal or transcendental. There are two things superior and inferior. There are two types of nature-the superior nature and the inferior nature. The Supreme Personality of Godhead has explained in Bhagavad-gita,

Apareyam viddhi me prakrtim [Bg 7.5] apareyam or the material elements like earth, water, fire, air, sky-these are inferior nature, and superior nature is as the Supreme Lord says-apareyam itas tv anyam prakrtim viddhi me param, this is superior nature. What is that superior nature? That is jiva-bhūtam maha-baho yayedam dharyate jagat [Bg 7.5]. The living entities, like we all are, who have got living symptoms, they are superior, and the material body is inferior. Why? This inferior body, why is it called inferior? Because, it is not going to exist forever. It is asat or temporary, it is temporary, it is not going to last forever. And the living entity, who has accepted this body dehino 'smin yatha dehe, asmin dehe, he is the proprietor or the occupier of this body. For example, there are two things in a house, one is the owner of the house and the other one is the occupier or a tenant. The tenant is not the owner, the owner is different. Similarly there are two souls residing in this body. One is the occupier-the living entity, to whom this body has been given, you take this body. He cannot refuse,

The Supreme Lord is residing in everyone's heart. He is in your heart, in my heart, and He knows everything-past, present, future. As we desire, we pray to Lord, O Lord! Please give me these facilities, and the Lord gives it. Is it difficult for the Supreme Lord? The Lord is already providing everything, and if I want something else, then the Lord gives that also. If someone prays to the Lord "O Lord, let me eat everything without discrimination", the Lord agrees and gives him a suitable body of a hog. Take it, eat stool also. No discrimination, the Lord gives him such a body that he can eat stool also with great pleasure. "O Lord! Give me such a body so that I can eat lots of meat and blood." All right, become a tiger. The Supreme Lord awards these bodies. bhramayan sarva-bhūtani yantra rūḍhani mayaya [Bg 18.61].

I have a desire to go all over the world and I create many varieties of desires iccha-dvesa samutthena sarge yanti paran-tapa [Bg 7.27]. Some things I desire and some things I hate. These things I don't want and these things I want. So desire and hate-two things are there with us. Some things we don't like and some things we like. So according to that, based on what we like, the Supreme Lord gives us a body. That is why, it is mentioned in the scriptures that the spirit soul is sitting in the body. Just like everyone sits in a car, there is one driver and there is one owner and the car is also there. So that car is this body or a machine. Just like a car is a machine, similarly, this body is also a machine. And say for example that the driver, actually there are two people sitting there-one is a driver and other is the owner. And as the owner instructs the driver drives, this is going on. Two souls-one is Super soul and the other is the individual spirit soul, are sitting in this body. This is described in the Upanisad also. There are two birds sitting on one tree. One is eating the fruits of the tree, and the other is simply watching. So the Super soul who is witnessing, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And one who is enjoying the fruits derived by working hard with this body, is the living entity, so both are there. The whole world is going on like this under the spell of illusion. All living beings are thinking that I am this body, and gratifying my senses is the goal of my life. This is called illusion.

go-kharaḥ means-go means cow and kharah means ass. yasyatma-buddhiḥ kunape tri-dhatuke this material body is made up of three types of elements-kapha or mucus, pitta or bile and vayu or air. This is part of Ayurveda. kapha, pitta, vayu. This body is like a bag-kunap, yasyatma-buddhiḥ kunape tri-dhatuke, It is a bag made of three elements. It contains bones, flesh, blood, stool, urine, and all these elements constitute a material body. One who thinks I am that body, I am a Hindu, I am a Muslim, I am Indian, I am American, and thus identifies himself in connection with this material body, and things related to this body, like country, family, children, wife, as mine, actually all these things are related to the body, sva-dhiḥ kalatradisu, kalatra means women, wife, and kalatradi means, if one is married then there are children from the wife, they are also mine, and the wife is mine, and the land in relation to this body is also mine-nationalism, and the family in which I have taken birth is also mine, this is called the bodily concept of life-aham mameti [SB 5.5.8].

In reality I am a part and parcel of God, a spirit soul. The Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself is saying, mamai-vamso jiva-bhutah. The living entity is My part and parcel. manaḥ-sasthanindriyani prakrti-sthani karsati [Bg 15.7]. The living entity is trapped in this material world and by being covered with the mind and senses, prakrti-sthani karsati he fights in this material world to become happy. This is struggle for existence. All day we work hard, we get one motor car, and beyond that we may get another motor car. We work hard whole day. What is the reason? It is struggle for existence. Here everyone knows that they cannot stay here. One day everyone has to die, but they want to live here forever and not die. All karmis think like this and therefore they are not worried about death. They are trying to forget death which is imminent thinking that I am not going to die. In the scripture also Canakya Panḍit has also written in Niti-sastra, that a karmi should not think that he will die, rather he should think that he will live perpetually then he can work very nicely. And one who is a jnani and a devotee, he should think that I have to die at any moment, I may die now. This is the difference. And before I die I should prepare myself in such a way that I do not get a body of a street dog and bark. This is the consideration of a jnani and a devotee. In future one is bound to get a body tatha dehantara-praptir [Bg 2.13], I will be forced to accept it. For example, as I was saying earlier that a young man is thinking I will not grow old, because in old age there are many difficulties, just like I have become old. He doesn't want to become old. By taking some medicine, applying cosmetics and make up he wants to remain young. But material nature compels him to grow old. Just like by force you have to accept the body of an old man. If I say I don't want it, nobody will listen. Similarly, when I will leave this body, I will have to accept another body tatha dehantara-praptir [Bg 2.13] we cannot stop this, and what type of body we will get we should be concerned about that. But this is certain that I must accept a body. Foolish people say that after death everything is finished. bhasmi-bhūtasya dehasya kutaḥ punar agamano bhavet-"Once your present body is burnt to ashes, where is the question of your having come from a previous life or of your going to a next life?" This is what the atheists say who do not have knowledge. We are not interested in acquiring knowledge from the fools. We should accept knowledge from the spiritual master. And who is the spiritual master of all? Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is the spiritual master of all.

The first spiritual master is Brahmaji, and Brahmaji's spiritual master is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. tene brahma hrda ya adi-kavaye adi-kavaye or the original created being is Brahma, and He who has imparted knowledge even to that Brahma He is om namo bhagavate vasudevaya. This is the instruction of the scriptures. He is caitya-guru or the spiritual master sitting in the heart. So we receive knowledge from God, and from a person who is a representative of God, who has full faith in God and who has accepted God as his spiritual master. This is called guru-parampara. The Supreme Lord Himself says, evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduḥ [Bg 4.2].

This is parampara, The Supreme Lord is the spiritual master and one who has heard directly from Him, just like Arjuna, he is also a spiritual master. Similarly one who has heard from Arjuna, he is also a spiritual master. That is guru, parampara. The Spiritual master is not an upstart, like anyone comes and becomes a spiritual master. No, the Spiritual master is a representative of God. Acaryam mam vijaniyan navamanyeta karhicit [SB 11.17.27]. The Supreme Lord says that the acarya is none other than Me. Acaryam mam vijaniyan navamanyeta karhicit do not treat him like an ordinary human being. He is non different from Me. So we have to accept knowledge through the guru-parampara system.

So the Supreme Personality of Godhead says, tatha dehantara-praptir [Bg 2.13], there is no doubt that the change of the body takes place. And how does that change of body take place is also mentioned in the scriptures. yam yam vapi smaran bhavam tyajaty ante kalevaram [Bg 8.6] whatever state of being one remembers at the time of death, according to that one will get a body. Everything is explained. So the living entities, para-prakrti, apareyam itas tv anyam prakrtim viddhi me param jiva-bhūtam [Bg 7.5], they belong to para-prakrti or superior energy. The living entity is prakrti or the enjoyed and not purusa or the enjoyer. The Supreme Lord Himself declares that one who wants to become a purusa, purusa means the enjoyer, bhoktaram yajna-tapasam sarva-loka-mahesvaram [Bg 5.29]-that is the definition of purusa.

He is the enjoyer of everything and the Lord of everything. That is purusa. Bhoktaram yajna-tapasam sarva-loka-mahesvaram. Just like in our Hindu religion till now, males are considered to be the head. Even now in India as far as I know the wife asks the husband in the morning-today, what would you like to eat?, and the husband says make this, that etc. So the wife along with the servants prepares the food as per the desire of the husband and everyone eats. This is the practice even today as far as I know. So similarly, purusa refers to that person by whose instruction everything goes on. That is purusa. purusam sasvatam divyam [Bg 10.12] After hearing Bhagavad-gita, Arjuna accepts the Supreme Lord that you are, param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan purusam sasvatam. [Bg 10.11-12] You are the enjoyer. Purusa means the proprietor or one who gives orders. By His order everything will go on. That is purusa.

There are different names of the Supreme Lord like Mahapurusa, Paramapurusa, Purusavatara and so on. All these names are described in the scriptures. Lord Visnu is called Purusavatara. Purusa Sasvatam He is eternally the enjoyer. It is not that recently He has become purusa and earlier He was formless. No. He is eternally the enjoyer sasvatam. Similarly, the supreme enjoyer and the devotional service rendered to that supreme enjoyer is yato bhaktir adhoksaje. [SB 1.8.19] Just like, some body's father is acting in a play on a stage and his son is sitting there. He is asking his mother-where is the father? Even though he is watching his father in front of him acting in the play, but because maya javanikacchannam the dress has been changed therefore he is not able to recognize his father nato natyadharo yatha.

So, we have created many religion like Hindu Religion, Muslim religion, Christian religion and so on, but the real religion is as mentioned in Srimad-Bhagavatam-sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje [SB 1.2.6]. Adhoksaje or adhakrta aksaja jnanam yatra. One who cannot be understood by the present material education and intelligence, He is called Adhoksaja. Adhoksaja, adhakrta aksaja jnanam, and the devotional service rendered to that Adhoksaja is real religion or paro dharma or eternal religion. In this present birth, we have a Hindu body and this body is not going to last for long. Suppose, in the next birth I have to accept a Muslim body, then it becomes Muslim religion, or else in this life itself if I convert from Hindu to Muslim, then I become a Muslim. This is not religion. This changing business is not called as religion. That which is eternal religion is the real religion. sa vai pumsam paro dharmo, paro means eternal, transcendental, beyond this material conception of life. That is called paro dharma. So as advised in Srimad-Bhagavatam one should cultivate paro dharma. Paro dharma means nivrtti dharma or the path of liberation, and aparo dharma means pravrtti dharma or the path of sense gratification. Ordinary religion, which we have accepted, encourages us to remain in the material world, perform good work, and then go to heaven, and be born again in a rich man's house and enjoy sense gratification. Everyone wants this. This is called aparo dhrama. Apara means material, they want the material elements bhūmir apo 'nalo vayuḥ [Bg 7.4]. This is called apara dharma or material life. And one who has realized that all these material objects are just a covering-my dress, and in reality, I am aham brahmasmi that is I am a spirit soul. For a person who understands that I am spiritual, religion is different and that is called paro dharma. So when we transfer ourselves from apara dharma to paro dharma, we will be happy. This is instructed here.

If one wants happiness for the soul then he should take to paro dharma. Don't remain in apara dharma. There will be no happiness if one remains in apara dharma. I don't belong to that. Just like a fish, if one takes the fish out of water and keeps it on the land, can it be happy? No, it will be uncomfortable. Only if you put it back into the water will it be happy. Similarly, the living entities are apareyam itas tv anyam prakrtim viddhi me param [Bg 7.5].

There is a para prakrti or superior energy. Who is it? It is the living entity. So, until the living entity is not connected with the para prakrti he cannot be happy. The same example is applicable here. The fish has its connection with water and if you remove the fish from water and put it on land, or put it on velvet bed and say-my dear fish, now sleep on this bed comfortably. The fish will never be happy in that condition. That is why, the scriptures advise that you follow such a religion so that you will get complete bliss and you will be happy. Sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje [SB 1.2.6] And how will one find such bliss and happiness? That is by devotional service only. There is no other way than this, it is not possible by cultivation of knowledge, nor by fruitive activities, and nor by mystic yoga, because jnanis, yogis, karmis are all involved with apara, or mundane religion.

The jnani is baffled by the material world and he thinks that only if I merge with the Supreme can I be saved from this material suffering. They are after sayujya mukti or merging with the Lord-ekatvam. This is the goal of a jnani. and yogi is searching after mystic perfection or siddhi. If I can fly in the sky, thousands of people follow me, if I can walk on water, I can gather many followers. They want some mystic perfection, they want to show some magic. That is a yogi. They have some desire. Even jnanis have material desire, they want liberation. And what to speak of the karmis they are full of material desires, material happiness. That is why, all of them can never be happy simply because they have demands or material desires like I want this, that etc. But one who is a devotee of the Lord, he has no material desires. Therefore he alone can be happy. In Sri Caitanya-caritamrta it is said bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kami-sakali 'asanta' krsna-bhakta-niskama, ataeva 'santa' [Cc Madhya 19.149] Those who are after bhukti, mukti or siddhi that means those who are karmis, jnanis and yogis, they are asking for something and therefore they cannot have any peace. But a devotee does not want anything other than engagement in the service of the Supreme Lord.

This was taught by Caitanya Mahaprabhu. And this is also the conclusion of all scriptures. Therefore Sūta Goswami says, yayatma suprasidati, If one wants complete satisfaction for the soul, if one is searching for real peace, then he should cultivate yato bhaktir adhoksaje [SB 1.2.6]. The Lord is Adhoksaja, which means He is avah manasa gocara or He who is beyond the jurisdiction of one's speech and mind, and one has to render devotional service at His lotus feet. This is the only way. sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje, ahaituky-that devotional service must be unmotivated. Not that I will worship God, but I want something from Him in return. Try to get something more from Him. Actually ordinary people approach God for this only. That is also good. In Bhagavad-gita it is said, catur-vidha bhajante mam sukrtinaḥ arjuna, four kinds of people, who are those?

Arto means those who are distressed. They are distressed in many ways because of their body, because of their material existence and so forth. They go to God and pray-O my Lord, this is my distress, kindly remove my distress. So God helps them. There is no difficulty in that for God. And Artharthi means those who are in need of wealth. They also approach God and pray to Him. And God also removes their poverty. There is no difficulty. And jnani refers to those who do not want wealth but they want to know what God is in reality. They are called jnani. And jijnasu means inquisitive. Just like we go to market and inquire about the rates, similarly, a person who is interested to know why people talk about God, what is God and so on, he is inquisitive. Jijnasu, jnani, arto and artharthi-these four classes of men approach or search after God for some benefit. In the scriptures they are addressed as catur-vidha bhajante mam janaḥ sukrtino-they are called sukrtina or pious. Although they go to the Supreme Lord and ask for something… that is their foolishness, still, they are pious, because they at least approached God. And one who does not approach God at all, he is called duskrtina or sinful. One is called sukrtina, sukrti means pious, and one who does not approach God for any reason, he is duskrtina or very sinful. Duskrt, krti means one who does good work and krti also intelligent, but they are applying their intelligence in sinful activities, so they are called duskrtina. And if the same intelligence is applied for pious activities it is called sukrtina. So those who are sukrti, though they go to God to ask for something and consequently they are not pure devotees, still they are called pious. And one who does not go to God at all and does not believe in God he is called duskrtina. Na mam duskrtina mudha-and duskrti is also called by one more adjective, mudha or an ass. Na mam duskrtino mūḍhaḥ prapadyante naradhamaḥ they also have one more name naradhama or the lowest of the mankind. And they are also known by the name mayayapahrta-jnana or one whose knowledge has been taken away by maya. asuram bhavam asritaḥ.

So if we want to be really happy yenatma suprasidati, if we want happiness for the soul, then one has to accept this process. What is that, paro dharma, not apara dharma, not materialism, and not becoming zero also, and not merging with the Lord also, but accept Bhagavad religion. God is there, God is the master, we all are his servants and whatever God says we should accept it. That is called religion. Besides this, whatever else we accept as religion is cheating. This is mentioned in the scripture dharmaḥ projjhita kaitava [SB 1.1.2]

All types of cheating religion that is going on in the name of religion, actually they are all cheating, but it is passing on in the name of religion. This is projjhita kaitava atra or it has been swept out with a broom. Just like we clean our house and throw all the dirt out with a broom, in the same way, in Srimad-Bhagavatam, such cheating type of religions are swept away with a broom. The real religion is this-sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje [SB 1.2.6]. Religion refers to that by following which one develops devotion unto the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord. That is called religion. And if you want actual happiness then you will have to follow this religion only. If you follow some other religion which is basically cheating, you will certainly be trapped in that and your life will be spoiled. This is also explained in the scripture-mandaḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhagya hy upadrutaḥ .

This is what is going to happen in Kali yuga and it is already happening. Prayenalpayusaḥ-In this age the duration of life is very less. In Kali-yuga, one can live up to One hundred years. That is the limit he has got. But nowadays who lives for one hundred years? The life span decreases gradually. As Kali-yuga will progress, duration of life, compassion, bodily strength and religious principles will decrease, and this is already happening. Nowadays who lives for one hundred years? If someone lives for 60 -70 years people think he is very old. As the age progresses man will live for 20 to 30 years, and he will be accepted as old. This is mentioned in the scripture-ayur harati [SB 2.3.17]. In this way, the age is diminishing and I, the living entity, am trapped within this body, and therefore as long as I continue to accept material bodies I will have to suffer. This is the law of material nature, the law of material nature, matra-sparsas tu kaunteya sitosna-sukha-duḥkha-daḥ [Bg 2.14]

We have got this material body and enjoyment and suffering are experienced on account of this body. But the soul has nothing to do with this enjoyment or suffering. So if you desire happiness for the soul, if you desire satisfaction for the soul then you will have to follow this religion of paro dharma. Sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje [SB 1.2.6] Adhoksaja is one of the names of the Supreme Lord. So one must cultivate devotional service at His lotus feet and if you don't follow this then go on suffering. That is your business, but from our side it is our duty to inform you. The real truth is being spread by this Krsna Consciousness movement all over the world. If you want to be happy then take to devotional service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And if you want to perpetually bhūtva bhūtva praliyate [Bg 8.19] go on like this, if you want to give up one body and accept another one and want to suffer miseries in this way, then that is your business. But if you want to be relived from misery and attain ultimate happiness and if you want to go back to Godhead yad gatva na nivartante tad dhama paramam mama [Bg 15.6] then all these instruction are given in the scriptures like Bhagavad-gita. It is very unfortunate that we all are reading Bhagavad-gita, but we do not understand these instructions. There are big big scholars, big big scholars, big big politicians, they all are reading Bhagavad-gita, but no one is saying that Krsna is Supreme Personality of Godhead. They remove Krsna from it, their policy is to remove Krsna and become God-become an avatar. These tricks are going on. So, by such cheating religion you will not be benefited. The real religion is paro dharma, accept it and engage in devotional service for by cultivating this dharma yayatma suprasidati or the soul will be fully satisfied. For example, Dhruva Maharaj-Dhruva Maharaj was a pious person, but he was a little unhappy materially. His step mother insulted him-you cannot sit on the lap of your father because you were not born of my womb. Because of this insult he spoke to his mother. His mother was unhappy and she said, what can I do? Your father does not even care for me and he does not even consider me as a maid servant. So what can I do? If the Supreme Personality of Godhead makes you happy, then you can become happy. So Dhruva asked, where is God? After all he was just a child. So his mother replied that I have heard that the Supreme Lord lives in the forest as big big sages and saintly persons go to the forest in search of Him.

So he went to the forest and underwent a great deal of austerities. He had a desire in his heart that I would make such a kingdom which will be even bigger than that of my father. That is why he performed severe penance. And when he had darsana of the Supreme Personality of Godhead he forgot the objective for which he did the austerities. Actually he went to the forest with a desire to have a kingdom, but when he saw the Supreme Lord face to face he said, O Lord, now I do not want anything. He did perform penance for a kingdom, but when he saw the Lord, this is an advantage that if someone approaches God for some material benefit, though it is not proper, still, there is a chance that one day it will so happen that he will not ask for anything other than the Supreme Lord. This is proper. Therefore such a person is described as pious. They will forget everything and only love God. This is the advantage. And those who are demons and atheists, they have no advantage. Whatever pleasure they derive from this body that's all, and they have to give up their body and according to their karma they will have to accept another body and continue to suffer or enjoy. This is not proper. So one should follow that religion by which one really becomes happy and peaceful, and that is yato bhaktir adhoksaje [SB 1.2.6]. And ahaituky apratihata, that is, the devotional service should be apratihatawhich means there cannot be any hindrance by the material condition. If someone thinks, I am a poor man, how can I render devotional service? No, and if someone says, I am a rich man so how can I engage in devotional service? No, everyone can execute devotional service. Sthane sthitaḥ sruti-gatam tanu-vah-manobhir [SB 10.14.3].

Remain in whatever position you are in. There is no question of rich or poor. Sruti-gatam simply hear the topics of the Supreme Lord. This is beneficial. Therefore we have opened these centers and enrolling you all as Life members. So kindly take part in this movement, because, we have no duty other than speaking about the Supreme Lord. We neither have politics, nor sociology nor the so called science. Everything we have is scientific. jnanam te 'ham sa-vijnanam [Bg 7.2] The Supreme Lord Himself says that I give you knowledge which is most scientific. Topics about the Supreme Lord include everything, yasmin vijnate sarvam evam vijnatam bhavati [Munḍaka Upanisad 1.3].

If you understand God as He is then you have understand every science properly. We are challenging big big scientists, psychologists, physiologists who are traveling all over the world. In Russia they are atheists and we are challenging them also. And by the Lord's grace we come out victorious everywhere. Otherwise, I am not even a scientist or a psychologist, but by God's mercy we are always successful. Sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje [SB 1.2.6]. Just accept this formula and follow it sincerely then you will be happy in every way-yayatma suprasidati. This is my only request.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Srila Prabhupada. [applause] Hari bol.

Prabhupada: Why would God be formless? Why do you think God is formless? You all are part and parcel of God and you all have got forms. So why does the whole not have a form? Just like this finger, it is a part of my body and it also has a form. So if the finger has got a form then why the whole body will not have a form. What kind of logic is this? You tell me. If the finger in your body has a form, then why doesn't the whole body have a form? Those who are thinking God to be formless, they have two kinds of considerations. One is that they have not understood God at all, and formless means whose form cannot be conceived. That is called formless. So the Lord's form, just like the virata-rūpa or the universal form of the Supreme Lord, how can you conceive where His legs are and where His hands are? Therefore He is formless. But the Supreme Personality of Godhead is so merciful that just to give you darsana, He is present here in His original form. You can see Him and try to understand Him. This is called arca-vigraha or the Supreme Lord in a Deity form. This is the form of the God only. Out of His causeless mercy the Lord appears before us in a suitable way so that we can see Him.

So you see His form. God is not formless. For example, brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate . Brahman is the impersonal aspect of the Supreme Lord. Just like the sunshine, the sun globe and within the sun globe is the Sun god. This is the fact. The Sun god is there, we get this information from the scriptures imam vivasvate yoga proktavan aham avyayam [Bg 4.1]. The Supreme Lord said that I instructed this knowledge to the Sun God previously. So the Sun god is not formless. Similarly, the Sun disc is also not formless, and the Sunrays also have form but it is very widespread. So try to understand that because the sun shine is widespread it is called formless. So the sunshine, the Sun globe and the Sun god-all three exist. Full of illumination-whether you call it formless or with form, it is full of effulgence. This is realized by one who cannot reach the sun planet and who is thus satisfied with the sunrays only. And if one has the capacity he can go to the sun planet and directly meet the Sun god-Vivasvan. So these Brahmavadis do not have enough power to see God as of now, it will take time. That's it for today. Hare Krsna.

Devotee: [Indistinct]

Prabhupada: No, by your desire. The jail is constructed because you will steal. That is why the jail is constructed. The king does not want that there should be a prison house and spend so much money on that. He does not want that. But the thieves force the king to construct the jail so that they can stay there. Hare Krsna

Devotees: Hari bol!!!