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Prabhupada: Somebody come read Bhagavad-gita. You will read? Come on. Our publication by
Macmillan Company, Bhagavad-gita, is out. Devotee: Where shall I read from?
Prabhupada: Introduction. Devotee: This is the introduction to Bhagavad-gita
As It Is. nama om visnu-padaya krsna-presthaya bhu-tale
srimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine "The Bhagavad-gita is also known as the Gitopanisad.
It is the essence of the Vedic knowledge and one of the most important Upanisads in Vedic
literature. There are many commentaries on the Bhagavad-gita, and the necessity for another
should be explained in the following basis. An American lady asked me to recommend an
English edition of the Bhagavad-gita which she could read. I was unable to do so in good
conscience. Of course there are many translations, but of those I have seen, not only in America
but those also in India, none can be said to be authoritative, because in almost every
one of them the author has expressed his personal opinion through the commentaries without touching
the spirit of the Bhagavad-gita as it is. The spirit of the Bhagavad-gita is mentioned
in the Gita itself. It is like this: If we want to take a particular medicine, then we
have to follow the directions written on the label of the bottle. We cannot take the medicine
according to our own directions or the directions of a friend ot in knowledge of this medicine.
We must follow the directions on the label or the directions of our physician. The Bhagavad-gita
also should be accepted as it is directly by the speaker Himself. The speaker is Lord
Sri Krsna. He is mentioned on every page as the Supreme Personality of Godhead or Bhagavan.
Bhagavan sometimes means any powerful person or demigod, but here it means Krsna."
Prabhupada: Most of you must have read some editions of Bhagavad-gita. I will give you
instances. One of the English translations, commentaries by Dr. Radhakrishnan, in the
Ninth Chapter
the Lord says, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yaji mam namaskuru mam evaisyasi kaunteya
asamsaya... The Lord says that "You, you just always remain
thinking of Me." That means always remain in Krsna consciousness. Simply this Krsna
consciousness means some way or other you have to think of Krsna always. Some way or
other you just engage yourself in some activities so that it can remind you about Krsna. That
is the process. Therefore those who are elevated devotees, they, in everything, they remember
Krsna. That is the perfection. (Bengali) Here is a light. A perfect devotee sees the light,
not the light as it is, but he sees some relationship with Krsna or Krsna in the light. This is
stated in the Bhagavad-gita also, that prabhasmi sasi-suryayoh. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhasmi
sasi-suryayoh. Krsna says that "I am the taste of the water." Now the..., when you are thirsty
you want water. You feel some nice taste in the water by which your thirst is satisfied,
"Yes, now I am satisfied." So Krsna says, "I am that taste." Similarly He says prabhasmi
sasi-suryayoh: "The light in the sun, in the moon, that I amthat light." In this way He
has described. So when one is highly elevated in Krsna consciousness, in everything, in
every action and every phenomenon he will see only Krsna. That is the perfection of
Krsna consciousness. So that is being taught in the Ninth Chapter,
and in this verse, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto, "Always think of Me," this is the sum and
substance of all spiritual advancement. What is that? Smartavyam satato visnuh. One should
always be absorbed in the thought of Visnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is
called samadhi. That is perfection of yoga. The yoga system is the practice of the most
lower class of men. I mean to say spiritually, not materially. Because their mind is so much
distracted from here and there, they have to concentrate the mind by practice and focus
the mind on Visnu. That is the yoga perfection, real. Now they are manufacturing so many other
things, but the real yoga practice is this, that you have to draw your attention from
everything and focus
the same on Visnu form. That is yoga system. Dhyanavasthita manasa pasyanti yam yoginah.
This is the definition of yogi. They are in meditation, dhyanavasthita. Dhyanavasthita
means meditation. So those who are yogis... You have heard so much about meditation--there
is very popular word in your country--and what is that meditation? The meditation is
to focus the mind on the form of Visnu. Dhyanavasthita manasa pasyanti yam yoginah.
So this instruction you will find in the Ninth Chapter, man-mana bhava mad-bhaktah [Bg. 9.34],
"Always think of Me." That is the perfection of life, always thinking of Visnu. But one
commentator, very big commentator, he says, "This meditation is not up to Krsna." Just
see. Krsna says "Just meditate upon Me," in the Bhagavad-gita, and the commentator says,
"It is not up to Krsna." In this way, in similar way or a different way, every commentary on
Bhagavad-gita so far published I have seen, their business is how to divert one's attention
from Krsna, although in the Bhagavad-gita the main factor is Krsna. That is mentioned
here. What is that? Read on. This Bhagavad-gita has come. Yes.
Devotee: The last sentence was, "Bhagavan sometimes mean any, any, means any powerful
person or demigod, but here it means Krsna. This is confirmed by all the great..."
Prabhupada: Now this bhagavan, you have heard, many times I have explained, bhaga. Bhaga
means opulence. There are six kinds of opulences. What is that? Wealth, and then influence,
strength, reputation and knowledge, beauty and renunciation. Is it not six? If a man
is wealthy, very rich, just like in your country Rockefeller, Ford, there are many rich men
in your, the..., your country is very rich. So if one is very rich he is called opulent.
If a man is very reputed, famous man, he is also opulent. If a man is very influential,
he is also opulent. If a man is very strong... Now the strong man, formerly strong men had
request, ahh, respect. All the kings, they were respected on their personal strength.
They used to..., they had to fight with the opponents. So that is also opulence. Then
beauty. A very beautiful man or woman, that is also opulence. And wise, very learned,
wise man, that is also opulence--scientist, philosopher, mathematician. So they are also
opulent. And renouncer. Renouncer, that one who give up everything, he has everything
in his possession, but he disposes himself, that is called renunciation. Just like king,
Maharaja Bharata, under whose name India is called Bharata-varsa. He was the emperor of
the world, but at the age of twenty-four years only he gave up everything--his young wife,
young children. Lord Buddha, Lord Buddha was prince, but very young boy, at the age of
twenty years or something like that, he gave up everything, his father's kingdom. This
is called renunciation. At the present moment (chuckles) hardly there is any sense of renunciation,
but formerly there were many kings, many princes who renounced everything for spiritual advancement.
So these six principles are called bhaga. So these six principles are there. Just like
we are minute part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. Fragment, very small fragment. So every
one of us have got some money according to our capacity. Every one of us has got some
strength or some reputation or some beauty or some knowledge. Comparatively it may be
that your position may be greater than me or other's position may be greater than you,
that not all of us on the same level. There are comparative positions. So bhagavan means
you go on searching. When you find a person that nobody is richer than Him, nobody is
stronger than Him, nobody is richer than Him, nobody is reputed than Him, nobody is wiser
than him, nobody is beautiful, more beautiful than Him, and nobody is renouncer than Him,
He is Bhagavan, He is God. So all these you will find in Krsna. That
is the significance of Krsna. When Krsna was present on this material world so nobody could
excel Him in any of these opulences. Nobody. So far richness is concerned, He exhibited
His richness with His (indistinct). He married 16,108 wives, and each wife had a palace,
and the palace did not require light. It was bedecked with valuable jewels, so at night
the light from the jewels will illuminate the rooms. Can you imagine such house? (laughter)
And not only that, that He married 16,000 wives and He was apart from them, no. With
each wife He was present. With some wife He is talking, with some wife He is playing,
with some wife He is looking after the children. In this way Narada travelled all the houses,
all the palaces, he saw Krsna is there engaged. This is called opulence. So far power is concerned,
there were so many fights with Krsna, nobody could conquer. So far beauty is concerned,
you know Krsna's beauty, even from the picture. And the, all the gopis, in Vrndaana... Krsna
at the age of fifteen, sixteenth year, naturally at that time boys are very beautiful, any,
any man even. So He was so beautiful that they, all the gopis prayed to Yogamaya. Everyone
prayed, "My dear mother, please give me Krsna as my husband." So this is, but (indistinct)
significance is the, that the day they prayed the next day there was... Perhaps you know
that Krsna's vastranam-lila. Vastranam-lila means... In India still there are places in
Punjab when girls and women take bath they keep their clothings in the river, I mean
to say, not in the bathroom. In the rivers, they keep their clothings on the shore, on
the bank, and they dip into the water completely naked. So that place is completely separate
for the women. No man can go there. That is the system still somewhere. They will take
bath fully and they will come and again dress. And woman, woman, they are all naked, there
was no shame. They, no man and no boy can go there. This vastranam-lila was that Krsna
stealthily went there and tookup all their clothes, and got up on a tree, (laughter)
(laughs) with the clothings. And they cannot come out of the water. "Krsna, You are very
naughty. Give us our clothes. Give us our clothes." That was vastranam-lila.(laughter)
The purpose was the, the people interpret in a different way, but the purpose is very
significant. Only devotees can understand that all these girls, day before, they prayed
to Yogamaya that, everyone prayed, that "Let us have Krsna as our husband." Now Krsna was
at that time only 15, 16 years, no older. In India still the boys of 15, 16 years, they
are not married. At least he must be 20, 22 years. And girls are married between 12 to
16 years. That is the Vedic system. Neither it was possible for Krsna to marry all the
girls, but they all prayed. So how to fulfil their desire? That was vastranam-lila. The
vastranam-lila means that according to any human civilization, system, a woman can become
naked only before husband. So Krsna fulfilled that, that "You are naked, I am before you,so
I am your husband." That's all. Wholesale acceptance. That was the purpose. But the
nonsense people they differently, differently interpret.
So Krsna's opulence, beauty, strength, and so far wisdom, at least you can test. Now
the wisdom, see preliminary wisdom only. Preliminary talks on spiritual matter is discussed in
this Bhagavad-gita. And this book is still read, even after five thousand years, all
over the world. Just see His wisdom. That is a test. Big scholars, big religionists,
philosophers, they are bewildered still about Bhagavad-gita. Therefore there are so many
interpretations. But this, what is this Bhagavad-gita? Bhagavad-gita is the A B C D of spiritual
knowledge. It is not very high depth of spiritual knowledge. High depth of spiritual knowledge
is in the Srimad Bhagavatam. This is only entrance. Just like children are taught a
b c d., or first book of knowledge. It is only the first book of knowledge. And what
is that first book of knowledge? The first book of knowledge teaches from the very beginning
that you are not this body. That is the beginning of knowledge, spiritual knowledge. And the
whole world, great philosophers, the geat politicians... Now yesterday the boys gave
me one paper. There is discussion about Transcendental Meditation. There was publication of our activities
also, and some others are... So the so-called Transcendental Meditation they are discussing
on the mind. And the Bhagavad-gita, mind is immediately rejected as matter. So Transcendental
Meditation, they're on the platform of the mind. Just see. And the Bhagavad-gita says
that mind is external nature only. indriyani parany ahur
indriyebhyah param manah manasas tu para buddhir
yo buddheh paratas tu sah In the gross material concept of life we are
under the impression that "I am this body." Therefore we are concerned with the senses.
If our senses are gratified, we think we are now satisfied. So this is the gross type of
existence, I mean to say, existence of ignorance. Illusion. Maya. When one is under the thought
that "I am this," this is illusion. Illusion means you accept something, something is presented
as reality, and you accept it. Just like the example is given water in the desert. Mirage.
There is no water, but a, an animal is hankering, is running after water in the desert. That
is practical, that due to sunshine there is a reflection, it appears in the desert. Sometimes
you might have seen--not here, in India we have seen several times--that exactly there
is a vast water, and it is reflecting, the reflection. That is called mirage. There is
not a drop of water, but the animal, when he is thirsty he..., it thinks that "There
is water." He jumps into the desert and the water is going ahead, going ahed, and he is
running after it and then dying. So this illusion, that "I am this body." So we are after this
sense gratification. Body means the senses. So that is mirage, illusion. Just like the
animal is running after water in the desert. So even this yoga system, the hatha yoga system,
that is also based on this illusion. They are trying to put this water under certain
exercise and thinking that they are elevating themselves in spirit. But Bhagavad-gita, in
the beginning, says that you are not this body, neither this mind. This is the beginning
of Bhagavad-gita, and that is a b c d. Any person who does not know that I am not this
body he has no even a-b-c-d knowledge of spiritual kingdom. If one is attracted with this bodily
function or mind, mental function, he is outside the spiritual purview altogether. He rejected
immediately. That test is in the Bhagavad-gita. These people, the so-called yogis, so-called
karmis... Karmis means the ordinary worker, those who are running in the street with motor
car, this way and that way, very busy. You see. What are they? They are karmis. Karmis
means under the bodily concept. They are thinking that comfort of this body and sense gratification
is the end of life. That is karmi. If they have got very nice apartment, a nice wife
and good bank balance and a very nice dress, oh, there is perfection. That's all. That
is karmi. And jnani means that when they are confused. Just like there are a section of
people in your country, they have seen enough of this material affair, happiness, or they
are searching after something wrongly. But actually those who are intelligent, they don't
remain confused. Actually they want to see "What is my actual position." They are called
jnani, man of knowledge. So jnana, or knowledge, is on the mental plane
and karma is on the bodily plane. So somebody, some section of people, they are engaged in
this bodily platform, and some section of people are engaged in the mental platform.
Whatever religion and process of elevation of life we have manufactured, they can be
grouped in two ways: mental and bodily. That's all. And Bhagavad-gita is transcendental.
Neither on the mental plane nor on the bodily plane. Therefore the last instruction of Bhagavad-gita
is sarva-dharman parityajya. Dharma, you have created so many religious principles, so many
concocted spiritual ways of life or material ways of life. Somebody are materialists and
somebody are so-called spiritualists. So Krsna says that you have to give up all this nonsense--on
the mental platform and bodily platform. You have come to the transcendental platform.
And what is that transcendental platform? To understand your relationship with Krsna.
That is Krsna consciousness. Read. Devotee: "This is confirmed by all the great
teachers, including Sankara and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. In India there are many authorities
on Vedic knowledge and they have virtually all accepted Sri Krsna as the Supreme Personality
of Godhead. We should therefore accept the Bhagavad-gita as it is, directed by the Supreme
Personality of Godhead..." Prabhupada: And here is an important fact.
The other day while I was walking, I saw one advertisement of tourist agent. India, (indistinct)
can view wonderful land. The wonderful land. Anyway, so I asked Karttikeya(?), "So India
is considered very wonderful?" He said "Yes." Anyway, India is still considered the land
of spiritual cultivation. Even one Chinese author, he has written that if you want to
study religion, then you have to go India. He is impartial. He is not Indian nor an American
or any country. He is Chinese. Chinese are considered to be Communist country, but he
has very impartially said that if you have to learn what is religion then you have to
go to India. Anyway India, actually it is the land of religion, dharma-ksetra, although
it has gone down at the present moment. But anyway, there are two sections in the...,
amongst the Indian, bona fide religionists. That means bona fide religionists means those
who are following the Vedic principles. They are called bona fide. Anyway, that is, that
wa the system in the bygone ages, even one thousand years ago. And now that, just like
Buddha, Buddha religion. Buddha religion is also Indian religion. Lord Buddha, He was
Indian. He, just like Lord Caitanya began His propaganda from Bengal, Lord Buddha made
His propaganda from Bihar. He was Indian. But the defect was that He did not acknowledge
the authority of the Vedas. Therefore His philosophy was considered atheism. And this
Sankaracarya drove away all the Buddhists from the land of India. Therefore they took
shelter in China, Japan, Burma. Outside India. So anyway, strict religionists they are followers
of Vedas, and they are divided into two groups: one group led by Sankaracarya and the other
group is led by the Vaisnavas, or generally Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya or Lord Caitanya.
They are all the same, Vaisnava. Now all these two groups, following the Vedic principles,
they accept Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So far India's authoritative persons
are concerned, there is no two opinions, that Krsna is not God. Both of them accept Krsna
the Supreme Personality. So far we are concerned, Vaisnavas, we accept. There is no doubt about
it. There are four different parties of Vaisnavas. All of them accept Krsna, the Supreme Personality
of Godhead. There are eight commentaries on the very authoritative, very large commentaries
on the Srimad-Bhagavatam of these Vaisnavas, and all of them accept Krsna. So far the other
party is concerned, the impersonalists led by Sankaracarya, a great stalwart scholar,
he also accepts Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He says, sa bhagavan svayam krsna:
"The concept of Personality of Godhead, here is Krsna." And people may misunderstand; therefore
he has specifically mentioned Krsna who has appeared as the son of Devaki and Vasudeva.
Particularly, just like when you have to put your identification, you have to give the,
your father's name or your husband's name. Similarly, the same principle as Sankaracarya
has followed. He has said "Krsna, the Krsna who is, wh has appeared as the son of Devaki
and Vasudeva." So there is no two opinions. No, "Or this Krsna, maybe another Krsna."
No. So that is stated here. Yes. Krsna is accepted the Supreme Personality of Godhead
by all the followers of Vedas. That is a fact. Yes.
Devotee: "Now in the Fourth Chapter the Lord tells Arjuna that this yoga system of the
Bhagavad-gita was first spoken to the sun-god. The Blessed Lord said, 'I instructed this
imperishable science, imperishable science of yoga to the sun-god, Vivasvan, and Vivasvan
instructed it to Manu, the father of mankind, and Manu in turn instructed it to Iksvaku.
This supreme science was thus received through the chain of disciplic succession and the
saintly kings understood it in that way. But in the course of time the succession was broken
and therefore the science as it is appears to be lost.' "
Prabhupada: That is the instruction in the Bhagavad-gita, that this science of Bhagavad-gita
has to be accepted by disciplic succession. That is the way of accepting any scientific
thing. Just like even in material science, suppose if you have to become medical practitioner
or a lawyer. So you have to study the law books by the previous lawyers, by the judgments
of the courts. One who has studied the previous records of legal implications, he is best
lawyer. Similarly a medical practicer, practitioner, who has studied the previous books and knowledge
and experience, he is called experienced physician. The same principle is there that the spiritual
knowl..., you cannot manufacture any spiritual knowledge. That is atheism. You cannot manufacture
any religious principle. It is not possible. That is not accepted in Vedas. Dharmam tu
saksad bhagavat-prani. Dharma means the rules and regulation which is given by God. That
is accepted everywhere. In Bible, in Koran also. The laws of God. You cannot manufacture.
So Krsna said that this principle of Bhagavad-gita... At the present moment Bhagavad-gita is being
interpreted by anyone and everyone according to his whims. That is not permissible. That
is not Bhagavad-gita. We have to understand this. Simply Bhagavad-gita is that which is
received by the parampara system. That is being explained. Go on.
Devotee: "Arjuna was neither a great scholar nor a Vedantist, but a great soldier. A soldier
is not supposed to be scholarly, and so Arjuna was selected to understand the Bhagavad-gita
because of one qualification only: he was a devotee of the Lord. This indicates that
the Bhagavad-gita is especially meant for the devotee of the Lord."
Prabhupada: So this point is described that just like this yogi Maharishi, he has also
written one Bhagavad-gita. And what right he has got? He has no right to say anything
about Bhagavad-gita because he is not a devotee. Bhagavad-gita is taught to Arjuna. He was
neither a yogi nor a scholar nor a Vedantist nor a brahmana even. He was ksatriya. Nor
a sannyasi even. He was grhastha. He had three wives and so many children. And he was fighting
for kingdom. What is the qualification that Bhagavad-gita was taught to him? Because he
was devotee. People have to see how Bhagavad-gita is to be accepted. Specially Krsna mentions
in the Fourth Chapter that "I am speaking to you. The disciplic succession is now broken.
Therefore I am speaking to you the old system of yoga, Bhagavad-gita, again, unto you."
"Why unto me, Krsna?" "Because you are My devotee." That was the answer. So only qualification
to understand Bhagavad-gita is to become a devotee of Krsna; otherwise it is not possible.
Just give this challenge to everyne: "So what do you understand about Bhagavad-gita? You
don't..., you are not devotee of Krsna. How you can understand Bhagavad-gita? So you are
speaking of Bhagavad-gita and cheating people." So bring all the books which is, which are
published in your country and find out a single man who is a Krsna's devotee. Nobody of them.
Then what authority he has got to write on Bhagavad-gita? He has no right. It is simply
poking your nose in other's business. Nonsense. Just challenge these persons, "What right
you have got?" He has no right. These, these, these rascals, they say that everyone is God.
And how they can be devotee? Does a devotee say that everyone is God? They say "God is
one." So you are realizing by meditation, "I am God, you are God, my brother is God,
my father is God, my these are God, everyone is God." This, this is the, going on. You
want to stop all this rascaldom. That is our challenge. We may not have many followers.
We don't care for that. We don't want these nonsense followers, many thousands. What they
will do? But if we can turn one man into Krsna consciousness perfectly, he can do tremendous
work in the world. That is our principle. We don't want nonsense. So this is the princile
of understanding Bhagavad-gita. Go on. Devotee: "There are three kinds of transcendentalists:
the yogi, the impersonalist and the bhakta, or devotee. Krsna says to Arjuna, 'I am making
you the first man of disciplic succession. The old succession is broken. I wish to reestablish
the line of teaching which was passed down from the sun-god. So you become the authority
of the Bhagavad-gita.' The Bhagavad-gita is directed to the devotee of the Lord who is
directly in touch with the Lord as a friend. To learn the Bhagavad-gita one should be like
Arjuna, a devotee having a direct relationship with the Lord. This is more helpful than yoga
or impersonal philosophical speculation. A devotee can be in relationship with the Lord
in five different ways. He may have passive..., have a passive relationship..."
Prabhupada: Now here is explained who is a devotee. That is explained. Yes.
Devotee: "He may have a passive relationship, he may have an active relationship. Three,
he may be in friendship. Four, he may have the relationship of a parent. And five, he
may have the relationship of conjugal lover of the Lord. Arjuna was a devotee in relationship..."
Prabhupada: The passive relationship is simply realizing, "Oh, how God is great". God is
great. One is thunderstruck with the greatness of God. That is passive relationship: "God,
God is great." When that relationship is enhanced a little, more the next stage is that "If
God is great why not give Him some service?" just like we are accustomed to give some service
to some person who is greater than me. That is the laws of nature. Just like the animals.
The animals are giving service to the man, because the man is supposed to be greater
than the animal. Similarly, one man is greater than the other, so the smaller man is giving
service to the greater man. That is the law of nature. So when this sense comes, "If God
is so great," not that "God is great; therefore exact from God the things of my sense gratification."
No. The real love is that "God is great, God is supplying us so many things, all of our
necessities, why not render some service to God?" This consciousness is part of development.
The next developmen is to give service to God as friend, just like Arjuna is giving.
And the next development is to render service to God as parents. And the highest platform
of service rendering to God is conjugal love. So there are different stages. That is explained.
Go on. Devotee: "Arjuna was a devotee in relationship
with the Lord as a friend. This friendship is different from friendship in the mundane
world. This kind of friendship is transcendental. Everyone has some relationship with the Lord.
Unfortunately, in our present status, we have forgotten that eternal tie. Yet each of the
millions upon millions of living beings has his particular relationship. By the process
of service one can revive one's original status with the Lord. Now Arjuna..."
Prabhupada: This relationship is already established, because I am eternal, God is eternal, therefore
my relationship with God is also eternal. That relationship is there. Now, due to my
covering of this material body or influence of material energy, I have forgotten. This
is my position. In the conditioned state, in this material condition of life, our position
is that I..., we have forgotten our relationship with God. But therefore you are trying to
establish so many relationships with this material world. I am trying to find some relationship
with particular type of society, particular type of community, particular type of nation,
particular type of family or individuals. So many ways, I am searching where is my relationship,
because I have lost my relationship with God. Therefore I have to reestablish, I have to
revive my old relationship with Krsna. That is Krsna consciousness. This Krsna consciousness
process is to... Just like in darkness you are finding your things, your watch, you cannot
find it out. Sometimes you are touching this, sometimes touching this, sometimes touching
this, but the real thing you are not touching. So you are bewildered, you are harassed. And
now you, if you touch Krsna consciousness, these harassments will be stopped. It is so
nice thing. We are giving you your lost relationship, which you are searching out life after life.
And you are confused. Take this! You will be happy. You will find your relationship,
eternal relationship with Krsna. Devotee: "Now Arjuna was a devotee, and he
was in touch with the Supreme Lord in friendship. Thus the Bhagavad-gita was explained to him.
How he accepted it should be noted. This is mentioned in the Tenth Chapter. After hearing
the Bhagavad-gita from the Lord, Arjuna accepted Krsna as the Supreme Brahman. Every living
being is Brahman, or spirit, but the supreme living being is the Supreme Brahman."
Prabhupada: Now here is another point, that everyone is reading Bhagavad-gita. The...,
it is clearly stated how Bhagavad-gita should be accepted. Bhagavad-gita was spoken to Arjuna,
and Arjuna accepted it in his own understanding, whatever he understood. That is also stated.
Therefore we have to place ourselves in the position of Arjuna and accept the truth as
Arjuna directly received it. That is understanding of Bhagavad-gita. That is stated in the Tenth
Chapter, how Arjuna accepted Bhagavad-gita and Krsna. That is explained. Yes.
Devotee: "Arjuna accepted Krsna as pure, free from all material contamination, as the supreme
enjoyer, as the foremost person, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, never born, the greatest.
Now one may say that..., one may say that since Krsna and Arjuna were friends, Arjuna
was only saying these things to his friend. But Arjuna mentions that Krsna is accepted
as the Supreme Personality of Godhead not only by himself but by Narada, Vyasa and numerous
other great persons." Prabhupada: Authorities. He accepted Krsna
as the Supreme Personality of Godhead not because Krsna happened to be his intimate
friend but on the authorities of others. And on the statement of Krsna, and by understanding
Him fully. He, he did not accept Him blindly. So this is the process of understanding Bhagavad-gita.
And although he understood fully, because in future so many rascals will come and proclaim
himself that "I am also incarnation of Godhead," therefore in the Eleventh Chapter Arjuna requested
Krsna that "If you think, You can show me Your universal form," so that in future others
will accept some bogus rascal as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he may test by seeing
the, I mean to say, universal form of the person. So who can exhibit this universal
form except Krsna? So we have explained this Bhagavad-gita in
the parampara system as we have heard from authoritative sources. So it may be a new
contribution to your country, because in every edition they have concocted some ideas about
Bhagavad-gita, but we are presenting Bhagavad-gita as it is. That's all. So, any question?
Devotee (2): You commented that, Swami Prabhupada, that everyone has a natural desire to have
relationship with Krsna, but that because... Prabhupada: Not desire, but he is already
established. Devotee (2): Established.
Prabhupada: That is covered. Just like your relationship with somebody as father and son,
it is established. You might have forgot, you might have left your home since a very,
very long time, and you do not know who is your father, but there is some father. That
is a fact. Nobody can say, "No. I, I have, I am born without father." Nobody can say.
One has father, but it may be that he has forgotten his father. So this Krsna consciousness
movement is that we have got some relationship with the Supreme Lord. That we have now forgotten.
So it is not the question of desire. It is there. You don't desire to become one's son,
you are already one's son. You simply do not know. Similarly, your relationship with Krsna
is there, every one of us, but I have forgotten; I do not know. This Krsna consciousness practice
will revive your relationship in what way..., in which way you are related with Krsna. It
is not that you have to desire. No. It is already there. You have to desire only how
to revive it, that's all. That isKrsna consciousness. It is not an artificial thing. Just like we
are establishing some relationship with somebody or you are my father or you are my wife, you
are my husband. No. It is already there. Simply we have to find out. That will be revealed
when you are perfect in Krsna consciousness, brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati, you are
freed from all material contamination, and you are perfectly situated in devotional service;
it will be at once revealed: "Oh, you are related to Krsna." You will have to wait for
that. Child Devotee: Who was Jesus's father?
Prabhupada: Hm? Child Devotee: Who was Jesus's father?
Prabhupada: God. Child Devotee: Oh, that's right.
Prabhupada: You do not know that? Oh, he said that "I am son of God." How is that, you are
asking for (indistinct). You do not know this? He said himself that "I am son of God." You
do not know this? Child Devotee: Well I didn't really (indistinct).
I didn't really..., I didn't, I wasn't thinking about God the father. But don't we all have...?
Prabhupada: What is that, he said? Child Devotee: Aren't we all the sons of God?
Prabhupada: Yes. Devotee (2): (to child) You're thinking that
Lord Jesus Christ had a relationship with Joseph. Joseph was married to his mother Mary.
And so he's thinking what is his, what is Jesus's relationship with Joseph since Jesus
is son of God, and Joseph raised him from little boy?
Prabhupada: Yes. Just like every spirit soul is son of God, but materially we think that
some..., somebody as father. But real father is God. That is stated in the i:
sarva-yonisu kaunteya sambhavanti murtayah yah
tasam yonir brahma mahad aham bija-pradah pita
This mahat-tattva, this material world, just like a child, a child is born, the father
gives the seed and mother develops the body. The child's body is developed... Actually
all, all of us, we have got this body from mother. Therefore we have got very natural
affinity with mother. The child can forget his father, but he cannot forget his mother.
Mother's relationship is so intimate. Similarly, this material body we have got from the material
energy; therefore we are so much materialist. We are thinking of this country, that community,
this family, how materialistic, because this body is material. But so far spirit soul I
am concerned, I am the son or the part and parcel of the Supreme. So material nature
is the mother and God is the father. And we are exhibited in so many forms, 8,400,000's
of forms. So one who has understood this truth, that God is father, he no more looks, "Ah,
this is cat," "This is dog," "This is cow," "This is black," "This is white," "This is
Chinese," "This is American." No. That is uiversal brotherhood: "Oh, they are my brothers."
Brahma-bhutah prasannatma. No more enmity. "They are all my brothers." Samah sarvesu
bhutesu. With everyone he sees on the equal level, for "They are spiritual part, part
and parcel of my father." This vision makes one advance in Krsna consciousness. This is
fact. This is realization. This is universal brotherhood. Everything this is, this Krsna
consciousness. Devotee (4): What is the proper relationship
of the devotee to Radha, Radhika? Prabhupada: Radharani is daivi-maya. Just
like we are, in our material conditional life, we are under the material energy. Similarly,
in our liberated state we have to become under the spiritual energy. That spiritual energy
is Radharani. We are acting at the present moment under material energy, because our
body is made of material energy. So when you are liberated you will develop your body of
spiritual energy. That spiritual energy is Radharani. So you have to become under some...,
under the control of some energy. You are also energy; you are marginal energy. Marginal
energy means you may be under the control of the spiritual energy or you may be under
the control of material energy--your marginal position. But when you are under the control
of the material energy, that is your precarious condition, struggle for existence. And when
you are under spiritual energy, that is your life of freedom. Radharani is spiritual energy,
and Durga, or Kali, is material energy. So those who are materialist, they worship Drga,
Kali, the material, different forms of material energy. And, so in both the cases... There
is a word in Sanskrit, it is called sakta, sakta. Sakta, the word comes from sakti. Sakti
means energy. So there is a division, that those who are
worshiper of the Supreme as mother--just like the worshiper of Goddess Kali--that means
those who are accepting the Absolute as mother, they are called saktas. The sakta... The Vaisnava,
they are also sakta, because they are also accepting another pure energy, personal energy,
or internal energy of Krsna. That is also sakti. And the materialist also, they are
also accepting another energy. The one energy, spiritual energy is in our normal condition,
and material energy in..., is our abnormal condition. The Krsna consciousness practice
means you have to transfer yourself from this material energy to the..., under the control...,
from the control of material energy, under the control of spiritual energy. That's all.
That spiritual energy is Radharani. You have to become under the control. That, I'll give
you one concrete example. Just like a person is always under the control of government
as citizen. When he is outlaw, he is under the criminal law, and who is law-abiding,
he is under civil law. He cannot say that "I cannot remain within the law of the government."
He has to. That is his position. Artificially he may deny, but he will be forced. Similarly,
our position is part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. And as part and parcel we have to render
service. If we voluntarily render service, out of love, that is spiritual energy. And
we are forced to render service under pressure, that is material energy. In the material energy
we are forced. Who wants to become... Suppose you are American. If somebody says, "Would
you like to become a dog next life?", would you like? Anybody would like? What do you
think? (laughter) But according to his work, he will be forced to accept. There is no saying,
"No, no. I don't like this sort of life." No. He will be forced. That is material energy.
Forced, just like criminal law. "Oh, you have to go to the prison." "I don't want." You
will be forced. "I don't want." He will be arrested, immediately. There is sufficient
power. There is police, thre is military, there is so many things. You cannot say no.
So this is intelligence, that I have to serve. Now in my material condition I am serving
so many things, especially my senses. So neither my senses are satisfied nor I am satisfied.
So this intelligence is not coming to us. They are going on, carvita-carvananam, chewing
the chewed. The senses, same sense gratification in different way. In theatre, in stage, in,
at home, at club--everywhere. Simply changing the platform and trying to be happy. How you
can be happy? They already distasted. Does it mean that sense satisfaction in an apartment
and sense satisfaction in the club is different? It is simply imagination. "Let me go to the
club, let me go to the stage, let me go to this Florida beach, and let me go there, let
me see the naked dance, let me see that, let me..." That's all. But the platform is there,
sense gratification. But he is not intelligent that "I have satisfied my senses in so many
different ways. I have served my senses in so many different ways. Neither I am satisfied,
neither my senses are satsfied." Therefore the intelligent man says, "I am no more going
to satisfy my senses, I will satisfy Krsna." That is Krsna consciousness. Then he gets
full satisfaction. This is voluntary. This is called surrender, that "I have tried to
satisfy my, the whims of my senses so many lives. I have become frustrated, confused.
Let me try this life to satisfy the senses of Krsna." That's all. At least let me give
a trial one life, and let me see the result. So our Krsna consciousness movement means
that we are requesting everyone that give a trial this life at least. You have satisfied
your senses in so many forms of life, huh? The dogs also satisfied their senses, the
cat also satisfied his senses, the tiger, and these civilized, uncivilized, these god,
everyone. Now you don't try to satisfy your senses, you try to satisfy Krsna. That's all.
And Krsna, being full, complete, if Krsna is satisfied, your senses will be satisfied
automatically. Therefore His name is Govinda. Govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami. Govinda
means who satisfies the senses. Don't think that your senses will remain unsatisfied.
It will be completely satisfied. That is the secret of Krsna consciousness.
So, have some kirtana. Hare Krsna. (end)