Text

New York, July 19, 1976

Purport

Pradyumna: (chants verse, etc.) "Translation: Lord Krṣṇa naturally has three energetic transformations, and these are known as the spiritual potency, the living entity potency and the illusory potency."

Prabhupada:

krṣṇera svabhavika tina-sakti-pariṇati
cic-chakti jiva-sakti ara maya-sakti
[Cc. Madhya 20.111]

In the previous verse we have discussed that fire is situated in one place, but it is expanding heat and light. We should always remember this comparison, that the sun is there, localized, and from millions and millions of years it is distributing heat and light. Take for... That is not yet reduced. The same transformation is going on. Similarly, we can understand very easily that God may be far away from us. He's not far away; He is within us, but we think like that: "God is far away." Simply we have no knowledge to understand. Just like in the morning, as soon as there is daylight we can immediately understand, "Now the darkness is finished; the sunlight is there." Gradually the sun comes out, and the whole day becomes very brilliant and warm. Immediately things are changed. Similarly, when we see that the nature's way... That is the heat and light of the sun, material world. So if everything is going on nicely, so how you can say that God is dead? Things are going on. Just like the heat and light is there; therefore, even though you are within the room, you can understand the sun is there. Or even there is cloud covering the sun, that does not mean the sun is not there. So it is simply foolishness. We say sometimes that "There is no God. Can you show me? I have not seen God." These are all rascals' propositions. When we see... Any foreign country, you see that a city is maintained very nicely, the police is there, the light is there, the green light, the red light is there—we can immediately understand that there is government. Any sane man, how he can say that government is dead? This is foolishness. There cannot be any question of "God is dead." If you say "I cannot see Him," so you cannot see even the government head man. Can you see the President always? But you have to accept that there is a system of government; therefore the head of the government is there.

So actually God is there, and His system is going on in three potencies. In the Vedas we learn, parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate svabhaviki jñana-bala-kriya ca [Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport]. Para, the Supreme Absolute Truth, has many potencies, and all the potencies have been summarized into three. That is stated here: cic-chakti, jiva-sakti and maya-sakti. Cic-chakti means spiritual potency, and jiva-sakti, living entities. We are also sakti, prakrti; we are not puruṣa. Puruṣa means enjoyer, and prakrti means enjoyed. We cannot be the enjoyer; that is not possible. So sakti... In the Bhagavad-gita also it is confirmed, apareyam itas tv prakrtim viddhi me param. When Krṣṇa described about the material energy, bhumir apo 'nalo vayuḥ; [Bg. 7.4], earth, water, air, fire... These are material energies, gross. And there are subtle material energies, mind, intelligence and egotism. Beyond that, apareyam... These are inferior energies. Beyond that, there is spiritual energy. What is that spiritual energy? Jiva-bhutaḥ;. That you know. (?) That is spiritual energy. That spiritual energy is always different from the material energy. Unfortunately the so-called scientists, they have no sufficient intelligence. On account of poor fund of knowledge, they are mixing up. They are thinking that there is no spiritual energy separately, but by combination of matter, chemicals, the spiritual energy comes into existence. That is wrong; that is not fact. Spiritual energy is completely different from the material energy. That is energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but spiritual energy is direct, and material energy is indirect. Both of them are energies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and when there is question of energy, sakti, some energy, so we have to accept the source of energy. Just like electric energy. We see there is electric energy, but there is source of electricity, the powerhouse. How can you deny it? Those who are foolish persons, they think that a childish, that this bulb is giving light automatically. No. That is not fact. The fact is, the electric energy is coming from the background, the powerhouse, then about the bulb is giving light.

So whatever intelligence we have got, that is not our intelligence; that is God's intelligence. Mattaḥ; smrtir jñanam apohanaṠca [Bg. 15.15]. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said. That intelligence is coming, but the intelligence, why you'll find different? So just like the bulb. There are fifteen-candle-power, there is fifty-candle-power, hundred-candle-power—according to the bulb, the energy is exhibited. Similarly, according to our power of reception, we can exhibit our intelligence, merit. But actually it is coming from God. Anything... The same principle. Janmady asya yataḥ; [SB 1.1.1], the Vedanta philosophy, "Absolute Truth means the original source of everything." Everything may be of different varieties, but the original source is Krṣṇa.

ahaá¹ sarvasya prabhavo
mattaḥ; sarvaṠpravartate
iti matva bhajante maá¹
budha bhava-samanvitaḥ;
[Bg. 10.8]

The devotee, he can understand. By the grace of God he can understand wherefrom the energy is coming, how it is acting. Iti.

ahaá¹ sarvasya prabhavo
mattaḥ; sarvaṠpravartate
iti matva...
budha-bhava-samanvitaḥ;
[Bg. 10.8]

Iti matva bhajante maṠbudha bhava-samanvitaḥ;. Bhajante mam. This thing can be understood by the budha. Budha means one who is very intelligent, one who is in awareness of everything. He is called budha. Bhava-samanvitaḥ;: "Oh, it is coming from Krṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Then they become more and more a devotee. That is stated in the Caitanya-caritamrta:

siddhanta baliya citte na kara alasa
iha ha-ite krṣṇe lage sudrá¸ha manasa

Sentiment is no... Sentiment is bhava, but that is after full knowledge. When you can understand Krṣṇa is so great, so powerful, then your devotion increases immediately. Therefore we have to study sastras for understanding His position, and if we understand Krṣṇa, then we become liberated person immediately. Tyaktva dehaṠpunar janma naiti. Janma karma ca me divyam [Bg. 4.9]. So those who are in Krṣṇa consciousness movement, they should study Krṣṇa scientifically, not by sentiment. After full knowledge of Krṣṇa, when you become absorbed in Krṣṇa's form, that is called bhava. Budha bhava-samanvitaḥ;.

So that bhava stage does not come immediately. You have to practice gradually.

adau sraddha tataḥ; sadhu-
saá¹…go 'tha bhajana-kriya
tato 'nartha-nivrttiḥ; syat
tato niṣṭha rucis tataḥ;
athasaktis tato bhavaḥ;
[Cc. Madhya 23.14-15]

There are stages. So, this is the beginning. Adau sraddha. Just like yesterday you made. They very much appreciated this Ratha-yatra ceremony, and they wrote very frankly, "Here is the point of meeting East and West." The newspapers, they have written like that. It is actually the fact. We cannot become united nations of united dogs. (laughter) It is not possible. Everyone is barking. And if you practice to bark, then simply some different types of dog, some bulldogs, some greyhounds, some this, some that. (laughter) So how they will be united? No. That is not possible. Here is unity, when you accept Jagannatha. There is unity. So actually, if we take Krṣṇa consciousness movement very seriously, scientifically, then there is unity.

vidya-vinaya-sampanne
brahmaṇe gavi hastini
suni caiva sva-pake ca
paṇá¸itaḥ; sama-darsinaḥ;
[Bg. 5.18]

Paṇá¸itaḥ; means learned. He is sama-darsinaḥ;.

brahma-bhutaḥ; prasannatma
na socati na kaá¹…ká¹£ati
samaḥ; sarveṣu bhuteṣu
mad-bhaktiá¹ labhate param
[Bg. 18.54]

Actually this is the platform where we can unite. And by practical example you have shown. Everyone was engaged in dancing and chanting, never mind whether Indian, American, black, white, children, or old like me. This is wanted. This is wanted. And when we thoroughly understand what is the basic principle of Krṣṇa consciousness and we understand, "Vasudeva, Krṣṇa, is the central point of attraction," then our life is successful. Vasudevaḥ; sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhaḥ; [Bg. 7.19]. Mahatma means great soul. So great soul, one who has understood that Krṣṇa is the source of all energies, just like the sun is the source of all material energy... So then we can become perfect. Vasudevaḥ; sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhaḥ;. I request you that each and every one of you just become mahatma, not crippled-minded, but broad-minded. So that is possible when we understand Krṣṇa is the source of all energy.

Thank you very much. (end)

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