Nitai:

tat kṣetraṁ yac ca yadrk ca
yad vikari yatas ca yat
sa ca yo yat prabhavas ca
tat samasena me srṇu
[Bg. 13.4]

Translation: "Now please hear My brief description of this field of activity and how it is constituted, what its changes are, whence it is produced, who that knower of the field of activities is, and what his influences are."

Prabhupada: So yesterday we had been discussing about the questions put forward by Arjuna,

prakrtiṁ puruṣaṁ caiva
kṣetraṁ kṣetra-jñam eva ca
etad veditum icchami
jñanaṁ jñeyaṁ ca kesava

So to some extent we have discussed from where we have to receive knowledge, perfect knowledge, without any mistake, without any illusion. Our knowledge... We are possessing four defects: we commit mistakes, we are illusioned, our senses are imperfect, and we have got a cheating propensity. We are possessing these four defects. However great a man may be, he makes mistake in calculation. "To err is human."

Then we are illusioned. Illusioned means we accept something for something. Just like we are accepting this body as myself. This is illusion. The whole world is illusioned. Everyone is thinking in terms of the body. And according to Vedic knowledge, anyone who is under the concept of this body as self, he is no better than the cow and the asses. Sa eva go-kharaḥ; [SB 10.84.13].

So these are our defects: bhrama, pramada, vipralipsa, karaṇa-paṭava. Karaṇa. Karaṇa means senses, the instrument through which we gather knowledge. They are imperfect. So with so many imperfectness, how we can give right knowledge? That is not possible. So any knowledge received from these defective persons is imperfect. Therefore we should receive knowledge from the Supreme.

Narayaṇaḥ; paraḥ; avyaktat. Sripada Saṅkaracarya says, "Narayaṇa is beyond this material creation. He is, exists before the material creation." Aham eva asam agre. Before the material creation, the Narayaṇa is there, and after the annihilation of this material creation, the Narayaṇa is there. Just like we are part and parcel of Narayaṇa, living entities, soul. We existed before the creation of this body, this present body, my body or your body. And we shall remain also after the destruction of this body. Na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. The real we—means the spirit soul, ahaṁ brahmasmi—I am not annihilated even after the destruction of this body. Similarly, the huge gigantic material body also, when it is destroyed, Narayaṇa exists. And we are part and parcel of Narayaṇa. Mamaivaṁso jiva-bhutaḥ; [Bg. 15.7].

Narayaṇa has got two kinds of expansion. One is called svaṁsa, personal expansion. Just like there are so many incarnations.

ramadi-murtiṣu kala-niyamena tiṣṭhan
nanavataram akarod bhuvaneṣu kintu
krṣṇaḥ; svayaṁ samabhavat paramaḥ; puman yo
govindam adi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajami
[Bs. 5.39]

So Narayaṇa, He has got many forms. Krṣṇa is the original Narayaṇa. And from Krṣṇa, there are expansion, catur-vyuha: Vasudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Aniruddha, Pradyumna. Then Narayaṇa. From Narayaṇa, puruṣavatara: the Maha Viṣṇu avatara, the Kṣirodakasayi Viṣṇu avatara, the Garbhodakasayi Viṣṇu avatara. In this way Narayaṇa has got personal expansion. Advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam adyaṁ puraṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca [Bs. 5.33].

We get this information from Vedic literature. So Narayaṇa... And we are also expansion of Narayaṇa, vibhinnaṁsa. We are called vibhinna, separated particles, part and parcel of Narayaṇa. And Narayaṇa has got personal expansions. So we are to get knowledge from Narayaṇa or Krṣṇa. That is perfect. That is perfect knowledge. The Vedas means the knowledge from Narayaṇa. Therefore it is perfect. Tene brahma hrda adi-kavaye [SB 1.1.1]. He imparted the Vedic knowledge. Lord Brahma is not independent. He received knowledge from Narayaṇa. So if you receive knowledge, that is perfect knowledge. That Narayaṇa, sa bhagavan svayaṁ krṣṇaḥ; narayaṇaḥ;. If you receive knowledge from Krṣṇa, that is perfect.

Therefore Arjuna is putting question, these questions, that "What is this material nature?" Prakrtiṁ puruṣam. "What are these living entities who are trying to enjoy this material nature?" Puruṣa wants to enjoy prakrti. So that I have explained yesterday, that although we are also prakrti, we are now in the mentality of puruṣa. Just like in this material world, man and woman. The man is trying to enjoy the woman, and the woman is trying to enjoy the man. This attitude of enjoyment is called puruṣa. Actually, we are not puruṣa. We are also prakrti. Jiva-bhutaṁ maha-baho yayedaṁ dharyate jagat [Bg. 7.5]. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakrtiṁ param. We are superior prakrti, but we are prakrti. But because we are trying to enjoy the other prakrti, which is dull matter, therefore we are sometimes called as puruṣa, the mentality as puruṣa.

So Arjuna question is prakrtiṁ puruṣa, "What are these puruṣa? What are the prakrti?" Kṣetra-kṣetra-jña. "What is this body, kṣetra? And who is the owner of the body?" That we must know. That is the beginning of Bhagavad-gita. The beginning of spiritual knowledge is to know what is this body and who is the owner of the body. That is the beginning of spiritual knowledge.

When Krṣṇa began speaking Bhagavad-gita and Arjuna accepted to become His disciple, siṣyas te 'haṁ sadhi maṁ prapannam... [Bg. 2.7] when he said... So Arjuna was bewildered whether he would fight in the battle or not. So the question was not solved by friendly discussion. Therefore Arjuna surrendered to Krṣṇa as a siṣya, as disciple, not as friend.

So as spiritual master, as teacher, immediately Krṣṇa chastised Arjuna, asocyan anvasocas tvaṁ prajña-vadaṁs ca bhaṣase: [Bg. 2.11] "You are talking like a very learned man, but you are lamenting on a subject matter on which no paṇḍita, learned man, laments." Gatasun agatasuṁs ca nanusocanti paṇḍitaḥ;. He very mildly chastised. Indirectly He said that "You are not paṇḍita; you are a fool, those who are learned, they do not consider this body as very important." They are paṇḍita.

But at the present moment everyone is thinking this body as the most important thing. So according to Bhagavad-gita, not Bhagavad..., on the Vedic understanding, anyone who is stressing too much on the body, they are go-khara, asses and cows and animals, what to speak of becoming paṇḍita. But at the present moment, the whole educational system is concentrated on this body, how to keep this body comfortable. Spiritual knowledge does not mean that you neglect your body. No. That is not the idea.

But the most important subject matter of understanding is the soul. Ahaṁ brahmasmi. Brahma-jñana. Athato brahma jijñasa. So far the body is concerned, that has been taken care in so many lives. In animal life, in bird's life, beasts' life, aquatic life. Now athato brahma jijñasa. This is the Vedanta instruction: "Now we should take care of the soul, of the Brahman." Ahaṁ brahmasmi. This is required.

That is spiritual knowledge. Unfortunately, for want of spiritual knowledge, for want of studying Bhagavad-gita properly, we are simply taking care of this, I mean to say, temporary body. That is being explained. First of all Krṣṇa said that this body is the kṣetra. Kṣetra means field of activities. We are acting according to the body we have received. And this owner of the body is working; just like a cultivator has got a certain amount of land and he is cultivating and producing foodstuff according to his own capacity. This is called karma-kaṇḍa. We are working with this body and reaping the result and enjoying it. In this way we are repeating again and again, again and again, transmigration of the soul from one body to another. Tat kṣetraṁ yac ca yadrk yad vikari.

Now Krṣṇa is explaining... First of all He has explained that we, the living entities, we are the proprietor of this body. But there is another proprietor. That is Krṣṇa. Just like of a house, rented house, one is the occupier and another is the proprietor, similarly, this body, I the soul, you the soul, we are simply occupier. The real proprietor is Krṣṇa. Therefore Krṣṇa said, kṣetra-jñaṁ capi maṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bharata [Bg. 13.3].

Just like a landlord has got hundreds of house, and each house is occupied by one tenant, but the landlord is occupier of all the houses, similarly, in each body there are two living entities. One living entity is the soul, individual soul, and the other living entity is the Supreme Lord. Isvaraḥ; sarva-bhutanaṁ hrd-dese 'rjuna tiṣṭhati [Bg. 18.61]. He is situated, both of them are situated within this heart. Hrd-dese, it is pointed out. Now, you have got... you, everyone knows, from the heart the energy is distributed to the whole body, and as soon as the heart stops to work, no more body existing. Everyone will know. Therefore the heart is the office, sitting office, of both the soul and the Supersoul. Atma and Paramatma.

That is described in the Upaniṣad, that two birds are sitting in one tree. This one tree is this whole body and the two birds—one the individual soul and the other is the Supersoul—both of them are sitting as friends. One bird is eating the fruits of the tree, and the other bird is simply onlooker. Upadraṣṭa anumanta. The one bird who is eating the fruit is asking, "Shall I eat the fruit?" And the other bird says, "No." But he says, "No, I shall eat." "All right, you eat at your risk." This is going on.

This subject matter was written, I think, by Milton, the Paradise Lost. So the Paramatma is sitting within your heart to guide you. And without His permission, you cannot enjoy anything. But He gives permission. When you are persistent He gives permission, "All right, you can do it—at your own risk." And when He is fed up, he may come to God again, "What shall I do?" But God's open declaration is that sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekaṁ saraṇaṁ vraja [Bg. 18.66]. The Supersoul bird is always expecting when this individual soul bird will turn towards Him. He is so merciful. He is going, "My dear friend, why you are trying to become happy by enjoying this material fruit produced by your work in this body?"

We are creating different types of fruit? Karmaṇa daiva-netreṇa jantur deha upapatti [SB 3.31.1]. We are getting different types of body life after life, which is created by our own karma. We wanted a body like this. We get it. If you want a body like tiger, to eat meat and suck blood, then Krṣṇa will give you a tiger's body. And if you want a body like demigod you can get it. Everything, you can get it. Yathecchasi tatha kuru [Bg. 18.63]. Krṣṇa says, "Whatever you like, I will give you opportunity."

But the best advice is that sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekaṁ saraṇaṁ vraja [Bg. 18.66]. This is your best way. It is up to me to accept it or not to accept it. Krṣṇa does not interfere with your independence. Because you are part and parcel of Krṣṇa, you have got little independence, minute quantity, not full independence. As Krṣṇa is full independent, we are not full independent. Krṣṇa is sva-raṭ, fully independent. Janmady asya yataḥ; anvayad itaratas ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ; sva-raṭ [SB 1.1.1]. Sva-raṭ means fully independent. But we are, being part and parcel of Krṣṇa, we are also little independent. So by misusing our independence, instead of serving Krṣṇa, we are serving our senses. Therefore bhakti-marga means to rectify the senses, to purify the senses. By purifying senses, we come to Krṣṇa consciousness. This is the definition of bhakti.

sarvopadhi-vinirmuktaṁ
tat-paratvena nirmalam
hrṣikeṇa hrṣikesa-
sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate
[Cc. Madhya 19.170]

Bhakti means to come to our original consciousness by purifying the senses. How the senses can be purified? This bhakti-yoga process. Sravaṇaṁ kirtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ; [SB 7.5.23]. (aside:) Water.

This is the first process. You have kindly come here; you are hearing about Krṣṇa, Krṣṇa's talk with Arjuna. It is very good. If you continue hearing like this, you will be perfect, simply by hearing, even if you do not do anything. Kevala, only hearing. Sthane sthitaḥ; sruti-gataṁ tanu-vaṅ-manobhiḥ;. This is the recommendation by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, that people should be given chance for hearing. Especially in this age, Kali-yuga, they cannot do anything, but if they simply agree to hear, sitting for some time... That can be introduced in every house, every home.

The Bhagavad-gita is there, and everything is explained there. If family-wise everyone sits down in the evening or in the morning for half an hour and reads Bhagavad-gita, chants Hare Krṣṇa mantra, just see the result. Every home will be happy. This is our propaganda, Krṣṇa consciousness movement. Simply try to hear about Krṣṇa.

So about Krṣṇa, Krṣṇa is personally speaking this Bhagavad-gita about Himself. So why not take this opportunity? Why you are losing the opportunity given in this human form of life to hear about Krṣṇa? Everyone can do that. But don't misinterpret according to your own, I mean to say, fertile brain. No. Just hear Krṣṇa, what Krṣṇa says, as it is. Krṣṇa... Don't try to interpret, mal-interpretation. That will not make you profit? Try to hear Krṣṇa.

Krṣṇa says that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He says, mattaḥ; parataraṁ nanyat [Bg. 7.7]. There is nothing superior than Krṣṇa. That is, if you accept that, then you immediately advance fifty percent in spiritual knowledge, immediately, if you simply accept this, that Krṣṇa said that mattaḥ; parataraṁ nanyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya [Bg. 7.7]. And that is the verdict of the sastra.

isvaraḥ; paramaḥ; krṣṇaḥ;
sac-cid-ananda-vigrahaḥ;
anadir adir govindaḥ;
sarva-karaṇa-karaṇam
[Bs. 5.1]

This is statement of Brahma-saṁhita. And in the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said, krṣṇas tu bhagavan svayam. Ete caṁsa-kalaḥ; puṁsaḥ; krṣṇas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28]. Again it is said, ramadi-murtiṣu kala-niyamena tiṣṭhan nanavataram akarod bhuvaneṣu kintu, krṣṇaḥ; svayaṁ samabhavat paramaḥ; puman yaḥ; [Bs. 5.39]. We have got description of many avataras, incarnation. So they are Krṣṇa's expansion, by Rama, Nrsiṁha, Varaha, Matsya. There are so many incarnation. But krṣṇaḥ; svayaṁ paramaḥ; puman: "Krṣṇa is the Supreme Person." In this way accept Krṣṇa, the origin of everything. Janmady asya yataḥ; [SB 1.1.1]. Krṣṇa also explains,

ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo
mattaḥ; sarvaṁ pravartate
iti matva bhajante maṁ
budha bhava-samanvitaḥ;
[Bg. 10.8]

Those who are actually budhaḥ;, intelligent, and bhava, with ecstatic love, they worship Krṣṇa. Bhajante mam. Catur-vidha... Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ; sarvaṁ pravartate [Bg. 10.8]. Sarvam means... Because in the beginning of creation, there were three Deities: Brahma, Viṣṇu and Mahesvara. So they are also emanation from Krṣṇa. Mattaḥ; sarvam. Sarvam includes Brahma, Viṣṇu and Siva. Mattaḥ; sarvaṁ pravartate. Iti matva: "One who knows it very well." Iti matva bhajante mam: "Those who know, in the knowledge, they worship Me," budhaḥ;, "because they are expert, they are actually in knowledge." Budha bhava-samanvitaḥ;: "with ecstasy of love."

This is wanted. This is perfection of life. If we take to Krṣṇa consciousness with love and faith, full understanding of Krṣṇa, that is the perfection of life. That you can get, everyone of us can get it if we study Bhagavad-gita very carefully, without any malinterpretation. So success is there. We have to take.

And another facility is that because sometimes we cannot understand what is actually Bhagavad-gita's purpose. It is very plain. Still, as we are very much unfortunate, we cannot understand. That misfortune can be avoided by chanting this Hare Krṣṇa mantra. It will cleanse the heart. Ceto-darpaṇa-marjanaṁ bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapaṇam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. We are suffering for misunderstanding—misunderstanding that "I am this body, I belong to this nation, I belong to this family, I belong to this, that, so many things." All misunderstanding, all misunderstanding. My real identity is ahaṁ brahmasmi: "I am spirit soul. Fortunately or unfortunately, by my own work, I have been put into the encagement of this body, temporary body, and I am creating another body. In this way I am traveling from one body to another, from one planet to another, from one place to another. This is going on." Bhutva bhutva praliyate [Bg. 8.19]. "I am taking my birth and again I am becoming annihilated, although I am eternal." Nityaḥ; sasvato 'yaṁ na hanyate...

This is understand... People should be little intelligent that "If I am eternal," na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20], "I do not die even after the destruction of this body..." Just like if this shirt and coat is torn out, we throw it away, that does not mean I am also torn and finished, similarly, this body... This body means I am spirit soul. I am covered with this gross body and the subtle body. This gross body is made of earth, water, air, fire, sky, and the subtle body is made of mind, intelligence and ego. So I am covered by these two shirts and coat. So I am different from this. That is knowledge. That is knowledge.

That knowledge is being explained. And when you come to that real knowledge then you become brahma-bhutaḥ; prasannatma [Bg. 18.54]. When you actually understand that "I am Brahman," ahaṁ brahmasmi, "I am spirit soul. This is my shirt and coat. Oh, so long I was busy with this shirt and coat only? I have no business with it." Yes, you have got business, but that is not your main business. Your main business is to take care of yourself as soul. That is your main business. This is called knowledge. Brahma-bhutaḥ; prasannatma [Bg. 18.54].

Then one who comes into this knowledge, he becomes another prasannatma, "Oh, I was so much ignorant of knowledge." Now, just like you committed some mistake, and when you come to the knowledge that you committed, you become prasannatma, "Oh, I was mistaking like this, and simply I was anxious, I was taking so much care, anxiety. This is mistaken." Similarly, as soon as you come to this understanding that "I am spirit soul," then immediately you become prasannatma, jolly. Brahma-bhutaḥ; prasannatma na socati na kaṅkṣati [Bg. 18.54]. So this is perfection, liberation. This is called liberation. When you come to the platform of jolliness, anandamayo 'bhyasat. (Vedanta-sutra 1.1.12) You are anandamaya. Sac-cid-ananda-vigraha [Bs. 5.1], part and parcel of sac-cid-ananda-vig... Sac, cit, ananda.

So when we come to our spiritual consciousness or Krṣṇa consciousness, then we immediately become anandamaya. That is real knowledge. brahma-bhutaḥ; prasannatma na socati na kaṅkṣ..., samaḥ; sarveṣu bhuteṣu [Bg. 18.54]. Then you can understand that "All the living entities, they are also soul, equally..., equally important like me. As I am important, so all the living entities, they are also my brothers." That is called universal brotherhood, on the spiritual platform. In the material platform it is not possible, because material platform means ignorance. He does not know what he is. Then when you come to the spiritual platform, then you can understand that "This dog is also a spirit soul; this learned brahmaṇa is also a spirit soul; this elephant is also a spirit soul." Paṇḍitaḥ; sama-darsinaḥ;.

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

That is real sama-darsinaḥ;. And so long we are on the material platform we may preach sama-darsinaḥ;, so many ism, philanthropism, nationalism, this ism, that... These are all false. You cannot come into the equal level. Only spiritual level, through spiritual understanding that "Now, we are all soul," brahma-bhutaḥ; prasannatma [Bg. 18.54].

Then, when you come to that understanding, then actual bhakti begins. Samaḥ; sarveṣu bhuteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate param [Bg. 18.54]. Therefore in the bhakti platform, Krṣṇa consciousness, there is no such distinction, "Here is American, here is an Indian, here is an African, here is this and that." No. Everyone is Krṣṇa conscious. So actually if we want equality, fraternity, then we must come to Krṣṇa consciousness. This is the purpose of Krṣṇa consciousness movement.

And actually, it is becoming fact, factual. These boys and these girls, they are no more thinking that they are American or European or Canadian or Australian and Indian also. They are equal. So if you want equality, fraternity, friendship, love and perfection, solution of problems, all problems, economic, political, social, religious, then come to Krṣṇa consciousness. Come to this platform. Then all your ambitions will be fulfilled and you will be perfect. Thank you very much. Hare Krṣṇa. (end)

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