Prabhupada: This

Hare Krṣṇa Hare Krṣṇa Krṣṇa Krṣṇa Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

[My dear Lord, and the spiritual energy of the Lord, kindly engage me in Your service. I am now embarrassed with this material service. Please engage me in Your service.]

This is transcendental sound vibration. This is transcendental sound vibration, and this will help us to cleanse the dust on the mirror of our mind. On the mind we have accumulated material dust. Just like on the Second Avenue, due to the constant traffic of motor car, there is always a creation of dusting over everything, similarly, by our manipulation of materialistic activities, there are some material dusts which are accumulated on the mind, and therefore we are unable to see things in true perspective. So this process, this vibration of transcendental sound, Hare Krṣṇa Hare Krṣṇa Krṣṇa Krṣṇa Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare, will cleanse the dust. And, as soon as the dust is cleared, then, as you can see on the mirror the nice face of yours, similarly we can see our real, I mean to say, constitutional position, "what I am." And as soon as I understand that "I am not this body, I am spirit soul, and my symptom is consciousness," and that consciousness, as it is purified by this process, the whole material miseries will be over.

Bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapaṇam. Ceto-darpaṇa-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. In Sanskrit language, it is said... Lord Caitanya. Lord Caitanya's picture you have seen on the showcase. He's dancing, and chanting Hare Krṣṇa Hare Krṣṇa Krṣṇa Krṣṇa Hare Hare. This sound vibration of Krṣṇa, Hare, Rama, as soon as the mind is cleared off, then we'll see our real position, and the immediate result is bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapaṇam. There is a fire always blazing over this material world. Everyone is trying to extinguish it, but it is not possible to extinguish this fire of material miseries unless we are situated in our pure consciousness of spiritual life. That is the whole thing.

Now, we were discussing last meeting,

yada yada hi dharmasya
glanir bhavati bharata
abhyutthanam adharmasya
tadatmanaṁ srjamy aham
[Bg. 4.7]

paritraṇaya sadhunaṁ
vinasaya ca duṣkrtam
dharma-saṁsthapanarthaya
sambhavami yuge yuge
[Bg. 4.8]

Why the Lord comes as incarnation. This point we have been discussing last meeting. And what is dharma, what is religion? Perhaps you'll remember that the translation in the English language, dharma, is a description of certain kind of faith, but according to the Vedic literature, dharma is not a kind of faith. Faith can be changed, but dharma cannot be changed.

This point we have already explained. Just like the liquidity of water cannot be changed. If it is changed... Suppose the water becomes solid. Under certain temperature, it becomes ice. But that is not its constitutional position. It is under certain condition. Similarly, our position is, our religion, or dharma, is, that we are part and parcel of the Supreme, and with that supreme consciousness we have to dovetail our activities with the Supreme. That is our constitutional position. That service attitude, transcendental service attitude, which has to be dovetailed with the supreme consciousness, is being misused by our material contact.

The service attitude or the engagement is there. Every one of us is a servant. Nobody is a master. He must be serving somebody. This point we have discussed. Even President Johnson, he is the chief man of your state; still, he's a servant of the state. So nobody's master here. To think of oneself that "I am the master, I am the master of all I survey," this is called maya, illusion. I am not ser... I am not master. I am servant. So my service is now being misused under different designations. So as soon as we become free from the designations, ceto-darpaṇa-marjanam... [Cc. Antya 20.12]. That means when we can see exactly the position on the mirror of our mind after dusting over, that "My position, my constitutional position is that I am eternal servant."

But we should not think that my service in the material world, and my service in the spiritual atmosphere is the same. No. It is not the same. We, we are shuddered, "Oh, after liberation, we have to become a servant. Oh." We shudder because we have no idea that what sort of servant is in the transcendental world. In the transcendental world, there is no distinction between the servant and the master. Here is distinction between the servant and the master, but in the transcendental world, in the absolute world, everything is one. Therefore there is no distinction between servant and master.

For example, we are speaking on the Bhagavad-gita. Just see the position of Krṣṇa. He has taken the position of servant, chariot driver of Arjuna. Arjuna is practically, in his constitutional position, he is the servant of Krṣṇa, but in behavior we see, sometimes the Lord becomes the servant of the servant [Cc. Madhya 13.80]. So we should not carry the materialistic idea in the spiritual... Although anything that we materially experience is a perverted reflection only of the spiritual life...

So that constitutional position, which cannot be changed, which is called dharma, in order to pre..., when that is deteriorated by contamination of matter, at that time, the Lord Himself comes as incarnation or He sends some of His confidential servitors. Just like Lord Jesus Christ, he said that "I am son of God." So he's representative of the Supreme. And similarly, Hajrat Muhammad, he also identified himself as a servant. Padat hi bandhaḥ;., a servant of the Lord. So this is the position that whenever there is discrepancies in the natural law of our constitutional position, the master, the Supreme Lord, either He Himself comes in incarnation or He sends some representative to inform us what is actually the position of the living entity. So this is explained here by Lord Krṣṇa, yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati [Bg. 4.7].

So this position, this dharma, is not exactly a kind of created faith. It is the constitutional position. Dharma means the constitutional position. Just like sugar. Sugar's constitutional position is to become sweet. Salt—constitutional position is to become salty, alkaline taste. And water is liquid. Stone is solid. These specifical, specific qualification is called dharma. Similarly, we living entities, we have got a specific qualification: the eternal attitude to serve others. So that, how to serve Krṣṇa, how to attain Krṣṇa consciousness, how to give up our material engagement in different designations—this science and this truth is described in the Bhagavad-gita. Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati [Bg. 4.7]. Paritraṇaya sadhunam [Bg. 4.8].

The sadhu... In the Bhagavad-gita, in the last meeting, I have described to some extent what is the qualification of a sadhu. Sadhu means saintly person. Titikṣavaḥ; karuṇikaḥ; suhrdaḥ; sarva-dehinam [SB 3.25.21]. He's tolerant, he's very kind to everyone, and he's friend to all living entities. He has no enemy, or he is nobody's enemy. And he's peaceful. These are some of the qualification. There are twenty-six qualification in detail. But these are some of the qualification. And in the Bhagavad-gita you'll find the description of a sadhu, saintly person, is given by the Lord Himself.

And what is that? He says,

api cet su-duracaro
bhajate mam ananya-bhak
sadhur eva sa mantavyaḥ;
samyag vyavasito hi saḥ;
[Bg. 9.30]

He says, "Arjuna, a person who is cent-percent engaged in Krṣṇa consciousness, he might be externally, ephemerally seen to be addicted to some bad habits. Still, you should consider him to be a saint. You should consider him to be saint."

What is that? Now, suppose we have contaminated so many things in our material life. There are, in the material calculation, there are so many things which are the list. One list is for morality, and another list is for immorality. I do not wish to discuss this list because in, for a person which is immorality, for another person, it is not immorality; it is morality. Just like according to our conception, Hindu conception, drinking of wine is immoral, whereas in your country drinking of wine is not immoral. It is common thing. Of course, so according to time, class, place, the conception of morality and immorality are different. But there is a, a sense of immorality and morality in everywhere. That is a fact.

So Krṣṇa says that "Even if you see a person immoral, but he is completely engaged in Krṣṇa consciousness, then it should be concluded that he is a saint." He's a saintly person. That is the description given by Krṣṇa of sadhu. Api cet su-duracaro bhajate mam ananya-bhak, sadhur eva sa mantavyaḥ; [Bg. 9.30]. So in other words, He says, "Any person who is engaged in Krṣṇa consciousness... Never mind, he might have something externally immoral habits due to his past association. It doesn't matter." So some way or other, one should be Krṣṇa conscious. And then, gradually, he will become a saintly person; as he goes on executing this process of Krṣṇa consciousness, then, with his advancement, he becomes a perfect saint. That you'll find in the Bhagavad-gita. And how Krṣṇa says that even if he's externally a little immoral... Of course, a devotee or a person who is Krṣṇa conscious, he's never immoral. But it may be that due to his past association he may appear to be immoral or he may fall down, fall down. Due to habits, we may sometimes fall down.

There is a story how habit is the second nature. There was a thief, and he went to pilgrimage with some other friends. So at night, when other friends were sleeping... Because his habit was to steal at night, he, so he got up at night and he was taking one body's baggage and tried to pickpocket or take something. But he was thinking, "Oh, I have come to this holy place of pilgrimage. Still, shall I do that, committing theft, my habit? No, no. I shall not do it." So he was taking the bag of one person and was keeping in another place. So in the whole night the poor fellow did like that. But due to his conscience that, "I have come to this holy place. At least, during my stay here I shall not do this stealing business." So in the morning, when all other friends got up, everyone said, "Oh, where is my bag? I don't see!" Another man says, "I don't see my bag." Then somebody says, "Oh, here is your bag!" So there was some row. So they, they thought, "What is the matter? How it so happened?" Then the thief rose up and told all friends, "My dear gentlemen, I am a thief by occupation, but because I have that habit to steal at night, so I wanted to steal something from your bag, but I thought that 'I have come to this holy place. I shall not do it.' So I placed, I might have placed one man's bag in another man's place. So excuse me." So this is the habit. This is the habit. He does not want. He does not want to commit theft. But he has got the habit of doing that. So similarly, here he has decided not to commit theft anymore, but because he's habituated, sometimes he does.

So therefore Krṣṇa says, "In that condition, one who has decided to stop all bad or immoral habits and just to make his progress in Krṣṇa consciousness, even by chance, if he does something which is immoral in the face of the society, that should not be taken account of." Of course, that is by chance. And in the next verse, you'll find, kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmatma: "Because he has dovetailed himself in Krṣṇa consciousness, it is sure that he will become a saintly, I mean to say, a pure saint very soon. Very soon."

The example is... Just like the electric fan is going on, and if you put off the switch, you'll see the fan is still going on. But that going on will stop because the switch is already off. Similarly, if one dovetails himself in Krṣṇa consciousness, then automatically he'll become a saintly person, automatically. Because his switch is made off. Just like the fan, when the switch is made off, the current supply is stopped. Now... There was a force of running. You may see that it is running for few minutes. But it will stop. Similarly, anyone, it doesn't matter what he is, if he puts himself, dovetails himself in Krṣṇa consciousness, then he, all his material contamination will be washed off, washed off.

This is the easiest process. There was many examples. Of course, there are, in scriptures, there are many, many good examples. But it is a fact that anyone who takes to Krṣṇa consciousness, he doesn't require to endeavor for becoming a good man, I mean to say, separately. That Krṣṇa consciousness will help him to be the best man in the world. Api cet su-duracaraḥ;. And there are other confirmation in the Bhagavata, that yasyasti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcana sarvair guṇais tatra samasate suraḥ;: [SB 5.18.12] "Anyone who has attained the Krṣṇa consciousness, he attains all good qualities automatically." And harav abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇaḥ;: "Anyone who is not in Krṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness..." When I speak of Krṣṇa, you can take it as God.

So in... So a person who is devoid of God consciousness, however he may be qualified from the material point of view, the scripture says that his qualification will not help him in doing things which are not desirable. He'll, he'll, he'll not be prohibited to do things which are not desirable. Harav abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇa manorathenasati dhavato bahiḥ;: [SB 5.18.12] "Because he's devoid of Krṣṇa consciousness, then he's sure to commit mischief in this material world."

Now, the next verse is

janma karma ca me divyam
evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ;
tyaktva dehaṁ punar janma
naiti mam eti so 'rjuna
[Bg. 4.9]

"My dear Arjuna, the reason, the mission for which I appear is now explained, that I come here to establish the real constitutional position of the living entity. That is My mission. Now, when I come with some mission there are some activities. There are some activities." So there are some philosophers. They do not agree to accept that God comes as incarnation. They do not believe in this theory. They say that "Why God shall come to this rotten world?" That is their vision.

But here, from the Bhagavad-gita, we understand that God comes. We shall always remember that we are reading Bhagavad-gita, and whatever is spoken in the Bhagavad-gita, we have to, at least, we have to accept that. Otherwise, there is no question of reading this Bhagavad-gita. Here the Lord says that "I am, I am present here as incarnation, and this is My mission." And as He comes with a mission, there are some activities.

Just like Lord Krṣṇa is taking part with Arjuna, and He's taking part in the battlefield of the Kurukṣetra. Just like ordinary man. When there is war between two parties, somebody takes part with this party, or somebody takes part, or some nation takes part with one party or another nation takes part with another nation. So here also, we see that Krṣṇa is taking part with Arjuna. Partiality. It appears that Krṣṇa is partial. So Krṣṇa is not partial. But it, externally, it appears that "He is partial. How He can be God?"

Now, therefore this verse is spoken by Lord Krṣṇa. So janma karma me divyam: [Bg. 4.9] "My activities and My coming down to this material world is transcendental." Divyam means transcendental. It is not ordinary thing. Just like Krṣṇa, we observe in India the Krṣṇa's birthday. This month of August, by the end of August, there will be Krṣṇa's birthday, and every Indian home, especially the Hindus, never mind in whatever sect or division they belong, they observe Krṣṇa's birthday. As here in the Christian world you observe the birthday of Lord Jesus Christ, similarly... So janma... Now, here Krṣṇa says that "My janma, My birth..." And because there is birth, so there are some activities. Just like we have taken our birth and there are some activities. So this Krṣṇa's birth and Krṣṇa's activities are transcendental. Transcendental means they are not these material activities.

Now, people will be surprised, "How Krṣṇa's activities are transcendental? He's taking part with Arjuna. He's taking part in the battlefield of Kurukṣetra. Oh, He's born of a father whose name is Vasudeva. And He has got a family. And so on, so on. So just like us." But He says it is transcendental. Transcendental. And again He says, divyam evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ;. Tattvataḥ; means "in truth." Simply by knowing, "Oh, Krṣṇa is born here at Mathura, and He was brought up by His foster father at Vrndavana. Then, when He was grown up, He went back to His father at Dvaraka. And when He was old, He married so many wives and He had children, and there was a battle of Kurukṣetra, and He took part." These things are there in the history or in the scriptures, but one has to understand this tattvataḥ;, tattvataḥ;, in truth.

And the one who understands this Krṣṇa's birth and activities and His presence tattvataḥ;, in truth, then what the result is? The result is tyaktva dehaṁ punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya [Bg. 4.9]. The result is that any person who understands this Krṣṇa's activities, His birth and His pastimes, His paraphernalia, everything, the result will..., simply by understanding it, the result will be that after leaving this material body, he goes directly to Krṣṇa. He goes directly to Krṣṇa. That means he becomes a liberated soul, and he goes to the eternal world, and he becomes in his constitutional position of blissful and knowledge and eternal life. Simply by knowing this. Simply by knowing in truth the transcendental nature of Krṣṇa's birth and activities, one is at once promoted to the, I mean, the transcendental world. This is clearly stated here. Tyaktva deham.

Just like when... Ordinarily, when we give up these bodies, we quit this body, we have to accept another body. Vasaṁsi jirṇani yatha vihaya [Bg. 2.22]. We have discussed this point that we living entities, our life is going on simply by changing dresses from one body to another, transmigration of the soul according to our work. So this, this body is dress. Therefore I have got an actual body. Just like at the present moment we think, "This material body is my actual body and there is dress, shirt and coat. The shirt and coat is superficial to this actual body." But here in the Bhagavad-gita you'll find that we have got our real, spiritual body, separate from the material covering. And as we give up old garments, old dress, and take up another, new dress, another new garment, similarly, we give up this body, material body when it is old enough, when it cannot be used or... Then we give it up, and we take another body. And this change of body is going on every moment and every second. This point also we have discussed.

That, that particular verse,

dehino 'smin yatha dehe
kaumaraṁ yauvanaṁ jara
tatha dehantara-praptir
dhiras tatra na muhyati
[Bg. 2.13]

Just like the, the entity, living entity is in the body... Just like a child. The living entity's there. The body is very small. But that small body is growing, growing. That is changing. And growing, growing, that small child becomes a boy, grown up boy. And that grown up boy gradually becomes a youth. And then that youth becomes an old man, old man. And then, after, at the end, when the body's no more useful, he changes to another body. So this death means the ultimate change of the present body. So this body's changing. Now, Krṣṇa says that as the body is changing, still, the person whose body is this, he's there. He's there. The child is grown up to a boyhood. That does not mean the living entity who came out as a baby is gone. No, he's still there. But his body has changed. Now, you cannot find the small body which came out of the mother's womb when the grown up boy. And you cannot find in a youth that grown, grown up boyhood photograph, or the body. That is gone.

So every moment we are having a new body. And that is a medical science truth. Medical science, it is... We are having new body at every moment. Similarly, when we take another body, oh, a person who knows things as they are, they are not bewildered. Dhiras tatra na muhyati. Dhira means who is conscious of this bodily change, who knows things as they are, he's not, I mean to, bewildered. He's not, he's, he's steady, "Oh, he has changed his body. That's all." A person who does not know, he's crying. He..., "Oh, my son is gone. My son is gone. My son is gone." But if he's, I mean to say, in the consciousness, he knows, "Oh, my son has simply changed body." That's all. Just immediately, exactly, "My son, when he was little baby... Now he has grown up to be a boy." So the father and the parents do not lament, "Oh, where my, that son gone, that small baby gone?"

Similarly, that change of body... So our body is like that. We are changing. In the material condition. In the material condition we are simply changing our body. That is our disease. This conditional life of changing the bodies, one after another, one after... Not only human body. We may have to change to animal's body, or to another demigod's body. There are different species of life. I have several times spoken before you, that there are 8,400,000's of species of life. So our body's being changed in this circle of these 8,400,000's of different species of life. This is called our material bondage.

Now, here Krṣṇa says that one who knows the Krṣṇa's transcendental birth and activities in truth, he gets free from this entanglement. He at once gets free from this entanglement. Now, here the word tattvataḥ; is very important. This tattvataḥ; is the science of Krṣṇa. Tattvataḥ;, "in truth." Simply by knowing by historical facts that Krṣṇa is born in such and such date in such and such place in such and such family... He did such and such activities. No. One has to learn them in tattvataḥ;, in truth. Then he becomes free from this bodily entanglement. (door slams) How it is closed?

Now, how that tattvataḥ;, in truth, the Krṣṇa science, how one can understand? Krṣṇa science, that is explained in the Eighteenth Chapter, how Krṣṇa science can be understood. Krṣṇa science can be understood by this devotional service. You'll find this verse, that bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvataḥ; [Bg. 18.55]. Yavan yas casmi tattvataḥ;. The truth of Krṣṇa science can be understood by become, by becoming a devotee, or a person of Krṣṇa consciousness. One who is Krṣṇa conscious, the process of Krṣṇa consciousness, he can simply understand what is this science of Krṣṇa; others cannot. Now, it is very clearly stated, bhaktya mam abhijanati. Bhaktya means Krṣṇa consciousness, the science of Krṣṇa consciousness. Bhaktya mam abhijanati: "One can understand Me very clearly by the process of that devotional service, or Krṣṇa consciousness."

And in the Fourth, beginning of the Fourth Chapter, we have also discussed that Krṣṇa said to Arjuna that "I am speaking to you the old process of yoga system, this bhakti-yoga system of Krṣṇa consciousness in the Bhagavad-gita unto you, because you are My devotee." This point also we have discussed, that without becoming a Krṣṇa conscious person, nobody can understand the mystery of Bhagavad-gita. Bhagavad-gita is not a book that you can purchase from the market, and simply by your scholarship you can understand it. No. It is not possible. That, that point we have discussed. Bhakto 'si priyo 'si: [Bg. 4.3] "You are, because you are My devotee..." Krṣṇa, Arjuna was ordinary family man. He was a military man. And Krṣṇa said that "I am speaking to you." He was not a Vedic Vedantist or a very good scholar in Vedanta philosophy, or he was not a brahmaṇa, or he was not a renouncer, nothing of the sort. He was a military man. Krṣṇa, Arjuna was a military man, and he was a family man. He was to look after the interest of his family. Still, Krṣṇa selected him to be the authority of Bhagavad-gita. Why? Now, bhakto 'si: "Because you are My devotee." So that is the qualification.

So to become Krṣṇa conscious is the qualification to understand Bhagavad-gita as well as to understand Krṣṇa as He is. Therefore we have to become Krṣṇa conscious. And what is that Krṣṇa consciousness? Now, this process which you have adopted, which you have adopted. Hare Krṣṇa Hare Krṣṇa Krṣṇa Krṣṇa Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. Now, this chanting and this hearing of Bhagavad-gita. Bhagavad-gita hearing as it is, from persons who are engaged in this business. That will help us to become Krṣṇa conscious. And as soon as we become Krṣṇa conscious, Krṣṇa also help us to understand.

In the Bhagavata, there is a verse:

srṇvataṁ sva-kathaḥ; krṣṇaḥ;
puṇya-sravaṇa-kirtanaḥ;
hrdy antaḥ;-stho hy abhadraṇi
vidhunoti suhrt satam
[SB 1.2.17]

Krṣṇa is always present in your heart. Isvaraḥ; sarva-bhutanam, isvaraḥ; sarva-bhutanam arjuna tiṣṭhati [Bg. 18.61]. You'll find in Bhagavad-gita: "The Lord is present in everyone's heart as Supersoul." We are both, the soul, living entity, and the Supersoul, both are in the, sitting in this tree of body. One is eating the fruit. Another is witness. That is also described in the Vedas. The Lord is there. So as soon as you begin the process of devotional service and gradually develop your Krṣṇa consciousness, then Lord, who is sitting within your heart, He will help you.

Srṇvatam... How He'll help you? He'll help you in the same process, dusting over, I mean to say, dust out, to take out all the dirty things which have accumulated within our mind. Srṇvataṁ sva-kathaḥ; krṣṇaḥ; puṇya-sravaṇa-kirtanaḥ;, hrdy antaḥ;-stho hy abhadraṇi. Abhadraṇi means the dirty things, the dirty things which we have accumulated by our material association, Krṣṇa will help us to remove that dirt. Hrdy antaḥ;-stho hy abhadraṇi vidhunoti suhrt satam. Because He is a friend of all saintly persons. He's a friend. So our endeavor to become Krṣṇa conscious is a saintly endeavor, and so He also cooperates.

And this is the process, sravaṇaṁ kirtanam, sravaṇaṁ kirtanam [SB 7.5.23], chanting and hearing of this Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam with aural reception, submissive aural reception. That very process will teach us the truth of the Krṣṇa science, and when we understand the Krṣṇa science, automatically we understand what is Krṣṇa, and as soon as we understand Krṣṇa, the next result is that after leaving this material, this present material body, we go at once to the kingdom of Krṣṇa. This is the whole process. Tyaktva deham, tyaktva dehaṁ punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya [Bg. 4.9]. Then he does not come again to this miserable world. He goes back to Godhead, back to home.

And what is that home? That you'll find. Yad gatva na nivartante tad dhama paramaṁ mama [Bg. 15.6]. Such description is there also in the Bhagavad-gita, what is the position of that transcendental world. Na tad bhasayate suryaḥ;. There is no, there is no need of the sun. There is no need of the moon. There is no need of electricity. That is mentioned in the Bhagavad-gita.

So this is this world. This material world is dark, is always dark. Therefore here we require the sun and the moon and the electric light. Otherwise, it is dark. As soon as the electricity will fail, then whole city will be in darkness. So the nature of this... And the Vedic mantra also says that "Don't remain in this darkness." Tamaso ma jyotir gamaya: "Just try to transfer yourself in that illuminated world." Jyotir gamaya. Jyoti means illumination. So this world, this material world, is full of darkness. Darkness, one meaning of darkness is ignorance. And another darkness, you know, without, absence of light. So this nature of this material world is darkness. So if we understand the Krṣṇa science, and the activities of Krṣṇa, how He comes, how He works, what is the mission of His activity...

Because as the Supreme Lord, He has nothing to do. But why He comes? In the Vedic literature you'll find, na tasya karyaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate. The description of the Supreme Brahman is described there, that, Upaniṣad... Na tasya karyaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate: "The Supreme, the Absolute, He has nothing to do." He has nothing to do. Just like if we want to do, have something, we have to do. But there, the Absolute, He has nothing to do.

Na tasya karyaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate. Na tat-samas cabhyadhikas ca drsyate. And there is nobody who is equal to Him, and nobody who is above Him. That means everyone is below Him. Nobody equal to Him and nobody above Him; that means everybody is below. Na tasya karyaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate na tat-samas cabhyadhikas ca drsyate, parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate: [Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport] "The Supreme has got many, manifold energies." Therefore everything is done, svabhaviki jñana-bala-kriya ca.

And His knowledge and His activities are svabhaviki, natural, natural. Just like we have to acquire knowledge from a greater personality, but He has got all the natural, all knowledge. Just like Krṣṇa is speaking the Bhagavad-gita to Arjuna, but He was never taught of Bhagavad-gita. I am speaking to you Bhagavad-gita, just learning from my spiritual master. So I have to learn it, but when Krṣṇa spoke, He hadn't, had not to learn it. He had no business to learn it. Because svabhaviki jñana-bala-kriya ca. His knowledge is natural.

So these things are to be understand. Then one who understands the science of Krṣṇa in truth, then the benefit is, the result is that he, he no more comes back to this world of darkness. Tyaktva dehaṁ punar janma naiti [Bg. 4.9]. Neither he has to undergo the repeated birth and death. We are just now undergoing the term of repeated birth and death under different species of life. So that thing will be stopped.

So human, human mission, human life should be utilized for this purpose. This is the dharma. This is real, our engagement. We have diverted our engagement for satisfying our material needs. Oh, that is not the mission of human being. That is the mission of lower animals.

ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca
samanyam etat pasubhiḥ; naraṇam
dharmo hi teṣam adhiko viseṣo
dharmeṇa hina pasubhiḥ; samanaḥ;

This is the mission, that ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithuna. These are our material needs. The problem of eating, the problem of sleeping, or shelter, the problem of defense, and the problem of sense gratification. These four problems are common to the human being and to the animals. The animals have also got these problems, eating, sleeping, defending and, what is called? Sense gratification. We have got also those problems. So they are also trying to solve these problems and if we are also engaged in simply solving these problems, then what is the difference between the animals and the human being? The human being... The next line says dharmo hi teṣam adhiko viseṣaḥ;. The human being has got a special qualification by which he can develop the transcendental Krṣṇa consciousness, and if he does not do that, then he's in the category of the animals.

So the defect of modern civilization is that we are giving too much stress for simply for solving these problems: eating, sleeping, defending and sense gratification. But as spiritual beings, as spiritual living entities, we have got the necessity of getting out of this entanglement of repeated birth and death, and if we do not care for it, then we shall be missing the opportunity. And Lord Krṣṇa comes to teach us how you can utilize your human form of life for the ultimate goal of your life. This material, whole material creation is there just to give you a chance to have your things done nicely. Bhutva bhutva praliyate [Bg. 8.19]. This material creation is giving a chance. But even after getting the chance, and even after getting the supreme body of human life, we do not develop this Krṣṇa consciousness and just to get rid of this material entanglement, then we shall be missing the opportunity.

So everyone's duty is that he should take to this Krṣṇa consciousness by engaging himself in this process of sravaṇaṁ kirtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ; [SB 7.5.23], chanting and hearing, the simple process. You have nothing to do. Simply if you give aural reception, that will clear everything within your mind, and you, you'll get enlightenment because Krṣṇa will help you. He's present within. You have simply to, I mean to say, spare a little time. You, you'll see actually. If you kindly spare a little time in this process which you have adopted here, you'll feel yourself... Nobody has to canvass you that oh, whether you are making your progress? No. You'll understand it. Because it is actual, you'll understand it.

Just like a hungry man. If he's given foodstuff, he knows how far he's satisfied. Nobody has to certify that "You are certified." He will say, "Yes, I am satisfied. I have had very good foodstuff." Similarly, this is the thing. If you kindly spare a little time, you'll feel yourself how much you are making progress in Krṣṇa consciousness and how much making progress in your human mission of life. So I shall request you that we are just trying to, just endeavor, our poor endeavor... It is, still our duty to do it. If you kindly take advantage of this opportunity, both, we shall be benefited. Then that is the process we have adopted here, the Society for Krṣṇa Consciousness, and I invite you all to come and take part in it and make your life successful.

Thank you very much. Any questions? [break]

You have to associate yourself with persons who are in that business. Then gradually you'll also develop the sense and you'll also become... So there is no cause of disappointment that because you have no taste for such things. So this is the chance. It is our duty to give chance everybody to have this opportunity because we have dedicated our life for this service. So we are ready. You take advantage of our humble service, and then you'll understand and you'll know. There will be no difficulty. Yes?

Guest: Swamiji, you mentioned about Krṣṇa consciousness...

Prabhupada: Yes.

Guest: Are you referring to self-realization when you mentioned that Krṣṇa consciousness?

Prabhupada: What is that?

Guest: Are you referring to self-realization, cosmic consciousness?

Prabhupada: Yes. Krṣṇa, Krṣṇa consciousness means cosmic consciousness. Krṣṇa... When we speak of Krṣṇa, you don't take any personal view. Krṣṇa means all-attractive. So all-attraction is there in the cosmic. Cosmic consciousness is Krṣṇa consciousness.

Guest: Well, I believe that most of the westerners do not know the meaning of Krṣṇa consciousness.

Prabhupada: That we are explaining here.

Guest: You have yet to explain that it's cosmic consciousness, self-realization.

Prabhupada: Yes. So we are explaining Krṣṇa consciousness here. And as you say, that most of the westerners, they do not know the meaning. So we are present here to explain the meaning. So that is our humble service. Because Krṣṇa and Bhagavad-gita is very well known in the western countries, and there are so many editions and publication of Bhagavad-gita, both in Europe and America and other parts of Asia. Krṣṇa is more or less well known. But actually, the science of Krṣṇa is not so well known. Therefore we have put up this association, International Association of Society for Krṣṇa Consciousness.

Guest: I believe that most of the westerners read the Bhagavad-gita, Upaniṣads...

Prabhupada: Yes. Yes.

Guest: The Vedas.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Guest: I believe that would have been a greater understanding of Krṣṇa consciousness.

Prabhupada: Yes. Therefore I say Krṣṇa in conn... Because most of them are acquainted with the Bhagavad-gita and the speaker of Bhagavad-gita is Krṣṇa. So Krṣṇa is also well known to them. But actually what is Krṣṇa, the science of Krṣṇa, they do not know. So this humble attempt is to just to present the science of Krṣṇa to them. And I wish that they may take advantage of this opportunity. So any other questions?

Guest: Swamiji, may I ask you a question?

Prabhupada: Yes.

Guest: Do you teach self-realization?

Prabhupada: Eh?

Guest: Do you teach self-realization?

Prabhupada: Yes, this is self-realization.

Guest: Do you initiate?

Prabhupada: Eh?

Guest: Do you initiate?

Prabhupada: Yes. I initiate also. Well, this is the process of self-realization, to know...

Guest: Then you are an authority on initiation?

Prabhupada: Yes, and, of course, I do not know whether I am authority, but my spiritual master has authorized me to do this.

Guest: That's, that's all right. That's sufficient. That's sufficient.

Prabhupada: I, I, I do not think myself an authority. I am just to serve the order of my spiritual master. That's all.

Guest: Yes. Very good. But I suppose you know that in the western countries lots have been initiated and have never had the, the chance to be initiated by the master in order to initiate others. Quite a few, they have been.

Prabhupada: Yes. Of course the, we, if we...

Guest: That's a responsibility in itself.

Prabhupada: Yes, yes. Yes.

Guest: (indistinct)

Prabhupada: Yes. So any other question? That, that, that, I mean to say, authority, is very simple. It is not very difficult. Just like you'll find in the Bhagavad-gita that self-realization, as far Bhagavad-gita, was taught to Arjuna. Now, how Arjuna understood it, that is also mentioned in the Bhagavad-gita. Simply if you try to understand Bhagavad-gita as Arjuna understood it, then you also become self-realized. So it is not a very difficult job. Unfortunately, people apply their own scholastic ideas in a different way and they murder the whole thing. You see? The simple thing is that if we understand it as it is, then it is as simple as anything. But if you want to...

Just like in our Bengal there is proverb, ghuriye nag nag naki.(?) Now, now, you are asking me... Just like sometimes we ask small child, "Where is your nose?" He says, "It is nose." "Where is your eye?" "It is eye." So that is a simple thing. But one child... Not child. One man is asked, "Where is your nose?" He says, "Oh, here is my nose." (laughter) "Here is my nose," this is simple thing. But one should show, "Oh, here is my nose." So Bhagavad-gita is interpreted like that, "Here is my nose." Nobody shows that "Here is my nose." You see? So that is the difficulty. They have created difficult, create a situation of this Bhagavad-gita under, I mean to say, catastrophe. So if you, any sincere student who will take Bhagavad-gita as it is, this self-realization is as cheap as anything.

Guest: Swamiji, I suppose (indistinct) of people realize.

Prabhupada: No. It, simply, simply we have to hear it as it is. Don't try to interpret in a different way. The, the whole mischief is that everyone has got his own theosophy. And Bhagavad-gita is a popular book, and he wants to prove his own philosophy through Bhagavad-gita. Because he wants to be important man and he wants to show that "Here is mentioned in the Bhagavad-gita," and they present some jugglery of words and mislead the people.

Just like I am repeatedly mentioned here that in our country Mahatma Gandhi, he had his philosophy of non-violence, and he wanted to prove non-violence from Bhagavad-gita. But Bhagavad-gita is spoken in the warfield. Bhagavad-gita is spoken when Arjuna was in problem, whether to fight or not to fight. That is the, I mean the, background of Bhagavad-gita. Now, if anyone wants to prove that Bhagava..., in Bhagavad-gita there is non-violence, then you, you, you something else. Violence is there in the Bhagavad-gita. So similarly, we should not try to under... Yes! We should not try to understand Bhagavad-gita according to my viewpoint of view. I must understand Bhagavad-gita as it is presented by Krṣṇa. Then it is (indistinct). Then it is (indistinct). (end)

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