Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.) Translation: "O son of Kunti, Arjuna, I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and moon, the syllable om in the Vedic mantras. I am the sound in ether and ability in man."

Prabhupada:

raso 'ham apsu kaunteya
prabhasmi sasi-suryayoḥ;
praṇavaḥ; sarva-vedeṣu
sabdaḥ; khe pauruṣaṁ nrṣu
[Bg. 7.8]

This is all-pervasive nature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We should mark the important word in this verse: aham. Aham means the person. Krṣṇa never says that "I am imperson." Imperson is the feature of Krṣṇa. Just like in the Ninth Chapter, Krṣṇa says, maya tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-murtina [Bg. 9.4]. Maya, "I am all-pervasive by My energy."

We have already explained that Krṣṇa has multi-energies. Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate [Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport]. That is the Vedic version, that the Absolute Truth, Supreme Person, has got multi-energies. In the Viṣṇu Puraṇa also: whatever we are experiencing, that is simply Krṣṇa's energy. Just like we can experience the heat and light from the sun. We can understand the constitution of the sun globe. Although we are ninety-three million miles, away from the sun, but by his energy, heat and light, we can understand what is the sun. Similarly, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krṣṇa, He has got multi-energies. Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate.

na tasya karyaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate
na tat-samas cabhyadhikas ca drsyate
parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate
svabhaviki jñana-bala-kriya ca

This is the version of Upaniṣad. He has nothing to do. Na tasya karyam. Why? And because... Na tasya karyaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate na tat-samas cabhyadhikas ca drsyate. And nobody is equal to Him. Neither greater than Him. And He hasn't got to do anything because He has got so many energies. Svabhaviki jñana-bala-kriya ca. Everything is being done by His energy very perfectly.

So His energy is working even in the water. You can perceive His energy within the water. We are daily using water. We are tasting water. So you can perceive Krṣṇa's presence, Krṣṇa's all-pervasiveness, even while you drink water. Every one of us, we drink water. And... So the taste of the water, Krṣṇa says, "Here I am." This is impersonal feature, but the person is behind. Mayadhyakṣeṇa prakrtiḥ; [Bg. 9.10]. Water is one of the products of this material nature, but behind this existence of water is Krṣṇa. Then you can understand Krṣṇa. You try to understand by studying His energy. Therefore Krṣṇa is describing that "Although you cannot see Me just now..." Because in the preliminary stage nobody can see Krṣṇa, although Krṣṇa is present everywhere. Aṇḍantara-stha-paramaṇu-cayantara-stham [Bs. 5.35]. He is present within the atom. But it requires the qualified eyes to see Him or purified senses to perceive Him.

That is stated in the sastra: ataḥ; sri-krṣṇa-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaiḥ; [Cc. Madhya 17.136]. With our these present senses we cannot understand what is the holy, transcendental name of Krṣṇa. Therefore sometimes we are misunderstood, that "Why these people are chanting Hare Krṣṇa?" So... Because ordinary man or ordinary senses cannot understand the value, the nature of the name, therefore sastra says, ataḥ; sri-krṣṇa-namadi. Namadi, beginning from name. We can realize God by chanting name. Because abhinnatvan nama-naminoḥ;. Nama cintamaṇiḥ; krṣṇas caitanya-rasa-vigrahaḥ; [Cc. Madhya 17.133]. These are the description of the sastras. Nama, the holy name of the Lord, is completely spiritual. Nama cintamaṇiḥ; krṣṇa. He is... Nama is, name is as good as Krṣṇa. Nama cintamaṇiḥ; krṣṇas caitanya-rasa-vigrahaḥ;. Those who are chanting Hare Krṣṇa maha-mantra without any offense, they are tasting spiritual nectarine. Just like Rupa Gosvami has written a sloka that "If I could possess millions of ears and millions of tongues, then I could enjoy what is the transcendental mellow in chanting Hare Krṣṇa maha-mantra. But that is not possible for ordinary human being in the beginning. Therefore sastra says, ataḥ; sri-krṣṇa-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaiḥ; [Cc. Madhya 17.136]. These impurified senses cannot appreciate the value of the holy name of Krṣṇa. Nama-adi, His name, His quality, His pastimes, His form, His activities... There are so many things, beginning with nama, Hare Krṣṇa maha-mantra. As we go on chanting, Hare Krṣṇa, Hare Krṣṇa, Krṣṇa Krṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama ,Rama Rama, Hare Hare, and as we become purified... The more we chant, we become purified. Ceto-darpaṇa-marjanaṁ bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapaṇaṁ sreyaḥ;-kairava-candrika-vitaraṇaṁ vidya-vadhu-jivanam [Cc. Antya 20.12].

So this is the process. So those who are not even inclined to chant this holy name of Hare Krṣṇa maha-mantra, although there is no loss and there is no expenditure... Anyone can chant. It is freely distributed by Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Anyone can take the chance of chanting Hare Krṣṇa. Automatically... Sometimes we find friends on the street. Simply by seeing us, they chant "Hare Krṣṇa." So that is a good sign. They are learning the value of Hare Krṣṇa maha-mantra. So in this age the chanting of the holy name is very, very important. Kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha. For God realization.

So even if you are not inclined to chant Hare Krṣṇa maha-mantra, then try to understand Krṣṇa in this way. This is the process given by Sri Krṣṇa Himself. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya [Bg. 7.8]. You have to drink water; you cannot avoid it. So when you taste, while drinking water, anything drinking... Apsu. Apsu means any liquid thing. Either you drink milk or even up to, even you drink wine, so you have got some taste in any liquid thing while drinking. So Krṣṇa says, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya. "My dear Kaunteya, Arjuna, that taste in the liquid thing which you drink or use, that is I am." Just see how it is easily can be done. Nobody is without drinking something liquid. Either Coca-cola or water or this or that, something must be drinking. So Krṣṇa says that "I am the taste." So where is the difficulty of understanding Krṣṇa? If we cannot... They say, "Can you show me Krṣṇa?" All right, here is Krṣṇa, see. Seeing means directly perception. When I say, "Let me see what is this mango," you are seeing already. Here seeing means tasting. "Let me see the mango." That means seeing means tasting.

So we have got so many senses. And we taste different senses. We can see by eyes. We can taste by the tongue. We can hear by the ear. We can smell by the nose. We can touch by the hand. So we have got all senses. And by senses we get experience. So if you try to experience Krṣṇa by this process, that whenever you drink something liquid and taste it very nicely, you consider "This taste is Krṣṇa," is it very difficult for Krṣṇa realization? And because you'll remember Krṣṇa... Actually that taste is Krṣṇa. Because that water is also Krṣṇa. Water is Krṣṇa in this sense: the energy of Krṣṇa. Just like fire and the heat. Heat is the energy of Krṣṇa. So heat and fire is not distinct. They are the same. Still, the heat is not fire. This is called acintya-bhedabheda philosophy, simultaneously one and different. Simultaneously. Everything. Idaṁ hi visvaṁ bhagavan ivetaraḥ;. It requires only realization that "Whole universe is Krṣṇa." Idaṁ hi visvaṁ bhagavan. But it appears different from Bhagavan. Actually, it is not different. You have to understand by purified senses. That is required. Unless you have got purified senses, you cannot understand. But this is the beginning: raso 'ham apsu kaunteya [Bg. 7.8]. You just try to understand. This rasa... It is said by Krṣṇa. It is not our manufacture. When... If I say that "The taste of water is Krṣṇa," that may be different. But Krṣṇa says raso 'ham apsu kaunteya. So why not think of Krṣṇa?

So this thinking of Krṣṇa is a process of devotional service, out of the nine processes. Sravaṇaṁ kirtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ; smaraṇaṁ pada-sevanam [SB 7.5.23]. So if you remember Krṣṇa, you advance in your spiritual life, and you become perfect yogi. How?

yoginam api sarveṣaṁ
mad-gatenantar-atmana
sraddhavan bhajate yo maṁ
sa me yuktatamo mataḥ;
[Bg. 6.47]

If you simply think, as you drink water, or drink anything, the taste only... Here is the hint: "Now here is Krṣṇa." So you must be drinking so many times. If so many times, if you remember Krṣṇa, you gradually become Krṣṇa conscious. So simple thing it is. Krṣṇa is prescribing. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhasmi sasi-suryayoḥ; [Bg. 7.8]. Suppose if you do not drink. So nobody there is who does not drink. Everyone drinks. The another method, prabhasmi sasi-suryayoḥ;. As soon as, early in the morning, you find the sunshine, you remember "Here is Krṣṇa. Here is Krṣṇa." Or at night, when there is no sun, there is moonlight, "Here is Krṣṇa." Then praṇavaḥ; sarva-vedeṣu. If you are a student, serious student of Vedic mantras... Oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ; paramaṁ padaṁ sada pasyanti sura... If you chant the Vedic mantras... Oṁ bhur bhuvaḥ; svaḥ; tat savitur vareṇyam. The oṁkara, that is Krṣṇa. Many people are very much fond of chanting oṁkara. That is also nice. That is Krṣṇa. But if we simply remember that "This oṁkara is Krṣṇa," then we become perfect. Because the process is how to become Krṣṇa conscious.

So you can become Krṣṇa conscious while drinking any liquid or water, while seeing the sunshine, while seeing the moonshine, while, if you are a scholar, brahmaṇa, advanced, while chanting the praṇava, praṇavaḥ; sarva-vedeṣu. Or even if you, sound, if you hear the sound... There are so many sounds going on. If you remember Krṣṇa. And also, pauruṣaṁ nrṣu. Pauruṣam. You meet so many men in your dealings with this material world. There are many very big, big men. Big, big industrialists, big, big scholars, big, big manufacturers, and big, big bankers. So this is pauruṣam, ode(?) who has attained perfection in the material world. So instead of envying him, if you simply think that "He has attained because he has got little power from Krṣṇa." Yad yad vibhutimat sattvaṁ mama tejo 'ṁsa-sambhavam. Anything wonderful that is done, that is done by any person, pauruṣam, that is also Krṣṇa's energy.

So it is not at all difficult to become Krṣṇa conscious. There is no expenditure; there is no loss. Simply by your daily dealings you can become Krṣṇa conscious. This is the program here. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhasmi sasi-suryayoḥ;, praṇavaḥ;... [Bg. 7.8]. If you cannot chant... We are advising everyone, "Chant Hare Krṣṇa mantra." Kirtaniyaḥ; sada hariḥ; [Cc. Adi 17.31]. Kirtan... This Hare Krṣṇa mantra should be chanted twenty-four hours. Kirtaniyaḥ; sada hariḥ;. But (if) it becomes difficult or hackneyed, then you can remember Krṣṇa otherwise. While drinking water, while seeing the sunshine, while seeing the moonshine, while chanting Vedic mantras, or even hearing some sound in the khe. Sound is produced by the ether. So many sounds we are hearing. If you simply remember this sloka of Bhagavata, that sabda, any sound... Hare Krṣṇa sound is transcendental. That's all right. But if you don't like Hare Krṣṇa sound, you take any sound, any sound is also... That is coming from the original sound. Simply it is covered by maya. What is the difference between spiritual and material? Everything is spiritual. Sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma. But when it is covered by maya, it is material. That's all. And what is maya? Forgetful of Krṣṇa. The same water, the same water, it is spiritual. Because it is Krṣṇa's energy. Krṣṇa has already said, bhumir apaḥ;. Apaḥ;. Here also, apsu. So apaḥ;, jala, or water, is Krṣṇa's energy. How it can be different from Krṣṇa? So we have to deal with water in so many ways. How we can forget Krṣṇa?

The Krṣṇa consciousness movement is the spreading the knowledge of Bhagavad-gita as it is. So how one can become Krṣṇa conscious very easily without any loss, but gain is very much—why don't you take this advantage of Krṣṇa consciousness movement? What is the reason that you'll not take? Satataṁ kirtayanto maṁ yatantas ca drḍha-vrataḥ; [Bg. 9.14]. If you become Krṣṇa conscious in this way, the profit is very, very great. Because the more you become Krṣṇa conscious, the more Krṣṇa becomes revealed to you. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ;. Realization, revelation, that... With the blunt senses you cannot understand Krṣṇa, you cannot realize Krṣṇa. But if you purify... Ataḥ; sri-krṣṇa-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaiḥ; [Cc. Madhya 17.136]. Our present senses are blunt senses because it is covered by forgetfulness of Krṣṇa, or maya. Therefore it has to be purified. Or the nature of forgetfulness has to be removed. That's all. This is the process. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya [Bg. 7.8]. If you follow this process, that "Here is drinking water, the taste is Krṣṇa," that means some percentage of your forgetfulness of Krṣṇa is removed. Similarly, when you see the sunshine, the moonshine, or you chant oṁkara... There are other, so many ways prescribed in the later verses. So try to understand Krṣṇa in this way. It doesn't require any advancement of education or Vedic knowledge. A simple thing.

So there is no difficulty. And as soon as it is purified... Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau [Brs. 1.2.234]. The purification... That is bhakti. Bhakti-marga, devotional service means purifying the senses. That's all. The, at the present moment, our senses are covered by maya, and this maya can be moved away simply by remembering in every step Krṣṇa. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau. That, that sevonmukha, that is the devotional service. Jihvadau. You simply engage your jihva. Jihva means tongue. The tasting is also tongue. Without tongue, you cannot taste. Therefore it is said, sevonmukhe hi jihvadau: "The beginning, beginning of purification, is to use your tongue in this devotional service." So our prescription is therefore that you use your tongue for chanting Hare Krṣṇa maha-mantra and employ your tongue for tasting Krṣṇa's prasadam. It is not at all difficult. There is no need of studying, mean, higher knowledge in the Vedic principle. That will auto, automatically will be revealed.

Therefore it is said: sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ;. If you apply your ear only... As it is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam: srṇvataṁ sva-kathaḥ; krṣṇaḥ; puṇya-sravaṇa-kirtanaḥ; [SB 1.2.17]. Puṇya-sravaṇa-kirtanaḥ;. Chanting of the Hare Krṣṇa maha-mantra, or hearing of Krṣṇa's word... Just like you are hearing the words of Bhagavad-gita. Srṇvataṁ sva-kathaḥ;. This is His own word. Srṇvataṁ sva-kathaḥ; krṣṇaḥ; puṇya-sravaṇa-kirtanaḥ;. Either you hear or you chant. Because sravaṇaṁ kirtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ; smaraṇaṁ pada-sevanam... [SB 7.5.23]. There are nine methods. So the beginning is hearing. We are opening so many centers just to give people chance to hear about Krṣṇa. That's all. If you simply hear about Krṣṇa, srṇvatam, then Krṣṇa becomes pleased: "Oh, now he's hearing about Me." Then what does He do? Srṇvataṁ sva-kathaḥ; krṣṇaḥ; puṇya-sravaṇa-kirtanaḥ;. Either you understand or don't understand, it becomes a pious activities on your part. And the more you become pious, you can understand Krṣṇa. Because impious persons... Yeṣaṁ tv anta-gataṁ papam. Impious persons cannot understand Krṣṇa. But one who is free from impious activities, yeṣaṁ tv anta-gataṁ papaṁ jananaṁ puṇya-karmaṇam... Puṇya-karma. This hearing is puṇya-karma. Jananaṁ puṇya, te dvandva-moha-nirmukta bhajante maṁ drḍha-vrataḥ; [Bg. 7.28]. If you simply hear. There is no... If you understand, it is very good. Even if you do not understand, the vibration of Hare Krṣṇa mantra, the reading of Bhagavad-gita, simply chanting, you'll be purified. Srṇvataṁ sva-kathaḥ; krṣṇaḥ; puṇya-sravaṇa-kirtanaḥ;, hrdy antaḥ;-stho hy abhadraṇi... [SB 1.2.17].

So we cannot understand what I am, what is God, what is my relationship with God, what I have to do in that rela..., we cannot understand these things because we are enwrapped in sinful activities. That is also stated in the... Here. Na maṁ duṣkrtino muḍhaḥ; prapadyante naradhamaḥ; [Bg. 7.15]. So in the material world, every one of us, more or less, are duṣkrtinaḥ;. More or less sinful. So it is very difficult for us to understand Krṣṇa. Ataḥ; sri-krṣṇa-namadi. I have already explained. Therefore we have to take advantage of this Krṣṇa consciousness movement. And wherever there is a chance of hearing about Krṣṇa, we should take the opportunity. That is Krṣṇa consciousness movement. And learn from the... It is not our manufacture. Krṣṇa says. Learn how to become Krṣṇa conscious. Simply you try to understand Krṣṇa in every step of life. In every step of life. They will be all explained in this chapter, how you can perceive Krṣṇa. The beginning is tasting. Everyone drinks water or drinks something else. So try to taste the liquid, thinking that "This taste is Krṣṇa." You see in the morning the light of sunshine: "Here is Krṣṇa." In the evening you see the moonlight: "Here is Krṣṇa." There is sound always, especially in a city like Bombay. It is full of sound. So whenever you hear any kind of sound—sound is the vibration of the sky—you remember: "This sound is Krṣṇa." Sabdaḥ; khe. And whenever you meet any person very exalted, very extraordinarily able, you understand that "This ability is Krṣṇa's mercy, vibhuti."

In this way, if you practice, and if you chant also Hare Krṣṇa maha-mantra, and if you hear from realized souls about Krṣṇa, then you gradually become advanced in Krṣṇa consciousness. And when you come to perfection... Janma karma me divyaṁ yo janati tattvataḥ;. This Krṣṇa's appearance, disappearance, His activities, will be revealed to you. Svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ;. When Krṣṇa becomes manifest, revelation, then you understand what is Krṣṇa, what is His activities, what is His name, what is His pastimes. Everything becomes revealed. Then you can understand perfectly. Not... We cannot understand perfectly, but so far our ability is concerned, we can understand Krṣṇa. And if we a little bit understand Krṣṇa, then our life is successful. Tyaktva dehaṁ punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya [Bg. 4.9]. Simply by little understanding Krṣṇa. What is that? Now, tyaktva dehaṁ punar... That is the highest perfection. After giving up this body... Ordinarily, we give up this body and we accept another. Tatha dehantara-praptiḥ; [Bg. 2.13]. That we have to stop. We are trying our best to make solution of all problems of life. The real problem is janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi [Bg. 13.9], birth, death, old age and disease. But if you can conquer over birth, no more birth... As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, tyaktva dehaṁ punar janma naiti [Bg. 4.9]. No more birth. "Then it is finished? I am finished?" No, you are not finished. Tyaktva dehaṁ punar janma naiti mam eti. "You come to Me. You come to Me." Go back to home, back to Godhead. This is the process of Krṣṇa consciousness. It is very easy. Everyone can adopt. Why should you give up? Take it very seriously and be happy.

Thank you very much. (end)

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