Pradyumna: "I am the original fragrance of the earth, and I am the heat in fire. I am the life of all that lives, and I am the penances of all ascetics."

Prabhupada: So Krṣṇa is describing how He is spread everywhere, in details. In the beginning, before this verse, He has mentioned in so many ways. So we can see Krṣṇa in every step and every moment. If we practice to see Krṣṇa, it is not difficult. Whenever there is fragrance... Just like rose flower, beauty and fragrance, you can immediately remember Krṣṇa, "Here is Krṣṇa." Simply we have to practice it.

So as soon as you remember Krṣṇa or you say or utter the word "Krṣṇa," immediately Krṣṇa contacts you. You are in contact with Krṣṇa immediately. And if you remain constantly in contact with Krṣṇa by studying all these details, then where is the lack of Krṣṇa consciousness? And if you remain always in that way, Krṣṇa conscious, then you are the topmost yogi. Yoginam api sarveṣam [Bg. 6.47]. Very easy. It is not at all difficult. Simply you have to practice. As soon as there is nice fragrance, nice flower... In another place it is said that the nice flower, or any flower that is fructified, that is blooming, that is smiling, smiling of Krṣṇa. So you can see Krṣṇa smiling as soon as you see a flower.

So I do not know why they say, "Can you show me Krṣṇa?" Krṣṇa is showing Himself in so many ways. They will not take it. It is not at all difficult to see Krṣṇa every moment, in every step, if we study what Krṣṇa says: "I am," "This is." Puṇyo gandhaḥ; prthivyaṁ ca. Everything is there. Now, within the earth, the every stock is there. The flavor of rose flower is there, and the flavor of some other flower is also there, but you cannot take out by your so-called scientific chemical process. You take some lump of earth and extract from it the flavor of rose. It is there. That is a fact. Because you sow the seed of a rose flower, it will exact the rose flavor from the earth. That's a fact. Who can deny it? Otherwise, wherefrom the flavor is coming? Krṣṇa also, He, it is said, jivanaṁ sarva-bhuteṣu. He's the life, seed. Bijo 'ham... Next, next verse He'll say, bijaṁ maṁ sarva-bhutanam [Bg. 7.10]. Bija, the seed. The seed is so nicely made by Krṣṇa's brain that as soon as you put on the seed within the earth and put some water, it will come out, fructify, and gradually grow and exact the flavor, the color, everything. This is a fact. No, everybody knows. Not only that, a small seed of banyan tree... Bijaṁ maṁ sarva-bhutanam. There is also Krṣṇa. Otherwise how this wonderful thing can happen? A small seed just like a mustard seed, and it... Not only one tree, but many millions of fruits, and in each fruit, many millions of trees. This is Krṣṇa's brain. You cannot do that. The so-called manufacturers, they can manufacture one watch, very complicated, but not that from that watch many watches will come. No, that is not possible.

But Krṣṇa is so powerful, omnipotent, that He has manufactured... Because He is there. Bijaṁ maṁ sarva-bhutanam [Bg. 7.10]. Whenever He is there, He can play wonderful things. This is the study of Krṣṇa consciousness. Where is the difficulty? Bija... Puṇyo gandhaḥ; prthivyaṁ ca tejas ca, tejas casmi vibhavasau. Now, this electric lamp, it is brilliant or it has got some heat, temperature. Wherefrom it is coming? It is coming from Krṣṇa. That's a fact. Cause of all causes.

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

This is a fact. These are explained here. Everything, that is there. Janmady asya yataḥ; [SB 1.1.1].

But we should not, like Mayavadi, we should not make mistake: because the electric bulb, or electric light, is being caused by Krṣṇa, therefore the electric lamp is Krṣṇa. No, not that. Krṣṇa—always separate from the electric light. The Mayavadi says that "Because Krṣṇa is there in the electric lamp, or in the tree, or in the seed, or in the color, or in the flavor, therefore Krṣṇa is finished. There is no more Krṣṇa. Because Krṣṇa has spread Himself in so many ways, therefore Krṣṇa is finished." This is material consideration. Just like you take a piece of paper and make it small fragments and throw it, then the original paper is lost. This is material.

But Krṣṇa is not like that. Krṣṇa is a person, and from His energies so many varieties of productions are coming out. But still, He is existing. Purṇasya purṇam adaya purṇam eva avasiṣyate [Iso Invocation]. He's purṇa. Not that because so many things have been taken from Krṣṇa, Krṣṇa is finished. This is material life. They cannot conceive of the omnipotency. They accept God is omnipotent, but they cannot understand what is that omnipotency. The omnipotency is that so many things are being manifested by the Krṣṇa's energies, but Krṣṇa is not lost. Krṣṇa is there. We haven't got to worship so many things, pantheism. No. That is not our... Pantheism, the same idea, that "Krṣṇa, or the Absolute Truth, has become divided into so many ways; therefore everything combined together is the Absolute Truth," this is the theory of pantheism. But ours is Vedic proposition, that Krṣṇa is the cause of everything. Varieties of material and spiritual things are there, but Krṣṇa's identity is there in Vrndavana. Vrndavanaṁ parityajya padam ekaṁ na gacchati. Krṣṇa is there. Akhilatma-bhutaḥ;. Goloka eva nivasaty akhilatma-bhutaḥ; [Bs. 5.37]. That is stated.

goloka-namni nija-dhamni tale ca tasya
devi-mahesa-hari-dhamasu teṣu teṣu
te te prabhava-nicaya vihitas ca yena
govindam adi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajami
[Bs. 5.43]

advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam
adyaṁ puraṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca
vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham atma-bhaktau
govindam adi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajami
[Bs. 5.33]

So these features of Krṣṇa, how He is simultaneously one and different, acintya-bhedabheda... Krṣṇa is this electric lamp, and still, He's not the electric lamp. Krṣṇa is this pillow, but He's not the pillow. If, when we say that Krṣṇa is everything, therefore... Just like some big mission, they say, "Anything we accept as God, it is all right." No. We do not say like that. Neither Krṣṇa says. When Krṣṇa speaks of worshiping, He does not say that you worship the electric light or something else. Mam ekam, that is the instruction. Not that "Krṣṇa has become everything; therefore everything has to be worshiped." No. This is wrong. This is acintya-bhedabheda. We have to take shelter of Krṣṇa personally—mam ekaṁ saraṇaṁ vraja—not the varieties. You have to understand that varieties are dependent on Krṣṇa, but not that "Because there are varieties, therefore Krṣṇa is finished." No, that is not the philosophy. Jivanaṁ sarva-bhuteṣu tapas casmi tapasviṣu. Especially tapasvi...

Tapasvi means those who are seeking after eternal happiness. Karmis, yogis, there are many tapasvis. But real tapasvi... Tapo divyam [SB 5.5.1]. That is... Divyam means transcendental. Just perform tapasya for realizing Krṣṇa. Tapo divyam. Otherwise, Hiraṇyakasipu, he also performed tapasya. What was that tapasya? He performed severe tapasya, so much so that the whole universe became perturbed and Brahmaji came to see, "What do you want?" "No, I am performing tapasya for becoming immortal. So if you make me immortal, it will be very kind of you." He said, "I am myself not immortal. How can I make you immortal? That is not possible." So the idea is he also performed tapasya, but that tapasya was for material gain. But that is not tapasya.

Tapasya means to undergo voluntarily some inconveniences of this body. Because we are accustomed to enjoy bodily senses, and tapasya means voluntarily to give up the idea of sense gratification. That is tapasya. Tapasya. Just like Ekadasi. Ekadasi, one day fasting, fortnight. That is also tapasya. Or fasting in some other auspicious day. That tapasya is good, even for health, and what to speak of advancing in Krṣṇa consciousness. So we should accept this tapasya. The upavasa. There are many prescribed days for fasting. We should observe. And the preliminary tapasya, no illicit sex, no gambling, no intoxication, no..., no meat-eating... There may be some inconvenience, those who were accustomed to this practice, but we'll have to accept. Tapo divyaṁ putraka yena suddhyet sattvam [SB 5.5.1]. If we want to purify our existence... At the present moment our existence is not purified, impure. Therefore we are suffering. Just like when one's physiological condition becomes infected, he suffers from fever and other symptoms of disease, similarly, we are suffering in this material world on account of this material body. If we want really happiness, then we must accept tapasya. Tapasya is required. Without tapasya, if you think that very easily... Or "Without tapasya, I can get it simply by imagination," then you become sahajiya, to take things very easily. No. Tapasya.

Therefore Krṣṇa says that tapas casmi tapasviṣu. That acceptance of tapasya means that tapasya is itself Krṣṇa. You associate with Krṣṇa. When you voluntarily give up meat-eating or intoxication, this giving-up, this process, is Krṣṇa. Krṣṇa says, tapas casmi tapasviṣu. This is tapasya. Tapasya means to accept voluntarily something as enjoined in the sastras. Sastra says... Krṣṇa says. Whatever Krṣṇa says, that is sastra. What is Veda? Veda means what Krṣṇa says; that is Veda. There is no other Veda. Just like in the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said, tene brahma hrda. Brahma hrda. Brahma means Veda. Brahma, sabda-brahma. So Krṣṇa tene, imparted, injected brahma, Vedic, Vedic sabda, sabda-brahma, Vedas, tene brahma hrda, through the heart. Krṣṇa is situated in everyone's heart. So Brahma had no other spiritual master, but Krṣṇa is there within the heart. Therefore Krṣṇa's name is Caitya-guru. Buddhi-yogaṁ dadami tam. The caitya-guru, the guru... Krṣṇa is so kind. He is guru within, and when we are serious, He manifests Himself as a spiritual master. This is described in the Caitanya-caritamrta.

So guru is helping from inside and from outside. Antar-bahiḥ;. So Krṣṇa is so kind. Therefore Krṣṇa manifests Himself as spiritual master. Therefore Visvanatha Cakravarti Ṭhakura says, sakṣad-dhari, sakṣad-dharitvena samasta-sastraiḥ;. Manifestation of empowered. One who is pure devotee, he's empowered by Krṣṇa to act as spiritual master. Therefore spiritual master should be accepted: sakṣad-dharitvena samasta-sastrair uktaḥ; **. It is described there. Tatha bhavyata eva sadbhiḥ;. Those who are learned scholars, actual devotees, they accept. But that does not mean guru is Krṣṇa. Kintu prabhor yaḥ; priya eva tasya. Now, that, if you accept, you... Accept means you honor spiritual master as good as Krṣṇa, because he's representative. But not that Mayavada philosophy that guru and Krṣṇa is the same. This is simultaneously one and different. Kintu prabhor yaḥ; priya eva tasya. He is as good as Krṣṇa because he is very, very dear to Krṣṇa. Why dear? Because he's preaching on behalf of Krṣṇa. What Krṣṇa wants, he's doing that. Therefore he's very dear.

Krṣṇa wants everyone, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekaṁ saraṇaṁ vraja [Bg. 18.66]. A guru's business is that. Guru does not mean that he takes the position of Krṣṇa. He simply teaches people that "You accept Krṣṇa the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You surrender unto Him. You always think of Him. You always offer your obeisances. You become a pure devotee of Krṣṇa." This is guru's business. It is not very difficult. Anyone who is sincerely following Krṣṇa's instruction and instructing others also to do that, that is acarya. Apani acari prabhu jivere sikhaya. This is acarya. You behave yourself exactly as it is stated in the sastra, as it is ordered by Caitanya Mahaprabhu, as it is ordered by Krṣṇa... Apani acari jivere sikhaya. And you teach all your disciples, who comes to you as your disciples, teach them. This is acarya.

So acarya, guru, representative, it is not difficult. Simply one has to become very, very sincere. One must undergo the simple tapasyas as prescribed in the sastras. Caitanya Maha... Yes. Haridasa Ṭhakura. Apani acari prabhu jivere sikhaya. He was preaching also the glorification of chanting Hare Krṣṇa by personal example; therefore he is accepted as guru. All the Vaiṣṇavas, all the acaryas, Gosvamis, they acted accordingly and preached. Therefore they are acaryas. And Krṣṇa says, acaryaṁ maṁ vijaniyan nava-manyeta karhicit [SB 11.17.27]. These are the instructions.

So this Krṣṇa consciousness movement is there. It is very simple. There is no difficulty. We have to always... Man-mana bhava mad-bhaktaḥ; [Bg. 9.34]. Now, for us, those who are materially attached, we cannot think twenty-four hours of Krṣṇa. It is very pleasing, but because we are materially attached, we cannot do that. Therefore Krṣṇa is prescribing that "You see the varieties of this material world and try to remember Me." These are the varieties: puṇyo gandhaḥ; prthivyaṁ ca tejas casmi vibhavasau. "You study, nature study." Just like we study nature study, similarly, "You study nature and see these important points. And there I am." It is very scientific. You study nature and pick up some point and Krṣṇa says that "This is I am." Where is the difficulty? This is Krṣṇa consciousness. You drink water—you remember Krṣṇa. You see the light—remember Krṣṇa. You see the flavor, aroma of very nice flower, puṇya gandhaḥ;—immediately remember Krṣṇa. Practice this. It is not difficult.

Actually, we have to think of Krṣṇa... Hare Krṣṇa, Hare Krṣṇa, Krṣṇa Krṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Always thinking of Krṣṇa. Man-mana bhava mad-bhaktaḥ;. Here is Krṣṇa's form. Therefore we have to worship Deity. Constantly, if we worship, then Krṣṇa's form is always impressed. I can see Krṣṇa any, any time. If I close my eyes, I will see Krṣṇa, how Krṣṇa is nicely dressed. I see Krṣṇa is very pleasingly eating what I have prepared with devotion, bhaktya. Real thing is bhaktya, not official. Not official. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktya prayacchati [Bg. 9.26]. He does not accept anything even it is not offered with bhakti and by the bhakta. He does not accept. Why He shall accept? Is He hungry like me? No. He simply wants to see how you have learned to love Krṣṇa, bhakti, how you are eager to serve Krṣṇa. That is... Krṣṇa wants to see. Otherwise He does not require your service. Lakṣmi-sahasra-sata-sambhrama-sevyamanam [Bs. 5.29]. He's always being served by hundreds and thousands of goddess of fortune. They are so much afraid. They are goddess of... We are praying here goddess of fortune, "My mother, Goddess of Fortune, give me some fortune." They are... The goddess of fortune is afraid if Krṣṇa may reject. Just like Rukmiṇi. When Krṣṇa was joking with her, she thought, "Maybe Krṣṇa is going to leave me." Immediately fainted. Immediately fainted. That is the goddess of fortune.

So humbly, so fearfully, they are engaged in Krṣṇa's service. What Krṣṇa's service we can give? What we are? We are nothing. Insignificant. So why Krṣṇa accepts our service? Why He comes in His arca-murti to accept our service? Just to induce you how to serve Him, bhakti. That is wanted. Therefore He says, "So you give Me even patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam [Bg. 9.26]. It doesn't matter. But give Me with bhakti." Yo me bhaktya prayacchati. This is real business. (?) If you have no bhakti, if you officially make, Krṣṇa does not touch it. Krṣṇa is not so poor. Lakṣmi-sahasra-sata-sambhrama-sevyamanaṁ govindam adi-puruṣaṁ tam... [Bs. 5.29]. So whatever you do, you should always be humble: "Krṣṇa, I am quite unfit. So whatever I could collect with my capacity, kindly accept." This is our only plea. Otherwise, don't be proud that "I am doing so much for Krṣṇa. Krṣṇa will be obliged to accept it." It is not like that. Trṇad api sunicena taror api sahiṣṇuna. This is wanted.

So it is very easy, very sublime, but we have to learn it. And learning is also not very difficult. Here is everything, varieties. You always think of Krṣṇa, and Krṣṇa will give you intelligence. Buddhi-yogaṁ dadami tam. Teṣaṁ nityabhiyuktanaṁ bhajataṁ priti-purvakam. Teṣaṁ nityabhi... One who is always thinking of Krṣṇa, "Here is Krṣṇa, here is Krṣṇa, here is Krṣṇa, here..." Nitya abhiyukta. Teṣaṁ nityabhiyuktanam. Krṣṇa... You cannot cheat Krṣṇa. That is not possible. Krṣṇa is within your heart. He is seeing everything, your intention, your purpose, your activities, everything. Upadraṣṭa. In the Bhagavad-gita it is... Upadraṣṭa-anumanta. He is witness. You cannot cheat Krṣṇa. Be sincere, and try to serve Him. He'll accept your service. And He will give you intelligence. Your life will be successful.

Thank you very much. (end)

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