KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM HH HARIVILAS MAHARAJ’S MORNING BHAGAVATAM CLASS ON SB 3.1.19:
The first and foremost duty of a pilgrim is to satisfy the Supreme Lord Hari. One should remain always absorbed in the function of pleasing the Lord.
Thus sanctified by thought and action, one is able to realize the Supreme Lord by the process of a pilgrim’s journey.
So we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is our constitutional position to live with Kṛṣṇa.
Take any example, any machine, the screw in the machine, a very insignificant part, but so long it is attached with the whole machine, it has got value. If one screw is lost, if you have to purchase from the market, you will have to pay some value. But the same screw, if it is not attached to the machine, it has no value.
We are very insignificant spiritual spark. We are, by quality, the same because we are spirit, eternal. So we also do not die, we do not take birth. And Kṛṣṇa is also aja; we are also aja.
But He is the Supreme. He is the chief leader of all living entities.
We require a leader. Any field of activities, we require a leader. So if we follow Kṛṣṇa, the supreme leader, then our life is successful. And if we do not follow… Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, “You rascal, you fool, mūḍha, you just follow Me. [Bg. 18.66]. This is the whole story of spiritual life.
So energy is controlled by the energetic.
Suppose if you have got some energy, you can control it. Suppose if you have got very good energy to kill anyone or to hurt one or to beat anyone, good strength, but that strength is not beyond you. The strength is under your control. When you like, you can use it; when you do not like, you cannot use it, you do not use it.
Kṛṣṇa is not māyā’s, but māyā is Kṛṣṇa’s.
We have to understand that way, not that Kṛṣṇa becomes enveloped or overpowered by māyā. That is wrong theory. The Māyāvādī theory is like that, that “I am Kṛṣṇa. I am God. Now I am overpowered by māyā, and as soon as I become free from māyā, again I become Kṛṣṇa.” But the question is that “If you are Kṛṣṇa, if you are God, then why you became under the control of māyā? What kind of God you are?”
Just like in the English Constitution it is said that “The king can do no wrong.” So you cannot bring king under any law. Others will come—even if he is minister, he will come under the law—but the king cannot come under the law. This is the English Constitution. Similarly, God cannot be under māyā.
SB 3.1.19 TRANSLATION:
While so traversing the earth, he simply performed duties to please the Supreme Lord Hari. His occupation was pure and independent. He was constantly sanctified by taking his bath in holy places, although he was in the dress of a mendicant and had no hair dressing nor a bed on which to lie. Thus he was always unseen by his various relatives.
The first and foremost duty of a pilgrim is to satisfy the Supreme Lord Hari. While traveling as a pilgrim, one should not be worried about pleasing society. There is no need to depend on social formalities or occupation or dress. One should remain always absorbed in the function of pleasing the Lord. Thus sanctified by thought and action, one is able to realize the Supreme Lord by the process of a pilgrim’s journey.
One has to disassociate oneself from the social problems, family problems, worldly problemset.c., once has to be on the platform of KC all the time.
What we are prepared here is – Ideal lifestyle of Vidura.. He tried helping his family.. And when there were going crazy he left them all and
Anyone who does not believe in God is crazy.. Disney movies, starting from Kindergarten..
You cannot trust anybody.. Even Disney is becoming family adverse.. Trying to destroy the purity of the children.. In having cartoons.. Socially engineer the next generation of people..
To become friendly to perversity..
SB 3.26.15
Bombay, December 24, 1974
So we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is our constitutional position to live with Kṛṣṇa. Just like the part and parcel of my body, this finger. Finger is the part and parcel of my body. It must live with the body; then it is active. And if you cut the finger and throw on the ground, you may call, “It is finger,” but it is useless. Unless it is in contact with the body, acting with the body… Then it is valuable. Take any example, any machine, the screw in the machine, a very insignificant part, but so long it is attached with the whole machine, it has got value. If one screw is lost, if you have to purchase from the market, you will have to pay some value. But the same screw, if it is not attached to the machine, it has no value.
People are cutting themselves off from Krsna.. In India there are so many atheists..
We are useless if we are not acting as the part and parcel of Krsna.. serving Krsna… We will have perverted ideas..
If we have to make an agreement with someone we have to write it down, notarized.. Legally.
People are walking around preaching atheism.. If we follow them we become useless..
This war in Ukraine.. Is completely a waste.. The USA is mandating Ukraine through Nato.
Crazy idea is to expand Nato right upto the border of Russia.
The US took advantage when the Soviet Union collapsed. The USA was the only superpower.. The US started mandating things..
You want to know what someone is like – give them power.
When SP left the planet – They started acting as acharyas, divided the world into 11 parts and started initiating ppl in those areas and they were not bother each other – 1977 – 1986, They engaged in illicit sex, head cut off… obviously it looked like a disaster..
They imitated SP and did not follow him..
A clerk in Po can make you wait for a long time..
There is more bribery in the US than in India too.. It happens in the higher level
HIllary is engaging in Treason and still is getting away..
CHEATING RELIGIONS –
Body oriented churches — Armenian church in black neighborhood..
A black guy walked into the church.. They said it is not for you.. You should go to your church.. That is so race oriented.
Russian orthodox church, Black muslims, ppl are willing to fight till the last minute.
Similarly, we are very insignificant spiritual spark. We are, by quality, the same because we are spirit, eternal. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre [Bg. 2.20]. Na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācit. So we also do not die, we do not take birth. And Kṛṣṇa is also: ajo ‘pi sann avyayātmā bhūtānām īśvaro ‘pi san. He is also aja; we are also aja. But He is bhūtānām īśvaraḥ. Bhūtānām, all the living entities, He is the Supreme. Nityo nityānām. Nityo nityānām. He is the chief, leader.
We require a leader. Any field of activities, we require a leader. Suppose for getting independence, we had to follow one leader, Mahatma Gandhi. Therefore for guidance we require a leader. And the supreme leader is Kṛṣṇa. So if we follow Kṛṣṇa, the supreme leader, then our life is successful. And if we do not follow… Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, “You rascal, you fool, mūḍha, you just follow Me.” Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja [Bg. 18.66]. This is the whole story of spiritual life. Kṛṣṇa is the supreme leader. He is also a living being, He is also person like you and me, but He is ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇa. Therefore He is called Bhagavān. We cannot be called Bhagavān because our power is very limited, not pūrṇa. Therefore we become saguṇa. Kṛṣṇa does not become saguṇa. The Māyāvāda theory, that God, when He incarnates, He becomes saguṇa, that is wrong theory. Here it is said that brahmaṇaḥ saguṇasya ha. Saguṇasya brahmaṇaḥ, these twenty-five elements, they cover him, that means the living entity who has come in this material world. But Kapiladeva or Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavān, He is not saguṇa; He is always nirguṇa. Nirguṇa guṇa ca. In… The Bhagavān says in the Bhagavad-gītā, “Although He is nirguṇa, but He is the controller of the guṇas.” Kṛṣṇa is not controlled. Mama māyā guṇamayī. Kṛṣṇa says, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā [Bg. 7.14]. Mama māyā: “This māyā, this energy, is My energy.” So energy is controlled by the energetic. Suppose if you have got some energy, you can control it.Suppose if you have got very good energy to kill anyone or to hurt one or to beat anyone, good strength, but that strength is not beyond you. The strength is under your control. When you like, you can use it; when you do not like, you cannot use it, you do not use it.
Saguna Brahman – Living entity
Nirguna Brahman – Krishna
When SP preaches is talking about the philosophy..
Lord – Supreme energetic
Living entity – Subordinate energetic
Pyramids were made with people alone.. No machines
BG 4.6
Although I am unborn and My transcendental body never deteriorates, and although I am the Lord of all living entities, I still appear in every millennium in My original transcendental form.
Therefore this māyā, this material world, saguṇa, that is also Kṛṣṇa’s energy. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā [Bg. 7.14]. Kṛṣṇa is not māyā’s, but māyā is Kṛṣṇa’s.We have to understand that way, not that Kṛṣṇa becomes enveloped or overpowered by māyā. That is wrong theory. The Māyāvādī theory is like that, that “I am Kṛṣṇa. I am God. Now I am overpowered by māyā, and as soon as I become free from māyā, again I become Kṛṣṇa.” But the question is that “If you are Kṛṣṇa, if you are God, then why you became under the control of māyā? What kind of God you are?” Just like in the English Constitution it is said that “The king can do no wrong.” So you cannot bring king under any law. Others will come—even if he is minister, he will come under the law—but the king cannot come under the law. This is the English Constitution. Similarly, God cannot be under māyā. Others, everyone under the…
BG 7.14 – is the solution to all problems
BG 18.66 – Surrender unto me abandon all cheating religions..
KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM HH HARIVILAS MAHARAJ’S MORNING BHAGAVATAM CLASS ON SB 2.9.34 – Part 1:
Whenever there is forgetfulness of the prime relation with the Lord, and whenever things are accepted as real without being related to the Lord, that conception is called a product of the illusory energy of the Lord.
Because nothing can exist without the Lord, it should be known that the illusory energy is also an energy of the Lord.
The right conclusion of dovetailing everything in relationship with the Lord is called yoga-māyā, or the energy of union, and the wrong conception of detaching a thing from its relationship with the Lord is called the Lord’s daivī māyā, or mahā-māyā.
Both the māyās also have connections with the Lord because nothing can exist without being related to Him.
The wrong conception of detaching relationships from the Lord is not false, but illusory.
Prakrti, material nature, is controlling the living entity by her different modes, but in ignorance the living entity is thinking, “I am inventing, I am acting, I am progressing.”This is called maya, illusion.
No one can progress or improve without Krsna consciousness.
All beings are trying to be happy in this material world, but it is nature’s plan to give them trouble. In other words, every attempt at happiness will be frustrated so that eventually the living entity will tum to Krsna. This is the plan: to bring the living entity back home, back to Godhead.
This plan does not apply to just a few living entities. It is not that some will remain here and others will go back to Godhead. No, the whole plan is that everyone must come back to Godhead.
Some living entities are very obstinate, just like bad boys. The father says, “Comeon,” but the boy says, “No, I’ll not go.” It is then the father’s business to drag him.
Every one of us has to go back home, back to Godhead. If we do so immediately and voluntarily, we save time; otherwise we waste time.
(Bg. 18. 66) In Bhagavad Gita, Krsna instructed Arjuna in karma-yoga, jnana-yoga, and other yogas, but His final instruction was to surrender.
All the laws of nature are working under Krsna’s direction.
Material nature is the goddess Durga. It is she who is the superintendent of the fort. Material nature is like a fort which no one can leave. Durg is the confidential maidservant of Krsna, but she has a very thankless task of punishing the demoniac living entities. She is not an ordinary mother.
On one hand, the living entity is given whatever he wants, and on the other there is frustration and punishment. This is nature’s law, and nature is functioning under the instructions of Krsna.
The real truth is that God has a plan, and one has to be taught that plan by one who knows it.
The truth is there, but we have forgotten it. Through the process of chanting and hearing, wecan revive the truth, which is that we are eternal servants of Krsna.
The living entity is good by nature because he is part and parcel of the supreme good, but due to material association, he has become conditioned.
Now we have to again draw forth this goodness through the process of Krsna consciousness.
SB 2.9.34 TRANSLATION:
O Brahmā, whatever appears to be of any value, if it is without relation to Me, has no reality. Know it as My illusory energy, that reflection which appears to be in darkness.
In the previous verse it has already been concluded that in any stage of the cosmic manifestation — its appearance, its sustenance, its growth, its interactions of different energies, its deterioration and its disappearance — all has its basic relation with the existence of the Personality of Godhead. And as such, whenever there is forgetfulness of this prime relation with the Lord, and whenever things are accepted as real without being related to the Lord, that conception is called a product of the illusory energy of the Lord. Because nothing can exist without the Lord, it should be known that the illusory energy is also an energy of the Lord. The right conclusion of dovetailing everything in relationship with the Lord is called yoga-māyā, or the energy of union, and the wrong conception of detaching a thing from its relationship with the Lord is called the Lord’s daivī māyā, or mahā-māyā. Both the māyās also have connections with the Lord because nothing can exist without being related to Him. As such, the wrong conception of detaching relationships from the Lord is not false, but illusory.
Natures plan is to give everyone trouble.. This is the plan to bring the living entity and back Homem back to Godhead..
BG 18.64
BG 18.66
Pravritti – activities by which get attached to the material world
Nivritti – activities by which we get detached to the material world
Plan – put the living entities under the supervision of Durga mata. She trains them to not stay in this material world and go back to Godhead.. Every living entity will go back.. Eventually..
Surrendering to Krsna and following His instructions..
Dialectic Spiritualism – page 185
In Bhagavad-gita, it is also stated:
prakr:teiJ. kriyamaryani
gunaiiJ, karmaryi sarvasaiJ,
ahankara-vimucf,hatma
kartaham iti manyate
“The bewildered spirit soul, under the influence of the three modes of
material nature, thinks himself to be the doer of activities, which are in
actuality carried out by nature.” (Bg. 3. 27) Prakrti, material nature, is
controlling the living entity by her different modes, but in ignorance the
living entity is thinking, “I am inventing, I am acting, I am progressing.”
This is called maya, illusion. No one can progress or improve without
Krsna consciousness. The living entities have come into this material
world because they wanted to imitate Krsna. Therefore they have been
given a chance to engage in so-called enjoyment. At the same time,
Krishna is so kind that He has given them the Vedas, the right directions.
He says, “All right, if you want to enjoy, enjoy in this way so that one
day you may come back to Me. ” If a child insists on acting improperly,
the father may be very careful in giving him what he wants, and at the
same time directing him.
There are two kinds of activities. One is pravrtti, by which we become
very much attached to the material world. By the other type of activity,
nivritti, we become detached. Both activities are mentioned in the Vedas.
However, there is a plan. Because the living entities have forgotten or
disobeyed Krsna and are trying to enjoy life by imitating Him, they are
placed into this material world. Under the supervision of the superin-
tendent of this material world, Durga, these living entities can return
home, back to Godhead. That is the plan, and there is really no other.
Every one of us has to go back home, back to Godhead. If we do so
immediately and voluntarily, we save time; otherwise we waste time. We
have to come to this point. Therefore Bhagavad-gftii says: bahuniirh
janmaniim ante (Bg. 7. 19). After struggling for many births, the wise
man surrenders unto Krsna. The final point is surrender, and maya gives the living entity trouble in many different ways so that he will eventually come to this point. When he becomes frustrated in his attempts at sense gratification, it should be understood that he is receiving special favor.
When Krsna is anxious to reform the living entity, He bestows His mercy
by first of all taking away all his money.This is a special favor. The
living entity always wants to delay, but by special favor Krsna draws the
living entity to Him by force. This is explained in Caitanya-caritamr:ta.
The living entity wants Krsna, or God, but at the same time he wants to
enjoy the material world. This is inconsistent, because desiring God
means rejecting the material world. Sometimes the living entity is caught
between these two desires, and when Krsna sees this, He places him in
a hopeless condition. He takes away all his money, and then the living
entity sees that all his so-called relatives and friends tum from him,
saying, “Oh, this man is useless. He has no money.” In this hopeless
condition, the living entity surrenders to Krsna.
All beings are trying to be happy in this material world, but it is
nature’s plan to give them trouble. In other words, every attempt at happiness will be frustrated so that eventually the living entity will tum to
Krsna. This is the plan: to bring the living entity back home, back to
Godhead. This plan does not apply to just a few living entities. It is not
that some will remain here and others will go back to Godhead. No, the
whole plan is that everyone must come back to Godhead. Some living
entities are very obstinate, just like bad boys. The father says, “Come
on,” but the boy says, “No, I’ll not go.” It is then the father’s business
to drag him. At the end of Bhagavad-gita Krsna says:
sarva-guhyatamar’n bhuyalj,
swu me paramar’n vaca/j,
i�to’si me dr:cJham iti
tato vak§yiimi te hitam
“Because you are My very dear friend, I am speaking to you the most
confidential part of knowledge. Hear this from Me, for it is for your
benefit. ” (Bg. 18.64) Then He says, “Surrender unto Me, and I will give
you all protection.” (Bg. 18. 66) In Bhagavad-gfta, Krsna instructed
Arjuna in karma-yoga, jnana-yoga, and other yogas, but His final instruction was to surrender.
Misconceiving one thing for another thing is called illusion. For example, accepting a rope as a snake is illusion, but the rope is not false. The rope, as it exists in the front of the illusioned person, is not at all false, but the acceptance is illusory. Therefore the wrong conception of accepting this material manifestation as being divorced from the energy of the Lord is illusion, but it is not false. And this illusory conception is called the reflection of the reality in the darkness of ignorance. Anything that appears as apparently not being “produced out of My energy” is called māyā. The conception that the living entity is formless or that the Supreme Lord is formless is also illusion. In the Bhagavad-gītā (2.12) it was said by the Lord in the midst of the battlefield that the warriors standing in front of Arjuna, Arjuna himself, and even the Lord had all existed before, they were existing on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, and they would all continue to be individual personalities in the future also, even after the annihilation of the present body and even after being liberated from the bondage of material existence. In all circumstances, the Lord and the living entities are individual personalities, and the personal features of both the Lord and living beings are never abolished;only the influence of the illusory energy, the reflection of light in the darkness, can, by the mercy of the Lord, be removed. In the material world, the light of the sun is also not independent, nor is that of the moon. The real source of light is the brahmajyoti, which diffuses light from the transcendental body of the Lord, and the same light is reflected in varieties of light: the light of the sun, the light of the moon, the light of fire, or the light of electricity. So the identity of the self as being unconnected with the Supreme Self, the Lord, is also illusion, and the false claim “I am the Supreme” is the last illusory snare of the same māyā, or the external energy of the Lord.
Dialectic Spiritualism
Durga – Duty is to punish, She Awards things and slowly takes them away
Durga – Confidential maid servant of Krsna, Thankless task of punishing
This is nature’s law – Nature is functioning under Krsna.
Goddess Durga
If we follow the lord’s instructions we will all go back to Godhead..
Srila Prabhupada: All the laws of nature are working
under Krsna’s direction.
mayadhya�e1Ja prakr:til}
suyate sa-caracaram
hetunanena kaunteya
jagad viparivartate
“This material nature is working under My direction, 0 son of Kunt’i,
and it is producing all moving and unmoving beings. By its rule this
manifestation is created and annihilated again and again.” (Bg. 9. 10)
Material nature is the goddess Durga. It is she who is the superintendent
of the fort. Material nature is like a fort which no one can leave. Durga
is the confidential maidservant of Krsna, but she has a very thankless
task of punishing the demoniac living entities, who are thinking, “I will
worship my mother Durga,” not knowing that her engagement is punishment. She is not an ordinary mother. She gives the demonic living entity
whatever he wants. “Give me money. Give me a good wife. Give me
reputation. Give me strength.” Goddess Durga says, “All right, take
these things, but at the same time you will be frustrated with them.” On
the one hand, the living entity is given whatever he wants, and on the
other there is frustration and punishment. This is nature’s law, and nature
is functioning under the instructions of Krsna. The living entity in the
material world has revolted against Krsna. He wants to imitate Krsna
and become the enjoyer; therefore Krsna gives him all the resources of
material enjoyment, but at the same time He punishes him. The goddess
Durga is so powerful that she can create, maintain, and dissolve, but
she is working just like a shadow. A shadow does not move independently. The movement is coming from Krsna. A fool thinks that material
nature is there for his enjoyment. This is the materialistic view. When
he sees a flower, he thinks, “Nature has produced this flower for me.
Everything is for me.” In the Bible, it is stated that animals are placed
under the dominion or protection of men, but men mistakenly think,
“They are given to us to kill and eat.” If I entrust you to someone, is it
proper that he eat you? What kind of intelligence is this? This is all due
to a lack of Krsna consciousness.
The real truth is that God has a plan, and one has
to be taught that plan by one who knows it. This is explained in Caitanyacaritamr:ta:
nitya-siddha KrsnarJa-prema ‘siidhya’ kabhu naya
sraval]iidi-suddha-citte karaye udaya
“Pure love for Krsna is eternally established in the hearts of living entities. It is not something to be gained from another source. When the
heart is purified by hearing and chanting, the living entity naturally
awakens.” (Caitanya-caritiimr:ta, Madh. 22. 107) The truth is there, but
we have forgotten it. Through the process of chanting and hearing, we
can revive the truth, which is that we are eternal servants of Krsna. The
living entity is good by nature because he is part and parcel of the supreme good, but due to material association, he has become conditioned.
Now we have to again draw forth this goodness through the process of
Krsna consciousness.
Laws of Nature
BG 5.22
The more one is addicted to material pleasures, the more he is entrapped by material miseries.
BG 3.39
While one enjoys sense gratification, it may be that there is some feeling of happiness, but actually that so-called feeling of happiness is the ultimate enemy of the sense enjoyer.
BG 3.43
Desire for overlording and for sense gratification is the greatest enemy of the conditioned soul;
SB 3.25.13
In the material world, everyone is trying to get some material happiness, but as soon as we get some material happiness, there is also material distress. This is the law of the material world.
Whenever we do something independent of Krsna for our own sense gratification, we fall in the trap of Durga devi.. We get punished..
BG 7.16
As long as such a purified stage is not attained, devotees in transcendental service to the Lord are tainted with fruitive activities, the search for mundane knowledge, etc. So one has to transcend all this before one can come to the stage of pure devotional service.
KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM HH HARIVILAS MAHARAJ’S MORNING BHAGAVATAM CLASS ON SB 2.9.33 – Part 4:
One should be attached to the root of everything rather than bewildered by the branches and leaves. That is the instruction given in this verse.
One should be attracted by the beautiful vision of Kṛṣṇa. His name is Kṛṣṇa because He is all-attractive. One who becomes attracted by the beautiful, all-powerful, omnipotent vision of Kṛṣṇa is fortunate.
One who is attracted to the personal feature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and, above all, one who is attracted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead as Kṛṣṇa Himself, is the most perfect transcendentalist.
In other words, devotional service to Kṛṣṇa, in full consciousness, is the most confidential part of knowledge, and this is the essence of the whole Bhagavad-gītā
The Lord is not impersonal in His abode, which is always nirasta-kuhakam, as stated in the very beginning of the Bhāgavatam.
Practically speaking, there is no conflict between personalism and impersonalism. One who knows God knows that the impersonal conception and personal conception are simultaneously present in everything and that there is no contradiction. Therefore Lord Caitanya established His sublime doctrine: acintya bheda- and abheda-tattva – simultaneous oneness and difference.
The jurisdiction of Kṛṣṇa consciousness extends everywhere, and one who knows Kṛṣṇa consciousness is blessed. Those who do not know Kṛṣṇa are in illusion, and so knowledge of Kṛṣṇa is liberation, and ignorance of Him is bondage.
Even in the impersonal existence of the Lord, as it is in the material creation, one should aspire for personal realization of the Lord, and that is the meaning of paścād ahaṁ yad etac ca yo ’vaśiṣyeta so ’smy aham.
The science of God, bhagavat-tattva, the science of Absolute Truth, becomes manifest to the liberated soul.
One who has actually tasted spiritual life, his unwanted things of life would at once diminish.
If one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, by practice one comes to the point of giving up all these unwanted things.
One side, a person should cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and another side, he should try to give up all the unwanted things. That will help him. You cannot continue both the things.
Not that whatever you like, you can eat; whatever you like, you can do; at the same times you become spiritually advanced. This is all nonsense.
At least everyone who is interested in advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness must rise early in the morning, before four, and take his bath and become cleansed, perform maṅgala-ārātrika and study.
You can stand liberated on the platform of devotional service. As soon as you deviate from devotional service, immediately the māyā is standing. She’ll capture you.
Māyā means absence of Kṛṣṇa. Shadow means absence of light, sunshine. So if you always keep in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is no shadow of māyā.
SB 2.9.33 TRANSLATION:
Brahmā, it is I, the Personality of Godhead, who was existing before the creation, when there was nothing but Myself. Nor was there the material nature, the cause of this creation. That which you see now is also I, the Personality of Godhead, and after annihilation what remains will also be I, the Personality of Godhead.
Even in the impersonal existence of the Lord, as it is in the material creation, one should aspire for personal realization of the Lord, and that is the meaning of paścād ahaṁ yad etac ca yo ’vaśiṣyeta so ’smy aham.
Brahmājī also accepted the same truth when he was instructing Nārada. He said:
so ’yaṁ te ’bhihitas tāta
bhagavān viśva-bhāvanaḥ
(Bhāg. 2.7.50)
There is no other cause of all causes than the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari. Therefore this verse aham eva never indicates anything other than the Supreme Lord, and one should therefore follow the path of the Brahma sampradāya, or the path from Brahmājī to Nārada, to Vyāsadeva, etc., and make it a point in life to realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, or Lord Kṛṣṇa. This very confidential instruction to the pure devotees of the Lord was also given to Arjuna and to Brahmā in the beginning of the creation. The demigods like Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara, Indra, Candra and Varuṇa are undoubtedly different forms of the Lord for execution of different functions; the different elemental ingredients of material creation, as well as the multifarious energies, also may be of the same Personality of Godhead, but the root of all of them is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. One should be attached to the root of everything rather than bewildered by the branches and leaves. That is the instruction given in this verse.
BG 18.66
One should be attracted by the beautiful vision of Kṛṣṇa. His name is Kṛṣṇa because He is all-attractive. One who becomes attracted by the beautiful, all-powerful, omnipotent vision of Kṛṣṇa is fortunate. There are different kinds of transcendentalists – some of them are attached to the impersonal Brahman vision, some of them are attracted by the Supersoul feature, etc., but one who is attracted to the personal feature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and, above all, one who is attracted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead as Kṛṣṇa Himself, is the most perfect transcendentalist. In other words, devotional service to Kṛṣṇa, in full consciousness, is the most confidential part of knowledge, and this is the essence of the whole Bhagavad-gītā. Karma-yogīs, empiric philosophers, mystics and devotees are all called transcendentalists, but one who is a pure devotee is the best of all. The particular words used here, mā śucaḥ, “Don’t fear, don’t hesitate, don’t worry,” are very significant. One may be perplexed as to how one can give up all kinds of religious forms and simply surrender unto Kṛṣṇa, but such worry is useless.
SB 2.9.33
Therefore He is materially impersonal, just as the executive head of the state may be impersonal in the government offices, although he is not impersonal in the government house. Similarly, the Lord is not impersonal in His abode, which is always nirasta-kuhakam, as stated in the very beginning of the Bhāgavatam.
Nirastha – Negation by absence
Kuhakam – Illusion
Krsna seems to be impersonal in the material world because you do not see Him. Everything is contained in Him. Everything belongs to Him.
So there is impersonal and personal forms of the lord.
BG 7.8
Practically speaking, there is no conflict between personalism and impersonalism. One who knows God knows that the impersonal conception and personal conception are simultaneously present in everything and that there is no contradiction. Therefore Lord Caitanya established His sublime doctrine: acintya bheda- and abheda-tattva – simultaneous oneness and difference.
The light of the sun and the moon is also originally emanating from the brahma-jyotir, which is the impersonal effulgence of the Lord. And praṇava, or the oṁ-kāra transcendental sound in the beginning of every Vedic hymn, addresses the Supreme Lord. Because the impersonalists are very much afraid of addressing the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa by His innumerable names, they prefer to vibrate the transcendental sound oṁ-kāra. But they do not realize that oṁ-kāra is the sound representation of Kṛṣṇa. The jurisdiction of Kṛṣṇa consciousness extends everywhere, and one who knows Kṛṣṇa consciousness is blessed. Those who do not know Kṛṣṇa are in illusion, and so knowledge of Kṛṣṇa is liberation, and ignorance of Him is bondage.
The example of the sky within the pot and the sky outside the pot may be helpful to the student for his realization of the all-pervading quality of the cosmic consciousness of the Absolute Truth.But that does not mean that the individual part and parcel of the Lord becomes the Supreme by a false claim. It means only that the conditioned soul is a victim of the illusory energy in her last snare. To claim to be one with the cosmic consciousness of the Lord is the last trap set by the illusory energy, or daivī māyā. Even in the impersonal existence of the Lord, as it is in the material creation, one should aspire for personal realization of the Lord, and that is the meaning of paścād ahaṁ yad etac ca yo ’vaśiṣyeta so ’smy aham.
SB 6.4.34
They give the argument of ghaṭākāśa-paṭākāśa, in which the body is compared to a pot with the sky within and the sky without. When the pot breaks, the sky inside becomes one with the sky outside, and so the impersonalists say that the living being becomes one with the Supreme.
SB 7.1.9
The all-pervading Personality of Godhead exists within the heart of every living being, and an expert thinker can perceive how He is present there to a large or small extent. Just as one can understand the supply of fire in wood, the water in a waterpot, or the sky within a pot, one can understand whether a living entity is a demon or a demigod by understanding that living entity’s devotional performances. A thoughtful man can understand how much a person is favored by the Supreme Lord by seeing his actions.
Thus the knot in the heart is pierced, and all misgivings are cut to pieces. The chain of fruitive actions is terminated when one sees the self as master.
hidyate hṛdaya-granthiś
chidyante sarva-saṁśayāḥ
kṣīyante cāsya karmāṇi
dṛṣṭa evātmanīśvare
[SB 1.2.21]
This is complete liberated stage. In the previous verse it has been spoken, bhagavat-tattva-vijñānaṁ mukta-saṅgasya jāyate [SB 1.2.20]. The science of God, bhagavat-tattva, the science of Absolute Truth, becomes manifest to the liberated soul. We find sometimes that one man is posing to have very much advance in spiritual understanding, or a great devotee, but mukta-saṅga…, he’s not mukta-saṅga; he cannot give up smoking bīḍī. You see?
These are the small tests. One who has actually tasted spiritual life, his unwanted things of life would at once diminish. There is no need. Anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. Anartha. Anartha, things which are not wanted, which has no meaning. So mukta-saṅga means no material attachment. That is mukta-saṅga. When one is actually liberated, these are the signs.
Bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiḥ. Our material life begins by a knot in the heart. What is that knot? That is sex desire. This is the knot. A man is hankering after a woman, and a woman is hankering after a man. This attachment is the beginning of material life. Everyone, not only human society. In animal society, in bird society, in beast society you’ll find this sex attachment. This is the hṛdaya-granthiḥ, beginning.
Therefore, according to Vedic civilization, the first teaching to a student is to give him lesson how to become brahmacārī. How not to become attached in sex life, that is called brahmacārī. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa [SB 6.1.13]. Tapasā, to become brahmacārī, to become…, abstaining from sex life, it requires tapasya. It is not so easy thing. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa damena śamena. One has to practice how to control the mind, how to control the senses. This is brahmacarya. Tapasya. It requires tapasya.
At the present moment, the students are, what to speak of tapasya, they are given all kinds of luxuries. So how there will be brahmacārī? It is not possible. Especially in the Western countries, the boys and girls, they are educated in one place, co-education, and they live in the same building, and there are so many things. You know better than me.
So there is no brahmacārī. There is no brahmacarya. That means the knot in the heart, sex desire, is more and more increased. It is not decreased. But if one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, by practice one comes to the point of giving up all these unwanted things. Chidyante, bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiḥ [SB 1.2.21]. I have several times explained to you that this knot of the heart is the sex desire. Puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam [SB 5.5.8]. Sex desire, mithunī-bhāvam etam.
So there is no brahmacārī. There is no brahmacarya. That means the knot in the heart, sex desire, is more and more increased. It is not decreased. But if one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, by practice one comes to the point of giving up all these unwanted things. Chidyante, bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiḥ [SB 1.2.21]. I have several times explained to you that this knot of the heart is the sex desire. Puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam [SB 5.5.8]. Sex desire, mithunī-bhāvam etam.
Tayor hṛdaya-granthim. And when they’re actually united, that knot becomes more and more tight. But if one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then gradually, bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiḥ, that knot, sex desire… That is the test whether one’s sex desire has diminished. That is the test. Bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiḥ.
Bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiś chidyante sarva-saṁśayāḥ. Saṁśayāḥ [SB 1.2.21]. We are now in hazy conclusion what is our position. We do not know. We do not know what is God, what I am, what is our relationship. Everyone is speculating. There are…, therefore, there are so many parties = the jñānī party, the yogī party, the karmī party, generally. And within each and every party there are hundreds and thousands of parties. So when one actually becomes free from the knot, or the knot is cut off, the attachment for material desire is cut off, at that time he can understand what is his position. What is his position.
Therefore two things must go on in parallel line. One side, a person should cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and another side, he should try to give up all the unwanted things.That will help him. You cannot continue both the things. Just like when a person is diseased, he’s given medicine. At the same times, he has to act = not to take this, not to take that. That is the way of treatment. Not that whatever you like, you can eat; whatever you like, you can do; at the same times you become spiritually advanced. This is all nonsense.
Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa [SB 6.1.13]. One has to practice tapasya. Tapa. Tapa means a little inconvenience, voluntarily accepting inconvenience. Just like brahmacārī lies down on the floor. A sannyāsī also, they follow the same practice as far as possible. Taking bath three…, thrice daily, and so many rules and regulation are there. But at the present age, it is not possible to follow all the rules and regulation, but at least everyone who is interested in advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness must rise early in the morning, before four, and take his bath and become cleansed, perform maṅgala-ārātrika and study.
These are tapasya. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śamena ca damena va, tyāgena [SB 6.1.13]. Tyāgena means renouncement. I like something, but voluntarily I should give it up. That is called tyāga. Of course, one who takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness seriously, Kṛṣṇa helps him to become qualified in these matters.So bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiś chidyante sarva-saṁśayāḥ [SB 1.2.21].
Now unless one is taken to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness practice, he has got so many doubts = “Why I shall do this? Why I shall do that?” But when he is raised to the platform of goodness, as it is expressed, mukta-saṅgasya jāyate, bhagavat-tattva-vijñānam [SB 1.2.20], when he understands the science of God, automatically he becomes disinterested with these unwanted things. Kṣīyante ca asya karmāṇi. Karmāṇi, karmāṇi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhājām [Bs. 5.54].
We are bound up in this material existence due to our karma. According to my past karma, I have got this body, and again, as we are acting in this body, I am preparing forward my next body. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa [SB 3.31.1]. We have got varieties of body. Varieties of body. Not that because we are all human beings… We have got common factors—two hands, two legs, one head—but each body is different from the other body. You won’t find one pair of body exactly of the same nature. That is not possible. Because everyone’s karma is different. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa. According to our karma, we get different types of body.
So we have to stop this karma. We have to stop this karma. How you can stop this karma? Yajñārthe karmaṇaḥ anyatra karma-bandhanaḥ [Bg. 3.9]. If we simply act for Kṛṣṇa, then we get rid of the resultant action of karma. Yajñārthe karma. Whatever you do, you do for Kṛṣṇa. Yajñārthe. Yajña means Viṣṇu. Kṛṣṇa’s the origin of viṣṇu-tattva. So whatever you are ordered to do for Kṛṣṇa, you are not bound up by the karma. Otherwise, good or bad, you are bound up by the resultant action of karma.
So when one is actually in the liberated stage… Liberated stage means to remain fixed up in devotional service, bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ. Otherwise it is not possible. Evaṁ prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ [SB 1.2.20]. You can stand liberated on the platform of devotional service. As soon as you deviate from devotional service, immediately the māyā is standing. She’ll capture you.
You can see practically. There is sunshine, and just next to the sunshine, there is darkness, or shadow. So little deviation from the sunshine there is shadow. And little deviation from this shadow, you go to the sunshine. Both things are side by side, māyā and Kṛṣṇa. Māyā means absence of Kṛṣṇa. Shadow means absence of light, sunshine. So if you always keep in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is no shadow of māyā.
kṛṣṇa—sūrya-sama, māyā andhakāra
yāhāṅ kṛṣṇa tāhāṅ nāhi māyāra adhikāra
[Cc. Madhya 22.31]
Kṛṣṇa is just like sunshine, and māyā is just like darkness. So wherever there is sunshine, there cannot be any possibility of darkness. So you keep always yourself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then there is no possibility of māyā. And māyā means to engaged in fruitive activities.
Tṛtīya-karma, karma-saṅgaḥ anya tṛtīya-śaktir iṣyate. Māyā... So long we are in māyā, we have to engage ourself in fruitive activities, karma. Therefore here it is said, kṣīyante ca asya karmāṇi. One who is liberated, being engaged in devotional service, his karma, fruitive activities, stop immediately.
Yas tu indra. Indra means the king of heaven. And there is another indra, indra-gopa. It is a…, it is an insect, very small. That is called indra-gopa. So it is said, “Beginning from that Indra, the king of heaven, down to this indra, the small insect,” yas tv indra-gopam athavendram aho sva-karma, “everyone is enjoying, suffering according at the karma.”
The, that Indra, the king of heaven, is… You can become the king of heaven, provided you have got a mass of pious activities; you are promoted. Just like if you have got sufficient education, you can become high-court judge. It is not very difficult. Similarly, this Indra, Candra, Brahmā, big, big demigods, they have got all these posts on account of their great pious activities. Puṇya. Puṇya-karma. Similarly, the hogs and dogs and other animals, they are due to the pāpa-karma, impious activities. So both of them are resultant action of our karma.
So everyone is suffering or enjoying the resultant action of his karma—yas tv indra-gopam athavendram aho sva-karma-bandhānurūpa, bandhana—as he’s bound up by the resultant action of karma. Bandhānurūpa-phala-bhājanam āta… They are getting different results of their karma. It is very easy to understand.
But for the devotees it is said, karmāṇi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhājām [Bs. 5.54]. Bhakti-bhājām, those who have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness in devotional service, their karma is cut off. There is no resultant action. Just like you know chickpeas. Chickpeas, if you sow on the ground, it will fructify into a plant. But the same chickpea, if it is fried and you sow on the ground, it will not fructify. So our karma should be fried up by devotional service. Then it will not produce any result. And Kṛṣṇa also says in the Bhagavad-gītā, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi [Bg. 18.66].
So there is no resultant action of a devotee’s activity. Therefore here it is said, kṣīyante ca asya karmāṇi. Unless you have completely finished your resultant action of karma, you cannot be promoted to the spiritual world. You have to accept a type of material body so long karma will go on.
Therefore in another place, Bhāgavata, it is said that people are engaged as karmīs, and Ṛṣabhadeva says na sādhu manye. One is engaged in karma, it is not very good.
…na sādhu manye yata ātmano ‘yam
asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ
[SB 5.5.4]
By karma only we are getting different types of body, although it is temporary. But as soon as we are encaged in this body, we become subject to threefold miseries of life.
So for a devotee, there is no more karma, or there is no more material body. Kṛṣṇa also confirms in the Bhagavad-gītā, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti [Bg. 4.9]. After giving up this body, a devotee, he does not get anymore birth in this material body. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti. In his spiritual body he comes back home, back to Godhead.
So the same thing is expressed here = kṣīyante ca asya karmāṇi dṛṣṭa ātmani īśvare. He sees, ātmani dṛṣṭa, he realized his relationship with God, īśvare. He realizes that “I am eternal servant of God, eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa.” Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109]. He realizes it. And because he realizes it, he engages himself in that way. And that is the perfection of life.
BG 4.19
One is understood to be in full knowledge whose every endeavor is devoid of desire for sense gratification. He is said by sages to be a worker for whom the reactions of work have been burned up by the fire of perfect knowledge.
BG 2.38
Do thou fight for the sake of fighting, without considering happiness or distress, loss or gain, victory or defeat – and by so doing you shall never incur sin.
Lord Kṛṣṇa now directly says that Arjuna should fight for the sake of fighting because He desires the battle. There is no consideration of happiness or distress, profit or loss, victory or defeat in the activities of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That everything should be performed for the sake of Kṛṣṇa is transcendental consciousness; so there is no reaction to material activities. He who acts for his own sense gratification, either in goodness or in passion, is subject to the reaction, good or bad. But he who has completely surrendered himself in the activities of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is no longer obliged to anyone, nor is he a debtor to anyone, as one is in the ordinary course of activities. It is said:
“Anyone who has completely surrendered unto Kṛṣṇa, Mukunda, giving up all other duties, is no longer a debtor, nor is he obliged to anyone – not the demigods, nor the sages, nor the people in general, nor kinsmen, nor humanity, nor forefathers.” (Bhāg. 11.5.41) That is the indirect hint given by Kṛṣṇa to Arjuna in this verse, and the matter will be more clearly explained in the following verses.
BG 5.8 – 9
A person in the divine consciousness, although engaged in seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, moving about, sleeping and breathing, always knows within himself that he actually does nothing at all. Because while speaking, evacuating, receiving, or opening or closing his eyes, he always knows that only the material senses are engaged with their objects and that he is aloof from them.
BG 4.37
As a blazing fire turns firewood to ashes, O Arjuna, so does the fire of knowledge burn to ashes all reactions to material activities.
BG 5.16
When, however, one is enlightened with the knowledge by which nescience is destroyed, then his knowledge reveals everything, as the sun lights up everything in the daytime.
