| Bhagavad-gétä 4.9 -- Bombay, March 29, 1974
Pradyumna: (leads text chanting) Translation: "One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities, does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna." Prabhupäda: janma karma ca me divyam This is very important verse. Tyaktvä dehaà punar janma naiti. Our problem is this transmigration of the soul, one body to another. This is going on. Because you do not know how to get out of it, modern education they do not know even what is soul, what is this body, how the transmigration of the soul taking place. All blunt. There is no educational institution all over the world to understand this science. Although it is the most important science for the human being. Tyaktvä dehaà punar janma naiti [Bg. 4.9]. No more transmigration of the soul. The soul, in its original spiritual body, can be transferred from this material world to the spiritual world. And there is the spiritual world as I've already explained, that is three times creation of the Lord. This is only one-fourth, this material world. So our problem of human life is to get out of these material clutches and transfer ourselves to the spiritual world. That is real problem. Not this food problem, that problem. This will go on. So long you are in the material world, such problems will come and go. They're not permanent. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gétä. Ägamäpäyinaù anityäù täàs titikñasva bhärata. These problems, they'll come and they'll go. Just like seasonal changes. mäträ-sparçäs tu kaunteya That is real knowledge. We should not be disturbed by the material problems. You cannot avoid them. So long... Just like if you are in the winter season, how you can avoid cold, infection by cold, or affection by cold? You cannot avoid. That does not mean, because it is the season is very cool and you cannot take bath. No. You must take bath. That is Aryan civilization. Still in India we'll find in the villages severe cold. Still the people are taking bath early in the morning. They are accustomed. But now we are giving up. Now we are rising at seven o'clock because we are advanced in education. And if there is maìgala-ärätrika, it is nuisance. This is our advancement of civilization at the present moment. But if you go in the villages, you'll find that the villagers rising early in the morning, they're taking bath, changing cloth, and chanting Hare Kåñëa as far as possible. Still in the mass of people of India, the Kåñëa consciousness is still existing, it is not yet lost. And they believe in the next birth, next life, past life, they believe in God, in Kåñëa. They're satisfied with that position, but the modern leaders they do not like it. They want to make them intoxicated so that they can work like an ass for the morsel of food. But this is not the problem. The real problem is here, stated, that you should stop the disease of birth and death. That is real problem. Tyaktvä dehaà punar janma [Bg. 4.9]. The human life is meant for making a solution of the repetition of birth and death. That is real problem. Janma-måtyu-jarä-vyädhi-duùkha-doñänudarçanam. We are finding fault with so many things. But really we should find fault with this process of repetition of birth and death. People are now being educated in this way that there is no more life. You have got this life and you enjoy the senses as far as possible. That is nastik theory. This nastik or atheism... There were many saints in India also. One of them is Carvaka. He's very famous atheist. His philosophy is hedonism. Åëaà kåtvä ghåtaà pibet yävaj jévet sukhaà jévet. His theory is, because in India the luxury is to eat something which is cooked in ghee: luci, puré, halavä. So Carvaka Muni says that you take loan from your friends if you have no money and eat as much as possible ghee. Åëaà kåtvä ghåtaà pibet yävaj jévet sukhaà jévet. And so long you live, you live by gratifying your senses. Here sukham means sense gratification. But according to Vedic civilization, sukham ätyantikaà yat tad aténdriyam grähyam. What is the actual happiness? That is beyond your senses. Not sense gratification. But because we are materially absorbed, we think indriyäëi paräëy ähur [Bg. 3.42]. Indriya. the senses, always all. To satisfy the senses that is sukh. That is happiness. And those who are a little disgusted with sense gratification, indriyäëi paräëy ähur indriyebhyaù paraà manaù [Bg. 3.42]. They are mental speculators. They write poetries and utopian theories, "This philosophy, that philosophy." In this way they satisfy the mind. But that is also not happiness. Mental happiness. Mano-rathena asato dhävato bahiù. If you become satisfied by mental happiness, then you'll have to come down again. Asato. Asato mä sad-gamaù. Real life is: "Don't stay in this temporary world but go to the real world, paras tasmät tu bhävo 'nyo 'vyakto 'vyaktät sanätanaù [Bg. 8.20]. You'll find all these things in Bhagavad-gétä. So either on the bodily plane or on the mental plane you cannot be happy. That is not possible. But if you want to be happy then you have to come to the spiritual platform and engage in spiritual activities, sukham ätyantikaà yat tad aténdriyam grähyam. Aténdriya means above the material platform of sensual and mental activities. So spiritual activities means devotional service. Spiritual activities mean devotional service, activities in relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga means, as I have repeatedly explained, that you have to forget your identification with the matter, sarvopädhi-vinirmuktam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. You have to forget your body as American, Indian, brähmaëa, kñatriya, çüdra, Hindu, Muslim. That you have to forget. Ahaà brahmäsmi, "I am spirit soul." That is real identification. And when the spirit soul is active, sometimes the Mäyävädé philosophers, they think, "Now I've realized that I am not this body, I am not matter, I am spirit soul, so now I have become Näräyaëa. I have become the Supreme." But no, that is also mistake. When you realize that "Supreme is the Supreme Brahman, Parabrahman, I am part and parcel of the Supreme, I am also Brahman, but I am not the Supreme Brahman, therefore my business is to serve Parabrahman." That is real spiritual life. That is the beginning of spiritual life. brahma-bhütaù prasannätmä Parä bhakti. Parä-bhakti, that is real spiritual life. Parä aparä, aparä bhakti means on the material platform. Generally, the Deity worship. This is the beginning, but as you go on worshiping the Deity you realize your spiritual identity. Then you do not see the Deity as made of stone or wood. You see directly the Supreme Personality of Godhead and you can talk, you can receive an inspiration. This is the beginning. arcäyäm eva haraye We should learn how to do good to the people in general. They have forgotten their relationship with God. You should be sympathetic for them. That they're suffering on account of their forgetfulness of God, let us do some service to them. (indistinct) Awaken them. Awaken their Kåñëa consciousness. That is Kåñëa consciousness movement. It is the best welfare activities to the human society. Because he has got, he has forgotten Kåñëa, he's suffering and if you awaken his Kåñëa consciousness then he will be happy. Just like a rich man's son. He has forgotten that his father is very rich, or his father has left immense property. But forgetting his real position, he's loitering in the street, hungry. You can call him, "All right, you take some food." That is not real benefit, that is temporary. But if you awaken his real consciousness, that he is the son of a very rich man, his father has got immense property, "Why don't you go back to your father and be happy?" That is Kåñëa consciousness movement. That is stated here. Janma karma ca me divyaà yo vetti tattvataù [Bg. 4.9]. One has to understand Kåñëa, tattvataù, in truth. Not superficially. What is Kåñëa? Kåñëa is the supreme leader. Nityo nityänäà cetanaç cetanänäm. supreme leader, perfect leader, without any mistake, without any illusion, without any cheating, and without any imperfection of the senses. We have to take direction from such a leader, then our life will be successful. And because we are taking direction from imperfect leaders, cheater leaders, therefore we are meeting with so many problems. Kåñëa says that yadä yadä hi dharmasya glänir bhavati bhärata. Tadätmänaà såjämy aham [Bg. 4.7]. That I have already explained, what is that gläniù? The gläniù is when we forget Kåñëa. Then our activities become polluted. Just like a servant. If he forgets that there is master, then he becomes polluted. He steals, he mismanages things, things become very disordered. But if he has got the sense that "I have got my master, everything belongs to my master," and if he acts accordingly, that is very nice. So we do not know what is the constitutional position of Kåñëa and what is my constitutional position. That is called sambandha-jïä. My relationship with Kåñëa. Everyone of us has got a relationship. Kåñëa says in the Fifteenth Chapter, mamaiväàço jéva-bhütaù [Bg. 15.7]. Just like sons are part and parcel of the father. Father's body extends as son and daughter. Similarly we are also expansion of Kåñëa's body. We are vibhinnäàça. Kåñëa expands in two ways, sväàça and vibhinnäàça. The vibhinnäàça expansion we are, we living entities. But because we have forgotten Kåñëa, we have come to enjoy this material world, we are becoming infected with the modes of material nature, and accepting different types of body, 8,400,000 species of life. But somehow or other if we come in contact with Kåñëa, by the mercy of Kåñëa's confidential devotees, then our life becomes success. That is described here. Tyaktvä dehaà punar janma naiti [Bg. 4.9]. Then this transmigration of the soul stops. Tyaktvä dehaà punar janma naiti. Punar janma naiti, does not mean that soul is finished. No. This body, material body, na hanyate hanyamäne çarére [Bg. 2.20]. This material body, when it is dissolved, païcatvaà präpta, mixes with these five elements, earth, water, fire, air, it does not mean that the soul is finished. The soul is there. The soul is transmigrating to another body. Karmaëä daiva-netreëa. By the supervision of the external energy, and superior superintendent, we are transferred to a different body by the subtle body, mana, buddhi, ahaìkära. But these foolish people, they do not know how the soul is... They do not know what is soul and how the soul is being transferred. But these things are all explained in the Bhagavad-gétä. Just like we cannot see the flavor, but when the flavor passes through carried by the air, we can smell. Similarly, we can smell how the soul is being transferred. These processes are explained in the Bhagavad-gétä. Therefore our duty is to know Kåñëa. Janma karma. Kåñëa comes, Kåñëa appears, Kåñëa disappears. Why Kåñëa comes? Why Kåñëa is not seen? Janma karma. Why He acts? Why He takes birth in the battlefield of Kurukñetra? Why He teaches Arjuna? Why He dances with the gopés? So many things Kåñëa's life. We have read Kåñëa book. There are so many activities. They're all transcendental, although they're written just like ordinary story activities of a person. But they are not ordinary things. If you simply read Kåñëa book, although it looks like story, then you become delivered from these clutches of repetition of birth and death. It is so nice. Because you will understand Kåñëa, what is Kåñëa, and here it is said, janma karma ca me divyaà ye jänäti tattvataù [Bg. 4.9]. It is explained. The people who are reading Kåñëa book very seriously, and tries to understand Kåñëa, he will understand. Kåñëa is very kind. As soon as he begins reading Kåñëa book with a little faith and adherence, Kåñëa will be very much pleased. Çåëvatäà sva-kathäù kåñëaù puëya-çravaëa-kértanaù [SB 1.2.17]. As soon as Kåñëa is within your heart so when you read Bhagavad-gétä or Kåñëa book with little seriousness, then Kåñëa understands, "Now he is serious to understand me." He's with the.... You haven't got to search out Kåñëa, He's already within you. Simply you have to become little serious. "Kåñëa, kindly give me knowledge so that I can understand." Buddhi-yogaà dadämi tam. If you are serious devotee, if you are in love with Kåñëa, teñäà satata-yuktänäà bhajatäà préti-pürvakam [Bg. 10.10]. If you are engaged in His worshiping, in chanting, man-manä bhava mad-bhakto mad-yäjé mäà namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. If you simply follow these four principles, simply thinking of Kåñëa, simply, always, sa vai manaù kåñëa-padäravindayoù. Simply meditate. This is meditation. Meditation means as you see the form of Kåñëa, and whenever you go, the impression of the form will be within your eyes, and if you think of Kåñëa, your life is succesful. Therefore the Deity of Kåñëa should be seen. That is the benefit of the eyes. The ears should be engaged hearing about Kåñëa. The tongue should be engaged for eating Kåñëa's remnants of foddstuff, prasädam. The nose should be engaged for smelling the flower which is offered to Kåñëa, or the tulasé. In this way, when you engage all your senses, the legs should be utilized for coming to this temple to see Kåñëa. Not to going to the cinema rascal. Then your life will be successful. You'll understand Kåñëa. Kåñëa is very kind. He says teñäà satata-yuktänäm [Bg. 10.10], if you engage all your senses for understanding Kåñëa with devotion and faith, préti-purvakam, with love, the love is the basic principle of understanding Kåñëa. But you will develop your love. The love means, just like it is said, dadäti pratigåhëäti. You are coming into the temple if you give something, patraà puñpaà phalaà toyaà. Little things. "Kåñëa, I have brought You. I could not bring any very costly thing, but I've collected these patraà puñpaà phalaà toyaà. Kåñëa is pleased, tad aham açnämi. Kåñëa says patraà puñpaà phalaà toyaà Because he has brought it, Kåñëa is not beggar. Kåñëa can create millions of fruits and flowers. He's ätmäräma, He's fully satisfied in Himself. He's so opulent. But He wants that you should also love Kåñëa and give Him something. That He wants. Therefore He comes, pariträëäya sädhünäm. Therefore He comes. He's not poor. Kåñëa is all opulent. Lakñmé-sahasra-çata-sambhrama-sevyamänam [Bs. 5.29]. He's always being worshiped by many hundreds and thousands of goddesses of fortune. Here we worship Goddess Lakñmé, goddess of fortune, "Mother, give me some money." And that also does not stay. Lakñmé's another name is caïcala, sometimes she favors and goes away. But Kåñëa is so opulent that millions of godesses of fortune are engaged in His service. So why He's asking you, patraà puñpaà phalaà toyaà? He's asking out of love. That, "You try to love Me. If You are so poor you cannot give Me anything, alright, give me little flower, little fruit. I will be satisfied." Kåñëa is so kind. And still you are not taking the opportunity of understanding Kåñëa. Just see how much unfortunate we are. As you serve Kåñëa, you understand Kåñëa. You cannot understand Kåñëa otherwise, unless you render service. Sevonmukhe hi jihvädau svayam eva sphuraty adaù. Ataù çré-kåñëa-nämädi na bhaved grähyam indriyaiù If you simply exact your senses, your nice brain, "Kåñëa is like this, Kåñëa is like that," but if you are not a devotee, Kåñëa will not reveal Himself. Nähaà prakäçaù sarvasya yoga-mäyä-samävåtaù [Bg. 7.25]. The rascal's mental speculation will not help him to understand Kåñëa, what He is. That is not possible. His all activities are divyam, transcendental. We cannot understand with our material blunt senses. That is not possible. Therefore, the çästra says, ataù çré-kåñëa-nämädi na bhaved grähyam indriyaiù These blunt senses, you cannot understand Kåñëa. Or Kåñëa means His name, His form, His quality, His activities, His pastimes, so many things. Janma karma. So how Kåñëa will be understood then? Sevonmukhe hi jihvädau. If you engage your tongue in His service, then that is the recommendation of Vedic literature. That, first of all, you have to engage your tongue. Kåñëa's service begins from the tongue, because tongue has got two functions, namely to vibrate to speak something, and to taste something. So you engage. You simply engage your tongue for chanting and glorifying Kåñëa, and eat prasädam, then the two tongue's business will be finished. Sevonmukhe. You eat Kåñëa's prasädam. kåñëa baro doyämoy, koribäre jihwä jay, Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura has taught that our tongue is very fastidious, wants to eat this thing, that thing, this thing, that thing. Even after... We have seen. He has eaten sumptuously at home but as soon as he comes out, "Let us go to the restaurant, let us have a cup of tea, a little this or that." The tongue is always dictating. "You eat this, you eat that, you eat that, you like that." That is going on. So if you want to control your tongue, then give him Kåñëa prasädam. That "I'll not accept anything which is not offered to Kåñëa." Then your tongue becomes controlled. And if you can control your tongue, your other senses will be automatically controlled. And yogic perfection means controlling the senses. Yoga indriya-samyamaù. So a devotee of Kåñëa is the first-class yogi. That is accepted by Kåñëa. yoginäm api sarveñäà So this Kåñëa consciousness movement means to train people to become the topmost yogi. Topmost yogi. Because they have controlled their senses. No meat eating, no intoxication, not even smoking or drinking tea. This is yoga (indistinct). Not that simply by pressing nose one becomes yogi. Practical life. After performing yoga, "Oh, my tongue is now dry, give me one bidi. (indistinct) one bidi." That is not yoga practice, smoking gaïja, bidi, intoxication, tea, and he has become a yogi. These are useless, all bogus. Yoga means he has controlled his senses. Yoga indriya-samyamaù. The yoga practice means controlling the senses and engaging the mind on the lotus feet of Kåñëa. That is yoga system. yaà brahmä varuëendra-rudra-marutaù stunvanti
divyaiù stavair Dhyänävasthita, meditation, always seeing the lotus feet of Kåñëa. Nowadays they have manufactured some meditation, something light, this, that, all nonsense. Dhyänävasthita-manasä, mind being absorbed. Sa vai manaù kåñëa-padäravindayor. That is real yoga system. Meditation. Now it is the age of meditation. Meditation is not meant for this age. Meditation is meant for the satya-yuga. What is that verse? Kåte yad dhyäyato viñëum. Kåte, kåte means satya-yuga. People were very restrained, all paramahaàsas. In those days it was possible to meditate. At the present moment our mind is so disturbed, we are disturbed in so many ways. Meditation is not possible in this age. Maybe there may be one or two persons who can meditate. The real meditation means to think of Kåñëa. Man-manä bhava mad-bhakto mad-yäjé mäà namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. That is real meditation. So in this way, if we engage our life, that means bhakti-yoga, then Kåñëa reveals, ataù sri-kåñëa-nämädi na bhaved grähyam indriyaiù If you simply speculate, tax your senses to understand Kåñëa by so-called scholarship, that will not help you. Sevonmukhe hi jihvädau. You engage your tongue in the service of the Lord, then He'll reveal. It is a revelation. It is not speculation. The speculators cannot understand what is Kåñëa, that is not possible. Those who are actually devotees, teñäà satata-yuktänäm [Bg. 10.10]. Twenty-four hours engaged in the service of the Lord. çravaëaà kértanaà viñëoù Out of these nine methods, all the nine, or eight, seven, six, even one. If you engage yourself. Just like Mahäräja Parékñit, he engaged himself simply for hearing. He become perfect. Simply by hearing Bhägavata from Çukadeva Gosvämé. And Çukadeva Gosvämé also became perfect, simply by reciting Çrémad-Bhägavatam. Çré viñëoù smarane, çravaëe parikñid abhavad vaiyäsakiù kértane. This is also kértana. Abhavad vaiyäsakiù kértane. Prahlädaù smarane. Prahläda Mahäräja, he was put into so many difficulties by his father. He could not resist, he was a poor child, five years. And the rascal father was teasing him in so many ways. So what could he do? He was simply thinking of Kåñëa, "What can I do?" There are so many processes. If you take one of the processes your life will be successful. Simply by thinking of Kåñëa. Janma karma me divyaà, yo jänäti tattvataù. Who can know? Yo jänäti tattvataù, to whom Kåñëa reveals, he can know. He can know what is Kåñëa, and as soon as you have done this business you have understood Kåñëa, then tyaktvä dehaà punar janma naiti [Bg. 4.9]. No more birth in this material world. To take birth in this material... Because you have got this body, therefore you have to suffer threefold miseries. We foolishly... You are trying to make adjustments to become happy here. It is not possible, because this place is recommended by Kåñëa: duùkhälayam açäçvatam [Bg. 8.15], it is a place of miseries. How you can become happy here? This is illusion. You can never be happy in this material world, but you are trying to become happy in so many politician, social workers, this and that, simply wasting their time. They cannot be. You have to accept the leadership of Kåñëa. Then you will be happy. If you accept the leadership of rascals, fools, you cannot be happy. Demons. They'll put you into difficulties. Now, just this evening, one gentleman was speaking about Ahmedabad, that the students have burned so many buses, they're now uncontrollable. So this is going on all over the world. People are frustrated, because on account of these rascal leaders. They are taking the position of leadership, but they're all rascals and fools, they cannot lead. If you want to be happy, take actual leadership of Kåñëa, then you'll be happy. Thank you very much. (end) |