Prabhupäda:

yasya sarve samärambhäù
käma-saìkalpa-varjitäù
jïänägni-dagdha-karmäëaà
tam ähuù paëòitaà budhäù

tyaktvä karma-phaläsaìgaà
nitya-tåpto niräçrayaù
karmaëy abhipravåtto 'pi
naiva kiïcit karoti saù

Now, how one can work without any lust? This process is being described by Çré Kåñëa to Arjuna. In our last meeting we have discussed the previous verse, that we have to... We may begin any gorgeous task. It doesn't matter. But we have to work in Kåñëa consciousness, not for sense gratification. That will make us free from the interaction of the activities. So long we are attached to work for sense gratification, so long we shall be under this obligation of reaction.

Now, if we want to get out of the reaction of material activity, then this is the formula given by Çré Kåñëa: käma-saìkalpa-varjitäù. Käma means one's sense gratification. "I want to do this thing for my sense gratification." That is materialism. But if I want to do something which will be satisfactory, which will give satisfaction to Kåñëa, that is Kåñëa consciousness. This very simple thing we are discussing in a different way. And this Kåñëa consciousness is attained by jïänägni-dagdha-karmäëam. Yes?

Devotee: If you look from this angle, the pane is broken.

Prabhupäda: No. Just like a fire burns everything, similarly, when we act in Kåñëa consciousness, after attainment of full knowledge of Kåñëa consciousness, then just like fire burns everything, similarly, the reaction of our activities will be burned. Jïänägni-dagdha-karmäëam. This verse we have already discussed. And the next verse is further explanation of this verse. Tyaktvä karma-phaläsaìgaà nitya-tåpto niräçrayaù.

Now, whatever we do, we desire some fruit out of it. Anything we do, we expect some result out of it. Sometimes the result may be bad, or sometimes the result may be very good. But a person in Kåñëa consciousness should not be attached either to the good result or bad result because even if I want good result, that is my attachment. And of course, if there is bad result, we haven't got any attachment, but sometimes we lament. That is our attachment. That is our attachment. So one has to transcend both from the good result and the bad result.

How it can be done? It can be done. Just like if you are working on account of some big firm. Suppose you are a salesman. You are working on behalf of that big firm. Now, suppose if you make one million dollars profit, you have no attachment for that because you know that "This profit goes to the proprietor." You have no attachment. Similarly, if there is some loss, you also know that "I have nothing to do with the loss. It goes to the proprietor."

Similarly, if we work on account of Kåñëa, then I shall be able to give up the attachment for the result of the work. Tyaktvä karma-phaläsaìgaà nitya-tåpto niräçrayaù. Nitya-tåpta, always satisfied: "Either there is good result or there is bad result, it doesn't matter. I shall remain satisfied in the sense that I am working under the direction of Kåñëa. So I have nothing to think of the result." Karmaëy evädhikäras te mä phaleñu kadäcana.

Just like Arjuna. Arjuna did not like to fight with his relatives, with his grandfather, but because Kåñëa wanted it, he fought, and he was satisfied. Because the principle was that "Kåñëa wants it, and Kåñëa is satisfied. Although I do not like to fight, but Kåñëa is satisfied; therefore I have to fight." This is Kåñëa consciousness. Nitya-tåpta. He is not dissatisfied: "Oh, I have to fight against my relatives, my grandfather, my teacher." Niräçraya. Niräçraya means he is not under the obligation of any good result or bad result. Niräçraya. "In this way, if we engage ourself in any activity," karmaëy abhipravåtto 'pi, "if one is engaged in such a spirit of neutrality, simply for the satisfaction of Kåñëa, then the result will be," karmaëy abhipravåtto 'pi, "although he is engaged in every sort of work," naiva kiïcit karoti saù, "he is free from that work. He is free from the result or reaction of such work."

So this is the process, that we, we have simply to act in Kåñëa consciousness, and by doing so, the reaction of such work will not affect me.

niräçér yata-cittätmä
tyakta-sarva-parigrahaù
çäréraà kevalaà karma
kurvan näpnoti kilbiñam

Kilbiñam. Kilbiñam means sin. We are materially so much entangled that even if we do not want to commit any sin, consciously or unconsciously we are obliged to commit some sort of sins. We are in such a circumstances.

Say for example, just like animal killing. Animal killing, according to Buddhist philosophy, or even according to Hindu philosophy, animal killing is a sort of sin. Now, suppose I am not inclined to kill animals or I do not kill animals. I avoid it. But intentionally or unintentionally, sometimes we have to kill animals. How is that? Now, suppose we are walking on the street. There are many ants who are being killed by the pressure of our legs unintentionally. Now, suppose... Of course, here you have got gas oven, but in India they have got ordinary country oven and that is worked daily. And sometimes in the oven some small germs and flies they take shelter. But when you fire the oven, they die. So that is unintentional. Sometimes we kill... The jug of water, and underneath the jug of water, there are many, I mean to say, small germs and flies. They take shelter. But when you take the jug, they are killed. In this way there are so many processes, unintentionally or intentionally, we have to kill. But they are taken into account; they are also sin. According to strict Vedic literature, if you kill even a bug, oh, you are sinful. You cannot kill even a bug. These are mentioned in the scriptures. Now, how we can avoid? How we can avoid?

That is the distinction[?]. I do not like to kill, but sometimes unintentionally they are killed. Therefore, according to Vedic literature, there are five kinds of yajïa performed to get oneself free from this unintentional killing of animals. Now, here Kåñëa says that çäréraà kevalaà karma kurvan näpnoti kilbiñam. If you make your principle of life that "I have to work simply for maintaining my body and soul together." Çäréram. Çaréram means body. Because I have to execute, I have to understand, Kåñëa consciousness, but without this body, how can I understand or culture Kåñëa consciousness? So my body must be maintained. And if I want to maintain my body, intentionally or unintentionally, I have to commit so many sins.

Take for example those who are vegetarians. They may think that "We are not killing animals." No. They are also committing sins because vegetables, they have also got life. So the nature's law is that to keep up your body you have to kill another body. Never mind it is vegetable or, I mean to say, animal or some fish or something else. You see? Jévo jévasya jévanam: "One living entity is the subsistence, life-giving subsistence, for another living being." That is the nature's law. You'll find. Ahastäni sahastänäm. The everything has been very nicely discussed in Vedic literature. They have discussed all the points.

Ahastäni sahastänäm: "Those who have got hands, they are eating," I mean to say, "living entities who have no hands." That means we are human being, we have got hands, and we are eating animals. They have got only legs; they have no hands. So sahastänäm ahastäni: "Those who have got hands, they are eating the animals which have no hands." And apadäni catuñ-padäm: "Those who have no legs, they are being eaten by the four-legged." Just like a cow eating grass. So grass cannot move. It has life, but it cannot move. So and... phalgüni tatra mahatäm. Phalgüni, "those who are weak, they are being eaten by the..." Just like we find lizards. In your country you don't find lizards. In India we have got many lizards in the walls. They are eating small ants. Phalgüni mahatäà tatra. And in the snake, snake kingdom, you will find the small snakes are being by the big snake. Similarly, in sea water also, you will find small fishes are being eaten by the big fishes.

And the same law is applicable in human society. A big nation is trying to swallow up a small nation. You see? This is going on. This is nature's law. Nature's law. You cannot avoid it. But there are those who are Kåñëa conscious. They... It is said that çäréraà kevalaà karma kurvan näpnoti kilbiñam: "Those who are in Kåñëa consciousness, they are not entangled in these sinful acts." How? They are also maintaining their body. So when they are maintaining their body, they have to commit sins. They have to eat other animals or vegetables. Never mind. So how they are not committing sins? These are very intelligent questions. There is Kåñëa consciousness.

A devotee of Lord Kåñëa, he does not eat anything which is not offered to Kåñëa. Just like you take the remnants of your master. Just like servant takes the remnants of master. The master eats. In India the process is that husband and wife, that after the husband eats, the remnants are taken by the wife. The wife does not eat along with the husband. That is the old system. Now it is being changed. The husband and wife, they do not... The husband is supplied by the wife all kinds of good dishes, and when the husband is satisfied, some foodstuff is left, and that is taken by the wife. So similarly, a devotee of Kåñëa, he does not take anything, does not accept anything, which is not offered to Kåñëa. This is the process. Because his life is full of Kåñëa consciousness.

And Kåñëa says in the Bhagavad-gétä, you will find... Suppose if you want to take things which have been eaten by Kåñëa, then you have to ask Kåñëa, "What do You desire to eat, sir?" Suppose if you want me, to feed, give me some foodstuff, naturally you ask me, "Swamiji, what sort of foodstuff you'll like?" I have got experience here in your country. I was invited in Butler, here also, by some churches, and they wanted to give me some food. So they asked me, "Swamiji, what do you desire to eat?" So I told them, "I eat... I am strictly vegetarian. I shall accept fruits and milk. That's all." Similarly, if anyone invites somebody, it is natural that the guest is asked what sort of foodstuff he would like.

Similarly, Kåñëa, if you want to offer something Kåñëa, you must know what sort of foodstuff He wants. How you will know? Kåñëa is not just present in your front. How you will know that Kåñëa wants this foodstuff? Oh, that is stated in the Bhagavad-gétä. Just like you can understand, what government expects from me, you can know from the lawbooks, from the civil court, similarly, what Kåñëa wants, it is stated in the Bhagavad-gétä. Kåñëa says,

patraà puñpaà phalaà toyaà
yo me bhaktyä prayacchati
tad ahaà bhakty-upahåtam
açnämi prayatätmanaù

Now, Kåñëa, the Supreme Lord, He is not hungry. He is not hungry that I shall supply Him foodstuff, and therefore He will be maintained. It is not like that. But still, Kåñëa says that patraà puñpaà phalaà toyaà bhaktyä prayacchati: "Any devotee, if he offers Me patram..." Patram means leaf. Puñpam means flower. Patraà puñpaà phalam. Phalam means fruit. Patraà puñpaà phalaà toyam. Toyam means milk or water. Generally, it is meant water.

Now, just see. To satisfy Kåñëa is not very difficult thing. Even the poorest man in the world, he can satisfy Kåñëa by these four items. Anyone can secure from any part of the world. It doesn't matter that because Kåñëa was, I mean to say, Kåñëa appeared in India, therefore He wanted Indian food. No. Patraà puñpaà phalaà toyam. Leaf, and flower, and fruit, and water. Oh, that is available in America, that is available in Czechoslovakia and Greenland, everywhere.

So this is the universal form of satisfying Kåñëa. Anyone-it doesn't matter however poor he is-he can satisfy Kåñëa. You do not require, "Oh, Kåñëa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, I have invited Him, so I must arrange very nice foodstuff." Of course, if you have got means to supply very nice foodstuff, you must. Otherwise you will be understood that you are miser. If for your own eating you prepare very nice dishes, and because Kåñëa says, "I will be satisfied with leaf and fruits," so you supply Kåñëa, "All right, sir. You take leaf and fruit. And for me, I shall take these palatable dishes," no. Kåñëa is very, I mean to say, intelligent also. He is more intelligent than... Then you are cheating Him. It is for the, I mean to say, poorest man. If you have got means...

In India there are many thousands of Kåñëa temples all over India, especially in Våndävana. I have several times told you that Våndävana is the city, only fifty thousand people, not even one hundred thousand, fifty thousand people within a small city. But there are five thousand temples, five thousand, all Kåñëa temples. Now, in each and every temple you will find how nice foodstuff. According to the capacity of the temple owner, oh, very, I mean to say costly foodstuff are being offered. And those foodstuff is distributed amongst the poor class men.

Now, at the present moment, after the, we have got sva-räja, or independence, the government has interfered with this sort of service. They say that "This is waste of money. Why you are offering?" They are becoming atheist. But this is not waste of money. At the cost of the rich men, the prasädam was being distributed to the poor class of men at a nominal cost. You see? Now, poor men, they go to hotel. But if they take prasädam in a temple, oh, the far better quality foodstuff is supplied to him only at nominal cost. In a hotel, what will be charged, one dollar, he can have it in the temple for ten cents. So this is still more sane.

In our childhood, when I was a boy of eight or ten years, sometimes I used to accompany my father. My father was a great devotee. He would take prasädam from the temple. So I have got experience that we paid for two dishes, four annas. Four annas means, according to modern exchange, it is five cents only, five cents according to your exchange value. For five cents we were, very nice prasädam we can get. Two persons we were fed. Still there is a place which is called Näthadvära. Näthadvära, if you pay there two annas, you will get worth prasädam, two dollars worth. So this system is going on still.

So if one has got sufficient means, he should supply Kåñëa to his best capacity. But when Kåñëa wants that "You give Me..." He says... This is the lowest common factor. Patraà puñpaà phalaà toyam. Anyone, any poor man in any part of the country, they can supply Kåñëa and take the prasädam. So that by taking that prasädam, you become free from the, I mean to say, responsibility of being sinful. That is the point. That you will find in Bhagavad-gétä, that yajïa-çiñöäçinaù santo mucyante sarva-kilbiñaiù: "If you take the remnants after offering Kåñëa, that foodstuff makes you free from all kinds of sin."

So anyone-it doesn't matter what he is-he can prepare foodstuff either family-wise or... Just like I am here, Hindu. I am cooking my foodstuff, and I am offering to Kåñëa, and I am taking, and as far as possible, some of the remnants is distributed to the devotees. So this process we can adopt, everyone, because we have to maintain this body. So if we do not take kåñëa-prasäda, then I become responsible for all kinds of sins. But if we take, accept, kåñëa-prasäda, then I have no responsibility because Kåñëa is taking.

Just like Arjuna is fighting. Arjuna was afraid of sinful acts by killing his kinsmen and, I mean to say, grandfather. But when he understood that "I am fighting on Kåñëa's account, so I am free." Çäréraà kevalaà karma kurvan na äpnoti kilbiñam. If you simply don't try to increase your artificial demands for maintaining this body... You have every right to live, and everyone has got right to live, not only myself. Even the ant has got the right to live. But in human society, so-called civilization, we give all protection to the human society, but we don't give any protection to the animal society.

Because it is due to want of Kåñëa consciousness. When we shall be Kåñëa conscious, then naturally we shall feel for every living entity because we shall know... Because in the Bhagavad-gétä it is stated, mamaiväàço jéva-loke jéva-bhütaù sanätanaù: [Bg. 15.7] "All these living entities, they are all My fragments." They are part and parcels of Kåñëa. Under circumstances, some of them have become lower animals, some of them have become big men, some of them become higher demigods, some of them become small germs. It doesn't matter. But they are all parts and parcels of Kåñëa. So a person who is under Kåñëa consciousness, he cannot make any injustice to any living entity. That is Kåñëa consciousness.

Therefore, one who has dedicated his life for acting on account of Kåñëa, under Kåñëa consciousness, niräçér yata-cittätmä, he has no other hope except, save and except, to satisfy Kåñëa. Niräçér yata-cittätmä tyakta-sarva-parigrahaù: "He doesn't like to make, exploit, the resources of the material nature." Whatever is obtained easily, as gift of nature, he accepts and he maintains his body and soul together for Kåñëa's satisfaction, and he eats everything which is offered to Kåñëa. Then he is freed from all kinds of sinful reactions.

Now, by the next çloka, it is more nicely explained.

yadåcchä-läbha-santuñöo
dvandvätéto vimatsaraù
samaù siddhäv asiddhau ca
kåtväpi na nibadhyate

Now, the process of life described here, yadåcchä-läbha-santuñöaù: "One should be satisfied with things which comes very easily." We should not try for anything too much to obtain it. No. We shall be satisfied. Whatever comes automatically or by the will of Kåñëa, we may be satisfied in that way. Yadåcchä-läbha. For gaining something, we should not be too much endeavoring. Then I shall be deviated from Kåñëa consciousness.

There are six formulas which can deviate us from Kåñëa consciousness, and there are six formulas which can encourage us, which can enhance, advance us in Kåñëa consciousness. And what are they? Now, first of all let me state what are "against" principles, against Kåñëa consciousness, against the principle of Kåñëa consciousness. What are they?

atyähäraù prayäsaç ca
prajalpo niyamägrahaù
jana-saìgaç ca laulyaà ca
ñaòbhir bhaktir vinaçyati

Ñaòbhir bhaktir vinaçyati. Vinaçyati means is lost. Kåñëa consciousness is lost. How? By these six processes. What are the six processes? Atyähära. Atyähära means to eat more than you require, and atyähära means to accumulate wealth more than what you require.

The whole trouble of the world is that nobody is satisfied. If he's a poor man, if he thinks, "Oh, my income is $100. If I get $400 per month, then I will be very happy." But when he gets $400, he expects, "Oh, if I get $1,000, then I shall be happy." In this way it is going on. Nobody is satisfied. But here it is said, yadåcchä-läbha-santuñöaù. That automatically comes, as we make progress in the matter of Kåñëa consciousness, then our demand for more enjoyment, more accumulation of wealth, diminishes. That is the symptom of Kåñëa consciousness. Yadåcchä-läbha-santuñöaù.

So atyähära. Atyähära means to acquire more than we need. Because we have to maintain this body and soul together, then we must earn something or acquire something to keep my health and body fit. That is all right. But we should not try unnecessarily for accumulating more. Suppose if I am satisfied by some grains and vegetables and fruits and milk, if my health is properly kept, why should I eat more than that simply for satisfying the palate, my tongue? Oh, no. We should not do that. Yadåcchä-läbha-santuñöaù. So atyähära, atyähära, to accept more than what we need, that is against Kåñëa consciousness.

And prayäsa. Prayäsa means we have to acquire something, but if it requires a heavy work, heavy, I mean to say, endeavor, we should avoid it. We should avoid it.

Atyähäraù prayäsaç ca prajalpaù. Prajalpa means for nothing talking nonsense. People are accustomed to talk so many things unnecessarily just in clubs, amongst friends' circle, which has no benefit either spiritually or materially. So that sort of talking should be avoided.

Atyähäraù prayäsaç ca prajalpo niyamägrahaù. Niyamägraha means to stick to the rules regulation. Suppose in your faith or in my faith there are certain rules and regulations to be observed. But if I go to some other place where the rules and regulations cannot be strictly observed, and if I want to observe such rules and regulations, then my main business is suffering. So we should not stick to the rules and regulations. We should see to the business.

Just like I am an Indian sannyäsé. I have come to your country, at your country. Oh, there are many rules and regulations in India which is different from your rules and regulations. But if I follow, if I stick to rules and regulations of Indian conception, then it is impossible to remain here. So I have to propagate this mission, Kåñëa consciousness, so I am not so much attached to the rules and regulations, but I am attached to the preaching work. So therefore niyamägraha. Atyähäraù prayäsaç ca prajalpo niyamägrahaù. This four, this niyamägraha, is also against Kåñëa consciousness. And niyamägraha. And when you are in a quite convenient position, if you do not observe the rules and regulations, that is also against Kåñëa consciousness. Atyähäraù prayäsaç ca prajalpo niyamägrahaù.

And laulyam. Laulyam means greediness. That is against Kåñëa consciousness. Laulyam, and jana-saìgaç ca. Jana-saìga means to associate with persons who are not interested in Kåñëa consciousness. We should avoid. We should avoid association of persons who are not interested in Kåñëa consciousness. If we make more association with persons who are not interested in Kåñëa consciousness, then it will go against me.

So these are six "against" rules. Similarly, there are six favorable rules. What are they?

utsähän niçcayäd dhairyät
tat-tat-karma-pravartanät
saìga-tyägät sato våtteù
ñaòbhir bhaktiù prasidhyati

Prasidhyati means it flourishes. The cause is advanced. How? Utsähät. We should be very much enthusiastic: "Oh, Kåñëa consciousness is so nice. We have heard about Kåñëa consciousness so nice things. It is so beneficial for successful human mission, so I must have it. I must execute this Kåñëa consciousness." This is called utsähät, to become energetic, not lethargic but energetic. So utsähäd dhairyät. Dhairyät means with patience. Suppose I have begun immediately. So if there are so many impediments, I am not immediately successful, oh, that does not matter. I must be patient.

Utsähäd dhairyän niçcayät. Niçcayät means with confidence. Confidence. Because Kåñëa says this is this, so I must have confidence. "So Kåñëa says like this, so it is sure it is successful." I must have that confidence. Utsähäd dhairyän niçcayät, and tat-tat-karma-pravartanät. And you have to do, you have to act accordingly, as Kåñëa says. If you do not act, then... So tat-tat-karma-pravartanät sato våtteù, and your profession should be very honest. Sato våtteù.

And sädhu-saìge, and you should associate. Just like the "against" rule is to associate with persons who are not Kåñëa conscious, similarly, sädhu-saìge. Sädhu-saìga means... Sädhu means who are culturing Kåñëa consciousness. They are called sädhu. You will find in the Bhagavad-gétä, api cet su-duräcäro bhajate mäm ananya-bhäk, sädhur eva sa mantavyaù [Bg. 9.30]. About sädhu I have explained several times. So sädhu-saìga, we have to make association with persons who are spiritually interested and who are trying to culture Kåñëa consciousness, that association.