Prabhupada.

Foreword

Kapila Muni, a renowned sage of antiquity, is the author of the

philosophical system known as Sankhya, which forms an important part of

lndia's ancient philosophical heritage. Sankhya is both a system of

metaphysics, dealing with the elemental principles of the physical

universe, and a system of spiritual knowledge, with its own methodology,

culminating in full consciousness of the Supreme Absolute. Kapila,

however, is not an ordinary philosopher or sage. According to Vedic

tradition, the tradition of lndia's ancient scriptural literature, He

Himself is an avatara (incarnation) of the Supreme Absolute Truth.

Kapila's teachings are originally inscribed in the Srimad-

Bhagavatam, or Bhagavata purana, one of the most important scriptural

documents of Vedic theism. Within the Bhagavatam, Kapila's teachings

comprise Chapters Twenty-five through Thirty-three of the Third Canto.

This book, Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahuti, is based on a

unique series of lectures presented in Bombay, India, in the spring of

this series, Srila Prabhupada spoke from the Twenty-fifth Chapter, which

contains the beginning of Lord Kapila's teachings. Srila Prabhupada is

the author of a celebrated multivolume translation and commentary on the

entire text of the Bhagavatam, and at the time of the Kapila lectures he

had already completed his written commentary on the section of the

Bhagavatam dealing with Kapiladeva's teachings. In these special

lectures, however, Srila Prabhupada went into significantly greater

detail in elucidating the verses and shed an even broader light upon

these fascinating teachings.

The text begins with the words of Saunaka, the foremost of the

sages of Naimisaranya, the vastly learned sages to whom Srimad-

Bhagavatam was originally spoken some thousands of years ago. The sages

have already heard about Lord Kapiladeva from Suta Gosvami, an exalted

spiritual master, and it is clear from Saunaka's words that they accept

Kapila Muni as being an incarnation of the Lord Himself and as therefore

being the highest authority on yoga and transcendental knowledge. In

recounting the history of Lord Kapila, Suta Gosvami, in accordance with

Vedic principles for presenting spiritual knowledge, refers to discourse

by great spiritual masters who have previously discussed this same

subject. In this case, Suta Gosvami refers to a discussion between

Vidura and the great sage Maitreya, who was a friend of Vyasadeva, the

original compiler of the Vedic literature.

As Suta Gosvami has already described, Lord Kapila appeared in this

world as the son of Kardama Muni, a master of mystic yoga, and his wife,

Devahuti. Both Kardama Muni and Devahuti were aware of the divinity of

their son. Indeed, even before Kapila's birth, Lord Brahma himself, the

chief created person in this universe, had appeared before Devahuti and

revealed to her that her son was to be an incarnation of the Supreme

Lord and that this incarnation would enlighten her with spiritual

knowledge.

According to the Vedic social system, a man with a grown son may

accept the order of sannyasa, thus renouncing all connections with his

family and worldly life, and entrust his wife to the care of his son.

Kardama Muni, of course, knew that his son was an incarnation of the

Supreme Lord, yet to honor this Vedic system and emphasize its

importance, he too eventually accepted sannyasa, entrusting his wife,

Devahuti, to the care of his divine son, Kapiladeva. Therefore, as Suta

Gosvami begins to answer Saunaka's request to hear further about Lord

Kapiladeva, the sages have already been informed of how Kardama Muni

departed for the forest, leaving Kapiladeva behind with Devahiti.

After Kardama Muni's departure, Devahuti, remembering the prophetic

words of Lord Brahma, approaches her divine son and humbly expresses her

desire for spiritual enlightenment: "My Lord, I have fallen into the

abyss of ignorance. Your Lordship is my only means of getting out of

this darkest region of ignorance because You are my transcendental eye,

which, by Your mercy only, I have attained after many, many births....

Now be pleased, my Lord, to dispel my great delusion... You are the ax

which can cut the tree of material existence. I therefore offer my

obeisances to You, who are the greatest of all transcendentalists, and I

inquire from You as to the relationship between man and woman and

between spirit and matter." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.7-11) Pleased by His

mother's pure desire for spiritual enlightenment, and feeling great

compassion for her, Kapila begins to speak on the Sankhya philosophy.

Now, what is Sankhya? Insofar as Sankhya deals with the elemental

categories or principles of the physical universe, Sankhya is what

Western scholars generally refer to as "metaphysics." The term sankhya

literally means "to count." This name is used because Sankhya philosophy

enumerates principles of cosmic evolution by rational analysis. The

etymological meaning of the word sankhya is "that which explains very

lucidly by analysis of material elements." Philosophically, this term is

used because the Sankhya system expounds analytical knowledge that

enables one to distinguish between matter and spirit. This understanding

culminates in bhakti, devotion for and service to the Supreme. It may be

said, therefore, that Sankhya and bhakti form two aspects of the same

process, bhakti being the ultimate goal or ultimate aspect of Sankhya.

It is interesting to note, at this point, that long after Lord

Kapila's descent, an imitation Kapila appeared on the Indian

subcontinent and propounded a nontheistic Sankhya. That which is

generally studied as Sankhya in the contemporary academic context is

actually this later, nontheistic, materialistic Sankhya. The Sankhya

philosophy, propounded by the original Kapila, is practically unknown in

the West. Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahuti (along with

Srila Prabhupada's complete commentary on Kapila's Sankhya in his

edition of Srimad-Bhagavatam) is probably the first major exposition in

the English language on the original, theistic Sankhya. It should

therefore be of considerable interest to scholars in this field.

Because the basic principle and the ultimate goal of Lord

Kapiladeva's Sankhya philosophy is bhakti, this is the subject with

which Lord Kapiladeva begins His instructions to Devahuti. Consequently,

because this volume, Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahuti, is

Srila Prabhupada's commentary on the beginning of Lord Kapila's

teachings, it is chiefly concerned with the science of bhakti-yoga--the

process of linking with God (yoga means "linking") through bhakti

(devotion).

As the actual history begins, Devahuti approaches her son, Kapila,

and with deep humility expresses her sincere desire for spiritual

enlightenment. In response, Lord Kapila delineates "the path of the

transcendentalists, who are interested in self-realization." Concisely

summarizing the actual process of self-realization, Kapila defines

consciousness in both the conditioned and liberated states. He describes

the psychology of pure consciousness, delineates the symptoms and

characteristics of a sadhu, holy person, and stresses the importance of

sadhu-sanga, association with those who are saintly. Kapiladeva then

explains that liberation is merely a stage preliminary to the attainment

of bhakti and that one who attains bhakti automatically achieves

liberation. One who engages in bhakti, devotional yoga, automatically

transcends material desires and ultimately crosses beyond birth and

death.

According to later descriptions in Srimad-Bhagavatam, Devahuti

ultimately attains full enlightenment in transcendental knowledge by

hearing and understanding the sublime philosophical teachings of her

great son.

--The Publishers

Chapter One

The Purpose of Lord Kapila's Advent

TEXT 1

saunaka uvaca

kapilas tattva-sankhyata

bhagavan atma-mayaya

jatah svayam ajah saksad

atma-prajnaptaye nrnam

TRANSLATION

Sri Saunaka said: Although He is unborn, the Supreme Personality of

Godhead took birth as Kapila Muni by His internal potency. He descended

to disseminate transcendental knowledge for the benefit of the whole

human race.

PURPORT

The word atma-prajnaptaye indicates that the Lord descends for the

benefit of the human race to give transcendental knowledge. Material

necessities are quite sufficiently provided for in the knowledge given

in the Vedic literatures, which offer a program for good living and

gradual elevation to the platform of sattva-guna, the mode of goodness.

Once one is situated in sattva-guna, one's knowledge expands. On the

platform of passion there is no knowledge, for passion is an impetus to

enjoy material benefits. On the platform of ignorance there is neither

knowledge nor enjoyment but simply animalistic living.

The Vedas are intended to elevate one from the mode of ignorance to

the platform of goodness. When one is situated in the mode of goodness,

he is able to understand knowledge of the self, or transcendental

knowledge. Such knowledge cannot be appreciated by any ordinary man;

therefore a disciplic succession is required. This knowledge is

expounded either by the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself or by His

bona fide devotee. Saunaka Muni also states here that Kapila, the

incarnation of the Supreme personality of Godhead, took birth or

appeared simply to disseminate transcendental knowledge. To understand

that one is not matter but spirit soul (aham brahmasmi: "I am by nature

Brahman") is not sufficient for understanding the self and his

activities. One must be situated in the activities of Brahman. Knowledge

of those activities is explained by the Supreme Personality of Godhead

Himself. Such transcendental knowledge can be appreciated in human

society but not in animal society, as clearly indicated here by the word

nrnam, "for the human beings." Human beings are meant to lead a

regulated life. By nature, there is regulation in animal life also, but

that is not like the regulative life described in the scriptures or by

the Vedic authorities. Only when one's life is regulated according to

the Vedas can one understand transcendental knowledge.

For the propagation of this transcendental knowledge, Kapiladeva,

the incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, gave instructions

in Sankhya philosophy to His mother, Devahuti. Later, another Kapiladeva

appeared who expounded atheistic Sankhya philosophy, which dealt with

the twenty-four elements but gave no information about God. The original

Kapila is called the Devahuti-putra Kapila, and the other is called the

atheist Kapila. Concerning Kapiladeva, Saunaka Rsi says, kapilas tattvasankhyata.

Kapila is the Supreme Person; therefore He can explain the

Absolute Truth. Actually only Bhagavan can know the true position of the

ultimate truth. No one else can know it. Bhagavan, Krsna or His

incarnation, occasionally visits the earth to give humanity information

about the aim of life. Thus the Supreme Lord descended as Kapiladeva,

tattva-sankhyata. The word sankhyata means "expounder," and tattva means

"the Absolute Truth." The Absolute Truth is Bhagavan Sri Krsna Himself.

We cannot understand the Absolute Truth or the Supreme Person by mental

speculation, especially when we are under the influence of the three

modes of material nature (sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna). Only

those who are situated in sattva-guna (the mode of goodness) are fit to

understand the Absolute Truth. According to Bhagavad-gita (18.42), those

possessing brahminical qualifications are situated in sattva-guna.

samo damas tapah saucam

ksantir arjavam eva ca

jnanam vijnanam astikyam

brahma-karma svabhavajam

"Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty,

wisdom, knowledge and righteousness--these are the qualities by which

the brahmanas work."

According to the Vedic conception, there must be men in society who

are factually brahmanas, capable of expounding the real truth. If

everyone becomes a sudra, the Absolute Truth cannot be understood. It is

said that at the present moment in Kali-yuga everyone is a sudra (kalau

sudra-sambhavah), and it is very difficult in this age to find qualified

brahmanas, for they are very rare. There is practically not a single

qualified brahmana in this age.

prayenalpayusah sabhya

kalav asmin yuge janah

mandah sumanda-matayo

manda-bhagya hy upadrutah

"O learned one, in this iron age of Kali men have but short lives.

They are quarrelsome, lazy, misguided, unlucky and, above all, always

disturbed." (SB. 1.1.10) The people in this age are very short-lived and

slow in understanding spiritual life. Actually human life is meant for

understanding spiritual values, but because everyone in this age is a

sudra, no one is interested. People have forgotten life's real purpose.

The word manda means both slow and bad, and everyone in this age is

either bad or slow or a combination of both. People are unfortunate and

disturbed by so many things. According to Srimad-Bhagavatam there will

eventually be no rain and consequently a scarcity of food. The

governments will also levy very heavy taxes. The characteristics of this

age predicted by Srimad-Bhagavatam are already being experienced to some

degree. Since Kali-yuga is a very miserable age, Caitanya Mahaprabhu,

who is Sri Krsna Himself, advises everyone simply to chant Hare Krsna.

harer nama harer nama

harer namaiva kevalam

kalau nasty eva nasty eva

nasty eva gatir anyatha

"In this age of Kali there is no alternative, there is no

alternative, there is no alternative for spiritual progress than the

holy name, the holy name, the holy name of the Lord." (Brhan-naradiya

Purana) This process is not Caitanya Mahaprabhu's invention, but is

advised by the sastras, the puranas. The process for this Kali-yuga is

very simple. One need only chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. Since

everyone in this age is an unintelligent, unfortunate and disturbed

sudra, how can anyone understand the Absolute Truth or the aim of life?

As stated by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gita (4.7):

yada yada hi dharmasya

glanir bhavati bharata

abhyutthanam adharmasya

tadatmanam srjamy aham

"Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O

descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion--at that

time I descend Myself."

Some hundreds and thousands of years ago Lord Krsna appeared as

Devahuti-putra Kapiladeva. His father's name was Kardama Muni. After

Kapiladeva grew up, His father, according to the Vedic system, retired,

took sannyasa and left home to cultivate spiritual life. It is not that

one should rot in this material world throughout one's whole life.

pancasordhvam vanam vrajet. According to the Vedic injunctions, there

are four asramas and four varnas, and these used to be followed very

strictly. After his son grew up, Kardama Muni, being a strict follower

of the Vedas, left home and put his wife in the charge of his grown son,

Kapiladeva.

It is said of Kapiladeva: kapilas tattva-sankhyata bhagavan. Lord

Kapila is Bhagavan. Nowadays Bhagavan is taken very cheaply because the

word is misused, but actually Bhagavan is not an ordinary man.

Avajananti mam mudhah: because Bhagavan Sri Krsna appeared as a human

being, fools and rascals (mudhas) consider Krsna an ordinary human. As

Krsna Himself states in Bhagavad-gita (7.13):

tribhir gunamayair bhavair

ebhih sarvam idam jagat

mohitam nabhijanati

mam ebhyah param avyayam

"Deluded by the three modes (goodness, passion and ignorance), the

whole world does not know Me, who am above the modes and inexhaustible."

Yet there are mahatmas, great souls, who can understand Krsna.

Arjuna could understand that although Krsna was playing the part of his

friend, He was nonetheless the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Arjuna

was in perfect knowledge, yet Krsna instructed him for our benefit.

Arjuna requested Krsna's instructions, which are set forth for all human

society. After hearing Bhagavad-gita, Arjuna addressed Krsna as param

brahma param dhama, "the Supreme Brahman and supreme abode."

Every person is actually Brahman, spirit soul. We are not actually

the body. Awareness of aham brahmasmi ("I am Brahman") is actual

selfrealization. According to Vedic culture, one must understand that he

is Brahman, not the body. We should not remain in ignorance like cats

and dogs, thinking, "I am this body, I am American, I am Indian, I am

brahmana, I am ksatriya, I am Hindu, I am Muslim," and so on. These are

all bodily designations. When one comes to spiritual understanding, he

understands aham brahmasmi, "I am Brahman." This is called Brahman

realization. It is not that we become Brahman by some practice. Gold is

gold, even if it is covered with some dirt, which can certainly be

removed. Similarly, we are all Brahman, spirit soul, but somehow or

other we have come in contact with these material elements (bhumir apo

'nalo vayuh), and we have acquired bodily coverings. Consequently we

think, "I am this body." This is ignorance, and unless one is

enlightened by spiritual knowledge, he remains animalistic.

Understanding one's spiritual identity is called dharma. The

ultimate goal of dharma is enunciated by Sri Krsna Himself in Bhagavadgita

(18.66). Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: "Abandon

all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me." On this earth we

have created so many dharmas--Hindu dharma, Muslim dharma, Christian

dharma. These are all manufactured dharmas, but real dharma is attained

when we come to the conclusion that Sri Krsna is everything. Again, in

the words of Sri Krsna in Bhagavad-gita (7.19):

bahunam janmanam ante

jnanavan mam prapadyate

vasudevah sarvam iti

sa mahatma sudurlabhah

"After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge

surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all

that is. Such a great soul is very rare."

The Krsna consciousness movement is meant for the propagation of

this message. We are not preaching a particular sectarian religious

system but a real religion, dharma. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam:

no one actually knows what dharma is, and no one can manufacture dharma.

Dharma is the order of the Supreme Being. No one can manufacture state

laws; they are given by the government. The simplest definition of

dharma is that dharma is the order of the Supreme Being. Since the

Supreme Being, God, is one, His order must be one. How, then, can there

be different dharmas? lt is not possible. Different dharmas are created

due to ignorance, which causes people to think in terms of Hindu dharma,

Muslim dharma, Christian dharma, this dharma or that dharma. No. Gold is

gold. If a Christian possesses some gold, does it become Christian gold?

Gold is gold whether possessed by a Hindu, a Muslim or a Christian.

According to the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, dharma

means surrendering unto that Supreme Being. This is bhagavata-dharma,

and everyone should be taught how to surrender unto God. God is one;

there cannot be two Gods. When there is competition, there is no God.

Presently there is a different God on every street, but Krsna is not

that kind of God. He is the Supreme God. As Krsna Himself states in

Bhagavad-gita (7.7):

mattah parataram nanyat

kincid asti dhananjaya

mayi sarvam idam protam

sutre mani-gana iva

"O conqueror of wealth [Arjuna], there is no truth superior to Me.

Everything rests upon Me, as pearls are strung on a thread."

The purpose of this Krsna consciousness movement is to inform

everyone that no one is superior to Krsna, God. Because many young

Americans and Europeans are fortunate and know nothing of any hodgepodge

god, they have taken this bona fide Krsna consciousness movement

seriously. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam: Bhagavan, God, means Sri Krsna. We

have simply presented this information, saying, "Here is God. Sri

Krsna." Because they have taken this seriously, many young Americans and

Europeans are advancing in Krsna consciousness. Consequently many people

are surprised to see how Americans and Europeans have become such great

devotees and are dancing in ecstasy. How is it they are so advanced?

They have taken the information seriously: krsnas tu bhagavan svayam.

Whether one touches fire blindly or knowingly, fire will burn. It is not

that because the fire is touched by a child, fire will not burn. These

young Westerners have touched fire, and consequently it is acting as

fire.

Acaryopasanam: this information (krsnas tu bhagavan svayam) is not

concocted, but is accepted by the acaryas in the disciplic succession.

Although an impersonalist, Sankaracarya has accepted Krsna as the

Supreme Personality of Godhead. So have Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya,

Visnusvami, Nimbarka and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His followers. They

all accept Krsna as the Supreme, just as Arjuna himself did. This is the

simplest method. There is no need to speculate, "What is God? Where is

God?" Why foolishly go on searching? Here is God--Krsna. We may think

that Krsna cannot be seen, but Krsna can appear in the form of His

energy. Of course, a stone is not God, but a stone is another one of

God's energies. Heat and light are not fire, but without fire there

cannot be heat or light. In that sense, heat and light are nondifferent

from fire. This material world is like the heat and light of the supreme

fire.

ekadesa-sthitasyagner

jyotsna vistarini yatha

parasya brahmanah saktis

tathedam akhilam jagat

"Just as a fire is situated in one place, but spreads illumination

all around, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Parabrahman, spreads His

energies throughout this universe." (Visnu purana 1.22.53)

The sun is situated in one place, and its light and heat expand

throughout the entire solar system. As soon as we perceive light and

heat, we can understand that the sun is there. Since light and heat can

be perceived by everyone, Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita (7.8), prabhasmi

sasi-suryayoh: "I am the light of the sun and the moon." people are

saying, "Can you show me God?" while not realizing that they are seeing

God daily at every moment. Because people are foolish in this age, they

cannot understand that when we perceive the energy of the Lord, we can

feel the presence of the Lord.

The young devotees in the Krsna consciousness movement are

presently worshiping Krsna. What are the signs of a devotee? The actual

sign of a devotee is that he is no longer interested in material

enjoyment: bhaktih paresanubhavo viraktir anyatra ca (SB. 11.2.42). The

disciples of this Krsna consciousness movement do not go to cinemas,

restaurants or clubs, and they do not smoke or drink. In European and

American countries all these things are available and are very cheap,

but these young people are not interested in them. They are simply

interested in sitting on the floor and learning about Krsna

consciousness. Why is this? They have actually rejected the material

world. When one comes to detest material enjoyment, one can understand

that he has advanced spiritually. Spiritual life does not mean taking

sannyasa and then smoking or drinking tea. One must actually come to

detest material life. One comes to lose interest in material activities

and becomes interested only in the understanding of God, the Supreme

Being, and His service. As enjoined in Srimad-Bhagavatam (5.5.1):

nayam deho deha-bhajam nrloke

kastan kaman arhate vid-bhujam ye

"Of all the living entities who have accepted material bodies in

this world, one who has been awarded this human form should not work

hard day and night simply for sense gratification, which is available

even for the dogs and hogs that eat stool." The word vid-bhujam means

"stooleaters." Hogs work hard day and night simply eating stool, and

because stool contains chemicals, hydrophosphates, the hog gets

strength, becomes very fat and enjoys sex. In any case, human life is

meant not for imitating the life of a hog but for tapasya, austerity:

tapo divyam putraka yena sattvam

suddhyed yasmad brahma-saukhyam tv anantam

"Rather, my dear boys, one should engage in penance and austerity

to attain the divine position of devotional service. By such activity,

one's heart is purified, and when one attains this position, he attains

eternal, blissful life, which is transcendental to material happiness

and which continues forever." (SB. 5.5.1)

This is the meaning of Vedic civilization. The society of

varnasrama-dharma--composed of brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas, sudras,

grhasthas, vanaprasthas, brahmacaris and sannyasis--is meant to elevate

people gradually to the perfect stage of understanding God. The whole

aim of the different varnas and asramas is the worship of the Supreme

Lord. One can attain this understanding through this social system,

which admits of gradations. When one goes to school, he begins with the

first grade, then progresses to the second, third and so forth. In this

way one makes progress.

When human society accepts varnasrama-dharma, it can gradually come

to the understanding of Brahman. By birth, everyone is a sudra;

therefore everyone has to be educated. The word dvija means "twiceborn."

One is first born through the womb of a mother, and one's next birth is

given by the spiritual master and Vedic knowledge. Vedic knowledge is

the mother, and the spiritual master is the father. When one is twiceborn

(dvija), he receives a sacred thread from the spiritual master and

begins to learn about spiritual life. He is then allowed to read the

Vedic literatures. In this way one becomes a son of Vedic literature.

Nigama-kalpa-taror galitam phalam: Srimad-Bhagavatam is the essence of

Vedic culture. It is a wish-fulfilling tree, and we can take whatever we

want from it. Vedic knowledge is perfect, and if we want to come to know

it, we must take shelter of a bona fide guru (tad-vijnanartham sa gurum

evabhigacchet).

Unfortunately, in this age everything is mismanaged. people forget

the aim of life, and at such a time the Supreme Lord Himself comes. The

Supreme Lord descends out of compassion because He is more anxious to

have us return home, back to Godhead, than we are to go. Because we are

in ignorance, we do not know anything about the kingdom of God. We know

nothing about how to get there or how to become happy. We have forgotten

all this. Therefore Krsna comes at intervals or sends His

representative, the pure devotee. Sometimes He comes personally, and

sometimes He sends His incarnation.

Kapiladeva is an incarnation of the Supreme Person, Krsna.

Therefore it is stated: kapilas tattva-sankhyata bhagavan atma-mayaya.

The word maya means not only "illusion," but also "affection" and

"energy." When Krsna comes, all His energies also come. It is not that

He is forced to come. We have to accept a certain type of body because

we are forced to do so, but this is not the case with Sri Krsna.

Presently I may have a human form, but in the future I cannot demand a

human form. We receive bodies in the next life according to karma, not

will. One cannot demand to be a high-court judge unless one has been

educated for the job. First of all, one must become qualiked. If one

qualifies himself, one may become a devata, a demigod like Indra or

Candra, or one can become a dog or a cat. That depends on one's karma,

or activities (karmana daiva-netrena). When Krsna or His incarnation

come, they do not depend on karma for their bodies. The Supreme Lord is

above karma and is fully independent. It is therefore said, atma-mayaya.

The Supreme Lord comes by His own energy, not by the external energy or

by force. When the governor visits the prison, he is not forced to do

so. He is not to be considered a condemned person; rather, he goes by

his own good will just to see how things are going on, However, it is

understood that when an ordinary person is placed in jail, he is sent

there by force because he has been proven a criminal. A criminal may

think that he and the governor are one, just as rascals and fools think

that Krsna is one of them. Avajananti mam mudha manusim tanum asritam. A

knowledgeable person knows that when Krsna or His incarnation descends

upon the material world, the Supreme Lord maintains His transcendental

position. He is not an ordinary man, nor is He forced into the material

world due to karma. The Supreme Lord comes by His own good will. param

bhavam ajanantah. Rascals cannot understand what Krsna is; therefore

they think that Krsna is a human being. As Krsna Himself states in

Bhagavad-gita (7.3):

manusyanam sahasresu

kascid yatati siddhaye

yatatam api siddhanam

kascin mam vetti tattvatah

"Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection,

and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in

truth."

Understanding Krsna is therefore not so easy. As stated by Krsna,

out of many thousands one person may become a siddha, a self-realized

being. And out of many siddhas, one may be able to understand Krsna. It

is our great fortune that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Krsna Himself, has

appeared and given us a very easy process by which we can understand

Krsna. What is that process? We need only hear about Krsna. That's all.

We have therefore opened all these centers of Krsna consciousness

throughout the world.

srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah

punya-sravana-kirtanah

hrdy antah-stho hy abhadrani

vidhunoti suhrt satam

"Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramatma

[Supersoul] in everyone's heart and the benefactor of the truthful

devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the

devotee who has developed the urge to hear His messages, which are in

themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted." (SB. 1.2.17)

If we hear about Krsna, we become purified. Hearing about Krsna

means associating with Krsna. In this way we may perfect our lives.

Chapter Two

The Transcendental Matter and Supreme Yogi

TEXT 2

na hy asya varsmanah pumsam

varimnah sarva-yoginam

visrutau sruta-devasya

bhuri trpyanti me 'savah

TRANSLATION

Saunaka continued: There is no one who knows more than the Lord

Himself. No one is more worshipable or more mature a yogi than Me. He is

therefore the master of the Vedas, and to hear about Him always is the

actual pleasure of the senses.

PURPORT

In Bhagavad-gita it is stated that no one can be equal to or

greater than the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is confirmed in

the Vedas also: eko bahunam yo vidadhati kaman. He is the supreme living

entity and is supplying the necessities of all other living entities.

Thus all other living entities, both visnu-tattva and jiva-tattva, are

subordinate to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna. The same

concept is confirmed here. Na hy asya varsmanah pumsam: among living

entities, no one can surpass the Supreme Person because no one is

richer, more famous, stronger, more beautiful, wiser or more renounced

than He. These qualifications make Him the Supreme Godhead, the cause of

all causes. Yogis are very proud of performing wonderful feats, but no

one can compare to the Supreme personality of Godhead.

Anyone who is associated with the Supreme Lord is accepted as a

first-class yogi. Devotees may not be as powerful as the Supreme Lord,

but by constant association with the Lord they become as good as the

Lord Himself. Sometimes the devotees act more powerfully than the Lord.

Of course, that is the Lord's concession.

Also used here is the word varimnah, meaning the most worshipful of

all yogis. To hear from Krsna is the real pleasure of the senses;

therefore he is known as Govinda, for by His words, by His teachings, by

His instruction--by everything connected with Him--He enlivens the

senses. Whatever He instructs is from the transcendental platform, and

His instructions, being absolute, are nondifferent from Him. Hearing

from Krsna or His expansion or plenary expansion like Kapila is very

pleasing to the senses. Bhagavad-gita can be read or heard many times,

but because it gives great pleasure, the more one reads Bhagavad-gita

the more he wants to read and understand it, and each time he gets new

enlightenment. That is the nature of the transcendental message.

Similarly, we find that transcendental happiness in the Srimad-

Bhagavatam. The more we hear and chant the glories of the Lord, the more

we become happy.

In the previous verse, the incarnation of the Supreme Personality

of Godhead as Devahuti-putra Kapiladeva has been explained as bhagavan

atma-mayaya. The word bhaga means "opulence," and van means "one who

possesses." All the opulences of the creation are present in Bhagavan.

As stated in the Vedas (Katha Upanisad 2.2.13):

nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam

eko bahunam yo vidadhati kaman

Nitya, bhagavan, is the singular, and nityanam are the plural

jivas, or living beings. Nityo nityanam: we are many, but God is one.

There is no limit to the jivas; no one can count them. The word ananta

means that they are without limit. All these jivas, living entities, are

being maintained by the Supreme One. We cannot conceive how many living

entities are being maintained by the Supreme Lord. All the great

elephants, all the small ants, all the 8,400,000 species of life are

maintained by Bhagavan. Why do we worry that He will not maintain us?

Those who are devotees of the Lord and have taken shelter at His lotus

feet, leaving everything aside simply to render service unto Him, will

certainly be cared for. In our Krsna consciousness movement, we have

over a hundred centers, and Krsna is maintaining them all. None of our

devotees are employed for independent incomes, yet they are all being

maintained. In Bhagavad-gita, Krsna never says, "Do this or that, and I

will then maintain you." Rather, He states that not only will He

maintain us, but He will also protect us from the results of sin, from

sinful karma (Bg. 18.66). All of this assurance is there.

Tasyaiva hetoh prayateta kovidah. The word kovidah means

"intelligent." An intelligent person should try to attain shelter at the

lotus feet of Krsna. Human life is actually meant for getting in touch

with the lotus feet of Krsna. That should be our only business. The word

upari indicates the higher planetary systems. There are seven higher

planetary systems, and we are in the middle system, in Bhurloka. Within

this one universe, there are fourteen planetary systems, and the living

entities are wandering in different bodily forms on different planets.

According to karma, the living entity sometimes goes up and sometimes

goes down. He wanders in this way, thinking how he can become materially

happy and satisfy his senses. The sastras say that we should not do

this, that we should endeavor to understand Krsna. We should not worry

about eating and sleeping, for the needs of the body are aiready

arranged. We do not have to work independently to maintain the body.

tal labhyate duhkhavad anyatah sukham

kalena sarvatra gabhira-ramhasa

Our actual endeavor should be to attain happiness; that is our real

struggle for existence. According to the sastras: tal labhyate

duhkhavat. The word duhkhavat indicates that although we do not want

misery, misery comes anyway. We don't have to endeavor separately for

misery. No one says, "Let there be a fire in my house" or "Let my child

die." No one aspires after these things, yet they happen. Everyone is

thinking, "May my child live happily" or "May I get so much money." We

do not ask or pray for catastrophes, yet they come without invitation.

Similarly, whatever happiness is there for our enjoyment will also come

without our asking for it. The conclusion is that we should not endeavor

for socalled happiness or distress, but should try to attain that

position whereby we can understand Krsna and get shelter at His lotus

feet. This should be the real human endeavor.

It was Caitanya Mahaprabhu who said to Rupa Gosvami:

brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva

guru-krsna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija

"The living entity is wandering up and down, from one planet to

another, and he is very fortunate if by the mercy of the spiritual

master and Krsna Himself he can get the seed of devotional service to

Krsna." (Cc. Madhya 19.151) The Krsna consciousness movement is an

attempt to make people fortunate. In this age, everyone is unfortunate

(manda-bhagyah), but now we are trying to reverse the situation.

Throughout the world there are problems everywhere. One country has

one type of problem, and another country has another. There is strife

within governments themselves, and even presidents are fraught with

problems. Sometimes we may think we are very fortunate, just as

President Nixon was thinking, "I am very fortunate. I have become the

president of the United States." Then he soon realized that he was most

unfortunate. Actually this is the situation for everyone. We should not

think that the only apprehended culprit is President Nixon and that we

are safe. There is a Bengali proverb: Dry cow dung is used for fuel, and

it is said that when the dry cow dung is being burned, the soft cow dung

is laughing, saying, "Oh, you are being burned, but I am safe." It does

not know that when it dries out, it will be thrown into the fire too. We

may laugh because President Nixon is in trouble, and we may think

ourselves very safe because we have a big bank balance, but actually no

one is safe. Eventually everyone will dry up and be thrown in the fire.

That is a fact. We may survive for a few years, but we cannot avoid

death. In fact, it is said, "As sure as death." And what is the result

of death? One loses everything--all honor, money, position and material

life itself. Krsna states in Bhagavad-gita (10.34), mrtyuh sarva-haras

caham: "I am all-devouring death." Krsna comes as death and plunders

everything--bank balance, skyscrapers, wife, children and whatever. One

cannot say, "My dear death, please give me some time to adjust." There

is no adjustment; one must immediately get out.

Foolish people are unaware of the miserable conditions of material

life. Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita (13.9), janma-mrtyu jara-vyadhiduhkha-

dosanudarsanam. Real knowledge means knowing that however great

one may be, the four principles of material life are present: birth, old

age, disease and death. These exist in the highest planetary system

(Brahmaloka) and in the lowest (Patalaloka).

tasyaiva hetoh prayateta kovido

na labhyate yad bhramatam upary adhah

tal labhyate duhkhavad anyatah sukham

kalena sarvatra gabhira-ramhasa

"Persons who are actually intelligent and philosophically inclined

should endeavor only for that purposeful end which is not obtainable

even by wandering from the topmost planet down to the lowest planet. As

far as happiness derived from sense enjoyment is concerned, it can be

obtained automatically in course of time, just as in course of time we

obtain miseries even though we do not desire them." (SB. 1.5.18)

When Dharmaraja asked Maharaja Yudhisthira what the most wonderful

thing in the world was, Maharaja Yudhisthira replied: ahany ahani

bhutani gacchantiha yamalayam. "Every moment people are dying, but those

who are living are thinking, `My friend has died, but I shall live

forever.' " (Mahabharata, Vana-parva 313.116) Soft cow dung thinks the

same way. This is typical of conditioned beings.

Bhagavan, the Supreme Lord, is not in this position. It is

therefore said: bhagavan atma-mayaya. We come onto this planet to enjoy

or suffer life for a few days--fifty or a hundred years--but Bhagavan,

the Supreme Personality of Godhead, does not come for that purpose (na

mam karmani limpanti). It is further stated, na hy asya varsmanah: "No

one is greater than Him." No one is greater than Bhagavan or equal to

Him. Everyone is inferior. According to Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi 5.142),

ekale isvara krsna, ara saba bhrtya. There is only one master--Krsna.

All others are subservient, beginning with Lord Brahma, Visnu,

Mahesvara, Indra, Candra and all the demigods (there are thirty-three

million demigods) and the middle and lower species. Everyone is bhrtya,

or servant. When Krsna orders, "My dear Mr. Soand-So, now please give up

your place and leave,', one must go. Therefore everyone is a servant.

This is the position of Lord Brahma and the ant as well. Yas tv

indragopam athavendram aho sva-karma. From Lord Indra to indragopa, an

insignificant insect, everyone is reaping the consequences of his karma.

We are creating our own karma, our next body, in this life. In this life

we enjoy or suffer the results of our past karma, and in the same way we

are creating further karma for our next body. Actually we should work in

such a way that we will not get another material body, How can this be

done? We simply have to try to understand Krsna. As Krsna says in

Bhagavad-gita (4.9):

janma karma ca me divyam

evam yo vetti tattvatah

tyaktva deham punar janma

naiti mam eti so 'rjuna

"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."

This sounds very simple, but actually understanding Krsna is very

difficult. If we become devotees of Krsna, understanding Krsna is easy.

However, if we try to understand Him by jnana, karma or yoga, we will be

frustrated. There are many types of yogis, but he who is devoted to

Krsna is the topmost yogi. Sri Krsna is far above all yogic processes.

In lndia there are many yogis who can display some magical feats. They

can walk on water, make themselves very light or very heavy and so

forth. But what is this compared to Krsna's yogic mystic powers? By His

potencies, great planets are floating in space. Who can manage to float

even a small stone in the air? Sometimes a yogi may show a little mystic

power by manufacturing some gold, and we are so foolish that we accept

him as God. However, we forget that the real yogi, the Supreme Lord

Himself, has created millions of gold mines and is floating them in

space. Those who are Krsna conscious are not befooled by yogis who claim

to be Bhagavan. A Krsna conscious person wants only to serve the

foremost yogi, Yogesvara (varimnah sarva-yoginam). Because we are trying

to become His devotees, we accept the Supreme Lord, Yogesvara, as the

Supreme Personality of Godhead. Krsna Himself states in Bhagavad-gita

(18.55):

bhaktya mam abhijanati

yavan yas casmi tattvatah

tato mam tattvato jnatva

visate tad anantaram

"One can understand the Supreme Personality as He is only by

devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of the Supreme

Lord by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God."

This process is actually very simple. One must first of all realize

that the first problem is the conquest of death. Presently we consider

death compulsory, but actually it is not. One may be put into prison,

but actually prison is not compulsory. It is due to one's work that one

becomes a criminal and is therefore put in jail. It is not compulsory

for everyone to go to jail. As living entities, we have our proper place

in Vaikunthaloka.

paras tasmat tu bhavo 'nyo

'vyakto 'vyaktat sanatanah

yah sa sarvesu bhutesu

nasyatsu na vinasyati

avyakto 'ksara ity uktas

tam ahuh paramam gatim

yam prapya na nivartante

tad dhama paramam mama

"There is another nature, which is eternal and is transcendental to

this manifested and unmanifested matter. It is supreme and is never

annihilated. When all in this world is annihilated, that part remains as

it is. That supreme abode is called unmanifested and infallible, and it

is the supreme destination. When one goes there, he never comes back.

That is My supreme abode." (Bg. 8.20-21)

Everything is present in Vaikunthaloka. There we can have an

eternal, blissful life full of knowledge (sac-cid-ananda). It is not

compulsory for us to rot in this material world. The easiest way to go

to the Vaikunthalokas is: janma karma ca me divyam evam yo vetti

tattvatah. Simply try to understand Krsna. Why does He come? What are

His activities? Where does He come from? Why does He come in the form of

a human being? We only have to try to understand this and study Krsna as

He explains Himself in Bhagavad-gita. What is the difficulty? God

personally explains Himself as He is, and if we accept Bhagavad-gita as

it is, we shall no longer have to transmigrate. Tyaktva deham punarjanma

naiti. We shall no longer have to endure birth and death, for we can

attain our spiritual bodies (sac-cid-ananda-vigraha) and live happily in

Krsna's family. Krsna is providing for us here, and He will also provide

for us there. So we should know that our happiness is in returning home,

back to Godhead, where we can eat, drink and be merry in Krsna's

company.

Chapter Three

How to Understand the Lord's Activities

TEXT 3

yad yad vidhatte bhagavan

svacchandatmatma-mayaya

tani me sraddadhanasya

kirtanyany anukirtaya

TRANSLATION

Therefore please precisely describe all the activities and pastimes

of the Personality of Godhead, who is full of self-desire and who

assumes all these activities by His internal potency.

PURPORT

The word anukirtaya is very significant. Anukirtaya means "to

follow the description"--not to create a concocted mental description,

but to follow. Saunaka Rsi requested Suta Gosvami to describe what he

had actually heard from his spiritual master, Sukadeva Gosvami, about

the transcendental pastimes that the Lord manifested by His internal

energy. Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has no material

body, but He can assume any kind of body by His supreme will. That is

made possible by His internal energy.

We can understand the pastimes of the Lord by following one or some

of the authorized devotional processes.

sravanam kirtanam visnoh

smaranam pada-sevanam

arcanam vandanam dasyam

sakhyam atma-nivedanam

"Hearing, chanting and remembering the holy name, form, pastimes,

qualities and entourage of the Lord, offering service according to the

time, place and performer, worshiping the Deity, offering prayers,

always considering oneself the eternal servant of Krsna, making friends

with Him and dedicating everything unto Him--these are the nine

processes of devotional service." (SB. 7.5.23)

There are nine basic processes of devotional service--hearing and

chanting about the Supreme Lord, remembering Him, serving His lotus

feet, worshiping Him, offering prayers to the Lord, acting as His

servant, becoming His friend, and surrendering everything to Him. The

beginning is sravanam kirtanam, hearing and chanting. One must be very

eager to hear and chant. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (9.14):

satatam kirtayanto mam

yatantas ca drdha-vratah

namasyantas ca mam bhaktya

nitya-yukta upasate

"Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination,

bowing down before Me, the great souls perpetually worship Me with

devotion."

We have to speak or chant about the holy activities of the Supreme

Personality of Godhead, but first we have to hear about them. This

Srimad-Bhagavatam was recited by Sukadeva Gosvami and heard by Pariksit

Maharaja, and we in turn have to hear about Krsna and then chant about

Him (sravanam kirtanam visnoh). When we speak of Visnu, we mean Krsna.

Krsna is the origin of the visnu-tattva--that is, Visnu is an expansion

of Krsna. When we speak of Visnu, we understand that the origin of Visnu

is Krsna. As Sri Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita (10.2), aham adir hi

devanam: "I am the source of the demigods."

The most important demigods (devas) are Brahma, Siva and Visnu. In

the beginning of the creation there is Lord Visnu, and from Lord Visnu,

Brahma is born. From Lord Brahma, Lord Siva is born, and these three

gods take charge of the three modes of material nature. Visnu takes

charge of sattva-guna (the mode of goodness), Lord Brahma takes charge

of rajo-guna (the mode of passion), and Lord Siva takes charge of tamoguna

(the mode of ignorance). However, before the creation there was no

Brahma or Siva. There was only Krsna. Krsna therefore says, aham adir hi

devanam. He is the creator of all demigods and all other living

entities. After the cosmic manifestation is created, the living entities

are placed in it. Therefore in the Vedas it is stated that in the

beginning there was neither Brahma nor Siva, but only Narayana (eko

narayana asit). Narayana is also another plenary expansion of Krsna.

We have to learn from the scriptures that Krsna is the origin of

all. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam: all the visnu-tattvas and incarnations

are but plenary expansions or expansions of the plenary expansions of

Krsna. There are millions and millions of incarnations. They are as

plentiful as waves in the ocean. There are saktyavesa-avataras, gunaavataras

and svayam-avataras, and these are all described in Srimad-

Bhagavatam. All these avataras, or incarnations, are svacchandatma, free

from care and anxiety. If we organize a business, we have many

anxieties. The managing director or proprietor of the business

particularly has many anxieties. Although he sits in his office without

disturbance, he is not very happy because he is always thinking about

how to do this or that, how to manage this affair or that. This is

material nature, and therefore it is said that there is always anxiety

in the material world. When Hiranyakasipu, the father of prahlada

Maharaja, asked his son, "My dear boy, what is the best thing you have

learned from your teachers?" Prahlada Maharaja immediately replied, tat

sadhu manye 'sura-varya dehinam sada samudvigna-dhiyam asad-grahat (SB.

7.5.5). "I have learned that materialists have accepted the asad guna."

Asat means "that which is not." We should not remain on this platform,

but should go to the platform of sat (om tat sat). This is the Vedic

injunction. The material world is asad-vastu; it cannot possibly remain.

In the material world, everything will ultimately be vanquished.

Whatever exists in the material world exists only for some time. It is

temporary. The Mayavadi philosophers say, brahma satyam jagan mithya:

"The Supreme Truth is real, whereas the world is false"--but Vaisnavas

do not use the word mithya (false), because God, the Supreme Brahman, is

truth, and nothing false can emanate from the truth. If we prepare an

earring from gold, the earring is also gold. We cannot say that the

earring is false. Yato imani bhutani jayante: the Supreme Absolute Truth

is He from whom everything is emanating. If everything is emanating from

the Absolute Truth, nothing can actually be false. The Vaisnava

philosophers accept the world as temporary, but not false, as the

Mayavadi philosophers do.

The world (jagat) has emanated from the Supreme; therefore it is

not mithya, but it is temporary. That is also explained in Bhagavad-gita

(8.19): bhutva bhutva praliyate. The material world comes into

existence, remains for some time, and is then annihilated. It is not

false, for it can be utilized to realize the Supreme Truth. This is

Vaisnava philosophy. The world is temporary, but we must use it for

spiritual purposes. If something is used for the ultimate truth, the

Absolute Truth, it becomes integral with the Absolute Truth. As stated

by Srila Rupa Gosvami (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.2.255-256):

anasaktasya visayan

yatharham upayunjatah

nirbandhah krsna-sambandhe

yuktam vairagyam ucyate

prapancikataya buddhya

hari-sambandhi-vastunah

mumuksubhih parityago

vairagyam phalgu kathyate

The word mumuksubhih refers to those who aspire for mukti,

liberation. When one becomes disgusted with material engagement, one

wants to destroy everything that has anything to do with the material

world. However, the Vaisnava says, prapancikataya buddhya harisambandhi-

vastunah. Everything has some relationship with the Supreme

Person, the Absolute Truth. For instance, a microphone is made of metal,

but what is metal? It is another form of earth. In Bhagavad-gita (7.4)

Sri Krsna says:

bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh

kham mano buddhir eva ca

ahankara itiyam me

bhinna prakrtir astadha

"Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego--

all together these comprise My separated material energies." All of

these are Krsna's energies, and if Krsna is the source of them, how can

they be untrue? They are not. A Vaisnava will never say that metal has

no connection with Krsna. It is a product of one of His energies, just

as this material world is a product of the sun. We cannot say that the

sunshine is false and that the sun is true. If the sun is true, the

sunshine is also true. Similarly, we do not say that the material

universe is false. It may be temporary, but it is not false. Therefore

the Gosvamis and Krsna Himself tell us that since everything belongs to

Krsna, everything should be utilized for His purpose.

This creation emanates from Bhagavan, the Supreme Lord, who is

without anxiety. Krsna very pleasantly associates with His consort

Srimati Radharani and enjoys playing His flute. If God is anxious, what

kind of God is He? Even Lord Brahma and other demigods are anxious. Lord

Brahma is engaged in meditation, Lord Siva dances to annihilate the

universe, the goddess Kali is engaged in killing with her sword, and so

forth. The demigods have many activities, but Krsna is always peaceful.

The Krsna who engages in killing demons is Vasudeva Krsna, not the

original Krsna. The original Krsna does not go anywhere; He never takes

a step away from Vrndavana. The other activities performed by Krsna are

performed in the Vasudeva, Sankarsana, Aniruddha or Pradyumna forms.

Krsna expands as Sankarsana, Narayana, Visnu, Maha-Visnu, Garbhodakasayi

Visnu and Ksirodakasayi Visnu. God can expand Himself in many, many

forms.

advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam

adyam purana-purusam nava-yauvanam ca

(Brahma-samhita 5.33)

He is the adi-purusa, the original soul of all. Govindam adipurusam

tam aham bhajami: Lord Brahma says that he is not adi-purusa but

that Govinda, Krsna, is the adi-purusa. This Krsna has many expansions

(advaitam acyutam anadim). He has no beginning, but He is the beginning

of everything. He has expanded Himself in many forms. The visnu-tattva

consists of bhagavat-tattva-svamsa, the personal expansions. We are also

Krsna's forms, but we are vibhinnamsa, separated expansions. We are the

expansions of the energies. According to Krsna in Bhagavad-gita (7.5):

apareyam itas tv anyam

prakrtim viddhi me param

jiva-bhutam maha-baho

yayedam dharyate jagat

"Besides the inferior nature, O mighty-armed Arjuna, there is a

superior energy of Mine, which consists of the living entities who are

struggling with material nature and are sustaining the universe."

Thus there are the jiva-prakrti, the para prakrti expansions, who

belong to Krsna's superior energy. In any case, Krsna is always svacchandatma--

without anxiety. Even if He is killing a demon, He

experiences no anxiety. That is also confirmed in the Vedas:

na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate

na tat-samas cabhyadhikas ca drsyate

parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate

svabhaviki jnana-bala-kriya ca

"The Supreme Lord has nothing to do, for everything is done

automatically by His various potencies. No one is seen to be equal to,

or greater than, Him." (Svetasvatara Upanisad 6.8)

Sri Krsna has nothing to do personally. It is His energy that acts.

When an important man wants to get something done, he simply tells his

secretary, who does everything. The important man is quite confident

that because he has told his secretary, his desires will be carried out.

The secretary is a person, energy (sakti). If an ordinary man within

this world has many energies in the form of secretaries, then we can

hardly imagine the energies possessed by Sri Krsna. Sri Krsna is jagadisvara,

the controller of the entire universe, and thus He is managing

the entire universe. Foolish people say that there is no brain behind

the universe, but this is due to ignorance. By taking information from

the sastras, the scriptures, we can understand who that brain is.

According to Sri Krsna in Bhagavad-gita (9.10):

mayadhyaksena prakrtih

suyate sa-caracaram

hetunanena kaunteya

jagad viparivartate

"This material nature is working under My direction, O son of

Kunti, and producing all moving and unmoving beings. By its rule this

manifestation is created and annihilated again and again." We see His

energies working in this material world all the time. There is thunder

and rain, and from rain comes the food we enjoy. This process is

outlined in Bhagavad-gita (3.14):

annad bhavanti bhutani

parjanyad anna-sambhavah

yajnad bhavati parjanyo

yajnah karma-samudbhavah

"All living beings subsist on food grains, which are produced from

rains. Rains are produced by performance of yajna [sacrifice], and yajna

is born of prescribed duties." The origin of everything is the Supreme

Personality of Godhead. Through yajna, sacrifice, we have to satisfy the

Supreme Person, and yajnas can be executed when human society is

regulated according to the varnasrama-dharma, the system of four social

orders (varnas) and four spiritual orders (asramas). There are four

varnas (brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra) and four asramas

(brahmacarya, grhastha, vanaprastha and sannyasa). These varnas and

asramas have their respective duties, and unless human society is

divided according to these eight scientific divisions and everyone acts

according to his position, there can be no peace in the world.

varnasramacaravata

purusena parah puman

visnur aradhyate pantha

nanyat tat-tosa-karanam

"The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Visnu, is worshiped by

the proper execution of prescribed duties in the system of varna and

asrama. There is no other way to satisfy the Supreme Personality of

Godhead." (Visnu Purana 3.8.9)

The ultimate goal of all activity is the satisfaction of the

Supreme Lord, Visnu. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum (SB. 7.5.31).

Foolish people do not know that their ultimate interest is the

satisfaction of Visnu. Therefore, when there are dharmasya glanih,

discrepancies in dharma, Krsna or His incarnation personally comes. It

is therefore said: yad yad vidhatte bhagavan. Although He comes, He has

no anxiety. He comes by His internal potency, and He does not take help

from anyone. He possesses a variety of energies, all of which work

correctly and perfectly (parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate svabhaviki

jnana-bala-kriya ca).

Impersonalists cannot understand how everything is being carried

out perfectly because they cannot understand the Supreme Personality of

Godhead: mohitam nabhijanati mam ebhyah param avyayam. As stated by

Krsna in Bhagavad-gita (7.14):

daivi hy esa gunamayi

mama maya duratyaya

mam eva ye prapadyante

mayam etam taranti te

"This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of

material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have

surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it." Being covered by the

three modes of material nature, one cannot understand the Supreme

Personality of Godhead. However, the Supreme Lord reveals Himself to His

devotees.

It is our business to understand Krsna in truth; then our lives

will be successful. It is not that we can succeed by understanding Krsna

superficially. It is therefore stated here: tani me sraddadhanasya

kirtanyany anukirtaya. The word anukirtaya, as we have initially pointed

out, means that we should not manufacture anything. The word anu means

"to follow." Therefore the bhagavat-tattva, or Bhagavan, can be

understood only by the parampara system, the system of disciplic

succession.

evam parampara-praptam

imam rajarsayo viduh

sa kalaneha mahata

yogo nastah parantapa

"This supreme science was thus received through the chain of

disciplic succession, and the saintly kings understood it in that way.

But in course of time the succession was broken, and therefore the

science as it is appears to be lost." (Bg. 4.2)

Formerly the kings (rajas) were great saintly persons. They were

not ordinary people engaged in drinking and dancing. They were all rsis

(sages), up to the time of Maharaja Pariksit. They were trained in such

a way that they were not ordinary men but were called naradeva. Naradeva

refers to Bhagavan in the form of a human being. The king was worshiped

because he was a rajarsi, both a king and a sage. Sri Krsna says that if

the king knows the purpose of life, he can rule well. If he does not, he

thinks that eating, sleeping, sex and defense are all in all. In this

case, his subjects live like animals. Today no one knows the object of

human life; therefore although the foolish people of this age are trying

to be happy, their hopes will never be fulfilled. Na te viduh svarthagatim

hi visnum durasayah. People are trying to be happy in this

material world by accepting material objects, but their plans will never

be fulfilled. Therefore in world history we see that there have been

many leaders who have died working hard. They could not adjust things

properly, despite all their hard efforts. There were Napoleon, Hitler,

Gandhi, Nehru and many others, but they could not ultimately prevail.

This is durasaya. The ultimate goal of life is to understand Visnu, yet

people are going on blindly trying to satisfy their senses. If one blind

man tries to lead another, what is the result? If both the leaders and

followers are blind, they will all fall in a ditch, for they are all

bound by their nature.

Sravanam kirtanam, hearing and chanting, are the beginning of

bhakti, devotional service. Therefore it is said: tani me sraddadhanasya

kirtanyany anukirtaya. The word anukirtaya means to follow the parampara

system. First of all we must receive the information from authorities;

then we can speak the truth. One first has to learn how to describe the

Absolute Truth, Bhagavan--His actions, His mercy and His compassion upon

all living beings. The Supreme Lord is more anxious to give us education

and enlightenment than we are to receive them. He gives us His

literature, His devotees and the parampara system, but it is up to us to

take advantage of these. The Krsna consciousness movement is intended to

give society the proper understanding of the Absolute Truth. We are not

presenting a manufactured, bogus philosophy. Why should we unnecessarily

waste our time concocting some philosophy? There is so much to be

learned that has already been given by the supreme authority. All we

have to do is take this Vedic literature, try to learn it and distribute

it. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission.

bharata-bhumite haila manusya janma yara

janma sarthaka kari 'kara para-upakara

(Cc. Adi 9.41)

It is the duty of everyone, especially one born in the land of

Bharatavarsa, lndia, to make his life successful by taking advantage of

this Vedic literature. Unfortunately, we are simply trying to learn

technology, and that is our misfortune. Real education means solving all

life's problems.

Transcendental education means learning how to gain relief from the

entanglement of material life. This is made possible by learning about

the Lord's transcendental activities.