Bhakti-yoga:

TEXT 14

tam imam te pravaksyami

yam avocam puranaghe

rsinam srotu-kamanam

yogam sarvanga-naipunam

TRANSLATION

O most pious mother, I shall now explain unto you the ancient yoga

system, which I explained formerly to the great sages. It is serviceable

and practical in every way.

PURPORT

The Lord does not manufacture a new system of yoga. Sometimes it is

claimed that someone has become an incarnation of God and is expounding

a new theological aspect of the Absolute Truth. But here we find that

although Kapila Muni is the Lord Himself and is capable of manufacturing

a new doctrine for His mother, He nevertheless says, "I shall just

explain the ancient system that I once explained to the great sages

because they were also anxious to hear about it." When we have a

superexcellent process already present in Vedic scriptures, there is no

need to concoct a new system, to mislead the innocent public. At present

it has become a fashion to reject the standard system and present

something bogus in the name of a newly invented process of yoga.

The supreme ancient system of yoga pertains to the soul. Presently,

in America especially, hatha-yoga is very popular. It appeals to fat

ladies who go to the classes to reduce and keep their digestive systems

regular. Many people are interested in this kind of gymnastic yoga, but

real yoga is adhyatmika. Adhyatmika means to awaken the soul to his

proper position. The soul is purusa, spirit, and his business is to

reconnect his lost relationship with Krsna.

Herein Kapiladeva says that He previously delivered this yoga

system to the great rsis, the great sages. This is the process of

sravana, hearing. One must be very eager to hear, for spiritual life

begins with hearing.

atah sri-krsna-namadi

na bhaved grahyam indriyaih

sevonmukhe hi jihvadau

svayam eva sphuraty adah

(Bhakti-rasamrta-sindu 1.2.234)

It is thus stated in the sastras that it is not possible to

appreciate or understand Krsna with our blunt material senses. Krsna's

name, form, qualities, pastimes, paraphernalia and abode are all part

and parcel of Krsna. However, understanding Krsna begins with hearing

and chanting His name. Then there is His form. Generally, for the

neophyte, these items are essential--to hear His name and qualities and

see and worship His form. That is Krsna's personal instruction:

man-mana bhava mad-bhakto

mad-yaji mam namaskuru

"Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, offer obeisances and

worship Me." (Bg. 9.34)

Bhagavan Sri Krsna is present in the temple Deity, and even if a

child comes to offer his respects, he is counted as a devotee. A small

child may not know anything, but simply by seeing the Deity, chanting

and dancing, he is benefited. Temples are meant to give everyone a

chance to advance in Krsna consciousness one step at a time.

svalpam apy asya dharmasya

trayate mahato bhayat

"A little advancement on this path can protect one from the most

dangerous type of fear." (Bg. 2.40) Even if we do a little on the path

of bhakti, it goes to our account. For instance, if we deposit only two

dollars in a savings bank, it is kept in our account, and it will

increase with interest. Similarly, if one performs even a little

devotional service, it is not lost. One may come and join this Krsna

consciousness movement, render some service and after a while fall down.

However, whatever service has been rendered is to one's permanent

credit. That will never be lost. When one begins again, he begins at the

point where he has left off. This is the instruction of Bhagavad-gita

(6.41):

sucinam srimatam gehe

yoga-bhrasto 'bhijayate

The unsuccessiul yogi is born into a family of righteous people or

into a family of rich aristocracy." Thus if one fails to perfect his

bhakti-yoga, he is given another chance in the next life. According to a

Bengali poem:

suci haya muci haya yadi krsna tyaje

muci haya suci haya yadi krsna-bhaje

If one takes to Krsna consciousness, even if he is born in a family

of a cobbler (muci), he becomes greater than a brahmana (suci). However,

if one is born in a brahmana family and gives up Krsna consciousness, he

becomes a muci, a cobbler. Thus the door of devotion is open to

everyone, whoever he may be. Krsna Himself says that regardless of one's

position, if one takes shelter of Him, one can approach the supreme

destination.

mam hi partha vyapasritya

ye 'pi syuh papa-yonayah

striyo vaisyas tatha sudras

te 'pi yanti param gatim

"O son of Prtha, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of

lower birth--women, vaisyas [merchants], as well as sudras [workers]--

can approach the supreme destination." (Bg. 9.32) And Sukadeva Gosvami

says:

kirata- hunandhra-pulinda-pulkasa

abhira-sumbha yavanah khasadayah

ye 'nye ca papa yad-apasrayasrayah

sudhyanti tasmai prabhavisnave namah

"Kirata, Huna, Andhra, Pulinda, Pulkasa, Abhira, Sumbha, Yavana and

the Khasa races and even others who are addicted to sinful acts can be

purified by taking shelter of the devotees of the Lord, due to His being

the supreme power. I beg to offer my respectful obeisances unto Him."

(SB. 2.4.18) Krsna consciousness is so complete that it is allembracing.

Everyone has an occupational duty as a brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya or

sudra, but one does not have to give up his occupational duty to take to

Krsna consciousness. And if one takes to Krsna consciousness but does

not succeed, what has he lost? Even if he falls down, there is no loss.

On the other hand, if a man perfectly performs his own duties (svadharma)

but is not Krsna conscious, what does he gain? There is actually

no gain. Kapiladeva explains that once one takes to the path of bhaktiyoga,

one never actually falls down. Once begun, bhakti-yoga continues,

even if one temporarily falls down. One is given another chance by

taking birth in a good family, either in a wealthy family, a learned

family or a brahmana family. If one executes his duties as a brahmana,

Visnu will be very pleased, and if one executes his duties perfectly as

a ksatriya or sudra, Visnu will also be very pleased. One does not have

to change one's position. In Bhagavad-gita (18.46) Sri Krsna says that

every man can become perfect by following his qualities of work:

yatah pravrttir bhutanam

yena sarvam idam tatam

sva-karmana- tam abhyarcya

siddhim vindati manavah

"By worship of the Lord, who is the source of all beings and who is

allpervading, man can, in the performance of his own duty, attain

perfection." Thus if one executes his duties as a perfect ksatriya,

vaisya, sudra or whatever, Visnu will be pleased. The purpose of work is

to please Visnu. Unfortunately, people have forgotten this. Varnasramadharma,

the Vedic system of society, is therefore very important in that

it is meant to give human beings a chance to perfect their lives by

pleasing Krsna. Unfortunately, the varnasrama-dharma has been lost in

this age. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu, just to give relief to the

rotting, conditioned souls of this age of Kali-yuga, has given us the

maha-mantra.

harer nama harer nama

harer namaiva kevalam

kalau nasty eva nasty eva

nasty eva gatir anyatha

"In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy, the only means of

deliverance is chanting of the holy name of the Lord. There is no other

way. There is no other way. There is no other way." (Brhan-naradiya

Purana) Although we may try to revive the perfect varnasrama system, it

is not possible in this age. People are fallen, disturbed and

unfortunate:

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) In this age, there will be insufficient

rainfall and food, and the government will plunder one's income by heavy

taxation. All of these characteristics of Kali-yuga are described in

Srimad-Bhagavatam. People will become so disgusted that they will

suddenly leave their wife and children and go to the forest. How can the

peaceful varnasrama-dharma be revived when people are so harassed in

this age? It is virtually impossible. Therefore the system of bhaktiyoga,

the chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, should be adopted. The

whole aim of bhakti-yoga is to satisfy Visnu. Yajnaih sankirtanaprayaih:

Visnu, Krsna, came Himself as Caitanya Mahaprabhu to teach us

the way of sankirtana. Presently it has become fashionable to

manufacture a new system of religion, but Kapiladeva, like Krsna, does

not manufacture anything new. This system is not new, but very old

(pura). Krsna also says the same in Bhagavad-gita (4.2), evam paramparapraptam

imam rajarsayo viduh: "This supreme science was thus received

through the chain of disciplic succession, and the saintly kings

understood it in that way." Thus Krsna and Kapiladeva are not teaching

anything new. They are simply repeating the same message because, in the

course of time, the knowledge has been lost. Arjuna asks, "Why are you

telling me? Why not another?" Sri Krsna answers, bhakto 'si me sakha

ceti: "Because you are My devotee as well as My friend." (Bg. 4.3)

Thus without being a bhakta, a devotee of Krsna's, one cannot

actually understand the science of bhakti-yoga. Understanding Bhagavadgita

means understanding Krsna. All this information is explained only

in the bhakti-sampradaya, not in any other school. Therefore Krsna says

at the conclusion of Bhagavad-gita (18.55), bhaktya mam abhijanati: if

one actually wants to understand Krsna and one's relationship with Him,

one must take to this process of bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga as explained

by Lord Kapiladeva is sankhya-yoga.

Lord Kapiladeva states here:

tam imam te pravaksyami

yam avocam puranaghe

The word anaghe refers to one without sin. The word agha refers to

past sins, and an means "without." Therefore one cannot understand Krsna

consciousness unless he is free from sin. Yesam tv anta-gatam papam: one

can stick to Krsna consciousness only when one is completely free from

all sinful reactions. One may say, "That will take some time. I cannot

get free from sinful reactions overnight." However, Krsna says, "No, no.

This can be done immediately. Simply surrender unto Me, and I will

absolve you from all sin." Thus by simply surrendering unto Krsna, our

spiritual life begins.

We have to understand that we receive different bodies due to our

sinful actions. Now we are given a chance to execute our duty in the

human form. Bahunam janmanam ante. We have received this body through

the evolutionary processes, and this human form is a great opportunity.

Narottama dasa Thakura sings: hari hari viphale janama gonainu: "My dear

Lord Krsna, I have simply wasted my time." Why?

manusya janama paiya, radha-krsna na bhajiya,

janiya suniya visa khainu

"Because I have received the human form of life, which is meant for

understanding Krsna, yet I have simply wasted my time by not taking

advantage of this opportunity. I have done everything but worship Radha-

Krsna. Therefore I have taken poison knowingly." When one takes poison

knowingly, he commits suicide, and not taking advantage of the human

form is something like that. If we do not understand Krsna in this life,

we are knowingly taking poison. This material life is just like a

blazing forest fire. Eating, sleeping, enjoying sex and defending are

the main material activities. When we are engaged simply in these

things, our hearts are always burning as if we had taken poison. How can

we be cured?

golokera prema-dhana, hari-nama-sankirtana,

rati na janmila kene taya

"My dear Lord, You have given us the medicine of hari-namasankirtana,

the chanting of Hare Krsna. Unfortunately, I have no

attraction for Your holy names." It is also stated:

vrajendra-nandana yei, saci-suta haila sei,

balarama haila nitai

"Krsna has now come as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the son of mother

Saci. And Balarama has come as Lord Nityananda." What is Their business?

They are delivering all kinds of sinful men simply by chanting Hare

Krsna. And what is the evidence of this? The evidence is that Sri

Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu delivered the sinful Jagai and

Madhai. At the present moment everyone is like Jagai and Madhai, for

everyone is intoxicated and mad after sex. Now, by the grace of Caitanya

Mahaprabhu, thousands of Jagais and Madhais are being delivered. It is

this active medicine, this Hare Krsna maha-mantra, that is doing it. It

is the perfect yoga system. This process is not manufactured, and we

have not concocted anything. Our business is simply to accept the words

of Krsna as they are. Sri Krsna Himself characterizes His devotee in

this way:

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, these great souls perpetually worship Me with

devotion." (Bg. 9.14)

We do not need to be very learned. Our only requirement is that we

receive the blessings of the Lord. The Lord's blessings will enable us

to become learned and follow His instructions. We only need to stick to

this Krsna consciousness movement on the basis of Bhagavad-gita. When we

are a little further advanced, we can read Srimad-Bhagavatam. Caitanya

Mahaprabhu Himself has opened the way with this sankirtana movement. The

entire world is in darkness without Krsna consciousness, and in this age

people are so dull that they do not even know the difference between

mukti (liberation) and bandha (bondage). If a human being does not know

this difference, he is no better than an animal.

Presently we are under the sway of the three gunas, the modes of

material nature--sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna. Out of these

three gunas, sattva-guna, the mode of goodness, is the best. A brahmana,

characterized by the mode of goodness, is truthful and self-controlled.

He controls his mind and senses, and he is very tolerant and simple. He

has full knowledge, and he knows how to apply knowledge in life. He has

full faith in the authority of the Vedas, a quality called astikyam.

Caitanya Mahaprabhu has explained the difference between nastikyam and

astikyam. According to Vedic understanding, one who does not believe in

the Vedas is called nastika. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says: veda na maniya

bauddha haya ta 'nastika (Cc. Madhya 6.168). Lord Buddha defied Vedic

authority, but His mission was to stop animal killing. In the Vedas

there are recommendations for animal sacrifice, and therefore to prevent

the killing of animals, Lord Buddha rejected the Vedas. Such sacrifice

is not possible in this age because there is no brahmana qualified to

carry it out. Those who are intelligent know that such a sacrifice

cannot be successful in this age because no one knows the proper mantras

capable of giving an old animal the body of a new animal. When an animal

sacrifice is properly conducted, an old animal is sacrificed, and it

emerges from the fire in a new body. This is not possible in this age,

but what is possible is sankirtana-yajna, the chanting of the Hare Krsna

maha-mantra. This is the yajna, or sacrifice, especially intended for

this age. We need only chant Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare

Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. By performing this

yajna, the results will be ceto-darpana-marjanam--the mirror of the mind

will be cleansed. When the mirror of the mind is cleansed, one is

automatically liberated.

Consciousness is the main principle, either for conditional life or

for liberated life. We are therefore proposing Krsna consciousness,

which means liberation from the repetition of birth and death.

Unfortunately, people are so dull in this age that they have no idea how

birth and death can be stopped. They think that birth and death cannot

be stopped; even famous scientists admit this. However, in Bhagavad-gita

Sri Krsna says that we should always keep in mind the four miserable

conditions. These are birth, old age, disease and death. When we are

able to put an end to these, we are liberated. This simply requires that

we clear our consciousness by thinking of Krsna. The purpose of this

Krsna consciousness movement is to keep our minds constantly on Krsna.

Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and He is a person. When He

was realized by Arjuna, He was addressed as purusam. God is purusa,

male, not female. purusa means "the enjoyer," and prakrti means "the

enjoyed." Everything is enjoyed by the supreme purusa. It is also stated

that we are actually prakrti, not purusa. The human dress is simply

maya, illusion. We are thinking that we are purusa, the enjoyer, but

actually we are the enjoyed. A man, thinking of enjoying himself, tries

to imitate purusa, but actually he is prakrti. As a consequence, he is

cast into this material world. Because the living entity wants to enjoy

the material world and is attached to the three gunas, he receives

different types of bodies. One who is in the mode of goodness receives

the body of a learned brahmana. This is somewhat elevated, for he can

gradually understand what is God. In the modes of passion and ignorance,

no one can understand God. Also, from the material point of view, if one

is situated in the mode of goodness, he can be elevated to higher

planetary systems. Nonetheless, even if one goes to Brahmaloka, the

highest planet in the material atmosphere, one is not actually perfectly

situated. There is really no benefit because even on Brahmaloka the four

miseries of material existence are found: birth, old age, disease and

death. Lord Brahma also dies and takes birth. From Vedic literatures we

understand that Lord Brahma took birth from the lotus flower generated

from the navel of Visnu. Thus he had his birth, and when Lord Brahma

dies, the entire material cosmic manifestation will be finished. Just as

Lord Brahma undergoes birth, old age, disease and death, so also a small

ant or insect undergoes the same process. The point is that the living

entity has to be free from this bondage because he is by nature eternal.

According to Bhagavad-gita, the living entity never actually takes

birth, and he never actually dies. Na jayate mriyate va kadacit: "For

the soul there is never birth nor death." (Bg. 2.20)

It is the body that is destined to die, whether the body be that of

Lord Brahma or of a small ant. One should not think that one is

liberated because one can live millions and millions of years. The life

of Lord Brahma covers millions of earth years, yet he is also subjected

to birth and death. That is the way of conditional life. We should take

advantage of the perfect knowledge given by Vedic literatures, by the

great rsis and Bhagavan Kapiladeva, as well as by Bhagavan Sri Krsna, in

order to attain liberation from the cycle of birth and death.

Receiving Krsna consciousness means receiving light. People are

exhausted with the materialistic way of life, especially in the West.

Now the Krsna consciousness movement is giving new life to Western

society. By nature, we living entities are liberated. There is actually

no question of birth, death, old age and disease. Since we are part and

parcel of Krsna, the Supreme Lord, how can there be a question of these

things? Krsna is sac-cid-ananda-vigraha, and being part and parcel of

Krsna, we are also of the same nature. We are equal in quality, although

not in quantity. Why, then, should we suffer the pangs of death?

Therefore in the previous verse Kapiladeva instructed: yoga adhyatmikah

pumsam mato nihsreyasaya. The soul is entrapped in the body, and the

process of perfect yoga is the process of saving the soul from bodily

confinement and the four miseries that plague the body. How can this

perfect yoga be attained? That is explained by Lord Kapila in the next

verse: ratam va pumsi muktaye. If our consciousness is simply attached

to Krsna, we will be liberated.

The great souls are always chanting about Krsna. Hare Krsna, Hare

Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare

Hare. They are also endeavoring with great determination in their

devotional service. For instance, in the Krsna consciousness temples the

devotees rise early in the morning, at 4:00 A.M., and they immediately

bathe. Then they go to mangala-arati at 4:30, and after mangala-arati

they study the Vedic literatures. These are the processes by which we

can awaken our dormant love for Krsna. Because we are part and parcel of

Krsna--just as a son is part and parcel of his father--there is a

natural love between us. However, somehow or other the son leaves home

and forgets his father. The father, of course, never forgets his son. He

thinks, "Oh, my son has left. If he would only come back!" Krsna thinks

in this way. We are all sons of Krsna, and Krsna is more anxious to get

us back home, back to Godhead, than we are to go. Therefore Krsna comes

and says, "You rascal! Give up all this nonsensical material engagement.

You have manufactured so many religions and dharmas. Just give them all

up and simply surrender unto Me." Krsna comes Himself and leaves behind

His words. His words are also Himself because His words are absolute.

Presently we do not see Krsna, but if we actually advance, we will see

Him. When we see the Deity in the temple, we think, "Oh, this is an

idol. It is not Krsna." If we think in this way, we have not seen Krsna.

Krsna is also present in His words, in Bhagavad-gita. That is krsnavani,

the message of Krsna. The stage of awareness of Krsna can be

attained when one is advanced in Krsna consciousness. Then one can

understand that Krsna is present in the Deity, in Bhagavad-gita, in the

taste of water, in the sunshine, in the moonshine and in all sound.

Krsna is present everywhere, but one has to acquire knowledge in order

to know how to see Krsna. That is mukti, liberation. That is Krsna

consciousness. That is also the process of bhakti-yoga--sravanam

kirtanam visnoh smaranam.... Deity worship is arcanam, chanting is

vandanam, and dasyam is working for Krsna and spreading this Krsna

consciousness movement.

Generally we experience that people are primarily interested in

seeing Krsna, but why is the emphasis on seeing? Let us hear about Him.

We must come with a little faith, and as we hear, that faith will

increase. One should come to the temple, listen to talks about Krsna,

and then, after some time, officially take initiation into the service

of the Lord. That is called bhajana-kriya. At that time one has to

abandon illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating and gambling. If one is

still attached to all these habits, he should know that he is not making

progress. When one is actually advanced in bhajana-kriya, all these

anarthas (unwanted things) will be finished. param drstva nivartate.

When one appreciates something better, he rejects all kinds of nonsense.

Once one gets a taste of Krsna consciousness, he cannot remain without

it. A drunkard cannot remain without a drink, but a devotee is drunk

with Krsna consciousness. The immunization against all material diseases

is this Krsna consciousness. To be immuned to the infection of the

gunas, we have to engage in bhakti-yoga. Once we attain the perfectional

stage, we attain ecstatic love of Godhead. In that state we cannot

remain without Krsna for a moment. That is called bhava, and that bhava

may increase to maha-bhava. This is not possible for ordinary human

beings, but it was possible for the gopis and Radharani. Indeed, they

could not live without Krsna. This is the highest stage of liberation.

Chapter Nine

Purifying the Mind for Self-realization

TEXT 15

cetah khalv asya bandhaya

muktaye catmano matam

gunesu saktam bandhaya

ratam va pumsi muktaye

TRANSLATION

The stage in which the consciousness of the living entity is

attracted by the three modes of material nature is called conditional

life. But when that same consciousness is attached to the Supreme

Personality of Godhead, one is situated in the consciousness of

liberation.

PURPORT

There is a distinction here between Krsna consciousness and maya

consciousness. Gunesu, or maya consciousness, involves attachment to the

three material modes of nature, under which one works sometimes in

goodness and knowledge, sometimes in passion and sometimes in ignorance.

These different qualitative activities, with the central attachment for

material enjoyment, are the cause of one's conditional life. When the

same cetah, or consciousness, is transferred to the Supreme Personality

of Godhead, Krsna, or when one becomes Krsna conscious, he is on the

path of liberation.

TEXT 16

aham-mamabhimanotthaih

kama-lobhadibhir malaih

vitam yada manah suddham

aduhkham asukham samam

TRANSLATION

When one is completely cleansed of the impurities of lust and greed

produced from the false identification of the body as "I" and bodily

possessions as "mine," one's mind becomes purified. In that pure state

he transcends the stage of material happiness and distress.

PURPORT

Kama and lobha are the symptoms of material existence. Everyone

always desires to possess something. It is said here that desire and

greed are the products of false identification of oneself with the body.

When one becomes free from this contamination, his mind and

consciousness also become freed and attain their original state. Mind,

consciousness and the living entity exist. Whenever we speak of the

living entity, this includes the mind and consciousness. The difference

between conditional life and liberated life occurs when we purify the

mind and the consciousness. When they are purified, one becomes

transcendental to material happiness and distress.

In the beginning Lord Kapila has said that perfect yoga enables one

to transcend the platform of material distress and happiness. How this

can be done is explained here: one has to purify his mind and

consciousness. This can be done by the bhakti-yoga system. As explained

in the Narada-pancaratra, one's mind and senses should be purified (tatparatvena

nirmalam). One's senses must be engaged in devotional service

of the Lord. That is the process. The mind must have some engagement.

One cannot make the mind vacant. Of course there are some foolish

attempts to try to make the mind vacant or void, but that is not

possible. The only process that will purify the mind is to engage it in

Krsna. The mind must be engaged. If we engage our mind in Krsna,

naturally the consciousness becomes fully purified, and there is no

chance that material desire and greed will enter.

Our mind is our friend, and our mind is our enemy. If it is

cleansed, it is a friend, and if it is dirty, we contact material

diseases. If we keep ourselves clean, pure, we will not be contaminated.

According to Vedic civilization, one has to cleanse himself externally

three times daily--once in the morning, again at noon, and again in the

evening. Those who strictly follow the brahminical rules and regulations

follow this process. Cleanliness is next to godliness. Conditional life

means that the mind is covered with dirty things, and this is our

disease. When we are in the lower modes of tamo-guna and rajo-guna,

these dirty things are very prominent. One has to raise himself to the

mode of sattva (goodness) by the process of sankirtana and sravana. One

has to hear krsna-katha. Krsna is within everyone's heart. The

individual soul is part and parcel of Krsna, and Krsna wants the

individual soul to turn to Him. Unfortunately the conditioned soul is

attached to material enjoyment, and this is the cause of his bondage to

birth, death, old age and disease. He is so foolish that he does not

take into consideration that these miseries are repeated. He is like an

ass that belongs to a washerman who loads him down with heavy clothes.

For a few morsels of grass, the ass has to carry heavy loads all day,

although not a single piece of clothing belongs to him. This is the way

of the karmis. They may become big multimillionaires, but they are just

like asses, working hard day and night. Regardless of how much money

they may have, their stomachs can only hold so much. And they require

only six feet of space to sleep. Nonetheless, these big karmis are

thinking themselves very important. They think, "Without me, all the

members of my nation will die. Let me work day and night to the point of

death." People are thinking, "I belong to this family, this nation, this

community. I have this duty or that duty," and so on. people do not know

that these are all false designations.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu therefore enjoins, jivera `svarupa' haya--

krsnera `nitya-dasa': our actual position is that of eternal servants of

Krsna. We are mistakenly thinking that we are servants of a family or

nation, but this is due to ignorance, tamo-guna. However, we can attain

the platform of sattva-guna by following the instructions given in

Bhagavad-gita. Hearing krsna-katha, topics about Krsna, clears all the

dirty things from the mind. Also, if we chant and dance, these dirty

things will be wiped away. The mind is the cause of bondage, and the

mind is the cause of liberation. When it is dirty, it brings about

bondage. In conditional life, we take birth, remain for some time, and

enjoy or suffer. But really there is no question of enjoyment. There is

only suffering. When we die, we have to give up the body and then take

on another body. We immediately enter the womb of another mother, stay

for nine months or so, and then come out. Then a new chapter of life

begins. This is conditioned life, and it goes on again and again and

again. ln this way we undergo the tribulations of birth, old age,

disease and death. The dogs and cats cannot understand this process, but

we can understand it in human life through the Vedic literatures. If we

don't take advantage of these literatures, all our education is for

nothing.

People actually waste their time talking politics, sociology,

anthropology, and so on. They read many literatures that do not glorify

the Supreme Lord Hari, and thus they waste their time. This Krsna

consciousness movement is giving everyone a chance to become pious.

punya-sravana-kirtanah. It is not necessary to give money or bathe in

the Ganges. There are many pious activities and many processes

recommended in the sastras for becoming pious. However, in Kali-yuga

people have lost all their stamina. They are so sinful that there is no

question of becoming pious through all these prescribed methods. The

only means is hearing about Krsna and chanting His names. Krsna has

given us ears to hear and a tongue to speak. We can hear from a realized

soul and thus perfect our lives. In this way we are given a chance to

purify ourselves. Unless we are purified, we cannot become devotees.

Human life is meant for purification. Unfortunately in this age people

are not interested in Krsna, and they suffer through material existence

one life after another after another. In one life they may be very

opulent. Then they don't care about the next life. They think, "Let me

eat, drink and be merry." This is going on all over the world, but the

sastras say that people are making mistakes in this way. Nunam pramattah

kurute vikarmah (SB. 5.5.4): people have become mad with sense

gratification, and therefore they engage in all sorts of forbidden

things. Karma means regulated work, and vikarma means just the opposite-

-unlawful, forbidden activities. The word akarma means that one is not

affected by the results of work. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (3.9):

yajnarthat karmano 'nyatra

loko 'yam karma-bandhanah

tad-artham karma kaunteya

mukta-sangah samacara

"Work done as a sacrifice for Visnu has to be performed, otherwise

work binds one to this material world. Therefore, O son of Kunti,

perform your prescribed duties for His satisfaction, and in that way you

will always remain unattached and free from bondage."

When people are in the modes of passion and ignorance, they perform

vikarma. They do not care for their future lives, and they are

habituated to eating anything and everything, just like hogs. They do

not care for the sastric injunctions, and they are totally

irresponsible. They are just like street boys who have no education and

do not care for anything. Such urchins do whatever they like, for their

fathers and mothers do not care for them. Life in ignorance, tamo-guna,

is such a careless life. People simply act unlawfully, not considering

the results of their actions. They act for sense gratification, and

actually they take pleasure in committing sins. In Calcutta I have seen

people taking pleasure in cutting the throats of chickens and laughing

when the chicken jumps and flaps about. Sometimes in Western countries

students are taken to slaughterhouses just to see how the cows are

butchered. In this age, people take pleasure in committing all kinds of

sins. They have no brains to see that this body is temporary and full of

suffering. They are completely in the mode of darkness, just like the

animals they slaughter. There may be many animals in a pasture, and if

one takes an animal aside and cuts its throat, the other animals will

simply stand, look, and continue eating grass. They do not realize that

the next time they may be slaughtered. The people in Kali-yuga are in

the same situation, but the Krsna consciousness movement is trying to

give these rascals a little sense. We are saying, "Don't remain animals.

Become human beings." In the words of Caitanya Mahaprabhu:

krsna bhuli' sei jiva anadi-bahirmukha

ataeva maya tare deya samsara-duhkha

"Forgetting Krsna, the living entity has been attracted by the

external feature from time immemorial. Therefore the illusory energy

(maya) gives him all kinds of misery in his material existence. (Cc.

Madhya 20.1 17) When one forgets his relationship with Krsna, he acts in

a very foolish way, and maya gives him one misery after another. It is

also stated:

maya-mugdha jivera nahi svatah krsna jnana

jivere krpaya kaila krsna veda-purana

"The conditioned soul cannot revive his Krsna consciousness by his

own effort. But out of causeless mercy, Lord Krsna compiled the Vedic

literature and its supplements, the Puranas." (Cc. Madhya 20.122)

The Vedic literatures--the Vedanta, Upanisads, Ramayana,

Mahabharata and many others--should be utilized if we wish to become

free from the contamination of tamo-guna and rajo-guna. The whole world

is revolving due to kama and lobha. Kama means "lusty desire," and lobha

means "greed." people cannot have enough sex or money, and because of

this, their hearts are filled with contaminations, which have to be

cleansed by hearing, repeating and chanting. Human life is meant to get

rid of anarthas, unwanted things, but where is the university or college

where this science of purification is taught? The only institution is

this Krsna consciousness society. Krsna is within the heart, and the

contaminations are also there, but Krsna will help us cleanse them.

Nasta-prayesv abhadresu nityam bhagavata-sevaya (SB. 1.2.18). We must

regularly hear Srimad-Bhagavatam and chant Hare Krsna; these are the two

processes recommended by Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Haridasa Thakura was

chanting three hundred thousand holy names a day, but we have fixed the

number at sixteen rounds. Nonetheless, we are so unfortunate and fallen

that we cannot even perform them. We should not waste our time reading

and talking nonsense, but should engage in the study of Srimad-

Bhagavatam. Our time is very valuable, and we should not waste it.

Canakya Pandita has said: ayusah ksana eko 'pi na labhyah svarnakotibhih.

We may live for a hundred years, but not one moment of these

hundred years can be returned, not even if we are prepared to pay

millions of dollars. We cannot add a moment, nor can we get a moment

back. If time is money, we should just consider how much money we have

lost. However, time is even more precious because it cannot be regained.

Therefore not a single moment should be lost. Human life should be

utilized only for chanting and reading Vedic literatures. The

International Society for Krishna Consciousness is publishing many books

so that people can utilize their time properly by reading them and make

their lives successful. Not only should we read Srimad-Bhagavatam, but

we should also serve the person bhagavata, one whose life is nothing but

Srimad-Bhagavatam. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya. By this process we can

attain the stage of bhagavad-bhakti, but first we must get rid of all

these anarthas, unwanted things. Presently we are wasting our time

thinking, "This is my country. This is my nation. This is my body and my

family," and so on. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya. We can vanquish all these

false conceptions when we come to the platform of sattva-guna. Then we

will not be disturbed by tamo-guna or rajo-guna, nor by kama or lobha

(lust and greed). This is the vasudeva platform. Om namo bhagavate

vasudevaya.

Lord Kapiladeva, in the next verse, points out the results that

follow the successful completion of this purificatory process.

TEXT 17

tada purusa atmanam

kevalam prakrteh param

nirantaram svayam-jyotir

animanam akhanditam

TRANSLATION

At that time the soul can see himself to be transcendental to

material existence and always self-effulgent, never fragmented, although

very minute in size.

PURPORT

In the state of pure consciousness, or Krsna consciousness, one can

see himself as a minute particle nondifferent from the Supreme Lord. As

stated in Bhagavad-gita, the jiva, or the individual soul, is eternally

part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. Just as the sun's rays are minute

particles of the brilliant sun, so a living entity is a minute particle

of the Supreme Spirit. The individual soul and the Supreme Lord are not

separated as in material differentiation. The individual soul is a

particle from the very beginning. One should not think that because the

individual soul is a particle, it is fragmented from the whole spirit.

Mayavada philosophy enunciates that the whole spirit exists, but a part

of it, which is called the jiva, is entrapped by illusion. This

philosophy, however, is unacceptable because spirit cannot be divided

like a fragment of matter. That part, the jiva, is eternally a part. As

long as the Supreme Spirit exists, His part and parcel also exists. As

long as the sun exists, the molecules of the sun's rays also exist.

The jiva particle is estimated in the Vedic literature to be one

ten-thousandth the size of the upper portion of a hair. He is therefore

infinitesimal. The Supreme Spirit is infinite, but the living entity, or

individual soul, is infinitesimal, although he is not different in

quality from the Supreme Spirit.

Two words in this verse are to be particularly noted. One is

nirantaram, which means "nondifferent" or "of the same quality." The

individual soul is also expressed here as animanam. Animanam means

"infinitesimal." The Supreme Spirit is all-pervading, but the very small

spirit is the individual soul. Akhanditam means not exactly "fragmented"

but "constitutionally always infinitesimal." No one can separate the

molecular parts of the sunshine from the sun, but at the same time the

molecular part of the sunshine is not as expansive as the sun itself.

Similarly, the living entity, by his constitutional position, is

qualitatively the same as the Supreme Spirit, but he is infinitesimal.

Self-realization means seeing one's proper identity as the

infinitesimal jiva. At the present moment, we are seeing the body, but

this is not our proper identity. We have no vision of the real person

occupying the body. The first lesson we receive from Bhagavad-gita

(2.13) informs us that the body and the owner of the body are different.

When we can understand that we are not the body, that is the beginning

of self-realization, and that is called the brahma-bhuta stage. Aham

brahmasmi. I am not this material body, but spirit soul. And what are

the characteristics of the jiva, the soul? First of all, he is animanam,

very minute, infinitesimal. We are also jyoti, effulgent, like God, but

God is brahma-jyoti, allpervading and infinite. According to the

Mayavada theory, we are the same as that brahmajyoti. Mayavadis give the

example of a pot and the sky. Outside the pot there is sky, and within

the pot there is sky. The separation is only due to the wall of the pot.

When the pot is broken, the inside and outside become one. However, this

example does not properly apply to the soul, as it is described in

Bhagavad-gita (2.24):

acchedyo 'yam adahyo 'yam

akledyo 'sosya eva ca

nityah sarva-gatah sthanur

acalo 'yam sanatanah

"This individual soul is unbreakable and insoluble, and can be

neither burned nor dried. He is everlasting, all-pervading,

unchangeable, immovable and eternally the same." The Soul cannot be cut

in pieces or segmented. This means that the soul is eternally,

perpetually minute. We are the eternal parts and parcels of Sri Krsna.

As Sri Krsna Himself states in Bhagavad-gita (15.7):

mamaivamso jiva-loke

jiva-bhutah sanatanah

"The living entities in the conditioned world are My eternal,

fragmental parts." The word sanatana means "eternal," and the word amsa

means "particles." God, Krsna, is very great. No one is equal to Him or

greater than Him. It is said that God is great, but we do not actually

realize how great God is. He is so great that millions of universes are

emanating from the pores of His body.

yasyaika-nisvasita-kalam athavalambya

jivanti loma-vilaja jagad-anda-nathah

visnur mahan sa iha yasya kala-viseso

govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami

"The Brahmas and other lords of the mundane worlds appear from the

pores of the Maha-Visnu and remain alive for the duration of His one

exhalation. I adore the primeval Lord, Govinda, for Maha-Visnu is a

portion of His plenary portion." (Brahma-samhita 5.48)

Millions of universes emanate from the breathing of the Maha-Visnu.

In the Tenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita, Krsna gives Arjuna some

indication of His infinite glory, and He concludes His descriptions with

the following statement (Bg. 10.42):

athava bahunaitena

kim jnatena tavarjuna

vistabhyaham idam krtsnam

ekamsena sthito jagat

"But what need is there, Arjuna, for all this detailed knowledge?

With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire

universe."

This universe (jagat) is situated on the strength of one part of

Krsna's yogic powers. In this way we must understand the greatness of

God and our own identity as minute particles. It is stated in the

puranas that the individual soul is one ten-thousandth part of the tip

of a hair. If we could somehow divide the tip of a hair into ten

thousand parts, we might begin to understand how the soul is invisible.

Self-realization means knowing our identity as small particles. The

small particle of spirit soul is within every one of us, but it is not

possible to see with material eyes. There is no instrument existing in

the material universe by which one can actually see the soul. Because of

our inability to perceive the soul, we say it is nirakara, formless. We

cannot even calculate its dimension (akara). Although we cannot

calculate it, it is there nonetheless. The living entity has full form.

There are small microbes and insects we can barely see, but they have an

anatomy consisting of many working parts. Within a small insect there is

also the spirit soul, and that spirit soul also exists within the

elephant and other big animals.

When we actually realize our identity as Brahman, our life becomes

successful. Presently we are identifying with the body, but as long as

we do so, we are no better than cats and dogs, although we may have a

considerable amount of scientific knowledge. Conditioned souls consider

the body to be the self, and because of this the jivas identify

themselves as American, Indian, brahmana, ksatriya, man, woman, elephant

and so forth. Thinking in these bodily terms, people consider their

wives and children to be theirs and the land of their birth to be

worshipable. Thinking thus, people are willing to fight and die for

their country. presently everyone is laboring under this delusion, but

in order to understand our spiritual identity, we must find the proper

guru.

Realizing our identity means realizing that we are Krsna's eternal

parts and parcels, that we are very minute, infinitesimal, and that we

have a perpetual and eternal relationship with Krsna, just as a part has

its relationship to the whole. At no time can we be as great as Krsna,

although we are the same qualitatively. No one is equal to God, and no

one is greater than Him. If someone claims to be God, he has to prove

that no one is equal to him and that no one is greater. If he can do

this, he is God. This is a very simple definition. Brahma-samhita (5.1)

also verifies this statement: isvarah paramah krsnah. The word isvara

means "controller," and the word parama means "supreme." We small living

entities are controllers to a degree. We can control, at times, our

family members, wives, children and so forth. Or we can control our

office, factory, country or whatever. There are small controllers and

larger controllers. If we go to Brahma, we see that he is controlling

the entire universe, but he is not the supreme controller. It is stated

in the sastras that Brahma, the greatest living being within this

universe, is also meditating in order to learn how to control. Tene

brahma hrdaya adi-kavaye (SB. 1.1.1).

First of all, Brahma learned to control the universe; then he

became qualified as Brahma. Although he was born Brahma, he still had to

be educated. If he was the first living being in the universe, who

educated him? Krsna. Sri Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita (10.2), aham adir

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

The original demigods are Brahma, Visnu and Siva. Lord Krsna is

Visnu, but He is the instructor of Brahma and Siva. Therefore it is said

that Lord Krsna is the source of all the demigods.

We should not foolishly claim that we are as great as the Supreme

God. We should understand that we are like sparks of the original fire.

The spark is also fire, but if it falls from the original flame, it will

go out. One should not think that because he is qualitatively one with

God, he is God. the supreme controller. It is very fashionable nowadays

to claim to have become Narayana, God. The Mayavadis address one another

as Narayana, and thus everyone supposedly becomes Narayana. In this way

we are overcrowded with Narayanas here and there. But how can everyone

become Narayana? Narayana is one, and the sastras warn:

yas tu narayanam devam

brahma-rudradi-devataih

samatvenaiva vikseta

sa pasandi bhaved dhruvam

"Whoever thinks Lord Visnu and the demigods are on the same level

is to be immediately considered a rogue as far as spiritual

understanding is concerned." If one compares Narayana to the demigods,

he simply reveals his lack of intelligence. It is also fashionable to

speak of daridra-narayana, poor Narayana, claiming that the poor man in

the street is Narayana. But what is this nonsense? Narayana is the

exalted Supreme Personality of Godhead. Even Sankaracarya says:

narayanah paro 'vyaktat. Narayana is beyond this universe. Avyaktad

anda-sambhavah: the entire universe is a product of this avyakta. We

should not compare Narayana to anyone, what to speak of the poor man in

the street (daridra). This is all foolishness. Narayana is Laksmipati,

the husband and controller of the goddess of fortune. How, then, can He

be daridra? This is all due to misunderstanding. Therefore the sastras

warn that if one thinks that the demigods are equal to Narayana, one is

a pasandi, an atheist. We should not think that because we have become

liberated, we have attained the position of Narayana. By severe

austerity and penance one may elevate himself to the position of

Brahman, but this is not the position of parabrahman. Aruhya krcchrena

param padam tatah (SB. 10.2.32). Although one rises to the platform of

Brahman, one again falls down to the material position if he neglects to

worship the lotus feet of Krsna. One may rise to the Brahma effulgence,

but because there is no shelter there one will return to the material

atmosphere. One may go to Brahmaloka, the highest planet in the material

sky, but one's position there is temporary. However, in the paravyoma,

the spiritual sky, there are many spiritual planets, called

Vaikunthalokas. There are millions of these gigantic planets, and unless

we take shelter of one of them, we will fall down again into the

material atmosphere.

It is not sufficient to rise to the platform of Brahman. Brahman is

sat (being), and a partial realization of the Absolute Truth. We are

actually after ananda. Sac-cid-ananda: cit means "knowledge," and that

is also partial. We must add ananda (bliss) in order to have complete

realization. If we simply fly in the sky, we can't have ananda. We have

to descend to an airport at some time or another. If we simply rise to

the Brahman effulgence, we do not experience ananda. Ananda is

experienced when we enter the spiritual planets, where Narayana, Krsna,

is present. paras tasmat tu bhavo 'nyo 'vyakto 'vyaktat sanatanah (Bg.

8.20). We have to enter the eternal planets and associate with the

Supreme Personality of Godhead in order to be happy. If we do not attain

this position, we will return to the material world. And how can this

position be attained? We simply have to try to understand Krsna. Why

does He come? What is His business? What is His form?

The purpose of this Krsna consciousness movement is to teach people

how to understand Krsna. If one is fortunate in understanding Him, one's

life is successful. As long as we have lusty desires and greed, we

cannot come to this understanding. The bhakti-yoga process is the

process of purification whereby we can become free from kama and lobha,

lust and greed, and the influence of the lower gunas, tamo-guna and

rajo-guna, ignorance and passion. As soon as we engage in devotional

service, we immediately become freed from the influence of the gunas.

Because we are not expert in approaching the Supreme Lord, we have to

follow the principles of bhakti-yoga enunciated by the acaryas. When a

boy goes to school, he has to follow the rules and regulations, but

after a while he becomes accustomed to them and does not have to be

taught. In other words, he learns automatically to come to school at a

certain time, take his seat and study nicely. Similarly, in this Krsna

consciousness movement, we have certain rules and regulations. We must

rise early in the morning for mangala-arati, chant sixteen rounds of

Hare Krsna daily, and execute all the functions of bhakti-yoga. In this

way, we become attached to rendering service to Krsna, and we become

practiced in this science. When we attain this stage, we immediately

become self-realized.