660405 - Lecture BG 02.49-51 - New York

Lectures by Date, 1966

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

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660405BG.NY - April 05, 1966 - 55:38 Minutes

Prabhupāda: Now Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is just trying to place Arjuna in the platform of working on pure consciousness. The . . . we have already discussed for so many days that we are not this dull body, but we are consciousness. Now, some way or other, we are in contact with this matter. Therefore our freedom is checked. As spiritual being, we are free—free to act, free to have anything, pure, no contamination, no disease, no birth, no death, no old age, and besides that, we have got many, many other qualifications in our spiritual life.

So unfortunately, because we are in contact with this matter, we are hampered in so many ways. This we should understand, and this is the opportunity. This human life is the only opportunity. If we miss this opportunity, then it may be that in our next life we may not have again this nice, civilized human form of life according to our karma. But one thing is sure. You'll be glad to hear that once begun, this process of spiritual realization, one is guaranteed to have next life as human being. You'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā that śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate (BG 6.41).

You'll find in course of this discussion with Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa when Kṛṣṇa will describe about the yoga system, how to act it. This is also yoga system, yoga-sthaḥ kuru karmāṇi. This is karma-yoga. This is karma-yoga.

So any yoga, either karma-yoga or dhyāna-yoga or jñāna-yoga, any system of yoga, once begun in this life, that will continue. That will continue. Yoga-sthaḥ kuru karmāṇi. The Bhāgavata says, Śrīmad-Bhāgavata says:

tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ harer

bhajann apakvo 'tha patet tato yadi

yatra kva vābhadram abhūd amuṣya kiṁ

ko vārtha āptaḥ abhajatāṁ sva-dharmataḥ

(SB 1.5.17)

This is speech by Nārada to his disciple, Śrīla Vyāsadeva, that "You should try, people, to connect them in spiritual life, in conducting spiritual life. It doesn't matter even if he fails to complete the course—still, he's not loser. Still, he's not loser. He . . ." The whole system of Vedic knowledge, especially the Kṛṣṇa philosophy . . . Kṛṣṇa philosophy—the whole philosophy. Vedic philosophy means Kṛṣṇa philosophy. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15).

The all Vedic knowledge, all Vedic wisdom means to understand Kṛṣṇa philosophy. That's all. Nothing else. The Kṛṣṇa philosophy in different way all over the world they have been described according to the time, place and people, but you must know the whole thing is Kṛṣṇa philosophy. Kṛṣṇa philosophy is . . . when we speak of Kṛṣṇa, you don't take this word, Sanskrit word, Kṛṣṇa, in a sectarian meaning. Kṛṣṇa means the Supreme, the highest pleasure. Highest pleasure.

So now, yoga-sthaḥ. In the previous verse we have been advised to work, continue work, being situated in yoga. And in the next śloka Lord Kṛṣṇa says:

dūreṇa hy avaraṁ karma

buddhi-yogād dhanañjaya

buddhau śaraṇam anviccha

kṛpaṇāḥ phala-hetavaḥ

(BG 2.49)

Dūreṇa. Dūreṇa: "By force . . ." Just like unwanted things which we don't like, we throw it aside. Suppose something is given to me in my . . . during my dinner which I don't like. Sometimes we throw it, "Oh, I don't want it." You see? So similarly, our discrimination . . . "Discrimination is the best part of valor." Simply we have to learn how to discriminate whether we are working on material platform or on the spiritual platform. That's all.

Just like Arjuna. Arjuna was being advised to work on the spiritual platform. That's all. The whole instruction of Bhagavad-gītā is based on this principle, that Arjuna was perplexed with material thoughts. And Lord Kṛṣṇa wanted to pose him, or to place him, in the spiritual platform. That's all. So now, from Arjuna's activity, you can understand that what is spiritual platform and what is material platform.

Now, those who have studied Bhagavad-gītā up to the end—and I hope some of you have already read Bhagavad-gītā Arjuna was a military man, and Kṛṣṇa was trying to induce him to his duty as military man that, "You must fight." But Arjuna was declining, that "I cannot kill my relatives, my friends, my brothers, my teacher, my grandfather." That was his consideration.

Now, this consideration is material platform. When we think of in relation with this body, that is material platform. Anything done in consideration of this body . . . this body means senses. The body means the senses. That means anything which we do for sense gratification, that is material. And anything which we do for the satisfaction of the Supreme, that is spiritual platform. That's all.

So we have to discriminate, "Whether I am working for sense gratification or whether I am working for the satisfaction of the Supreme?" If this art we can learn, then our life becomes spiritualized. Spiritual life does not mean that we have to change something of these activities which we are, already we are engaged, or our form of the body will change to something extraordinary. Nothing. The same body, the same feature, the same activity, same engagement—everything same.

But we have to know the art, "Whether these activities are being done from the spiritual platform or from the material platform?" If we can discriminate in that way, as Lord Kṛṣṇa advises Arjuna, dūreṇa hy avaraṁ karma buddhi-yogād dhanañjaya: "O Dhanañjaya . . ." Dhanañjaya is the another name of Arjuna. "My dear Dhanañjaya, buddhi-yogāt, by your intelligence . . ." And as we have explained, buddhi-yoga means devotional service to the Lord.

So on the criterion of buddhi-yoga, on the criterion of devotional service to the Lord, you have to do everything. That is the, I mean to say, technique. That is the technique. Dūreṇa hy avaraṁ karma buddhi-yogāt. Buddhi-yogāt. You have to use your intelligence, "Whether I am doing this on the platform of pure consciousness or on the platform of this body?"

Now, in the beginning you require a guide. Without guide, it is not possible. Anything which you want to learn in the beginning, any art or science, you require a guide. Without guide . . . just like a small child, when he begins to walk, he requires the help of his elder brother or sister or father or mother to catch, and one step, one step, one step, one step . . . but when he begins to walk independently, then he doesn't require any help. Similarly, to learn this art, "Whether I am acting on the spiritual platform or on the material platform?" you require a spiritual master, guide. And this is called dvija, or the second birth. When you catch hold of the bona fide spiritual master just to guide you to act on the spiritual platform, then your second life begins. It is called dvija.

So this life is so important that one must begin it. One must begin it. There is no alternative. If a man is intelligent enough, if at all he wants to make his life successful, this must he do. That is the injunction of the Vedas. The Vedas says, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 1.2.12).

This abhigacchet is the form of verb which is imperative, "You must." Abhigacchet. This, this form of verb is used when the sense is "you must." So the Vedic Upaniṣad directs that tad-vijñānārtham: "In order to be situated, or in order to learn how to act on the spiritual platform, you must seek out a bona fide spiritual master who can guide you."

So Kṛṣṇa . . . Arjuna has selected Kṛṣṇa as the spiritual master. We have already explained that Kṛṣṇa . . . Arjuna surrendered unto Arjuna (Kṛṣṇa). And Nārada says that "Even after," I mean to say, "Neglecting . . ." Tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ hareḥ (SB 1.5.17).

Now, Nārada says that "If somebody neglects all other duty, all other duty . . ." Tyaktvā sva-dharmam. Sva-dharmam means every particular man has got some particular form of duty. Every particular man. You have got some duty, I have got some duty, everyone. Nobody is dutiless. Now, Nārada says: "Even sacrificing the so-called duties, if one takes absolutely unto the spiritual life, then he is not loser. He's not loser. On the contrary, one who does not take up this important task and remain engaged in the so-called duties, he's a loser." He's a loser. It is a very important point.

Now, Bhagavad-gītā also confirms that, once begun this spiritual life, then he's not loser in this sense, that his human life is guaranteed in the next birth. In the ordinary duty, you do not know whether you'll have again this human body or not. There is no certainty. That will depend on your quality of work. But here, if you begin your spiritual life, sacrificing all other duties, then your next life as human being is guaranteed. Guaranteed. You'll find in Bhagavad-gītā that śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate sanja (BG 6.41).

Bhraṣṭa. Bhraṣṭa means one, yoga-bhraṣṭa, one who is prosecuting the yoga system . . . the yoga sys . . . 'yoga system I have already explained. Yoga system means the transcendental process by which we realize ourself, we link up our life with self-realization. That is called yoga.

Now, now, somebody begins this yoga of self-realization, but for unfortunately he cannot prosecute the task in a nice way, and sometimes he falls down, falls down from the path. Still, there is encouragement that "You are not loser. You are not loser. Because you will be given a chance next life, and that next life is not ordinary next life." That next life is śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe: "You'll have your birth next life either in a very rich family or in the family of very highly advanced, educated father." Śucīnāṁ śrīmatām.

Śucīnām means . . . I have explained to you the, the life of a Brāhmin, brahminical culture. Śuci means Brāhmin. Brāhmin means one who knows spiritual life, how to conduct. And he has got other qualifications. Then he's called śuci. And the, the, the opposite word of śuci is called muci. So we need not explain what is muci, but śuci, śucīnāṁ means highly cultured Brāhmin. And śrīmatām. Śrī means wealth; śrī means wealth, opulence, beauty and all these things. That means very aristocratic family. Very aristocratic family.

So he's given chance to get his birth in two places, one who is, I mean to . . . not successful. The successful, oh, what to speak of him! The successful goes back to Godhead directly. And even one is unsuccessful, half-finished, then he is given chance to take his birth in two kinds of families. One set is śrīmatām. Śrīmatām means very well-to-do, rich family. And other is very well polished, cultural, Brāhmin family.

Why? Now, there is the chance. There is the chance of spiritual culture very nicely. Of course, here in your country, aristocratic family, just like Rockefeller family or Ford's family . . . there are many rich families here. I do not know what are their activities, but in India, the aristocratic family, they have got particular spiritual function. Each and every aristocratic family has so many temples. So many temples.

And I have already informed you that one of the aristocratic family in India, Sir Padampat Singhania, he's a very big . . . he's as equal to your Rockefeller family. And I wrote him that "I want to start here one Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa temple, and I want your help." He has immediately agreed, "Swāmījī, I shall spend for a nice architectural, Indian pattern temple in New York if I get exchange sanction." You see?

So my putting you . . . putting this statement is that even up till now, Indian aristocratic family, they are so much religiously inclined that immediately on my proposal he's agreed. He's agreed, "Yes. I shall construct a temple." So that aristocratic family has the facility. In every Indian aristocratic family you'll find they have got their particular temples and temple worship, and they go, they offer their respect, and do their business as it is. There is no harm. So by . . . side by side with material activities, they have got the chance of spiritual.

Now, this particular family I am speaking to you, Singhania family, you'll be very glad to learn that how they are family arrangement. They have got a temple, Dvārakādhīśa, a Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa temple, just like this picture. They have got a very nice temple, and that temple has got some property. And the . . . that property, out of the property, one of the land is leased out to this Singhania Organization business. So they pay rent to the Deity. You see? So similarly, the Deity has large income. And they spend also in so many ways. If we have got the chance of starting a temple here, we shall also let you know how to spend for spiritual consciousness. Yes.

Now, their family duty is that they are, this Singhania, Sir Padampat Singhania, they have got four or five brothers, and the mother is still living. And the order is that each and every family member must go every day and pay respect to the Deity. And if somebody is absent one day, then he must be fined. A fine is imposed. The, the big brother, Sir Padampat Singhania, if he's absent one day to pay respect to the Deity, he's fined ten rupees, or ten dollars. You see?

And, and next day the Brāhmin, or the pūjārī, the worshiper engaged, he goes to collect the fine. He presents, "Yes, yes. I am sorry. Yes. Here is my fine." (laughs) So of course, this is self-imposed, but the idea is that they are spiritually conscious in this way: "Oh, I did not go yesterday to offer my respect to the Deity, Kṛṣṇa. So I must pay fine." This is also spiritual consciousness. This is also spiritual consciousness.

So the whole thing is that life should be molded, molded in such a way that in every step or action, we shall feel the presence of the Lord. That is spiritual life. That is spiritual life. You need not change your present occupation. Just like the example, this Singhania family, they do not change. They are doing just like ordinary . . . but they are always spiritually conscious. The aim is, aim is toward Kṛṣṇa. That is very nice example. It is very ordinary. Everyone will understand it.

Now, suppose a man or woman is in love, and the man is a third person, beyond the husband of the wife . . . beyond the, of the woman. Now, it is a, it is a example given in scriptures that the woman who is fallen in love, the woman or man with other woman, other man, opposite sex, so he may be engaged in so many duties, but his mind is always to that point when he or she will meet his lover. With all his duty or her duties during the daytime, she or he always thinks, "Oh, when that moment will come when we shall meet together?" That means the mind is always there. The example is said because that when there is ecstasy, when there is ecstasy of love, even within our . . . within the midst of our multifarious duties, we can remember that thing always.

Similarly, God consciousness, we shall have to mold our life in that way that in the midst of our very grave duties, serious duties, we shall always remember the Supreme, the Supreme, in every step. That discrimination, that much love, we have to develop. And therefore we require guide, how to develop. How to develop that, we require that. We haven't got to change anything. Let us . . . let us remain our, in our position, but at the same time, simultaneously, side by side, let us have spiritual culture. Just like we are holding this class. This is also spiritual culture, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam (SB 7.5.23).

With your multifarious duties you come here thrice in a week and try to understand. This is also spiritual culture. This will not go in vain. This will give you impression. Even you stop coming here, that impression will never go. I tell you that the impression will never go. It is such a thing. But if we take it up very seriously and go on molding our life in that way, then it becomes quickly successful.

Now, suppose even there is no loss by falling down from this path, that does not mean that we should neglect it. No. Formerly, in Medical College of Calcutta, the students who failed in the final examination, they were given some title, L.M.S., "License in Medical . . . medicine and Surgery," L.M.S. And those who passed, they were given the title M.D., or M.B., just like that. So even by failure, they would get some title and allowed to practice as medical man. But that does not mean that we may try to fail also. No.

The aim should be to become successful, not to fail. Not to fail. Even though we are in failure, still, there is profit undoubtedly, but we should not aim to that objective. We should, we should be determined that in this very life we must have a spiritual realization perfectly, so that, as you'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya.

janma karma ca me divyam

evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ

tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma

naiti mām eti kaunteya

(BG 4.9)

"He Kaunteya, Arjuna . . ." Arjuna's another name is Kaunteya because his mother's name is Kuntī. Therefore he's sometimes addressed by Kṛṣṇa as Kaunteya, "the son of Kuntī." Kaunteya means the son of Kuntī. So, "O My dear son of Kuntī, anyone who knows perfectly about the Lord's incarnation, why does He come, what are His activities, and what is His original constitution, form, etc., the science of God—if anyone knows, simply by knowing, simply by knowing, the theoretical knowledge . . ." What is his profit? Simply by knowing. Now, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti: "Then, for him the profit is that after giving up this body, he hasn't got to take birth again in this material form." Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti: "He comes directly to Me." Simply by knowing.

Just like you are coming here. Apart from doing any practical work . . . if you do some practical work, oh, it is very, very nice. Even if you do not know any practical work, simply you give your reception, aural reception, submissive aural reception, and understand that what is the nature of God, what is the nature of our self, what is the relation between God and myself, what is this world, what is my relation with this world, so many things, simply if you hear and have an idea, then, even then, you'll be free from this material bondage. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). Therefore, as Lord Kṛṣṇa says that:

dūreṇa hy avaraṁ karma

buddhi-yogād dhanañjaya

buddhau śaraṇam anviccha

kṛpaṇāḥ phala-hetavaḥ

(BG 2.49)

"Don't be miser. Don't be miser." Miser . . . we have already explained in our last meeting what is the miser and what is a Brāhmin. The opposite word is Brāhmin. Miser means this valuable body, who does not properly utilize it—simply they utilize this body for sense gratification and nothing more. They are kṛpaṇa. Kṛpaṇa means miser. Miser, who does not utilize the asset given to him, he's a miser. Miser. He's not liberal. One should be liberal.

There is a paṇḍita, learned man. His name is Cāṇakya. If you, some of you, had been in India, in New Delhi, where foreign ambassadors are settled, in New Delhi, capital of India, there is a quarter which is called Cāṇakya Purī. Cāṇakya Purī. This Cāṇakya Purī has been named due to the name of this gentleman, Cāṇakya. He was a great politician and prime minister during the reign of Emperor Candragupta, long, long years before. He was a great politician. So his politics are studied in higher, M.A. class, and so he has got some . . . he has got a book which is called Cāṇakya Śloka and some principles of morality. Some principles of morality. So we, in our childhood, we had to study that small book, Cāṇakya Śloka.

So in that principles of morality even Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says that sannimitte varaṁ tyāga vināśe niyate sati. Vināśe niyate sati: "Oh, this body, this body is destined to be destroyed. You cannot protect it. It is to be destroyed." Sannimitte varaṁ tyāge vināśe. Vināśe means it is sure to be destroyed. "As sure as death." There is nothing sure as death. Therefore this body should be utilized, sannimitte, for purpose of spiritual realization. Before it is finished . . . in all the śāstras, this is the advice. This is the advice. The dog's body will be finished and the man's body will be finished, but what is the difference of dog and man? The dog does not know how to utilize his body, but we are given instruction in so many books of knowledge how to utilize this body.

So Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says that sannimitte varaṁ tyāga (Cāṇakya-śloka 36).

You have to give up this body. Why don't you give it up for the highest cause? Highest cause. This is the highest cause: spiritual realization. Somebody's offering his body for country's cause. Somebody's offering body for the society's cause. Or somebody's offering body for theft case or some murdering case. We have . . . everyone has to offer his body at the end. But the man who sacrifices this body for the purpose of self-realization, he's the most intelligent man. Sannimitte varaṁ tyāga vināśe niyate sati. You'll have to meet death, undoubtedly, but before meeting death . . .

(break) . . . as fully spiritualized. That is the instruction given. Buddhau śaraṇam anviccha kṛpaṇāḥ: "Don't be miser. Don't misuse this great opportunity."

buddhi-yukto jahātīha

ubhe sukṛta-duṣkṛte

tasmād yogāya yujyasva

yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam

(BG 2.50)

Yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam. Kauśalam means expert trick. Expert trick. Just like there are two men working: one man is very expert; another man is not so expert. Even in machinery: there is something wrong in the machine, the, the man who is not very expert, he's trying whole day-night how to adjust it. But the expert comes and at once sees what is the defect, and he joins one wire this way and that way, and machine begins to start; hrzum-zum-zum-zum-zum-zum. You see? Just like sometimes we, we find difficulty in our this tape recorder, and Mr. Carl or somebody comes and rectifies this. So everything requires some expert knowledge.

So karma, karma means work. We have to work. Without working, even our this body and soul cannot go. It is a very misconception that for one who is a . . . for spiritual realization he hasn't got to work. No, he has got to work more. Persons who are not for spiritual realization, they may be engaged in work for eight hours only, but those who are engaged for spiritual realization, oh, they are engaged twenty-four hours. Twenty-four hours.

That is the difference. And that difference is . . . you'll find that on the material platform, on the bodily conception of life, if you work for eight hours only, you'll feel fatigued. But spiritual purpose, if you work more than twenty-four hours—unfortunately, you haven't got more than twenty-four hours at your disposal—still, you won't feel fatigued. I tell you. This is my practical experience. This is my practical experience.

And I am here, always working, something reading or writing, something reading or writing, twenty-four hours. Simply when I feel hungry, I take some food. And simply when I feel asleep, I go to bed. Otherwise, always, I don't feel fatigued. You can ask Mr. Paul whether I am not doing this. So I take, I take pleasure in doing that. I don't feel fatigued. Similarly, when one will have that spiritual sense, he won't feel . . . rather, he will . . . he will feel disgusted to go to sleep, to go to sleep: "So, sleep has come just to disturb me." You see? He wants to lessen the time of sleeping. Then . . . now, as we pray, vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau (Śrī Ṣaḍ Gosvāmy Aṣṭaka).

These Six Gosvāmīs, they were deputed by Lord Caitanya to discuss this science. They have written immense literature about it. You see? So you'll be surprised that they were sleeping only for one and half hour daily, not more than that. That also, sometimes they forego. You see? They are so much busy in spiritual activities, kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau . . . so spiritual life is so sublime and so invigorating that you won't feel fatigued. Won't feel . . . once . . . you have to be engaged. And as you are engaged actually in spiritual life, you won't feel fatigued. You'll be fearless, and your life will be always blissful. These are the symptoms. So yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam (BG 2.50).

The Lord says that the . . . that this spiritual platform is the karmasu kauśalam. Kauśalam means expert service, expert, kauśalam. Kuśala. Kuśala means auspicious, and from kuśala it comes to kauśala. That means if you learn the trick how to work on the platform of yoga, then that is the highest technique of doing work. Buddhi-yukto jahā . . . and result of that work, what is that? Now, buddhi-yuktaḥ. When you work from the spiritual platform with your intelligence, then jahāti iha ubhe sukṛta-duṣkṛte. Sukṛta-duṣkṛta.

Now, for ordinary work, if you do good work, then you have to take good result. And if you do bad work, or sinful work, then if you have . . . you have to take the effect of such bad and sinful work. Sukṛta and duṣkṛta. But one who works from spiritual platform, he hasn't got to take the result of good work or bad work, because he is transcendental. He has no good work or no bad work. Everything transcendental work. Everything transcendental work.

That . . . just like take the example of Arjuna. He was thinking that, "Fighting of this nature is not good for me." That was his problem. And . . . because he was thinking on the bodily platform. The same Arjuna again took to fighting. Does it mean that by understanding Bhagavad-gītā he took to bad work? No. Just try to understand. He declined to fight. He thought that "Fighting for me with my relatives is not good." That was his conclusion.

And actually, from material platform . . . suppose two brothers we are, who are going to fight for something, and if third person comes, if he advises that, "You are two brothers. Why you are fighting? Just have it, and it can be settled," that is good actually. But the Arjuna, from practical point of view, or from the materialistic point of view, he was good that he was declining to fight. And Lord Kṛṣṇa was inducing him to fight. So does it mean that Lord Kṛṣṇa was inducing him to the bad course? No. He was inducing him to a course which is beyond good and bad—transcendental. In the . . . from the material platform, even if you do good work, that is also not good. That is also not good.

Now, now according to scriptures, now, one who does good work only, no sinful work, then what is the result of his good work? Oh, he gets birth in a good family, in a higher planet or very rich man or very educated man, very beautiful man. These are the result of good work. Janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrī (SB 1.8.26).

Four things are obtained by good work. You get very good birth, high parentage, janma. You get very good wealth in wealthy family, or you earn millions and millions dollars. You don't think that simply by laboring one can earn millions and millions dollars, unless he has got in the background very good work. You see? Otherwise, everyone is trying to earn millions and billions, but somebody's earning very quickly, without any effort, and somebody, whole life working, he does not get even sufficient for the maintenance. So these are the result of good work and bad work. So janma-aiśvarya-śruta, high education. To become very highly learned man, that is also due to good work. And to be very beautiful, that is also result of good work. Janma-aiśvarya-śruta-śrī. Śrī means beauty. And bad work is just opposite.

Now, good work or bad work, now, when you take your birth in a good family, when you are very much educated, very much beautiful, but still, you have to accept the, I mean to say, triple miseries of material existence. That you cannot avoid. That you cannot avoid. Because you are very rich man, you cannot avoid your death. You cannot avoid your disease. You cannot avoid your old age. Similarly, as the man who is poor man, he is also cannot . . . he also cannot avoid old age, he cannot avoid death, he cannot avoid disease, similarly, the troubles of material existence is there, both in good life and bad life. But when you work transcendentally, neither good nor bad, for the sake of the Supreme Consciousness, transcendental position, you don't get this material birth at all. Therefore that is real good. You are above this birth, death, old age and so many troubles, miseries of life.

So Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa says that buddhi-yukto jahāti. If you work from the transcendental plane, or spiritual platform, then you get rid of all the results of good work and bad work. Don't be attached by, either by good work or bad work. That is the technique. A transcendentalist who wants to work from spiritual platform, he has no botheration, "Whether I am doing good or bad?" He has only to see, "Whether I am doing . . . acting on the platform of spiritual consciousness or material consciousness?" That's all. Even a apparently bad work by such person on the spiritual consciousness is also good, supreme good. Not only good, but supreme good.

Just like you see the example of Arjuna. From material point of view, he was right that "It is not good to fight with my brothers." That is right from material point of view. But when he learned Bhagavad-gītā, he fought with the same brothers. With the same brothers. That means that after learning Bhagavad-gītā, after taking lessons of Bhagavad-gītā, he did not become a bad man. No. He become a transcendental man. Transcendental man. Because that fighting, he accepted on the instruction, on the desire, of the Supreme Consciousness, Kṛṣṇa. That is the technique. Similarly, when we mold our life in such a way that we have to act on the direction of the Supreme Consciousness, then our life becomes sublime, spiritual.

Now, as I have already explained to you, that we require a guide. We require a guide. That guide should be the representative of Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise, he cannot be guide. Just like Kṛṣṇa was the guide of Arjuna directly. Now, here we haven't got Kṛṣṇa directly, but how to have a guide? That guide means he must be a representative of Kṛṣṇa. Representative of Kṛṣṇa. How one can become representative of Kṛṣṇa? That means one who follows the instruction of Kṛṣṇa. Just like you take a . . . take for example a lawyer. What do you mean by lawyer? One who understands the law books very nicely, he's a lawyer, a representative of law. Similarly, here in the Bhagavad-gītā, there are instruction of Kṛṣṇa, and a person who understands these instruction rightly . . .

How to understand that instruction rightly, that is also in this book. You haven't got to seek elsewhere how to understand Bhagavad-gītā. The how to understand Bhagavad-gītā is already prescribed here. That I shall explain to you, when you go to the Fourth Chapter. Now we are on the Second Chapter. When you go to the Fourth Chapter, how to understand Bhagavad-gītā, that is also mentioned there.

So according (to) that process, if somebody understands Bhagavad-gītā and in his life he practices in that way, just like a lawyer who has passed the law examination . . . similarly, one who understands Bhagavad-gītā as it is, without any wishful interpretation for his own purpose . . . no. Bhagavad-gītā as it is, as it is instructed to Arjuna. If there is somebody who understands Bhagavad-gītā in that way, he is the representative of God. He is the representative of Kṛṣṇa, and one should accept such representative of Kṛṣṇa for his guide.

Then, actually, as much as Arjuna was guided by Kṛṣṇa, then similarly, that person who takes the shelter of the guidance of a person who is fully, I mean to say, aware, fully conversant with the science of Kṛṣṇa, he can guide you nicely and for your spiritual life, as Lord Kṛṣṇa has guided Arjuna for his spiritual life.

Thank you very much. Any question? (end)