660418 - Lecture BG 02.59-69 - New York

Lectures by Date, 1966

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

660429BG.NY - April 29, 1966

Prabhupāda: (kirtan) (prema-dhvani) Gaura-Premanandi. Hari Haribol.

viṣayā vinivartante

nirāhārasya dehinaḥ

rasa-varjaṁ raso 'py asya

paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate

(BG 2.59)

Those who are Sanskrit student may recite this important . . . Viṣayā . . .

(recites with students responding through end of verse 61)

yatato hy api kaunteya

puruṣasya, puruṣasya vipaścitaḥ

indriyāṇi pramāthīni

haranti prasabhaṁ manaḥ

(BG 2.60)

tāni sarvāṇi saṁyamya

yukta āsīta mat-paraḥ

vaśe hi yasyendriyāṇi

tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā

(BG 2.61)

viṣayā vinivartante

nirāhārasya dehinaḥ

rasa-varjaṁ raso 'py asya

paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate

(BG 2.59)

This verse we were discussing last Friday. The subject matter is that we are trying to transfer our activities from the material platform to the spiritual platform. That is the whole idea. So material platform, as I have already explained to you several times, material platform means viṣayāḥ, viṣayāḥ. Viṣayāḥ means four things: āhāra, nidrā, bhaya, maithuna (Hitopadeśa)—eating, sleeping and defending and mating. These are called viṣayāḥ. The materialistic way of life means these four things: eating, sleeping, defending and mating—sense gratification.

But if we want to go to the spiritual platform, then these bodily demands, at least for the present, we have to regulate. We cannot enjoy material life without any restriction and at the same time we can stand on the spiritual platform. That is the whole thing. The difficult problem is there: we want to be spiritualist by speculation only. That is the whole tendency.

People are much interested in philosophical speculation without any practical life. In the modern world it is said, yaśo 'rthe dharma-yajanam. This is the symptom of this age. Yaśaḥ arthe. I want to associate with some organization, spiritual, just for the sake of name: "Oh, I am attached to that such big organization." But, so far my life is concerned, it is as it is. As it is.

I have seen that . . . I don't wish to name that particular . . . in some yoga institute, I have seen the members, they come, they hear, and they are hearing and coming for the last ten years. But unfortunately, they have not learned even the preliminary instruction of yoga. Yoga . . . yoga . . . the whole process of yoga means indriya-saṁyama, controlling the senses. Controlling the senses. But I have seen: they have no control over senses.

This whole yoga process means controlling the senses, nothing more. The haṭha-yoga means by different practice of āsana—posture or sitting posture or breathing posture—all these means concentrating myself, focusing my attention to the Supersoul. And because our mind is disturbed, because our mind is distributed in so many engagements, therefore the yogic process is a mechanical process by which we can, I mean to say, drag the mind from outside engagement to inner side, and focus the same for perceiving or for realizing the Supersoul.

So in the preliminary stage that one is required to control the senses. Uncontrolled sense will drag me to the material plane. Adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisraṁ punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām. There is a very nice verse in Bhāgavatam:

matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā

mitho 'bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām, gṛha-vratānām

adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisraṁ

punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām

(SB 7.5.30)

The purpose is that those who are uncontrolled of their senses and those whose mind is fixed up only for this material enjoyment, they cannot enter into the sphere of spiritual life. Matir na kṛṣṇe. This Kṛṣṇa philosophy, Kṛṣṇa consciousness . . . matiḥ means attention. So attention to Kṛṣṇa consciousness . . . Matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā. Even by hearing instruction from learned, I mean to say, transcendentalists or by self-study . . . parataḥ. Parataḥ means taking lessons or taking instruction from others.

And svataḥ means by self-culture. Matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā mitho vā. Mitho vā: "by assembly." By assembly. Na: "It will never be." Matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā mitho 'bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām. Gṛha-vratānām means . . . gṛha means house, and vrata means vow. One who has made his vow that "This worldly life—eat, drink, be merry and enjoy—this is all in all," for them, there is no question of spiritual life.

We have to decide it that spiritual life and material life, they are different angles of vision. If we give more stress to the material life, material way of life, then it is not possible to have any spiritual realization or spiritual emancipation, those things. Because the whole idea is, as we are discussing for several weeks, that I am spirit, pure consciousness. I have been put to this material contact somehow or other. Without tracing the history and how I have put into it . . . but the fact is that I am put into these material circumstances, and therefore, due to my material condition of life, I am undergoing miseries, so many miseries.

So the whole idea is that I have to get out of this material contact and reinstate myself in the pure spiritual life so that I shall not . . . I shall be free from all miseries. Because spirit soul, as it is, in its pure form, it is sac-cid-ānanda. It is eternal, it is blissful, and it is full of knowledge.

So the whole program is there. So viṣayā vinivartante. Still, even the yoga system . . . the yoga system, by mechanical process, concentrating the mind and dragging the mind from other engagement, that is also forceful. That is also forceful. Because by some artificial means . . . because first thing is that "I am not this body." Still, I am trying to control my senses by some bodily activities.

Therefore it is . . . some way or other, it is artificial. And as I have . . . last day I cited one example that a great yogī just like Viśvāmitra, he practiced yoga and he rose to the highest platform, but still, he failed to control his senses. He came in contact with Menakā, a society woman of the heaven, and Śakuntalā was born.

So here, Bhagavad-gītā says that viṣayā vinivartante nirāhārasya dehinaḥ. There are some rules and regulation for drying up our sensual activities, artificially drying up. Just like "You are not to eat more than once. You are not to do this. You are not to do this." So many negative points. Just like a diseased fellow.

A diseased fellow is advised by the physician to refrain from so many things. Similarly, there are rules and regulation for controlling the mind, for restraining the senses. There are so many rules and regulation, but still, those regulation, those restrictive regulation, may also fail. There are so many instances.

But here, the process which is recommended in the Bhagavad-gītā, dovetailing your consciousness with the supreme consciousness, that is the highest. That is the highest. Rasa-varjaṁ raso 'py asya paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 2.59).

Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā. Just . . . in other processes, you have to . . . I'm giving some practical example. Just like in the yogic process there is strict regulation that, "You cannot eat this. You cannot eat this. You shall have to eat like this. You shall have to sit like this. You have to breathe like this," so many restriction. But if you dovetail your consciousness with the supreme consciousness, so, in spite of without being restriction, you'll not like the restricted things.

Rasa-varjaṁ raso 'py asya paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate. You'll dislike those restricted things. One process is that by force I am asking you, "Do not do this." But another process is that you have become so much elevated that you do not like to do this yourself.

Just like the other day I cited the example of Yamunācārya. Yamunācārya said that, "So since I have dovetailed my consciousness with the supreme consciousness of Kṛṣṇa . . ." Yad-avadhi mama cetaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravinde. "So long my consciousness has been fixed up in the transcendental service of Kṛṣṇa," yad-avadhi, "since then, even if I think of sex life, oh, it becomes . . . my face becomes, I mean to say, turned, and I wish to spite on it." So why? One thing is . . . one process is applying that, "You should restrict from this." The another process is that without even restriction, you do not like to do it.

This process is so perfect. Kṛṣṇa says that raso 'pi, even if you have that desire, so you do not like to use it. Although you have got the privilege, but you are at liberty, but you do not like to do it. Raso 'py asya, rasa-varjaṁ raso 'py asya. Although he has all the full capacity . . . not that he has become impotent or he has no capacity for sex life. In spite of his having all strength and all capacity, still, he does not like: "Oh, this is . . . what is this?" You see? That stage comes. Rasa-varjaṁ raso 'py asya paraṁ dṛṣṭvā. Why? He has got some superior things, superior sex life, in which he wants to engage himself.

So this process is so perfect. The other process of restraining the senses from enjoyment, that is forced, but that forceful enjoyment may not stand. It may fail sometimes. But this process, having dovetailed oneself in the transcendental loving service of the Supreme Lord, one becomes completely detached from all these viṣayā. Viṣayā means eating, sleeping, defending and mating.

yatato hy api kaunteya

puruṣasya, puruṣasya vipaścitaḥ

indriyāṇi pramāthīni

haranti prasabhaṁ manaḥ

(BG 2.60)

Our mind is so strong and so uncontrolled that even though we artificially try to control our senses, still, sometimes, at a certain period, we fail. Just like Viśvāmitra Muni failed. Yatato hy api kaunteya puruṣasya vipaścitaḥ. Vipaścitaḥ means a very learned man, very learned man, and still trying, not ordinary man, but learned man, trying to control his senses. Yatato hy api kaunteya puruṣasya vipaścitaḥ, indriyāṇi pramā . . . but the senses are so strong that at certain point it fails even by the attempt of a very learned scholar who knows everything.

Therefore in social, social, I mean to say, engagement, according to Vedic injunction, especially for the brahmacārīs, especially for the brahma . . . not only brahmacārīs. Brahmacārī means student life, and other three orders of life means vānaprastha retired life and sannyāsa life, these three orders of life are restricted from associating with woman.

Only householders, those who are married, they are simply allowed to associate with woman. And others, just like the brahmacārī, the vānaprastha, the sannyāsa, they are strictly restricted from association of woman. And that stricture is said like this:

mātrā svasrā duhitrā vā

nāviviktāsano bhavet

balavān indriya-grāmo

vidvāṁsam api karṣati

(SB 9.19.17)

The restriction is given so strictly, that "One should not sit in a solitary place even with his mother, with his sister, with his daughter." Why? Now, balavān indriya-grāmo vidvāṁsam api karṣati: the senses are so strong that it may go wrong even though he's a learned man. Here also the same thing is stated that vipaścitaḥ. Even one is learned man, he's trying to restrict. Yatato hy api kaunteya. Indriyāṇi pramāthīni. Pramāthīni means these senses are so mad that it may go out of my control.

So the whole idea is that if we want to be spiritually advanced, then we have to minimize our materialistic way of life. Two things cannot go. If we want really spiritual advancement of life, then unrestricted materialistic way of life cannot go. Under regulation, under restriction, under rules we have to . . . because so long we have this body, we have to satisfy the material needs.

We . . . it is not that that I shall not eat or I shall not sleep or I shall not defend or I shall not mate. No. There is allowed. It is allowed, but with a view that, "I'll have to retire from all these things, these material needs." That is the point of view.

Now, that can be very easily attained if we engage our senses, or engage our consciousness. When I engage my consciousness into the transcendental loving service of the supreme consciousness, these things automatically take place so that even there is, I mean to say, there is, I mean to say, cause of my falling, still, I shall not fall down.

Even there is enticement, still I shall not fall, because paraṁ dṛṣṭvā, I have seen something which is far, far better enjoyment than this material enjoyment. So we have to come to that point. And what is that point? Tāni sarvāṇi saṁyamya yukta āsīta mat-paraḥ (BG 2.61). The Lord says: "Therefore you, you can control your senses . . ." Sarvāṇi. There are so many senses. "You can control your senses," yukta āsīta mat-paraḥ, " when you engage the senses in . . . in relation with My service or unto Me."

Therefore in the devotional service the beginning is the arcanā. The arcanā is a process which gives . . . gives engagement to all the senses. Just like eye, ear and tongue and nose, hands, legs and so many we have got, senses, and each department has got his engagement. For example, just like we are engaging our tongue and ears in the transcendental sound of Hare Kṛṣṇa, this engagement.

We want to hear good music, melodious music, but if we engage our ears for hearing melodious music in relationship with the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa . . . just like Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare . . . there are many glories, not only in Sanskrit language, in other languages also, glories of Lord.

If we try to hear glories of the Lord with the ear, then my ear may not be engaged in other songs. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 2.59). Similarly, my tongue. If I determine that "I shall eat only foodstuff which is offered to Kṛṣṇa," then naturally my eating problem becomes restricted, and as I go on eating the foodstuff which is offered first to Kṛṣṇa and then I take, then, now, the natural effect will be that my tongue will be controlled.

And if I want to control my other senses, then the tongue control is the first business, because if we cannot control the tongue, then other senses is impossible to be controlled. Therefore we, when we take our foodstuff, we sing this nice song, śarīra abidyā-jāl, joḍendriya tāhe kāl—"This body is a network of nescience." Śarīra abidyā-jāl, joḍendriya tāhe kāl: "And the material senses, they are just like kāla." Kāla means venomous serpents.

So śarīra abidyā-jāl, joḍendriya tāhe kāl, tā'ra madhye jihwā ati, lobhamoy sudurmati; "Amongst all the senses, the tongue is very avaricious." You see? It is . . . it is . . . it wants so many palatable dishes now and then. Tā'ra madhye jihwā ati, lobhamoy sudurmati: "And it is very difficult to control." Now, kṛṣṇa baḍo doyāmoy: "So Kṛṣṇa, Lord Kṛṣṇa, is so kind that in order to control my senses, tongue, first, He has given me so many nice foodstuff so that if I eat them, then my tongue will be controlled."

So the whole thing is tāni sarvāṇi saṁyamya yukta āsīta mat-paraḥ. We should always remember that . . . that to attain to the spiritual life, it is a great penance. It is a great penance. But although it is very difficult, although it is very difficult . . . perhaps you know that in, in the Purāṇas, in the Vedic literature, we have got information that there are sages who underwent penance for so many, many years.

Why in the history or the Purāṇas? You can see from the examples of Lord Buddha, Lord Jesus Christ, Lord Caitanya, Śaṅkarācārya, who were recently within the limit of our historical knowledge. They attained spiritual perfection after undergoing penances for many, many years.

So spiritual perfection is not very easy thing, that simply by attending a, a, in either of the so many groups and hearing something, nice lectures from a person. No. It is practical. It is practical. If we are ac . . . if we are actually serious about attaining, so we must be in a spirit of sacrifice. In this age, by the grace of Lord Caitanya, the matter has been simplified. Matter has been simplified. What is that? He prescribed that, harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam, kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā (CC Adi 17.21). Simply by chanting the holy name of God—either this Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, or any name of God in any language, that doesn't matter . . .

But this is recommended, because Lord Caitanya Himself chanted this holy name. Therefore it is better recommended. But it doesn't matter. But if you think, "Oh, this holy names were chanted by the Hindus, so I, I wish to chant in my own way," that is also recommended. But how the matter has been simplified, that for attainment of spiritual life people had to undergo so many years under penance and regulation, and here is only, only thing is, that you simply chant the holy name of the Lord. Then everything will come to you automatically by and by.

Because in this age penance is not at all possible. Nobody can undergo any penance. But without penance, without sacrifice, from history, from books, from scripture, we understand nobody has attained spiritual perfection. So we require to undergo some sort of penances. That penance is that engage our senses not in this process of sense gratification but in the process of serving the Supreme Lord, dovetailing, dovetailing our independence, our consciousness, to the supreme consciousness.

Just like the example, Bhagavad-gītā. Arjuna is very nice example, that he dovetailed; he dovetailed his consciousness with Kṛṣṇa. He did not want to fight, but after hearing Bhagavad-gītā he dovetailed his senses. One has to fight with senses. Non-sense cannot fight. The senses must be there. So he, what did he do? He applied his senses to the senses of the Supreme Lord. That's all.

Now here it is said, tāni sarvāṇi saṁyamya. You can control your senses only when you engage that senses into the service of the Lord. Tāni saṁyamya yukta āsīta mat-paraḥ. Mat. Mat-paraḥ means "unto Me, unto Me, in relationship with Me." That's all right. And in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu also, you'll find that nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.255).

You haven't got to restrain yourself completely, but if you dovetail yourself, nirbandhaḥ, when it is in relation with Kṛṣṇa, then your vairāgya, your detachment, is approved. Only thing is that don't do it for your sense gratification, but do it for the satisfaction of the Supreme. That's all. That should be the motto of our life, that "I shall not do anything for my sense satisfaction, but I shall do everything for the satisfaction of the Supreme."

That penance, that sacrifice, will make me perfect spiritualized and perfectly on the spiritual platform, and my life becomes perfect. Vaśe hi yasyendriyāṇi tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā (BG 2.61). In this way one has control. The simple thing, control. Vaśe. Vaśe means under control. Vaśe hi yasyendriyāṇi. Anyone who has got his senses under control, he, he is spiritually perfect. So how senses under control? Just engage the senses under the control or under the direction of the Supreme. Then you become perfectly spiritual. Vaśe hi yasyendriyāṇi tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā, pratiṣṭhitā.

dhyāyato viṣayān puṁsaḥ

saṅgas teṣūpajāyate

saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ

kāmāt krodho 'bhijāyate

(BG 2.62)

Now, viṣayā . . . if we do not control our senses in that way, dovetail with the supreme will, then what will happen? Now, dhyāyato viṣayān. Because our mind is always engaged in either of these things—eating, sleeping and defending and mating, especially mating. So dhyāyato viṣayān . . . dhyāyato viṣayān puṁsaḥ, when we think of, even by thinking, the next stage is saṅgas teṣu upajāyate: we become attached to that. We become attached to that. Just like we are reading some sex novel. Now, sex novel, now there is thinking of that. So thinking, thinking—then I become attached to it. I want practically.

So dhyāyato viṣayān puṁsaḥ saṅgas teṣūpajāyate, saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ. And by attachment, then my lust becomes developed. Kāmāt krodho 'bhijāyate. And when my lust is not satisfied, then I become angry. One after another, it is coming. Krodhād bhavati saṁmohaḥ (BG 2.63). And when I am angry, then I, I mean, I am out of my control of the equilibrium of mind. Krodhād saṁmohaḥ, saṁmohe, saṁmohāt smṛti-vibhramaḥ.

Then, even when I have control of the equilibrium of mind . . . we have seen that two brothers quarreling, and it, it, I mean to say, rose to such an extent, the quarreling, that one brother killed his another brother. We have seen. Two brother quarreling—one brother was killed by one brother, and he was arrested, and he was ordered to be hanged.

Then his father appealed to the court that "My two sons . . . one is already lost. So this may . . . he may be spared of his life." This I have actually seen. So by the request of the father, he was sentenced to life, and his hanging was excused by the court. That I have seen. So just see. Krodha. One after another, it becomes so intensified that nothing is impossible. Nothing is impossible.

Then smṛti-vibhramaḥ. Smṛti-bhraṁśād buddhi-nāśaḥ (BG 2.63). Buddhi-nāśaḥ. Buddhi-nāśaḥ means he lost his intelligence. He forgot that "Whom I am going to kill." Buddhi-nāśaḥ. Buddhi-nāśaḥ. Buddhi-nāśāt praṇaśyati: "And as soon as one loses his intelligence, then he's gone to hell."

So these things are happening, and we are continuing our material life, life after life, and not only in human life, but in other forms of life. Should we not think that "We shall stop all this nonsense for good in this life"? Yes. Any sane man, any intelligent man, he should think like that, that "This opportunity, this nice form of human life with civilized . . . in civilized society, with developed consciousness, I must utilize this opportunity for my spiritual perfection so that I may not suffer life after life these material pangs." This is the determination. Otherwise . . .

The whole thing, just see, controlling, how it is nicely . . . dhyāyato viṣayān puṁsaḥ. Thinking of sense enjoyment. Dhyāyato viṣayān puṁsaḥ saṅgas teṣu upajāyate. Then I become attached to it. And if my lust is not fulfilled, then I become angry, and by anger, I forget myself. Then my intelligence is lost, and I may commit havoc. I may commit havoc.

So actually, those who are serious for spiritual enlightenment of life, they should try, try to control the senses not by force—by regulating, by dovetailing it in relationship with the Supreme Lord. Then my senses will be purified. Purified.

sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ

tat-paratvena nirmalam

hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-

sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate

(Nārada-pañcarātra)

Senses, simply senses, senses . . . the Lord's name is Hṛṣīkeśa: He's the proprietor of the senses. (break) That I have already explained to you, that how He's the proprietor. I am not the proprietor. It is . . . the senses are given to me for my enjoyment because I, I wanted it. Now our the senses are already there in my spiritual life. I am misusing them. Without being, the senses being used in the service of the Lord, I am misusing it. Therefore I am in trouble. Now, the whole process should be to change the platform, and I must use the senses in the service of the Lord. Then my life will become perfect.

rāga-dveṣa-vimuktais tu

viṣayān indriyaiś caran

ātma-vaśyair vidheyātmā

prasādam adhigacchati

(BG 2.64)

If you want self-satisfaction, then you try to do this. Don't be neglectful. Rāga-dveṣa-vimuktais tu. Viṣayān indriyaiś caran . . . if you let loose your senses unrestrictedly for material enjoyment, then you cannot . . . cannot have that satisfaction. But if you want satisfaction, if you want real satisfaction, as we have already described, that ahaituky apratihatā yayātmā suprasīdati (SB 1.2.6). If you want satisfaction of your self, then you must practice this devotional service. Engage your eyes, engage your ears, engage your nose . . . then the arcanā-vidhi . . . arcanā-vidhi is to engage all the senses in the service of the Lord.

Of course, here there is no such example, but in India there are temples. There are temples in which the Lord is so nicely decorated, big, big temples. Especially in Vṛndāvana there are, where I have my headquarter, there are five thousand temples. Out of that, about seven or eight temples are very prominent, and they're very old. And one of the temples is my residence, Rādhā-Dāmodara temple. Now, in, in all these temples the Deity, They are so nicely decorated. Twenty-four hours, twenty-four hours engagement is, there is.

In the early in the morning, early, there will be maṅgala-ārātrika, at four o'clock. The Lord . . . it is understood that Lord gets, gets up from His sleeping. So the first there is offering of worship which is called maṅgala-ārātrika. Now, then there is bhoga-ārātrika. Then there is dress, dressing of the Lord, decorating the Lord. Then offering foodstuff. Then . . . and so on, so on. There are so many programs that all the devotees, they are engaged fully. They see nicely decorated. If you want artistic decoration, just apply it to the Lord. See how artistically He's decorated. So that satisfies the demands of my eyes.

In every temple nice musical sound is going on. If you go there, you sit down for a time, and you hear, and you become satisfied. So the ear is satisfied. The eyes are satisfied. Then you take very nice, palatable, I mean to say, foodstuff offered to the Deity, and you are offered the prasādam as remnants. So these arrangements are there. And not only in Vṛndāvana, in every town, still the system is going on. That means our senses, in a different way, they're engaged. They're engaged, spiritually engaged.

So that process is very good for the neophytes. Those who are beginners, the arcanā process, the Deity worship in the temple, is very nice. But apart from all those engagements, where it is not possible, this singing or glorifying the Supreme Lord or this simple song—Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare—it will elevate certainly to the highest extent if you do it very nicely and seriously. Ātma-vaśyair vidheyātmā prasādam adhigacchati. Prasāde sarva-duḥkhānāṁ hānir asyopajāyate. And as soon as you are satisfied, then your all miseries are ended.

prasāde sarva-duḥkhānāṁ

hānir asyopajāyate

prasanna-cetaso hy āśu

buddhiḥ paryavatiṣṭhate

(BG 2.65)

And with satisfaction, with satisfaction of the mind, prasanna-cetasaḥ, satisfaction of the mind, then your intelligence will be fixed up on spiritual activities.

nāsti buddhir ayuktasya

na cāyuktasya bhāvanā

na cābhāvayataḥ śāntir

aśāntasya kutaḥ sukham

(BG 2.66)

If you want actually happiness, then you must apply your intelligence to this process of spiritual emancipation. Without this . . . nāsti buddhir ayuktasya. One who cannot apply his intelligence to this process, then he has no other way. And without this, na ca abhāvayataḥ śāntiḥ, if you want peace, that is also not possible. So this process must be accepted.

indriyāṇāṁ hi caratāṁ

yan mano 'nuvidhīyate

tad asya harati prajñāṁ

vāyur nāvam ivāmbhasi

(BG 2.67)

And if you let loose your senses, unrestricted, then you cannot fix up your intelligence. Just like a boat on the river and there is wind, I mean to . . . high wind. At the same time, the boat . . . that is not possible to keep it restful; it is always tottering. Similarly, if we don't control our senses, dovetailing them in the service of the Lord, then always they'll be disturbed, just like a boat on the river, and persuaded by, I mean to say, heavy wind. Vāyur nāvam ivāmbhasi.

tasmād yasya mahā-bāho

nigṛhītāni sarvaśaḥ

indriyāṇīndriyārthebhyas

tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā

(BG 2.68)

So a spiritually perfect man is he who? Tasmād yasya mahā-bāho nigṛhītāni sarvaśaḥ. Indriyāṇi. One who has controlled his senses perfectly in this way, then he's to be understood that he's spiritually perfect. Tasmād yasya mahā-bāho nigṛhītāni sarvaśaḥ. Nigṛhītāni means completely restrained, not to use the senses for any other purposes except in the service of the Lord. That is called self really control, really purified senses.

Tasmād yasya mahā-bāho nigṛhītāni sarvaśaḥ, indriyāṇi indriyārthebhyaḥ. Indriya, the senses, shall not be let loose to act freely. It should be restricted in such a way that my senses cannot work without in the service of the . . . without being engaged in the service of the Lord. That is called sense control. Indriyāṇīndriyārthebhyas tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā.

yā niśā sarva-bhūtānāṁ

tasyāṁ jāgarti saṁyamī

yasyāṁ jāgrati bhūtāni

sā niśā paśyato muneḥ

(BG 2.69)

So therefore there are two kinds of intelligence. One kind of intelligence is, apply the senses for unrestricted enjoyment. And another kind of intelligence is to apply the senses in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. So people . . . now, suppose one has given up all material enjoyment but he's engaged in the spiritual service, in the transcendental service of the Lord. So materialists, they see what a nonsense he is, that he has given up all material enjoyment; he's now engaged in something which is vague or which is . . . there is no understanding whether he's right or wrong. He sees like that.

So the materialist sees the spiritualist sleeping in the enjoyment of life. And the spiritualist sees the materialist that "What nonsense he is, that he has got this elevated, conscious life of human form of life, and he's spoiling in the material senses, in the material enjoyment; he's not taking interest in spiritual life. So he sees that he's sleeping, and he sees that he's sleeping.

The materialist sees the spiritualist that he's nonsense, he's sleeping. And the spiritualist sees the materialist, nonsense, that he's spoiling. Yā niśā sarva niśā, sarva-bhūtānāṁ tasyāṁ jāgarti saṁyamī, yasyāṁ jāgrati bhūtāni sā niśā paśyato muneḥ. So this is going on.

So without taking any account how the things are going on, if you are actually serious for spiritual emancipation of life, then the, the process recommended in the Bhagavad-gītā, as, and as practically demonstrated by Arjuna, if we follow this principle then we shall be proceeding towards the spiritual emancipation of life undoubtedly and without fail. So whole thing is that we have to make the best use of a bad bargain.

The . . . the whole thing is the senses, senses are the cause of my material miseries. Now I cannot avoid the senses in my present status of life. The best thing is that senses may be engaged in the service of the Lord so that automatically they'll be restricted and purified, and my spiritual life will be revealed and the spiritual perfection will sure to come.

Thank you very much. (end)