661228 - Lecture BG 10.01 - New York

Lectures by Date, 1966

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

661228BG.NY - December 28, 1966

Prabhupāda: Śrī-bhagavān uvāca, the Supreme Personality of Godhead said. Bhagavān, this very word, is very significant. You should try to understand what does it mean, bhaga. Bhaga means opulence, and bhagavān means one who has got opulences. The Sanskrit grammar, there is a affix called vat. Vat means possessing. Atha ke vatu. When a . . . when the sense of possession is there, this vat affix is there. So bhaga, bhaga means opulence, and plus vat, that means one who has got opulence. And the first person of that, er, sound becomes Bhagavān. This is the meaning of bhagavān.

Now, what are the opulences? You have got, every one of you, have got the idea of opulences. What are those opulences? Wealth, riches, strength, or influence, and fame and beauty, knowledge and renunciation. These six things are called opulences. One has got, one, if a man has got sufficient riches, he attracts. This man attracts poor man. This is a instrument of attracting. Sometimes we also approach very rich men: "Give us some contribution," although you are Kṛṣṇa conscious. So richness has got attraction. We cannot deny it. Of course, for Kṛṣṇa, we can do anything. We have no restriction. For Kṛṣṇa's service, we can do everything. So anyway, richness, if a man is very rich, wealthy, he attracts. That is the . . .

These are the six opulences which at . . . which attracts. Then if a man is very strong, he's also . . . he also attracts others. A strong man, either by influence or by his bodily strength, he attracts. If there is a strong man, many woman is attracted. So strength is also another feature of attraction.

Wealth, strength, and then fame. If a man is very famous, just take any famous man of the world, if he comes in this room, oh, thousands of people will come here. When Gandhi was alive, I read one news from the newspaper in India that in some Italian city there was great crowd, innumerable people gathered on the station. And nobody could understand why these people are assembled here.

Then when they are asked, they replied that, "We have heard that Gandhi is coming here." Mahatma Gandhi, perhaps you heard his name—he was very famous man, politician. So actually the news they are published that one . . . there was one Mr. Grandi, so he was coming, and people misunderstood he is Gandhi. So my point is that a famous man also attracts. These things are attraction, richness, wealth and strength and famous, fame.

Then beauty. Beauty also attracts. If a man is beautiful or a woman is beautiful, oh, many man or woman are after them, beautiful. Any beautiful, not only man or woman. Any beautiful flower, any beautiful picture, anything beautiful, that attracts. Beauty. So form, and knowledge. If one is learned, if one is very possessing much knowledge, just like great scientist, philosophers or religionist or preacher, they also attract.

And renunciation. That is also another attraction. If a man is in the renounced order of life . . . renunciation means one has got all these things—richness, fame, beauty, knowledge—but he renounces everything for some higher purpose. Just like in our country, for national movement, so many rich men, they renounced everything.

One of . . . some of them, perhaps you know, there was one Mr. C. R. Das. He was earning $50,000 a month as a lawyer. So everything renounced. He joined this movement. And, perhaps you have heard the name of Nehru. Nehru was very rich man's son. His father was very rich lawyer. His father's history is that . . . in those days, there was not a single day when he was not earning $500. The . . . so he was also very rich man's son. But he renounced everything, his father's property and everything, and joined this national movement. He went to prison by the government. So renunciation has also attraction. So the definition of God is there: bhagavān. We should know who is God. The definition is:

aiśvaryasya samagrasya

vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ

jñāna-vairāgyayoś caiva

ṣaṇṇāṁ itī ganām bhaga

(Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47)

The Sanskrit definition of Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that one who has got the complete wealth, complete strength, complete fame, complete beauty, complete knowledge and complete renunciation.

Man: Renun . . .?

Prabhupāda: Renunciation. Giving up everything. In spite of having everything, if one can renounce at a moment's notice—"I don't want"—that is called renunciation.

So when you find these six things in complete, then He's God. This is the definition of God, and these things, completely you'll find in Kṛṣṇa. In the history, if you take human history . . . the Kṛṣṇa, of course, was present as a man, personality. But when He was present, all these six things were completely present in Him. Therefore He was accepted.

As in the morning class, we were discussing about the symptoms of incarnation. So in the śāstra, in the scripture, these symptoms are given. Similarly, who is Bhagavān, who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that is also given. And Kṛṣṇa, this word means all-attractive. Because He has got all these things in complete, naturally He's attractive.

Just like we have analyzed that beauty attracts, wealth attracts, fame attracts, education . . . knowledge attracts. So He has got all these attractive features. Therefore He is completely attractive. Kṛṣṇa means the supreme attractive. This is the meaning of Kṛṣṇa. And therefore He's Bhagavān. Because He's completely attractive, therefore He's Bhagavān.

So here it is said, bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān uvāca. The Vyāsadeva, writer, he says that bhagavān, now, uvāca, said. What? He has already . . . we have finished Ninth Chapter. He has already said, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65): "Just become always thinking of Me. Just become My devotee. Just worship Me." Man-manā, man-manā bhava mad-bhakta mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru. "Just offer your obediences." Mām evaiṣyasi. If you continue these four things . . . what are these four things? Man-manāḥ, always fix up your mind in Kṛṣṇa. That means you become always in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

And, thinking of Kṛṣṇa as enemy or as friend? Sometimes we think of enemy also. "Oh, the enemy might be coming," "Oh, he's . . . my enemy is becoming very strong." So not that sort of thinking. Bhakti means . . . there is . . . everything has got definition. That is called śāstra. What is that bhakti? Devotion. Devotion means anuśīlanam, cultivation of Kṛṣṇa knowledge favorably, not unfavorably. Sometimes to kill some enemy, we do many things to kill our enemies. In the laboratory you think of manufacturing atomic, nuclear bombs. That is also thinking. But that sort of thinking is not bhakti. Therefore bhakti means ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam (CC Madhya 19.167). And favorably you have to think of Kṛṣṇa, not unfavorably.

If you think of Kṛṣṇa just to kill Him . . . just like Kaṁsa, His maternal uncle, he wanted to kill his nephew. Kṛṣṇa was the nephew of Kaṁsa. He was always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, how to kill Him. How to kill Him. So that is unfavorable thinking. Not that sort of thinking. Man-manā bhava.

Just thinking . . . "Just be always thinking of Me" does not mean that you shall think of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, as your enemy, but as your friend, or lovable object. Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. Bhakta means we should be always ready to render loving service to Kṛṣṇa. That sort of thinking. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī. Just become a worshiper of Kṛṣṇa. And māṁ namaskuru: "And offer your obeisances unto Me."

By following these four principles, mām evaiṣyasi asaṁśayaḥ (BG 18.68). Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna, "My dear Arjuna, if you follow these four principles, then surely you will come back to Me, back to home, back to Godhead." This has already been explained in the last verse of Ninth Chapter.

And in the Tenth Chapter the Lord says, bhagavān uvāca, the Supreme Lord says, bhūya eva mahā-bāho śṛṇu me paramaṁ vacaḥ (BG 10.1): "Now I have already said what is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Now you hear further more information." Yat te 'haṁ prīyamāṇāya vakṣyāmi hita-kāmyayā. Because Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna were, I mean to say, in relationship of friends—therefore He said that yat te ahaṁ prīyamāṇāya: "Because you are My, My . . . you are My dear friend, therefore, vakṣyāmi, I am speaking to you."

That means the same chapter of Bhagavad-gītā, what is spoken there, it is not meant for any ordinary person. It is meant for those who are a little bit advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One who has accepted Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and he's conscious about Him, for them it will be relishable. For others, it will not be relishable.

Why? Now just like you have got a beloved son, little child. You are always thinking of it. You are speaking, "Oh, my child this morning, he was playing like this. Oh, he was dancing like this." So you are thinking, you are speaking. Others may be disturbed. Why? Because it is not his . . . that child is not his. He has no love for it. He has no love for it. He doesn't like to hear. Therefore it is said here, this part of which in the same chapter, it is meant for such persons who are a little advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Just like confidential things is spoken to a very confidential friend or relative, similarly, this is little more confidential than what is spoken in the Ninth Chapter. Tenth Chapter. Yat te 'haṁ prīyamāṇāya vakṣyāmi hita-kāmyayā; "Because you are My dear friend, and for your benefit I am speaking." A friend is always well-wisher of a friend. And what to speak of Kṛṣṇa. If Kṛṣṇa becomes one's friend and He becomes well-wisher, then what do you want more? You know that we have already described Kṛṣṇa, the all riches, all strength, all knowledge, all beauty and all fame and all renunciation is there.

So if He becomes your friend, if He becomes your well-wisher, then what do you want more? If you have got a friend who is very rich and very powerful, then do you think anything required more? A friend can sacrifice everything for a friend, and here is a friend where there is no limitation. There is no limitation of wealth, there is no limitation of favors.

So here Lord Kṛṣṇa says: "I am speaking to you for your benefit." If you become Kṛṣṇa conscious in either of these five relationships . . . a devotee becomes related with Kṛṣṇa in five different transcendental mellows. One can be related as silent devotee. Silent devotee means he knows Kṛṣṇa is very great. Kṛṣṇa is very great. "God is great." To accept this principle, that is also devotion. He does not do anything for God, but he admits God is great. That is called silent devotion.

Now, if one advances a little more, he wants to do something for Kṛṣṇa. Just like if you think somebody is very great, very noble, then if you think that, "I must do something for that man," so this is called dāsya. First, śānta, neutral, then activity begins. This is better stage than the śānta stage. In the śānta stage a devotee simply admits the greatness of God. But when he makes a further advancement in the understanding of that greatness, that is the beginning of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, when one wants to do something for Kṛṣṇa.

Now here, in this material world, we can do so many things for Kṛṣṇa. So many things. What are those things? Now suppose if you want to do something for somebody, then you must know how that particular gentleman is satisfied. Otherwise, if you want to do something without knowing what does he want, then that is useless. You must know the mind of the person to whom you want to serve.

Now what Kṛṣṇa wants, that is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā in various places. What is that? In the Fifteenth Chapter you'll find Kṛṣṇa says:

mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ

jīva-loke sanātanaḥ

manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi

prakṛti-sthāni karṣati

(BG 15.7)

"All these living entities, they are My part and parcel." Just like your son or your daughter is the part and parcel of your own body, personal body, similarly, we are all part and parcel of the Supreme God. We are all sons of God. How is it? That is also mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā, in the Fourteenth Chapter:

sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya

sambhavanti mūrtayaḥ yāḥ

tāsāṁ mahad yonir brahma

ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā

(BG 14.4)

The Lord Kṛṣṇa says that, "My dear Arjuna, you find so many species of life, eight . . . eight thousand," no, "8,400,000, 8,400,000's of species of life. All of them, they are My sons. I am the seed-giving father." He accepts. So every living being, either man or beast or ant or birds, everyone, anywhere, they're all sons of God. And they are suffering here. Manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati. (BG 15.7).

They have, somehow or other, they have come in contact with this material nature, and each and every one of these living entities, they are making . . . having a hard struggle for existence. But under the spell of the illusory energy, they are thinking, "We are happy," although whole day and night they are unhappy; their desires are not fulfilled. They want something, but they are forced to accept something else. This is going on.

This is called hard struggle for existence. Nobody's satisfied. There is always disruption. In this moment, I am your friend. Next moment, I am your enemy. This moment, I am your husband or wife. Next moment, no. "Don't see my face. I'll not see your face." Divorce. So these things are going on. So this is called struggle. I am wanting something, but I am accept . . . I am forcefully being bound to accept something else. This is called struggle. So this is going on.

So therefore Kṛṣṇa gives you message that these living entities, they are very unhappy in this material world under the spell of material energy. Under the spell of illusory energy, they are thinking that they are happy, in ignorance. Just like the animals, they cannot know, they do not know what is unhappiness.

When there is a slaughterhouse, they'll be slaughtered next moment. They are standing and eating grass, because due to ignorance. They do not know. Similarly, when human society becomes plunged into ignorance, they do not know what is unhappiness. Their struggle for existence, and therefore . . . therefore they are in unhappiness. They are never satisfied, full of anxiety. In spite of having all these things, the foolish man says, "Yes, we are advancing in civilization." This is their ignorance and foolishness.

So Kṛṣṇa conscious persons, if they want to serve Kṛṣṇa, if they want to render some service to Kṛṣṇa, their first business is to dispel this ignorance of the human. That is the best service. That is the best service. People have manufactured so many philanthropic association, charitable association and hospitals and so many things. But if somebody or if some association can enlighten people to the Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is the best service to the human society. That is best service to the human society.

So a further advancement from neutrality that, "I love Kṛṣṇa, or God, because He's great," no, that love is not sufficient. We must render some service to the Kṛṣṇa. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna is rendering service to Kṛṣṇa as a soldier.

Kṛṣṇa wanted that the Battle of Kurukṣetra should be executed, and Arjuna did not like it because it was concerned to his family members, with his brothers, and to his . . . so he did not like it. But when, after hearing this Bhagavad-gītā, he became Kṛṣṇa conscious, he executed the will of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa wanted that the fighting must continue, so he executed, in spite of his own conclusion that he would not fight.

So this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that one has to do. That is better con . . . simply to know, simply to make God as order-supplier, "I love God because He gives me my daily bread," that is also good, good sense. But better sense is that how you can serve Kṛṣṇa. If God is giving you bread daily, so you have no duty to return.

God will give you bread, either you want it or not want it. He is giving bread to the cats and dogs and ants and so many animals, so why not to you, human being? Oh, that He will give. Don't bother about that. Don't bother about that. Your bread will come, wherever you may be. Either you may remain in America or in Europe or in India, wherever, your bread is already there. Therefore, tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovidaḥ (SB 1.5.18).

You should rise up to the occasion how to serve God. And this is the greatest necessity of the present-day civilization. People are suffering due to godlessness, and if you want to serve the people, your society, your country, the whole human society, then try yourself, best, try your best, you just rise up to the occasion of becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious and just spread this philosophy to the world. There will be happiness, there will be peace, and everyone will be blessed.

Thank you very much. If there are any questions . . . (end)