690611 - Lecture SB 01.05.12-13 - New Vrindaban, USA

Lectures by Date, 1969

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

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690611SB-NEW VRINDAVAN - June 11, 1969 - 53:37 Minutes

Prabhupāda:

om ajñāna-timirāndhasya jñānāñjana-śalākayā

cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena tasmai śrī-gurave-namaḥ

śrī-caitanya-mano-'bhīṣṭaṁ sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale

svayaṁ rūpaḥ kadā mahyaṁ dadāti sva-padāntikam

he kṛṣṇa karuṇā-sindho dīna-bandho jagat-pate

gopeśa gopikā-kānta rādhā-kānta namo 'stu te

hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare

hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare

naiṣkarmyam apy acyuta-bhāva-varjitaṁ

na śobhate jñānam alaṁ nirañjanam

kutaḥ punaḥ śaśvad abhadram īśvare

na cārpitaṁ karma yad apy akāraṇam

(SB 1.5.12)

Now Vyāsadeva is discussing different kinds of literature. He has explained that any literature, however nicely prepared from rhetorical point of view, or poetical, metaphorical, grammatical, but if there is no information of the Absolute Truth, such literatures are useless, and no saintly person will take any interest in such literature. They give it up. Just like the swans, they do not take pleasure in a place where the crows can take pleasure.

As there is distinction between the crows and the swans, even in the bird's kingdom, or even in the animal kingdom . . . you'll find always. The different kinds of varieties of birds and beasts, they live together. Similarly, those who are saintly persons, those who are Kṛṣṇa conscious persons, their taste is different from the persons who are just like crows. Crows are interested in things carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). Prahlāda Mahārāja says: "Chewing the chewed." Already it has been chewed, and if somebody wants to try it, "Let me see what is the taste there," it is useless labor only.

So this material world is going on on the system of chewing the chewed. Just like a person, he has done very good business, amassed money, and sense gratification he has done. But he is not satisfied. But still, he'll induce his sons and grandsons to the same business. He has experienced that, "In this way, life is not very pleasing. I have not satisfied myself, but still, why I am engaging my sons and grandsons to the same business, chewing the chewed?" But because they have no better information . . .

na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ

durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ

(SB 7.5.31)

Prahlāda Mahārāja advised his father, atheistic father. He said . . . when his father inquired, "My dear boy, where you got all these ideas?" He was perfect devotee, and the father was perfect atheist. He said: "This status is . . . cannot be achieved without being favored by a pure devotee." Naiṣāṁ matis tāvad urukramāṅghrim (SB 7.5.32). Urukramāṅghrim, aṅghri. Aṅghri means lotus feet. Nobody can be interested to the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead . . . because to be become interested in the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead means to become liberated. Anartha-apagamaḥ yad-arthaḥ. Anartha. Anartha means unnecessary. We are creating unnecessary necessities of life and becoming entangled. This is material life. But if one becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, interested in Kṛṣṇa, then he becomes detestful, "What is the use?"

Just like our brahmacārīs, our devotees, they can lie . . . lie down flat on the ground. They don't require any nice bedstead or cushion. Because the life is so molded, they think, "Well, I have to take some rest. So in this way and that way, why should I bother about that?" Yes. That is the sign of advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa consciousness means bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42). Those who have no taste of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they are trying to be happy by unnecessarily increasing the material demands, because they have no other information. But as soon as one is engaged in devotional service of Kṛṣṇa, pareśānubhūti, he relishes some transcendental pleasure, and as a result of that, this nonsensical pleasure becomes insignificant. That is the test.

A devotee can . . . cannot be equally interested with material pleasure and transcendental pleasure. No. Virakti. Then Bhagavad-gītā also says that paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 2.59). Just like in a hospital a diseased person is forced not to accept a certain type of foodstuff. He has the desire. He has the desire to take such food. Just like a typhoid patient, suffering from typhoid. Doctor says that, "You cannot take any solid food. A little liquid food you can take." But he has the desire to take the solid food. "Oh, doctor has asked me not to take such food. All right, what can I do?" But he has got the desire. But a devotee, he hasn't got to be forced, just like the physician asks him, "Don't do this." He automatically does so. Why? Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate: he has seen or he has tasted something better, for which he doesn't like to take any more this abominable taste. That is bhaktiḥ pareśānu . . .

That means when we become detestful such abominable things, then we should know that we are advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The test is in your hand. You haven't got to ask anybody, "Do you think I'm increasing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness?" But you can understand. Exactly in the same way, if you are hungry and if you are eating, you know, by eating, how much your hunger is satisfied, how much you are feeling strength, how much you are feeling pleasure. You haven't got to ask anybody. Similarly, if anybody increases his Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the test will be that he will be disinterested with all material pleasures. That is test.

Just like Yāmunācārya. He was emperor. He was emperor, and his standard of living is very . . . was very high. Standard of living, materialistic standard of living, means, high standard of living means unrestricted enjoyment of wine and woman. That's all. That is the standard. So he was addicted to all these habits. He was king. At his command everything was God. If, if a man is rich, three things . . . four things will be at his command: wine, woman, gold and gambling. It is called. Yes. So therefore these are the places, I mean to say, allotted to Kali by Parīkṣit Mahārāja. Therefore a persons who is desirous of advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he should take care.

So that Yāmunācārya later on became a great devotee. So he has got . . . he happened to be the spiritual master of Rāmānujācārya. He became a great devotee, Yāmunācārya, in the Śrī-sampradāya Vaiṣṇavas. So he writes very nice . . . these are practical experience of the ācāryas. Yad-avadhi mama cetaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravinde nava-nava-dhāmany udyataṁ rantum āsīt . . . he was, in his previous life, very extravagant. So he says, "Since I have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and I am enjoying daily new, new transcendental pleasure, being advancing myself in that science, the result is," tad-avadhi, "from that day, since that day," bata nārī-saṅgame . . .

Because he was accustomed to associate with women very much, "So now, simply by thinking of this womanly association . . ." Means sex life. He says, bhavati mukha-vikāraḥ suṣṭhu niṣṭhīvanaṁ ca: "Oh, I hate. My face immediately becomes turned. Oh, what nonsense I used to do . . ." So the bhakti, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the test is there. The more you become advanced, more you become, no more any interest in this material pleasure.

So ordinary literature, they're full with all this, I mean to say, grāmya-kathā. The man and woman's behavior, that is good literature. There is a hero, there is a heroine. So those who are saintly persons, they do not take interest. So Nārada was advising Vyāsadeva that, "You have written this Mahābhārata. That's all right. It is a great epic, history. But the, mostly . . . history means the ordinary dealings of the worldly men. So what benefit there is? That is nothing. No saintly person will take interest."

Actually, this Mahābhārata was written by this . . . by Vyāsadeva for giving instruction, Vedic instruction, to the less intelligent class of men. He has given introduction, strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhūnāṁ trayī na śruti-gocarā (SB 1.4.25) "The Vedic knowledge is difficult to be understood by these classes of men and women: strī-śūdra-śūdra class, woman class, strī, śūdra; and dvija-bandhu." And dvija-bandhu means born in high family, brahmin, kṣatriya, vaiśya, but their behavior is different, like śūdras. They cannot understand Vedas. Therefore there is restriction, that "The śūdras cannot read Vedas." They are restricted.

So therefore Mahābhārata was written by Vyāsadeva. But Nārada says that, "This kind of literature will not appeal to the saintly devotees. So you write something for the satisfaction of the saintly devotees." And he is giving the instruction that, "Even such literature is written in broken language, not in the proper way from grammatical point of view, from poetic point of view, from rhetorical, still, because such literature is full with glorification of the Supreme Lord, saintly persons, they accept it, they hear it and they chant it."

Then he says, naiṣkarmyam apy acyuta-bhāva-varjitam. Acyuta. Acyuta means Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa's name is Acyuta. You'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā. Arjuna says to Kṛṣṇa, senayor ubhayor madhye rathaṁ sthāpaya me acyuta (BG 1.21). He's addressing Kṛṣṇa as Acyuta. Acyuta means "not," and cyuta means "falldown." So God never falls down; therefore God's name is Acyuta.

The Māyāvāda philosopher says that God has become man, being, I mean to say, complicated in māyā, being illusioned. But God is acyuta. God never falls down. Then what is the meaning of this acyuta? If God falls down, becomes under the clutches of māyā, then māyā is greater than God. Then how God is great? That is the fallacy of their argument. They say that "I am God, but now I am under the clutches of māyā. As soon as māyā will be cleared, then I am again God."

But they cannot answer the question that "Why? You are God. Why you are under the clutches of māyā? How you fall down?" That answer, there is none. Because God is great, acyuta. He never falls down. Then how He can fall down? If He falls down under the clutches of māyā, then māyā becomes great, not God great.

Anyway, Vyāsadeva, Nārada says that, "Even jñānaṁ nirañjanam . . ." Nirañjana means . . . Añjana . . . Añjana means ointment or designation, something covering. So nirañjanam. If one is elevated in knowledge, then he becomes free from this designated life. Our material life is añjana life, or designated life. Añjana . . . just like we decorate. I think I wrote one article in my Back to Godhead in India, "Decoration of the Dead Body." This material qualification means decoration of the dead body. Actually the body is dead, but there are certain men who wants to decorate this dead body. In India also, still the custom is that in lower class men, when some of their relative dies—I hear that here also they do such—they decorate the dead body very nicely. Here also the same system is there?

Devotees: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So śāstra says that what is the meaning of this decoration? What benefit the man who is dead, what benefit he's getting? Suppose you make lips very smiling—but actually that man is smiling? (laughter) Similarly, in India also, the cobbler class men, they, during their life, they will dress very wretchedly, not spend money, but after death they will purchase some velvet and cover the body and very nicely decorate, and with band party they'll take, lead the dead body. Aprāṇasyeva dehasya maṇḍanaṁ loka-rañjanam (Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya 3.12). So it may be very much pleasing to the relatives. Just like the dead body's decorated; the sons of that dead body may see him that, "Oh, my father is smiling." (laughter) But he does not know where his father has already gone. You see?

So this material civilization is just like decorating the dead body. This body is dead. That is a fact. So long the soul is there, it is working, it is moving. Just like your coat, it is dead. But so long it is on your body, it appears the coat is moving. The coat is moving. But if somebody is very much astonished, "Oh, how nice the coat is moving!" (laughter) You see? He does not know the coat cannot move. The coat is dead. But because the man is there who is putting on the coat, therefore the coat is moving, the pant is moving, the shoe is moving, the hat is moving.

Similarly, this body is dead. It is numbered: this dead body will remain for such and such time. That is called duration of life. But people are interested with this dead body exactly like the cobbler class or these decorating men. So decoration of the dead body. Aprāṇasya hi . . . aprāṇasya means dead. Aprāṇasyeva maṇḍanaṁ loka-rañjanam. Loka-rañjanam: "It is very pleasing to the relatives." That's all. Similarly, to get liberation, nirañjanam—nirañjanam means to get out of this so-called decoration of the dead body—one requires to acquire knowledge.

So Nārada says:

naiṣkarmyam apy acyuta-bhāva-varjitaṁ

na śobhate jñānam alaṁ nirañjanam

(SB 1.5.12)

(aside) Before the Deity, not like that. Yes.

That "Even there is advanced knowledge for getting liberation, and if there is no mention of acyuta . . ." Acyuta-bhāva. Acyuta-bhāva means bhakti, acyuta-bhāva. Just like here, in this temple, there is acyuta-bhāva. Acyuta-bhāva means Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There may be another room in the neighborhood, but the difference between this room and that room: here the atmosphere is acyuta-bhāva, Kṛṣṇa conscious. The other room is not that.

Similarly, Nārada says: "Even high, elevated discussions of knowledge, how to get out of this designated or decorated body to self-realization platform, spiritual realization, but if that is acyuta-bhāva-varjita, if there is no mention of Kṛṣṇa consciousness," Vyāsadeva, er, Nārada says, na śobhate, "that does not look very well." Therefore the devotees, they're not very much interested with the dry philosophical speculation, because there is no acyuta-bhāva. There is no Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They, they, they have been described as vāk-cāturyam, simply jugglery of words, Māyāvādī philosophical speculation. There must be acyuta . . .

We have got sufficient philosophy, but it is plus Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the difference, Māyāvāda philosophy and our philosophy. We are discussing also. The Bhāgavata, each line is full of philosophy, each line, practical philosophy. But there is acyuta-bhāva, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the beauty. Bhagavad-gītā, it is full of philosophy, but there is Kṛṣṇa in the center. This philosophy's not dry.

Other philosophies, they're simply dry, because that is without Kṛṣṇa. In the . . . you'll find Buddha philosophy or Māyāvāda philosophy or Jain philosophy, they're philosophy, but simply dry. There is no God consciousness. There is no Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So here it is condemned, that naiṣkarmyam apy acyuta-bhāva-varjitaṁ na śobhate: "It does not look very well. It is not first-class philosophy." Na śobhate.

So kutaḥ punaḥ śaśvad abhadram īśvare na cārpitaṁ karma yad apy akāraṇam: "Then what to speak of those who are karmīs?" The philosopher class, they are better than the karmīs, because they are searching after something. They are making research by knowledge. But the karmīs, they are simply satisfied just like animals. They have been described in the Bhagavad-gītā as mūḍha. Mūḍha. Na māṁ prapadyante mūḍhāḥ (BG 7.15). Mūḍha means ass. The karmīs have been described as ass, whole day working, a beast of burden. Simply, unnecessarily, they have piled up on their back so many work. They have no more interest, nothing, no more interest—neither philosophy, nor Kṛṣṇa, nor . . . simply work hard and get some money and enjoy in eating, sleeping and mating. "Eat, drink, be merry and enjoy," that is their . . . that is . . . they are called karmīs.

So Nārada says that "Even great philosophers who are trying to elevate themselves in the self-realization platform, if that sort of philosophy is acyuta-bhāva-varjitam, without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that does not look well. That is not first-class philosophy." Philosophy should be to search out Kṛṣṇa. That is philosophy. As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). What is the Vedic knowledge searching after? Kṛṣṇa says, "Searching Me," aham. Aham eva vedyaḥ: "I am the ultimate goal to understand."

In another place Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19) "Those who are actually philosopher, actually wise and attained wisdom, and after many, many births' research work . . ." Research work is very good. But the end of research work is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore after many, many births, if one is actually wise and attained wisdom, then he finds Kṛṣṇa. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19): "He finds that Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, is everything." But sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ: "But such kind of great soul is very rare." These are the statement of Bhagavad-gītā.

So the karmīs, they are mūḍhas. They do not . . . they are not wise. Unless one is wise, he cannot surrender unto Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Caitanya-caritāmṛta says, kṛṣṇa yei bhaje sei baḍa catura. Catura means very intelligent. Only the first-class intelligent men in the human society, they can take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness—not even second class, what to speak of the third class. The third-class men are karmīs, the second-class men are philosophers and the first-class men are devotees. So Nārada says that:

na śobhate jñānam alaṁ nirañjanam

kutaḥ punaḥ śaśvad abhadram īśvare

na cārpitaṁ karma

(SB 1.5.12)

Then what to speak of the karmīs? Their whole life is abhadra. Abhadra means abominable. Just like when earning money, I want to earn, say, millions of dollars. So I have to make plan. I have to go to black market, this and that, so many things. Then if I earn money, then how to invest it to make it double? Then how to keep it? Which bank I shall keep it so that my money will be safe? How I shall distribute it? So abhadra.

Abhadra means the whole procedure is simply abominable, beginning to the end, karmīs—simply full of anxieties, "How to earn money? How to distribute it? How to keep it? How to spend it? How to utilize it?" Therefore, it is advised that saintly persons, those who are, they should avoid money. As soon as . . . money is great māyā. As soon it comes in my possession, then the same thing will come: "How to utilize it? How to do this? How to do that? How to do that?"

So Śrīdhara Svāmī says that evaṁ bhūta-vijñānam acyuta-bhāva-varjitaṁ cet alaṁ tata na śobhate tadā sat-sādhana kāle phala kāle ca abhadraṁ duḥkha duḥkham yat kāmam. Lust. We require money for fulfilling our lust. So it is, beginning, from the beginning to the end, it is abominable. Yadyapy akatak ceti cakarasya anvaya. So therefore we should employ our money for Acyuta, for Kṛṣṇa. Then it will be nice.

Otherwise, it will be simply abominable. How money can be utilized for Kṛṣṇa? How? If somebody says: "It is the same money. How, by spending it for Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it become nice?" The question may be raised, "The money is the same. How you say that when it is employed in Kṛṣṇa conscious business, it is nice, and when it is not employed, it is bad? Money is the same." The reply is there. Bhāgavata says.

What is that reply? Now, cikitsitam. The example is given: just like milk. If you take . . . milk is very nice food, but if you take more, then there will be disorder of the bowel. If you, by greediness, you take more milk, then there will be bowel complaint. Yes. Then, when there is bowel complaint, you go to physician. Then he gives you prescription, another milk preparation. What is that? Yogurt. If you say to the physician, "Well, I am suffering by taking milk preparation, and you are giving another milk preparation. How it will be cured?" No, it will be cured.

Similarly, this material world, there is different type of use. As soon as you use it for your sense gratification, you'll be affected with material disease. And if you use it for Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it will elevate you to the liberated condition. Just like the same example: in your diseased condition, if you go on again taking milk preparation as it is, then it will increase your bowel complaint, but if you take in another form, in prasādam, under the direction of the authority, then you . . . the same thing, the same enjoyment, that is, material, will elevate you to the liberated stage.

So we should employ . . . without Kṛṣṇa, either philosophy or karma or jñāna or yoga, they are useless. Nārada says that "You should write books simply describing about Acyuta, or Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead." He says:

atho mahā-bhāga bhavān amogha-dṛk

śuci-śravāḥ satya-rato dhṛta-vrataḥ

urukramasyākhila-bandha-muktaye

samādhinānusmara tad-viceṣṭitam

(SB 1.5.13)

"Now, you are mahā-bhāga. You are most fortunate man." Vyāsadeva is not ordinary. Just see. Nārada is his spiritual master. He's not ordinary man. And besides that, he is taken as incarnation of God, mahā-bhāga. Atho mahā-bhāga bhavān amogha-dṛk: "Your vision is without any sin." Because he has dedicated his life to present the Vedic literature for the benefit of the human society, that "They have forgotten God, Kṛṣṇa. Let me help." Therefore, he is trying to give all this Vedic literature.

That is the duty of all devotee, to give literature so that people may take benefit out of it. Just like about the Gosvāmīs, it is stated about the Gosvāmīs:

nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika-nipuṇau sad-dharma-saṁsthāpakau

lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau tri-bhuvane mānyau śaraṇyākarau

vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau srī-jīva-gopālakau

(Śrī Ṣaḍ Gosvāmy Aṣṭaka 2)

The six Gosvāmīs, they engaged themselves in literary work. Nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika. They are . . . you'll find in Rūpa Gosvāmī's books, oh, how many references are there, from Purāṇas, from Vedas, from this literature, that literature. Highly, great scholars. So that is one of the duty. We have given the list of qualification of a devotee. One of the qualification is poetic. Poetic means not write poetry; poetic means literary man. They must give literature. Naturally they'll give. That is the nature of devotee. Because without literature, how can we enlighten the people at large?

My Guru Mahārāja used to say that this press is bṛhad-mṛdaṅga. Bṛhat means bigger, at large, bigger mṛdaṅga, bigger. Just like we are playing mṛdaṅga. This mṛdaṅga can be vibrated in the neighboring quarter, but our mṛdaṅga, Back to Godhead, that will go far, far away. So therefore this press was considered by my Guru Mahārāja as bṛhad-mṛdaṅga. He said. You'll find in the picture: there is this mṛdaṅga and press. He was very much fond of press. In the very beginning of his this life, he started one press. You'll find in his life a small press.

So this press propaganda, this literary propaganda, is required, because it is not sentiment. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not sentiment. It is not that some sentimental people have gathered here and dancing and chanting. No. There is background. There is philosophical background. There is theological understanding. It is not blind or sentimental. So therefore Nārada advises Vyāsadeva that "You are not only fortunate, but you are amogha-dṛk. Your vision is perfect because you are liberated." Amogha.

Our vision—we are not perfect. Therefore you'll find in Vedic version, anuśṛṇuyet, anuvarṇayet. Anu. Anu means following. Following. We have to follow the ācāryas. Just like Vyāsadeva. Amogha-dṛk: his vision is without any impediment. There are four kinds of impediments for the conditioned soul. What are those? That we are subjected to commit error. Any man will commit error, because he's conditioned; he'll be illusioned; and he will try to cheat; and his senses are imperfect. These four imperfectness of a conditioned soul. Anywhere, you take any great man, any big man, he has got these four imperfection.

Therefore without liberated man, you cannot get real knowledge. Therefore you'll find even the so-called scientists, astrologer and the astronomer, or . . . they're studying this nature, "Perhaps," "It might be," because they have no clear vision. And another scientist comes, they changes. But you'll find in the Vedic literature, everything clear understanding. Just like the Vedic literature says the division of the living entities: jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi (Padma Purāṇa). Accurate number is given, that "There are 900,000 species of life in the water." Accurate. So they might have said ten . . . one million, or 800,000. No. Nine hundred thousand. Nine hundred thousand. Because it's accurate. Amogha-dṛk, they have been placed. How it has been acquired? The . . . the same process, paramparā, amogha-dṛk. If you receive knowledge from the person who is liberated, then it is all right.

So Vyāsadeva is liberated person. Amogha-dṛk. He's amogha-dṛk. Bhavān amogha-dṛk śuci-śravāḥ. "And your behavior is pure," śuci-śravāḥ. "You have heard the Vedic knowledge from right sources, from pure sources." Śuci-śravāḥ satya-rataḥ. Satya-rataḥ means "You are dedicated to the Absolute Truth." These are the qualification. One must be liberated, one must be pure, one must be dedicated to the service of the Lord, and dhṛta-vrataḥ, and one must be determined. Then he can do something to the human society. Not a conditioned soul, by whims he can manufacture something, that "I can do something to the human . . ." It is not possible.

Here are the qualifications, that:

atho mahā-bhāga bhavān amogha-dṛk

śuci-śravāḥ satya-rato dhṛta-vrataḥ

urukramasyākhila-bandha-muktaye

(SB 11.5.13)

"If you actually desire to get this suffering humanity to become liberated from all kinds of material bondage, then, samādhinā . . ." Samādhinā: in samādhi, in trance. Samādhinā, anusmara. Here the same thing, anusmara. The, as I told you before, anu. Anu means following. Just like Vyāsadeva. Even after so many qualification, he has a spiritual master, Nārada. Not that because he's incarnation of God, not that because he's so learned, so great scholar and śuci-śravāḥ, and dedicated his life for the benefit of the human society—so many good qualification—still, you see practically: he has got a spiritual master, and—Nārada—and he's giving instruction.

So this is necessary. Therefore it is said samādhinā, means "Don't manufacture your meditation." Samādhi, this trance by meditation, cannot be attained by something manufacturing. Anu: "Just follow the great predecessor ācārya." Samādhinā anusmara tad-viceṣṭitam. Tat means the acyuta, acyuta, the activities of the Lord. Therefore we have to learn Kṛṣṇa consciousness through the disciplic succession.

Our this sampradāya, the Gauḍīya-sampradāya, is also in the same line—Nārada, Vyāsadeva. Nārada is the disciple of Brahmā. It is, therefore, called, this sampradāya . . . this party is called Brahma-sampradāya.

Brahma-madhva-gauḍīya-brahma-sampradāya. Originally from Brahmā. Brahmā instructed Nārada. You'll find in this Bhāgavata, Brahmā is instructing Nārada.

Now you see Nārada is instructing Vyāsadeva. Similarly, Vyāsadeva instructed Madhva Muni. Now, Madhva Muni, by disciplic succession, Mādhavendra Purī. Now, Mādhavendra Purī instructed Īśvara Purī. Īśvara Purī instructed Lord Caitanya. Lord Caitanya instructed the six Gosvāmīs. The six Gosvāmīs instructed Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja. Kṛṣṇadāsa instructed Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, Viśvanātha Cakravartī. Viśvanātha Cakravartī, Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī. In this way, there is a clear line of disciplic succession.

So that is recommended here, that samādhinā. Samādhinā, meditation, anusmara: "Don't manufacture your meditation." Just like there are so many meditators, they have manufactured their own way of meditation. That is not recommended. Anusmara. Anu means "Follow. You become thoughtful, you think, but taking the instruction from higher authority." Just like Arjuna is taking instruction from Kṛṣṇa.

He is thinking, "Whether I shall fight or not fight?" So you become thoughtful—that's very nice—but don't be thoughtful without accepting a spiritual master. That thoughtfulness will not help you, because you are conditioned. You are . . . you have got the four kinds of defects. So that defect will not . . . simply by becoming philosopher, speculator, will not help you. Athāpi te deva ciraṁ vicinvan (SB 10.14.29). You cannot understand God for millions and millions of thinking. No. It is not possible.

panthās tu koṭi-śata-vatsara-sampragamyo

vāyor athāpi manaso muni-puṅgavānām

(Bs. 5.34)

That is stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā, muni-puṅgava. Muni-puṅgava means "the greatest of all thoughtful men." Muni means mental speculator, and puṅgava means first class, the highest, topmost. Puṅgava. So if such thoughtful speculators go on speculating about understanding God . . . how? Vāyor athāpi manasaḥ: in the speed of, in the velocity of air and mind. Not sputnik. A sputnik can run . . . your mechanical can run, say, eighteen thousand miles per hour, but the air, that can run still more quicker. And the mind can run still more quicker.

So here it is recommended that if one is seated not on the ordinary aeroplane, but the aeroplane of air . . . the yogīs can do that. The yogīs know how to rise on the aeroplane of air, and they can immediately transfer to any planet. Vāyoḥ. Vāyor athāpi. There were . . . there were planes made of air. Here . . .

Just like now we have manufactured the planes, iron or aluminium, but there are planes of air, and similarly, there are planes of mind. You see? So that . . . these are explained in the Brahma-saṁhitā. Vāyor athāpi manaso muni-puṅgavānām. And manufactured by greatest, stalwart thinker or scientist. And going in this speed for many, many thousands of years—still, you cannot reach where is Kṛṣṇaloka.

panthās tu koṭi-śata-vatsara-sampragamyo

vāyor athāpi manaso muni-puṅgavānām

so 'py asti yat-prapada-sīmny avicintya-tattve

(Bs. 5.34)

Still . . . just like when we go to the . . . by airplane above the cloud, we see, still, the sky is unlimited. That is our experience. Still, the sunshine is unlimited, and we do not know where is the sun. Similarly, if one goes on the plane of mind and air, try to find out the Absolute Truth, it is not possible. Even many, many years. No, no. Still it remains avicintya-tattve, still inconceivable.

But this process, if you take anu . . . anuvarṇaye. If you take the process of . . . just like the same example, as I told you, that there are 900,000's species of life in the water. Now, if you make research, it is impossible for you, whether actually . . . if you want to . . . want to know by experimental knowledge, "Let me see how far this Vedic instruction is right, that there are 900,000 species of . . ." you, you . . . whatever experience you have got, it is not even one thousand species of life you have seen. But there are 900,000 species of life. But if we accept this Vedic knowledge, then your knowledge is there immediately.

So thing is that we have to take knowledge from the perfect. Then, even it is very difficult, but the knowledge is there. Even it is very difficult. Just like we are taking knowledge from Kṛṣṇa. By our own effort, by the plane of mind and plane of air, we cannot reach where is Kṛṣṇaloka. But Kṛṣṇa says that mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām (BG 9.25) "Those who are My devotees, they can reach to My planet." So at least we know that Kṛṣṇa has got a planet, and if we take to devotional service, then we can go. Then why not try? There is no loss, but if there is such gain that we can go to Kṛṣṇaloka, so why not take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, simply chanting and dancing and taking prasādam? Is it very difficult job? The authority is Kṛṣṇa. It is confirmed by Vyāsadeva. It is confirmed by Nārada. It is confirmed . . .

Therefore Arjuna says that, "Kṛṣṇa, whatever You are speaking in the Bhagavad-gītā, I accept in toto." That is study of Bhagavad-gītā. I do not select, "Oh, this portion is nice. I accept." Ardha-kukkuṭī-nyāya (CC Adi-līlā 5.176) "The back portion is nice. It is giving, the hen, daily, one egg. It is very nice. And the mouth portion is expensive. Cut it." The fool does not know if you cut this portion, that portion will be stopped also. So these, all these ordinary commentator . . . just like Gandhi. He wanted to prove his nonviolence some way or other from Bhagavad-gītā. How he can prove? This is the same thing, that he was finding out, "If there is something, simply cutting the head, if I can get egg?" That is not possible. That is not . . .

If . . . we have to accept Bhagavad-gītā just like Arjuna says, that sarvam etad ṛtaṁ manye yad vadasi keśava (BG 10.14) "My dear Kṛṣṇa, Keśava, whatever You are saying, I accept in toto. And this is confirmed by such authorities like Devala, Vyāsa, Asita. It is not that because we are friends, I am accepting You, but I know it is confirmed by such great authorities like Nārada, Asita, Vyāsa."

So we have to follow. This is called anu. Anu means following. Therefore it is recommended by Nārada that samādhinā anusmara: "You try to understand the activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead by samādhi, by trance, meditation, by following the instruction of me, or predecessors, like that." This is the way.

That's all right. (end)