710401 - Lecture BG 07.07 - Bombay

Lectures by Date, 1971

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

710401BG.BOMBAY - April 01, 1971 - 55:25 Minutes

Prabhupāda: (prema-dhvani) Thank you very much. (devotees offer obeisances) (break)

(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

vande 'haṁ śrī-guroḥ śrī-yuta-pada-kamalaṁ śrī-gurūn vaiṣṇavāṁś ca

śrī-rūpaṁ sāgrajātaṁ saha-gaṇa-raghunāthānvitaṁ taṁ sa-jīvam

sādvaitaṁ sāvadhūtaṁ parijana-sahitaṁ kṛṣṇa-caitanya-devaṁ

śrī-rādhā-kṛṣṇa-pādān saha-gaṇa-lalitā-śrī-viśākhānvitāṁś ca

he kṛṣṇa karuṇā-sindho dīna-bandho jagat-pate

gopeśa gopikā-kānta rādhā-kānta namo 'stu te

tapta-kāñcana-gaurāṅgi rādhe vṛndāvaneśvari

vṛṣabhānu-sute devi praṇamāmi hari-priye

vāñchā-kalpatarubhyaś ca kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca

patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu nityānanda

śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare

hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare

Ladies and Gentlemen, I thank you very much for your coming here and participating with our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. So Kṛṣṇa says:

mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat

kiñcid asti dhanañjaya

mayi sarvam idaṁ protaṁ

sūtre maṇi-gaṇā iva

(BG 7.7)

So Kṛṣṇa is present everywhere, because everything is resting on Him, on His energies. Just like in a big factory the proprietor may be out of the factory, but every worker is aware that, "This factory belongs to such-and-such person." As this is possible to have always a consciousness of the proprietor of the factory by the worker, similarly, it is possible for everyone to become Kṛṣṇa conscious in every activity. That is the philosophy we are trying to preach all over the world.

The Bhagavad-gītā philosophy is like that. Yudhyasva mām anusmara (BG 8.7). You have to . . . this world is so made that one has to work. Without working, nobody even can maintain his body and soul together. That you cannot avoid. But at the same time, we can remember Kṛṣṇa. That is . . . that depends only on practice and understanding, pure understanding.

So here Kṛṣṇa says that, "There is nobody greater than Me." That is the verdict of all ancient Vedic literature. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also, the same thing is confirmed, that kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). There is a list of different incarnations of God. In that list Lord Buddha's name is also there. Lord Buddha's name is described: kīkaṭeṣu bhaviṣyati. Buddho nāmnāñjana-sutaḥ kīkaṭeṣu bhaviṣyati (SB 1.3.24). In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam the Lord Buddha's name is mentioned as future incarnation. Bhaviṣyati, "will appear"; kīkaṭeṣu, "in the province of Gayā."

So this is called śāstra. Because Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam was composed five thousand years ago, and Lord Buddha appeared 2,600 years ago. Therefore five thousand years ago Lord Buddha's case was in the future. Therefore it is said bhaviṣyati, "He will appear." This is called śāstra. Trikāla-jña. Śāstra writer, they are not ordinary men. Just like Kṛṣṇa is speaking. He is not ordinary man. Nobody will be interested so much if Bhagavad-gītā was written by ordinary man. It was spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and it was recorded by His incarnation, Vyāsadeva.

So it is transcendental literature. Ordinary literatures, they cannot be perfect because there are four defects: bhrama-pramāda-karaṇāpāṭava-vipralipsā (CC Adi 2.86). Bhrama means "to commit mistake"; pramāda means "illusion"; and vipralipsā means "cheating" and karaṇāpāṭava, "inefficiency of the senses." So śāstra means above these defects. Where there is no such defect, that is śāstra.

And you can understand how five thousand years ago Lord Buddha's appearance was predicted. Similarly, still there is prediction about Kalki-avatāra, which will take place about four lakhs and 27,000 years hereafter. Kalki-avatāra's name, his father's name and where He will appear, everything is there. This is called śāstra.

So we have to understand Kṛṣṇa from the śāstra. Kṛṣṇa Himself speaking that mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7): "There is nobody else greater than Me." And when Arjuna understood Bhagavad-gītā, he also accepted Kṛṣṇa like that. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12): "You are Para-brahman."

So Kṛṣṇa is Para-brahman. Brahman, we are all Brahman, because we are part and parcels of Para-brahman. But we are not Para-brahman. We are subordinate Brahman. Eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). We are supported by Kṛṣṇa. We are supported by God. He is one. God is one. And the supported Brahmans, or living entities, they are innumerable, beyond the numerical strength. Asaṅkhyam. Nobody can count how many living entities are there, but God is one.

So from the ancient literature we understand that kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). There are many incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, expansion of Kṛṣṇa, svāṁśa and vibhinnāṁśa. Some of the expansions are direct personal expansions, just like Lord Rāma, Nṛsiṁha-deva, Varāha. There are many. Rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan (Bs. 5.39). Kṛṣṇa is existing, expanding Himself in various forms like Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha, and so many others.

There are different kinds of incarnations, avatāras—śaktyāveśāvatāra, guṇāvatāra, manvantarāvatāra, yugāvatāra. Many incarnations. And in the Bhāgavata it is concluded that the Lord's incarnations are so numerous that you cannot count. Just like if you sit down on the bank of a river, you cannot keep an account of the waves, how many waves are passing, similarly, there is no account how many incarnations are coming out from Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa is above all.

Here Kṛṣṇa personally says, and it is confirmed by all the sages, authorities, formerly by great sages like Nārada Muni, Vyāsadeva, Asita, Devala, and in the modern age by all the ācāryas: Śaṅkarācārya, Madhvācārya Rāmānujācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī—so many other ācāryas—Lord Caitanya. Everyone accepts that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. How can . . . (indistinct) . . . you deny? We have to be guided by the ācāryas. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 6.14.2). One who follows the principles of ācārya, he knows the things as they are. That is the verdict.

In the Bhagavad-gītā also, you find: ācāryopāsanam (BG 13.8). We have to follow the footprints, footsteps, of the ācāryas, because they can give us right direction. And one who does not follow the ācāryas and creates and manufactures his mental concoction, his version will not be accepted.

There are many different commentaries on the Bhagavad-gītā, but not all of them are according to the direction of the ācāryas. You have to accept Bhagavad-gītā as it is, under the direction of the ācāryas. They do not make any change. They explain how Kṛṣṇa is the greatest, not that comment in a different way and deviate you that Kṛṣṇa is ordinary man.

So Kṛṣṇa, from Kṛṣṇa, the next expansion is Baladeva, svayaṁ prakāśa. And from Baladeva, there is catur-vyūha: Saṅkarṣaṇa, Aniruddha, Pradyumna. So again there is, from Saṅkarṣaṇa, there is Nārāyaṇa. From Nārāyaṇa, there is another expansion, the same: Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha. And from that Saṅkarṣaṇa, there is puruṣāvatāra, Mahā-Viṣṇu. From Mahā-Viṣṇu, there is Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. From Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, there is Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. The Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu is situated in everyone's heart. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61).

In this way, Kṛṣṇa is expanding in so many ways: by personal expansion, by the expansion of His energy, by the expansion of His differentiated parts and parcels. Just like we are. We are, we living entities, are vibhinnāṁśa. We are also expansions of Kṛṣṇa. So He is expanding Himself in so many ways: svāṁśa, vibhinnāṁśa and śakti, taṭasthā-śakti, cit-śakti, antaraṅga-śakti, bahiraṅga-śakti. So we have to understand Kṛṣṇa in that way.

And if we study scrutinizingly all this literature, we shall come to the conclusion that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And if there is any name of God, that is perfectly given in this word Kṛṣṇa, "all-attractive." There are many derivative meaning of Kṛṣṇa given by the ācāryas, but on the whole, Kṛṣṇa is the actual name of God.

So how you have to . . . for ordinary man, how one can understand Kṛṣṇa, that He is all-pervading? He is all-pervading. He is everywhere. Now, how to appreciate that He is all-pervading? That direction is given by Kṛṣṇa Himself. If we follow the direction of Kṛṣṇa, how to appreciate Him, then naturally and surely we shall come to the point to understand Kṛṣṇa, although He is all-expansive. So Kṛṣṇa says:

raso 'ham apsu kaunteya

prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ

praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu

śabdaḥ khe pauruṣaṁ nṛṣu

(BG 7.8)

Just try to understand Kṛṣṇa by your daily experience. Kṛṣṇa says that, "When you drink water and when you quench your thirst, when you feel the nice taste of Kṛṣṇa . . . er, water, that taste I am." Kṛṣṇa says. So you can understand Kṛṣṇa daily as soon as you drink water. Why one should say that there is no God? You just try to appreciate God according to the prescription given by God. Then you'll understand.

Just like a doctor gives you medicine, and he gives you direction also that, "You drink this medicine, take the bottle and take two drops" or "five drops," as he gives direction. Then gradually you understand that by taking that medicine, you are being cured, you are feeling in health. Similarly, these prescriptions given by Kṛṣṇa . . . this is meditation actually. When we meditate upon the taste of the water, that means we are meditating on Kṛṣṇa.

Similarly, Kṛṣṇa says, prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ (BG 7.8): "I am the sunshine, moonshine." So who has not seen the sunshine? If you have seen sunshine and if you follow this prescription given by Kṛṣṇa, then in early in the morning you'll see Kṛṣṇa. Why do you say that, "I have not seen Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is not present before Me"? But you follow Kṛṣṇa's instruction, and He will be present. He is present; simply we have to purify our eyes and senses to understand Him. That is required. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu (Bs. 5.38).

Suppose you have a beloved friend. As soon as you call to . . . you hear telephone call, "Who is it?" "I am this," "Oh." You immediately see him. Does it not? Immediately, by the sound. Why? Because you are known to him, you are in love with him. Similarly, in this way if you develop your dormant love of Kṛṣṇa, you'll see Kṛṣṇa in every moment.

premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena

santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti

(Bs. 5.38)

It is not at all difficult to see Kṛṣṇa. Why do you say, "Can you show me God?" Why you are not seeing God? Here is God.

So Kṛṣṇa says, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ (BG 7.8). So who has not seen the sunshine? Who has not seen the moonshine? Simply to understand, one has to understand that what is this sunshine. The sunshine is the reflection of Kṛṣṇa's bodily effulgence. Just like what is this moonshine? This is reflection of the sunshine. Similarly, the sun is also reflection of the brahma-jyotir, and what is the brahma-jyotir? Brahmajyoti is Kṛṣṇa's bodily effulgence. Then why do you say that you have not seen Kṛṣṇa?

There are many other instances. Kṛṣṇa is giving some of them. If you study, if you meditate upon them, then you will see Kṛṣṇa gradually. He will be revealed. He'll be present immediately. It is all revelation. Not that by your eyes you can see. But if you follow the prescription, the direction, you will see Kṛṣṇa daily, always, twenty-four hours.

So when one is elevated devotee, mahā-bhāgavata—he is called mahā-bhāgavata—he does not see anything but Kṛṣṇa. Everywhere he sees Kṛṣṇa. Sthāvara-jaṅgama dekhe nā dekhe tāra mūrti (CC Madhya 8.274). He is seeing on the seaside a great ocean, a great sea, but he is not seeing the sea, but he is seeing Kṛṣṇa. He's (seeing) Kṛṣṇa's energy, how Kṛṣṇa's energy is working, and it is producing such vast ocean and sea.

He is thinking like that. That is meditation. Anywhere he goes, he simply thinks of Kṛṣṇa. Sthāvara-jaṅgama dekhe nā dekhe tāra mūrti. He does not see the material form of anything. Sarvatra haya nija iṣṭa-deva-sphūrti. Everywhere he sees Kṛṣṇa. This is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

So one has to develop. How one can develop? This is the process: śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte (CC Madhya 22.107)—if you hear. And as you go on hearing, your dirty things on the heart becomes clear. This hearing process is so nice.

śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ

puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ

hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi

vidhunoti suhṛt satām

(SB 1.2.17)

If you simply hear about Kṛṣṇa. Just like we are speaking about Kṛṣṇa from this Bhagavad-gītā. So if you try to understand Kṛṣṇa as directed by Kṛṣṇa, then Kṛṣṇa will also cooperate with you.

Just like a teacher, when he sees that a student is very intelligent—he is following the direction—the teacher is more interest . . . takes more interest on that student. That is natural. If the teacher says, "My dear child, my dear boy, you write in this way," and if he tries, then the teacher takes more interest. Similarly, as soon as you will try to understand Kṛṣṇa according to the direction given by Him, Kṛṣṇa is within you, He will help you more and more. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam, dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ tam (BG 10.10). Kṛṣṇa says: "I give him special intelligence to understand."

So therefore our duty is to follow the instruction of Kṛṣṇa as it is given. So Kṛṣṇa says, praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu. The oṁkāra, praṇava . . . oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ (Ṛg Veda 1.22.20). The Vedic mantras, oṁ bhagavate vāsudevāya namaḥ. This oṁkāra, this praṇava, is Kṛṣṇa. So anyone who is chanting the Vedic hymns, and as soon as he vibrates this sound, transcendental sound, oṁ, here is Kṛṣṇa.

So how we can avoid Kṛṣṇa? Simply we have to know. You have to purify your eyes. You have to purify your ears. You have to purify your hands. You have to purify your legs. In this way, when your senses are purified in every step, in every moment, you will see Kṛṣṇa, nothing but Kṛṣṇa. The purificatory process—just to purify the eyes.

Kṛṣṇa is present before you in arcā-mūrti, arcāvatāra, nicely dressed by the devotees. Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā. It is the duty of the devotee to decorate the śrī-vigraha, the form, the transcendental form of Kṛṣṇa very nicely so that thousands of people may come in the temple and see Kṛṣṇa. And as you go on seeing Kṛṣṇa and your eyes become purified, then you will see Kṛṣṇa, how nice Kṛṣṇa is. Just like when Caitanya Mahāprabhu entered the Jagannātha temple, as soon as He saw Kṛṣṇa, immediately He fainted, because His eyes were prepared to see Kṛṣṇa.

So we have to prepare our eyes to see. We have to prepare our ears to hear about Kṛṣṇa. In this way we can see Kṛṣṇa. And this is the process, how to . . . just like we use our tongue. That is one of our senses. So Kṛṣṇa says that raso 'ham apsu kaunteya (BG 7.8). Everyone drinks water. So he tastes it, I mean to say, relishes the taste of the water. So as soon as he relishes the taste of the water, according to the direction of Bhagavad-gītā, he can see Kṛṣṇa.

Similarly, by the tongue you can eat bhagavat-prasādam, the foodstuff offered to Kṛṣṇa. And as soon as you taste the foodstuff offered to Kṛṣṇa, you immediately remember Kṛṣṇa, how nicely Kṛṣṇa has taken this foodstuff. So by the tongue you can begin. Simply by eating kṛṣṇa-prasādam, without reading any Vedic literature, without reading even Bhagavad-gītā, if you simply think of Kṛṣṇa, "How nicely Kṛṣṇa has tasted this foodstuff," you become Kṛṣṇa conscious.

So to become Kṛṣṇa conscious is not very difficult job. Simply you have to follow the direction. That's all. But if you manufacture your own meaning, commentation on Bhagavad-gītā, then you are deviated. You are lost. Śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8). Then such kind of reading Bhagavad-gītā is simply waste of time and energy. That's all. Therefore those who are not Kṛṣṇa conscious, who are not hearing from Kṛṣṇa conscious personality, they are simply wasting time.

The so-called reading of Bhagavad-gītā, lecture on Bhagavad-gītā, without Kṛṣṇa . . . God, kingdom of God without God. We want kingdom of God, peace and prosperity, but without God. There must not be God. That is our secular government. We want kingdom of God, but without God. That is not possible. If you give up God or God's relationship, there is no question of kingdom of God or peace and prosperity.

Then Kṛṣṇa says, praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu śabdaḥ khe pauruṣaṁ nṛṣu (BG 7.8). When one man is famous . . . yad yad vibhūtimat sattvaṁ mama tejo 'ṁśa-sambhavam (BG 10.41). Anything extraordinary, if you find . . . Kṛṣṇa is the most extraordinary personality, but even within this world, if you find some great leader, great politician, great scientist, great businessman—there are so many—and he is very famous, so you should know that this fame and name of this person is due to Kṛṣṇa's mercy. You see Kṛṣṇa there.

Nobody can be greater than any other friend unless he is specially bestowed the mercy of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, yad yad vibhūtimat sattvaṁ mama tejo 'ṁśa-sambhavam. A little portion of Kṛṣṇa's mercy is there. Kṛṣṇa is most opulent. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47). You can claim that you are proprietor of ten crores of rupees or other can claim that "I am proprietor of fifty crores of rupees," and other can claim a hundred crores of rupees, but nobody can claim that, "I am the proprietor of all the money that is available within this material world." Nobody can say that. Even Brahmā cannot say. But Kṛṣṇa, oh, His description is that samagrasya aiśvaryasya: all the wealth that is conceivable, He is the proprietor.

So any wealthy person, any rich person you see within this material world, it should be understood that a portion of Kṛṣṇa's money has been taken by him. That's all. Nobody can claim that, "I am the proprietor of all the money that is here in this material world." That is not possible. So if that man also thinks that, "Whatever money I have got, it is Kṛṣṇa's money, Kṛṣṇa's mercy. Kṛṣṇa has mercifully given me this money," then what is his next duty? He should spend it for Kṛṣṇa. That is the proper utilization of money.

Similarly, if one is famous, he should utilize his fame for Kṛṣṇa's service. Suppose I am trying to spread this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, but if a very famous man tries for it, it will be very quickly spread. That is the utilization of his fame. If a scientist, if he proves Kṛṣṇa's supremacy by scientific law, then his knowledge in science is perfect.

So everyone who possesses anything, if he knows that it is the gift of Kṛṣṇa and it should be utilized for Kṛṣṇa, then his life is successful.

ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā

varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ

svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya

saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam

(SB 1.2.13)

Saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam. It doesn't matter what you are. You may be a engineer, you may be a lawyer, you may be a businessman. Whatever you are, it doesn't matter. But try to satisfy Kṛṣṇa by your profession, by your occupation. Then you are successful. Saṁsiddhi. It doesn't matter what you are doing. It doesn't require that you have to give up your profession as a lawyer and join us as a sannyāsī and dance. If you cannot do that . . . everyone can do that, but if you think that you cannot do this, then utilize your profession for Kṛṣṇa's service. Then you become perfect.

So Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not a necessity for the members of this Society—it is the necessity of everyone throughout the whole world, without any discrimination. One has to take this advantage to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, to understand Kṛṣṇa in this way. Then the result will be sublime. Yo jānāti tattvataḥ. Janma karma me divyaṁ jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9).

Just like anyone who understands that the taste of the water is Kṛṣṇa's energy, the sunshine is Kṛṣṇa's energy, the moonshine is Kṛṣṇa's energy, the Vedic mantras, that is also to please Kṛṣṇa, and the sound vibrated in the sky, or anywhere, the sound element is Kṛṣṇa . . . and the energy or the name, fame, opulence of big men of this world, that is also Kṛṣṇa. In this way, if we study Kṛṣṇa, then we know Him gradually. And as soon as we understand Him, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ: "One who understands in truth," tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9), "Immediately he becomes liberated, so much so that after quitting this body he comes to Me."

So what is the difficulty? Even in your ordinary life you can study Kṛṣṇa, you can understand Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa will help you. As soon as you begin studying Kṛṣṇa, understanding Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa will help you from within. Kṛṣṇa is with you. Kṛṣṇa is not far away. He is so kind that He is sitting in your heart as your friend just to help you how you become liberated from this material contamination. Why you do not take this advantage?

Every sane man should take advantage of this instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, but rightly, as it is said. Then anywhere he may be, it doesn't matter, he is a liberated person.

īhā yasya harer dāsye

karmaṇā manasā vācā

nikhilāsv apy avasthāsu

jīvan-muktaḥ sa ucyate

(Brs. 1.2.187)

Anyone who is trying to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, and being Kṛṣṇa conscious he is trying to serve Kṛṣṇa sincerely . . . he may be situated anywhere. It does not matter he is Indian or Hindu or Mussulman or Christian or this or that. Simply if he thinks of Kṛṣṇa always in the process as described here, he becomes liberated.

So you can become liberated at your home. Simply you have to think of Kṛṣṇa. The gopīs were so elevated devotees. What was their function? The only function was that they were always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. That's all. Lord Caitanya therefore recommends, ramyā kācid upāsanā vraja-vadhū-vargeṇā yā kalpitā (Caitanya-manjusa). These vraja-vadhūs, they are village girls.

They are daughters of cowherd's men, naturally they are not Brahmins, daughter's of Brahmins, they have, they have no Vedic understanding Vedānta philosophy. But their only business was 24 hours thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Lord Caitanya recommends, ramyā kācid upāsanā vraja-vadhū-vargeṇā yā kalpitā (Caitanya-manjusa). "There is no more first-class type of worshipping Kṛṣṇa, than it was conceived by the vraja-vadhūs," or the cowherd girls, dancers in Vṛndāvana.

So it does not require any education or any philosophical knowledge, simply if you give aural reception to these instruction of Kṛṣṇa and wherever you may be you simply think of Kṛṣṇa in this way, "Oh, this taste is Kṛṣṇa, the sunshine is Kṛṣṇa, the moonshine is Kṛṣṇa, the vibration in the sky is Kṛṣṇa, this name and fame of this gentleman is Kṛṣṇa." Then where is no Kṛṣṇa consciousness? What is the difficulty?

There is no difficulty. Simply we have to adopt and it is very easy, sahajiyā, sahajiyā means it is born with you. Kṛṣṇa, because He is within your heart therefore Kṛṣṇa is with you, from your birth and He is trying to divert your attention to Kṛṣṇa. From intern . . . from inside and from outside also, so we have to take advantage of this. So there are so many symptoms and Kṛṣṇa again says:

puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca

tejaś cāsmi vibhāvasau

jīvanaṁ sarva-bhūteṣu

tapaś cāsmi tapasviṣu

(BG 7.9)

One person is undergoing severe austerities and penances for self-realisation, and what is that self? That is Kṛṣṇa. And that tapasya is also Kṛṣṇa because Kṛṣṇa and the means of attaining Kṛṣṇa is the same. It is not that you take some means and when you attain your ultimate goal you give up the means. No. In Kṛṣṇa's affairs there is nothing given up, just like we are now chanting or any devotee is chanting of Kṛṣṇa's name.

When he actually becomes liberated it is not that the means, chanting means is rejected. The chanting means more and more elevated, the relish, the taste of chanting increases—but chanting goes on. Just like the devotees are worshipping Kṛṣṇa here and when he approaches directly Kṛṣṇaloka the same business will go on.

So Kṛṣṇa and the means of attaining Kṛṣṇa is identical, there is no difference. The chant Hare Krishna and to meet Kṛṣṇa is the same thing, simply we have to follow and then it will be revealed. You will understand that there is no difference between Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's name. There is no difference between Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's activities. Otherwise what is the use of studying this Bhagavad-gītā which is taught by Kṛṣṇa in the battlefield? So the battlefield is also Kṛṣṇa because Kṛṣṇa is there.

In this way wherever there is Kṛṣṇa, if one realises that Kṛṣṇa is present in this way, nirbandhe kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yukta-vairāgyam ucyate (Brs. 1.2.255). He hasn't got to give up his family or his occupation that is yukta-vairāgya. To accept sannyāsa means vairāgya but one who is constantly in Kṛṣṇa consciousness that is perfect vairāgya, perfect sannyāsa.

vāsudeve bhagavati

bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ

janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ

(SB 1.2.7)

Because as soon as he goes on thinking of Kṛṣṇa then naturally he has no more any interest of this material affairs. Vairāgya automatically arises. But taking sannyāsa it is a—a formality regulative principles that one has to give up, his family connections, worldly connections but one who is Kṛṣṇa conscious he has automatically attained that state. Attained that stage of vairāgya.

vāsudeve bhagavati

bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ

janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ

jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam

(SB 1.2.7)

Janayaty āśu, in order to practice vairāgya, or renounce this material world, just like Lord Buddha-deva taught us meditation for so many years. There are many instances, they say they go to the father, to the Himalayas, to meditate in order to try to escape the contamination of this material world. But if you think of Kṛṣṇa or Vāsudeva, if you are engaged in His devotional service, vāsudeve bhagavati. Vāsudeva is bhagavān the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

vāsudeve bhagavati

bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ

janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ

(SB 1.2.7)

Immediately vairāgyam which others cannot achieve after doing so much austerities in the Himalayas. You can attain that vairāgya the perfectional stage simply by thinking of Kṛṣṇa in the process as it is described. So our request to everyone is that you read Bhagavad-gītā in this way and try to understand Kṛṣṇa. It does not matter where you are, think—then according to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam you will be purified and there will be vairāgya.

Vairāgya means—unless you become detached from the attraction of this material world we have to continue repetition of birth and death in different forms. But when you are fully apart from this material sense gratification that, "I do not want any more of this material sense gratification but I want Kṛṣṇa." Then you are immediately purified, immediately. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā:

māṁ ca yo 'vyabhicāreṇa

bhakti-yogena ya sevate

(BG 14.26)

Simply you are engaged in the service of transcendental loving service of Kṛṣṇa by thinking in this process you become liberated. So Kṛṣṇa is giving you further references how you can think of Kṛṣṇa. Just like here it is said, puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca, just like the rose flower, rose flower it has got a special flavour and as soon as you smell that flavour you should understand this exquisite nice flavour is Kṛṣṇa, puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ. There are many other flowers, so these flavours they are Kṛṣṇa, we have to think like that.

puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca

tejaś cāsmi vibhāvasau

(BG 7.9)

Anything dazzling, just like you get in diamond, dazzling and immediately you should remember this dazzling is Kṛṣṇa, vibhāvasau, tejaś cāsmi vibhāvasau jīvanaṁ sarva-bhūteṣu. Anything living beginning from the elephant to the ant, so long one is living he should know that there is Kṛṣṇa within him. Here Kṛṣṇa says:

īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ

hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati

(BG 18.61)

So Kṛṣṇa is within the heart of the ant, Kṛṣṇa is within the heart of an elephant, Kṛṣṇa is within the heart of a man, within a dog, within a . . . any living entity it doesn't matter but that does not mean that dog is Kṛṣṇa, then it is a mistake. Kṛṣṇa by inconceivable potencies he can live within the heart of a dog but if you miss-conclude that dog is Kṛṣṇa then you are . . . (indistinct) . . . misled. Kṛṣṇa can live anywhere, Kṛṣṇa can create His Vaikuṇṭha anywhere, just like, take for example the Governor wherever he goes immediately there is government.

There is place, the Governor's place, Governor's Secretary, Governor's military commander, everyone is present there. It doesn't matter whether the Governor goes to the jungle or in a very nice city or anywhere. Similarly wherever Kṛṣṇa is, immediately Kṛṣṇa's own atmosphere Vaikuṇṭha is there. So Kṛṣṇa says that, nāhaṁ tiṣṭhāmi vaikuṇṭhe (Padma Purāṇa). "It is not that I am present or I am stranded in Vaikuṇṭha, I can live anywhere." tatra tiṣṭhāmi nārada yatra gāyanti mad-bhaktā. If there is a devotee, (clapping sound) ah, if there is a devotees and if he is chanting the Kṛṣṇa's name, Kṛṣṇa's glories, Kṛṣṇa is there.

So you can, by your devotional power, you can see Kṛṣṇa everywhere and Kṛṣṇa said that is all pervading nature of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa—it is not that Kṛṣṇa is sitting here only but Kṛṣṇa is everywhere, just like electricity is everywhere. Simply one has to know how to capture that electricity, similarly Kṛṣṇa said that, "I am here, I am here, I am here." You have to capture Kṛṣṇa.

jīvanaṁ sarva-bhūteṣu

tapaś cāsmi tapasviṣu

(BG 7.9)

bījaṁ māṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ

viddhi pārtha sanātanam

(BG 7.10)

Bījam, you can understand bījam, bījam means the seed, just like take this seed of a Banyan tree, you have seen the fruits of Banyan tree. Very small seed but that seed contains another Banyan tree. If it is given chance to fructify that seed will develop into very big Banyan tree and from that Banyan tree you will have many many millions of, I mean to say, figs and in each fig there are many many millions of seeds.

So Kṛṣṇa's seed is like that, Kṛṣṇa is the original seed and from that seed so many things have developed, bījaṁ māṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ, bījaṁ māṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ viddhi pārtha sanātanam. And that bīja is sanātana, eternal. It is not annihilated, just like we are Kṛṣṇa's part and parcel, we all living entities. And Kṛṣṇa is the original bīja we are part and parcel of the bīja, therefore Kṛṣṇa is the original bīja. Bījaṁ māṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ, sanātanam eternal, Kṛṣṇa is eternal, we are also eternal.

buddhir buddhimatām asmi

tejas tejasvinām aham

(BG 7.10)

The intelligence, you find many intelligent men, very good scientists, very good work men. Now as soon as you see extraordinary intelligence, every intelligence is Kṛṣṇa. Especially when you find somebody who is extraordinarily intelligent you should know this intelligence is Kṛṣṇa. So what is the difficulty of understanding Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa also says in the fifteenth chapter:

sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo

mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ

(BG 15.15)

One man is very intelligent and one man is very dull. So this dullness is also Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa says in another centre. Why a man becomes dull? And why a man becomes intelligent? It is Kṛṣṇa's manipulation, He says, mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ. So Kṛṣṇa can be seen, Kṛṣṇa can be understood in this way:

balaṁ balavatāṁ, balaṁ balavatāṁ cāhaṁ

kāma-rāga-vivarjitam

(BG 7.11)

He says, kāma-rāga-vivarjitam, strength should be used, just like Arjuna. Arjuna was very strong, a strong fighter but that strength is Kṛṣṇa's. Why it is Kṛṣṇa? Because Kṛṣṇa . . . Arjuna has no idea of sense gratification. He was in the beginning, he was trying to satisfy his senses, "My dear Kṛṣṇa they are my brothers, there is my grandfather, I shall not fight." That is sense gratification but as soon as he fought under the direction of Kṛṣṇa.

As Kṛṣṇa said then, "What is your now conclusion, I have said everything to you?" And Arjuna said—agreed yes, kariṣye tad-vacanam (BG 18.73) "Now I shall fight, my illusion is now over." This is kāma-rāga-vivarjitam, there is no question of sense gratification. If you have some strength, if you don't use for your sense gratification but if you use for Kṛṣṇa's service then you can realise Kṛṣṇa, kāma-rāga-vivarjitam.

dharmāviruddho bhūteṣu

kāmo 'smi bharatarṣabha

(BG 7.11)

Dharmāviruddhaḥ, just like sex intercourse, sex intercourse is lusty but when you beget a child, even you are lusty, if you beget a child according to the śāstras, dharmāviruddhaḥ. You cannot enjoy your wife for sense gratification, if you can enjoy, or you can use your wife only for begetting children. In our society these restriction is there we don't allow illicit sex life, simply one can have a marital life sex and that is also for begetting children.

Not for any other purpose, so Kṛṣṇa says here that, dharmāviruddho bhūteṣu kāmo 'smi bharatarṣabha. That kind of lusty conjunction between husband and wife, "I am." Kṛṣṇa says. So it is not that Kṛṣṇa conscious people are forbidden from sex life but their sex life is for serving Kṛṣṇa. To produce Kṛṣṇa conscious children, not cats and dogs. That is Kṛṣṇa, that sexual intercourse is Kṛṣṇa, here Kṛṣṇa says.

So we have to follow in this way in every step of life, how we can realise Kṛṣṇa then our life becomes sublime. Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Audience: (applause) (end)