731220 - Lecture SB 01.15.42 - Los Angeles

Lectures by Date, 1973

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

731220SB-LOS ANGELES - December 20, 1973 - 37:06 Minutes

Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. (leads chanting of verse) (Prabhupāda and devotees repeat)

tritve hutvā ca pañcatvaṁ

tac caikatve 'juhon muniḥ

sarvam ātmany ajuhavīd

brahmaṇy ātmānam avyaye

(SB 1.15.42)

(break)

Prabhupāda: Yes. Word meaning.

Pradyumna: tritve—into the three qualities; hutvā—having offered; ca—also; pañcatvam—five elements; tat—that; ca—also; ekatve—in one nescience; ajuhot—amalgamated; muniḥ—the thoughtful; sarvam—the sum total; ātmani—in the soul; ajuhavīt—fixed; brahmaṇi—unto the spirit; ātmānam—the soul; avyaye—unto the inexhaustible.

Translation: "Thus annihilating the gross body of five elements into the three qualitative modes of material nature, he merged them in one nescience and then absorbed that nescience in the self, Brahman, which is inexhaustible in all circumstances."

Prabhupāda: Hmm. Tritve hutvā ca pañcatvaṁ tac caikatve ajuhon muniḥ. Everything is coming from that one. The theory of conservation of energy, that is imperfection. All energy are conserved in that Supreme Personality of Godhead. They have got little idea of this, wherefrom the energies are coming, but not perfectly. The modern scientist, they can simply think of "conservation of energy." But where is that conservation, that they do not know. That is the missing point.

Here it is explained how from that original reservoir of all energy, things are coming. That is the lesson in Vedānta-sūtra, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1): "Everything is coming from one source." Yato vā imāni bhūtāni jāyante (Taittirīya Upaniṣad 3.1). These are Vedic mantras. That is Brahman. Brahman means inexhaustible, avyaya. There is no exhaustion. Pūrṇam. As we learn, pūrṇam adaḥ pūrṇam idam (Īśo Invocation), everything complete. Complete . . .

We have no idea of complete. We think complete also limited. Complete satisfaction . . . suppose you have got a bank balance, a million dollar. You think, "It is now complete. I am fully satisfied." But he hasn't got the complete idea. The bank balance may be one million dollar today, but if I spend it, it will be gradually reduced, and one day it will be zero. So that is not complete. Complete means you go on spending as much as you like; still, it remains complete. That is complete.

There is a small story—perhaps I have narrated this story sometimes ago—that in a school . . . formerly there was no charge for school. Now everything has become business. Formerly a brāhmaṇa, he'll start a school. Brāhmaṇa is paṭhana pāṭhana. His business is to become learned himself and to distribute his knowledge, education, to everyone free. This is brāhmaṇa. The brāhmaṇa, and the opposite word is kṛpaṇa. Kṛpaṇa means miser. A miser, he has got money, but he does not spend. He keeps it only. And brāhmaṇa means he has got knowledge and he distributes for others' benefit. That is brāhmaṇa.

Therefore we are making every one of our disciples brāhmaṇa, not that he should simply know himself what is God. No. He must distribute the knowledge also. Go from town to town, village to village, and try to convince these rascals what is God. They simply write, "In God We Trust," but they do not know what is God or how to trust. Nothing. Now let them know it scientifically. Here is the movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. What is this movement? To know God. Of course, we cannot know God perfectly. God is so unlimited. Still, as far as possible we can know, as God speaks Himself about Himself in the Bhagavad-gītā.

So this is meant for the brāhmaṇa. Therefore we offer second initiation, sacred thread, that one should become brāhmaṇa, not a kṛpaṇa, miser. No. One should be thoroughly learned what is God and teach others how to trust Him. That is brāhmaṇa. Simply slogan, "We Trust In God," and all rascals and fools, that is not good. Now we should take up this point that, "You write, 'In God We Trust.' What is God? Do you know what is God?" Ask the President Nixon, rascal. He will not be able to. Then who will know? If the president does not know, how the people will know? Yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhaḥ lokas tad anuvartate (BG 3.21). Śreṣṭha, the chief man, the leader. Just like I am leading this society, so what I shall do, naturally it will be followed: "Prabhupāda does it."

So that is applicable everywhere. If the president knows what is God, how to trust Him . . . why shall I trust unless I know you properly? It is natural. If somebody says: "Trust this man," so my next question, "I must first of all know this man; then I shall trust." Similarly, if you do not know what is God, what is the meaning of your trust? It is all childish, slogan. Therefore the condition is so deteriorated. Everywhere, not only here, they have no knowledge of God. We can challenge anyone, any so-called scientist, philosopher, politician, big, big men. They know only wine, women, meat-eating. That's all. This much their knowledge. But who knows God? Nobody. Ultimately, the rascal says, "I am God." Failing to know God, he become himself God.

So here is very nicely explained, how from that one . . . prakṛtiṁ yānti māmikām. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that, "This prakṛti," means nature, "will be wound up, again come to Me within." Just like the spider. The spider makes a cobweb. From the saliva from him, he can work—he knows how to work on it—and again he can wound it up. That is practical example. Similarly, the material nature . . . here is the point of creation. The energy is conserved. Energy is never lost, avyaya. But this prakṛti, this material nature, is not eternal. It is temporary. The same example, the spider. The spider, suppose it is eternal, but the cobweb made by the spider, that is not eternal.

Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). It is created and again wound up. Similarly, the point of creation comes from God. God is not created. They ask this question generally that, "Everything is created. Then God must be created." That idea comes because we have no other idea than the creation, maintenance and again annihilation. We have no other idea. In this material world, we have no other idea. We see this body is created by father and mother. Then it remains for a time, it grows, and then it become old. Then it vanishes. Ṣaḍ-vikāra, six kinds of changes. Janma-sthiti-pariṇāma . . .

In this way, everything in this material world, nothing is permanent. But the soul within the body, that is. That is the conservation of energy. That they do not know. Where the energy is reserved and wherefrom the energy is manifested, again wound up . . . a living entity . . . as God and we living entity, we have got the same quality . . . as God is the reservation, conversation of all energy, material energy, similarly, I, you, we being small particle of God's fraction . . . just like spark, spark of the fire, big fire, and the small spark. That small spark has all the qualities of fire.

All the chemicals composition of fire is there in the small spark, but in very, very small quantity. A drop of seawater has got the all chemical composition of the ocean. That is equality. Qualitatively. And quantitatively, where is the comparison between the drop of ocean water and the ocean? There is no comparison. That is difference. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy is perfect: acintya-bhedābheda, inconceivably, simultaneously one and different. We are one with God, but these rascals who have no thorough knowledge, they simply take this oneness, "I am one with God." That is rascaldom. There are two things: one and different simultaneously. Qualitatively one, quantitatively different.

So as this body is created by my energy, my subtle energy and my gross energy . . . it is also . . . the whole energy . . . I am also emanation from God. The total energy is God. I am fragment, fragment energy, but still, I have got the same function. Just like I am put into the womb of the mother through the semina of the father. Now, according to my energy, I have placed into a suitable condition. If I have worked for becoming a dog, then through the semina of the dog I am put into the womb of a dog mother. And if I have worked as a god, then through the semina of the father, I am put into the womb of a mother. So in this way, my conservation of energy worked there. The supply is there, and I form the body. This body is formed . . . this is creation. So as my body is formed, similarly, this whole universal body is formed. That is creation.

They do not understand. They are so rascal that they do not understand that creation is a fact, and the original creator is God. So in the scriptures, "God created this world," that is fact, but unfortunately, they do not know how it is created. Lack of knowledge. So that is explained here, tritve hutvā ca pañcatvam, how things are developing. From the spirit soul there is total material energy. Energy is coming. The conservation of energy is the spirit soul. Where is the difficulty to understand? That is permanent, avyaya.

So therefore there are two kinds of energy from the Supreme Soul, God. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca, bhinnā prakṛtir aṣṭadhā (BG 7.4). Aṣṭadhā. Aṣṭadhā means eight. So tritve, three, and pañcatvam, five, that means eight, the eight kinds of material energy. Earth, water, fire, air, sky—these are gross. The gross, amongst the gross also, the finer material energy, the sky, we cannot see. This is also gross. Then mind. Everyone knows I am thinking; I have got mind. You know, I know. But where is the mind? Have you seen? Somebody suggests mind is in the brain, somebody suggests in the stomach, somebody . . . suggesting.

But there is mind. Everyone knows. Then next finer, the sky. We can perceive the sky is there by sound. As soon as . . . (makes tapping sound). This is due to sky, this sound. That is the symptom there is sky. But similarly, although the sky you cannot see, you can understand there is. Similarly, mind is there. You can understand by thinking, feeling, willing, mind is there. But you do not see the mind. Oh, why you are so much proud, "Can you show me?" You cannot see your mind, you cannot see the sky, and you want to see God with your these eyes. Just see how foolish they are. You cannot see even a gross thing, and subtle things, and the finer, finer, finer than all subtle things . . . mind, then intelligence. Simple not mind. When we think, feel or will, there is intelligence behind that, and if the intelligence is not good, simply you will think of nonsense.

So behind the mind, there is intelligence. And behind the intelligence, there is soul. So if you cannot see the mind and the finer gross material sky, you cannot see intelligence, how you will see the soul? Therefore you cannot understand your this gross situation. You cannot. Acintya. Acintya. It is beyond your . . . anything which is beyond your conception, you don't try to speculate. That is simply waste of time. "Then how shall I know?" You know from the authority. The same example: you cannot speculate who is your father. Know from your mother who is your father. Very simple thing. But if you speculate, "Who is my father? Who is my father? Who is my father?" that is not possible. Ciraṁ vicinvan. If you go on speculating, without taking care of the mother, without asking from your mother, if you simply want to know by your research scholarship, "Who is my father?" you will never know it. Acintyāḥ khalu ye bhāvā na tāṁs tarkeṇa yojayet (Mahābhārata, Udyoga-parva).

Therefore things which are beyond your speculation, don't try to argue. Don't be foolish. Don't be rascal. How you can? Because it is beyond your conception. There is no question of it. By argument, by speculation, by logic, you cannot understand what is soul, what is God. That is not possible. Acintyāḥ khalu ye bhāvā na tāṁs tarkeṇa yojayet. Don't waste your time. So similarly, we do not know what is God by speculation. That is not possible. And religion means the science of God. Religion means the science of God. So how religion, you can understand that this is proper religion? Because you do not know God, neither it is possible to speculate on God, then how I shall accept religion? Just try to understand. Religion means the science of God. It is not a sentiment; it is science. So if you want to know that science . . . therefore Vedic injunction is, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12): "In order to know that science, knowledge, you must approach guru." That is practical. Even for material science, you go to school, college to learn from the authority. How you can learn about God, about soul, without approaching a proper person who knows it?

So that is the way. That is the way. You cannot speculate. Athāpi te deva padāmbuja-dvaya-prasāda-leśānugṛhīta eva hi jānāti tattvam (SB 10.14.29). Tattvam, that truth, one can understand, who has received the mercy of God. Therefore we sing "Guru . . . guru is the mercy, mercy of God." God is so merciful that He is within yourself. He is trying to teach you, and . . . internally, and externally He appears as guru to teach you. Mercy. So therefore guru is considered as good as Kṛṣṇa. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ. In all the śāstras, the guru is respected as Kṛṣṇa is respected. Sākṣād-dharitvena. Haritva. Hari means Lord. Samasta-śā . . . in all the scriptures, guru is accepted as Kṛṣṇa. But he never says that I, he is Kṛṣṇa; neither he is Kṛṣṇa. Then what is his position? Kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya: he is the most confidential servant of Kṛṣṇa. He never says that "I am Kṛṣṇa, I am God." That is not guru. Guru must place . . . he knows perfectly well that he is serving Kṛṣṇa. His business is to serve Kṛṣṇa.

Kṛṣṇa wants all these fallen souls to be delivered, because they are Kṛṣṇa's part and parcel. Just like a rich man, if his son goes out of home, he is suffering. His father knows that rascal boy is suffering. He is very anxious to get him back. "Bring this rascal at home." That is father's concern, naturally. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is more eager to take you back. Therefore He comes. He comes. He has got His agent, the guru. He has got His instruction, the Bhagavad-gītā. The whole concern is that God is so anxious, Kṛṣṇa is anxious, to call back these rascals, back to home, back to Godhead. So sometimes He is so eager that He comes Himself. Just like I have sent some my agent to do something. I am seeing that it is being delayed, so I go there: "What you are doing? Why it is so delayed?" Like that. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7). dharmasya glāniḥ, discrepancy in the execution of religion principle.

So religion means, we have already explained, religion means the science of God. So the chance is there in the human form of body to understand the science of God. In the body of cats and dogs, it is not possible. Therefore this life should be fully utilized for understanding the science of God and understanding . . . as Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, now he is closing the business. The business is that, "I am creating this body." Just like a businessman opens a business house. Sometimes when the business is simply troublesome, he liquidates. Similarly, we should come into the understanding that our material business is always troublesome. Is it not troublesome, practical, material business?

Suppose in this life you have got all good facilities. You have got a skyscraper building, nice . . . suppose you are Mr. Ford. He was a very rich man in your country. So where is Mr. Ford now? That they do not see. That they have no eyes. In Paris I saw some statue of Napoleon. There is written, "Napoleon is France; France is Napoleon." But I inquired that "Where is Mr. Napoleon? The France is there, but where is Napoleon?" Just see. This is called ignorance, māyā. When Napoleon was very victorious, he might think that, "I am making my France very strong, very powerful." But that's all right, but you are not powerful; you have to go away. By one kick of nature, go away. That they do not see. This is called ignorance. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19).

So what is the meaning of this business? Suppose you have got . . . that Mr. Ford, Henry Ford, he did a very . . . now everything is left. He could not take even a single cent with him when he was dying. He . . . everything was left. Now, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13), he has got another body. Nobody cares. Nobody knows. Suppose Mr. Henry's children—they do not know. Not only they; everyone. Politicians, their statue is worshiped, but nobody knows where that Mr. Napoleon, Mr. Washington, Mr. Gandhi has gone. They do not know. They are worshiping the material statue, that's all. Ignorance. Bhūtejyā. It is called bhūtejyā.

One of our big politician, Indian politician, some astrologer said that, "He has become a dog in Scandinavia." But you cannot deny. You cannot deny. If you believe . . . first of all, you have to believe that the soul transmigrates. That's a fact. That we are doing every day, every minute. Simply it requires little brain. Dhīra. Dhīras tatra na muhyati. Tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). Dhīra means sober. What is the difficulty to understand? I was a child, you were a child. Just like these children, talking without any meaning. But they are children, they are excused. But the same child will become a young man, old man. The body has changed. Just like I was also child, you were also child. In childhood we have done so many nonsense things. But in this body I am not doing anything. I have to consider.

So that means the body is different. According to the body . . . the rascal says that the animals have no soul. Why? Then the child has also no soul? What is the difference between the child's behavior and an animal's behavior? Anyone who has got a dog in his family, the dog is also one of the children. He also behaves . . . the children also behave like the dog. And the children do not find any difference, that a dog is different, he is different. Simple. So if the dog has no soul and if the behavior are the same, as of the dog, of the child, so does it mean the child has no soul? How foolish they are. Just see. And they say the animal has no soul. Why? You can say: "The intelligence is not developed." As the child's intelligence is not developed, it will develop with the change of the body, similarly, the dog also will have developed sense when he will change his dog's body to human body. That is called evolution. He will get the chance. Nature will give the chance.

So after getting the chance, if we do not utilize the chance as human being, then I remain a dog. This is the philosophy. Therefore these books are meant for sober human being, not for the so-called human being—he is a dog, but he has got two hands and two legs. That's all. Not like that. Puruṣaḥ paśuḥ. Śva-viḍ-varāha-uṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ (SB 2.3.19). Now you are fighting against your president that he must resign because he is just like animal. The charge is. But he is animal, undoubtedly. But who has selected the animal? Other animals. That's all. You are also animal. Otherwise how you can select one animal? Therefore in the Bhāgavata it is said, śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ. Paśu. Anyone who is not Kṛṣṇa consciousness, in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if he is praised, those who are praising, they are also animal. Not to become Kṛṣṇa conscious is animalism. That is animalism. So anyone who has not developed his consciousness to understand God . . . Kṛṣṇa consciousness means to understand God and then trust Him. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Actually, your currency notes advertising our movement. But they do not know scientifically. Now this movement is scientifically started. The Americans should take advantage of it and try to understand the simple slogan, "In God We Trust."

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla . . . (break) (end)