Bhagavad-gītā Seriatim #36

Bhagavad-gītā Seriatim #36

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Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti Om Jaya Sri Krishna Chaitanya Prabhu Nityananda Sri Advaita Gadadhara Sri Vasari Gauravakta Brinda Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare So verses 33 to 36, right?

Arjuna tells Krsna that the system of yoga that Krsna summarized appears impractical and unendurable. for him, because the mind is restless and unsteady. Arjuna says that the mind is turbulent, obstinate, and very strong, and to subdue it is more difficult than controlling the wind. In this way, Arjuna rejects the suggestion of astanga-yoga.

Note, Arjuna rejects astanga-yoga, particularly because he finds it impossible to be impartial towards friends and enemies. Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana explains Arjuna’s doubt in his commentary to verse 33.

Sometimes there will be equal treatment of friends and neutral persons, but never of enemies or those who criticize. If one is to see with discrimination that Paramatma is situated everywhere without making distinctions, this state cannot be permanent, because the strong, fickle mind cannot keep to discrimination for a long, oh, probably for long, right?

In other words, when we say about all these different things, you know, about the equality of vision and everything, so the tendency will be, okay, neutral things, that’s pretty easy, right? Those that we’re attached to, we can try to reduce that a little bit like this, but those things that we’re inimical towards, then generally we will never see them as equal, right? So one can try, but the difficulty here that we’re having is that you’re having to do all these things simply based on the ability to control the mind, right? It means you’re going to take yourself away from the normal situation, so you’ll be in a more peaceful situation, and that’s going to help, right? But then, and then after that, then, you know, you try to live a sattvic lifestyle, you know, you try to see things in a detached way, but one’s removed oneself from all of what one’s attached to and what one is not attached to, you know, what’s a disturbance. Does that make sense? So in that state, it’s easier to deal with the mind. But still, all that you’re left with in actually doing this is your determination, right? That’s all. But the mind is also quite determined, right? It means if you look at it practically, are we in the material world? Yes. Why are we in the material world? Because of our desire to lord it over. Yeah, because of our desire to lord it over. So that means who’s winning here, the soul or the mind, right, you know?

So that’s the point, you know, so we can, you know, chalk it up on wins, you know. You know, mind, unlimited billions of lifetimes, soul, zero. You know, so like that. So this is Arjuna’s seeing as the problem, right? It means not here. We’ll get into that when Prabhupada starts discussing. It’s that you’re only left with the mind and your determination to control it. So it hasn’t worked up to now. Why will it work today? What’s changed? Okay, you’re a little more determined, but how long can that determination last, right? Because here you’re taking yourself completely out of the situation. Now, will that be possible, right? So there’s nothing, you don’t have Krishna there, right? Krishna’s there at the end of the Ashtanga Yoga system, right? There’s some interest in all that, but the practical application is not devotional service, right? Asana and niyama niyama, is there a devotion? Is that why one’s doing it? No. Asana. No. Pranayama. No. Pratyahara, pulling in the senses. Now is where it gets tough, right? And when we say asana, an asana’s considered perfect when you can hold it for two hours and 45 minutes, you know, in the perfect state, completely relaxed, without any problem, no disturbance. Then you can call, now the asana is perfect.

You know what I’m saying? We’re not talking about 20 minutes of, you know, 30 seconds on this side and 30 seconds on that side, with some nice music playing, the incense burning and, you know, all that kind of jazz. You know, we’re talking about two hours, 45 minutes, you don’t flinch, nothing. Not a muscle is out of place, everything is relaxed, there is no distraction or disturbance.

Right? That’s what we’re talking about. That’s asana. And as we discussed before, pranayama means to stop the breathing. The in-going breath and the out-going breath, stop, so you’re not breathing.

And you can do that all day. Right? Does that make sense? Then we get to pratyahara, because as long as the breath is moving, the mind is disturbed. Right? When wind is moving, then a lake will have ripples. Well, no wind, no ripples. Then you pull in the senses. Only when the senses are all pulled in, right, and we understand how hard that one is. Right? So if we think the other ones are difficult, right? Now, is asana will be more difficult than yama, niyama, right? And pratyahara, stopping the breathing, is more difficult than sitting there for two hours and 45 minutes. So that means, what is pratyahara? It’ll be more difficult than that. Then dharana, focusing only on one point, no other point. Right? Then, once that’s there and that’s fixed, it doesn’t mean for a moment, it means it’s fixed, then you put Lord Vishnu there.

Right? So that starts dhyana. Right? So now we’re at the advanced stage. But up to that, means for the yogis, you know, doing the asana of stopping the breathing, pulling in the senses, focusing on one point, that’s for the neophytes. You know, that’s for the yoga wannabes, right? When you are meditating on Vishnu, now the process starts. You understand? Like cooking. You make the menus, you go to the market, you clean the kitchen, you cut all the vegetables, you get everything ready, grind all your spices, everything like that. That’s all just preliminaries. When everything goes in the pot, that’s cooking. Before that, it’s connected to cooking. But there’s no cooking going on. So in the same way, there’s no, you know, the yoga system starts seriously at meditation.

Make sense? Right? Then, that deepens to samadhi. Then seeing the Lord, then you can surrender and take up devotional service. Sound practical? Anyone want to sign up here?

No? Okay. So you’re going to stick with the bhakti process.

So the point is this. He’s only taken himself out of that situation, but even out of that situation doesn’t mean that the mind doesn’t go with you. I don’t know if any of you have heard this. I would hear it many times before. There’d be some devotee in the temple, right? He’s having problems in the temple. Everyone’s bothering him, this and that. It’s just not right. So what’s the solution? Go out of the temple. Yeah, go out of the temple. Go to another temple. I mean, this is old. This is like archaic. You know what? There are dinosaurs still wandering around. So then he would go to another temple, right? Now the solution is this one. Why would you be in a temple? In fact, now, why would you ever be in there in the first place to even make the decision to leave? So they would go to another temple. Or, if it’s really bad, they’d go to another yatra, because everyone knows you in that yatra. So you’d have to go to someplace else. If you’re in Europe, you’d go to Paraguay or Vietnam or something like that. No one’s ever heard of you like that.

But the point was being made is that you may go and you’ll change the situation. But there’s one problem. The mind is going to go with you. And the same problems will be there. Like that. Different form, right? Like that. Before it was Bhakta Joe bothered you. Now it’ll be Bhakta Jose. Like that.

It’s the same problems.

So that’s the point. You take yourself out. You find a nice banyan tree. It’s peaceful. It’s wonderful and all that. The birds are chirping. The butterflies are flitting. You know, like that. At least for the time being, the tigers aren’t there to eat you. So you set up your asana. It’s great. But the problem is, is your mind’s still there. So if you can’t control it, it’s not going to work. So that’s why we can see as yoga was for Satya Yuga. There they were Hamsas. So they’re already on the liberated platform. They could do it. But if you’re not quite so liberated, then it might not be, you know, how you say, so viable.

Does it make sense? In other words, there’s no help of Krishna. Because all this is negative. You’re simply removing the negative. You know, but even that you’re not going to do. As pointed out here. Because then it’s a value.

There’s feelings concerning it. So that’s the mind.

So Prabhupada explains why the practice of Astanga Yoga is not practical for the age of Kali.

The system of mysticism described by Lord Krishna to Arjuna, beginning with the words, Suchau deshe, and ending with Yogi Parama, is here being rejected by Arjuna out of a feeling of inability. It is not possible for an ordinary man. Now, this is the guy that when all other thousands of students were brought for the final test, and they were told, you know, that they had a wooden bird in the tree, and they were to stand there, and, you know, put the arrow on the bow and be ready to shoot. And then Drona would ask them, What do you see? Right? So do they see, you know, Drona? Do they see the tree? Do they see the others? Do they see the bird? All this. So they’re all saying they see everything. But when he asked Arjuna, he says, No, I only see the head of the bird.

Because I’m supposed to shoot the eye of the bird. I only see the head. Right? Because the eye’s got to be somewhere, so therefore, it’s the head. So then he was allowed, so this is the guy that said, I won’t be able to do this.

That should always be kept in mind.

It is not possible for an ordinary man to leave home and go to a secluded place in the mountains or jungles to practice yoga in this age of Kali. The present age is, you know, because that means one is attached to all these things. Before, the sense of duty was what was driving. Now it’s because of attachment. There is attachment, but the sense of duty is stronger. But unfortunately, the sense of duty would be that commitment to the scriptures, but not necessarily understanding that the scriptures are there to please the Lord. Right? So that would be the weak point. But here it’s like, you know, there’s no care for the scriptures. It’s just a matter of one’s own attachments. That’s all.

The present age is characterized by a bitter struggle for a life of short duration. People are not serious about self-realization, even by simple practical means. And what to speak of this difficult yoga system, which regulates the mode of living, the manner of sitting, selection of place, and detachment of mind from material engagements. As a practical man, Arjuna thought it was impossible to follow this system of yoga, even though he was favorably endowed in many ways. He belonged to the royal family, and was highly elevated in terms of numerous qualities. He was a great warrior. He had great longevity. And above all, he was the most intimate friend of Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Five thousand years ago, Arjuna had much better facilities than we do now. Yet he refused to accept this system of yoga. In fact, we do not find any record in history of his practicing it in any time. Therefore, the system must be considered greatly impossible in this age of Kali.

So it’s just, it won’t work as a system of self-realization. You’re working on your health, or this or that, but that’s what it’s doing.

Then it’s exercise.

The best way to control and purify the mind is to chant the Maha Mantra. Hare Kṛṣṇa, in a humble mood. Why is this? Śrīla Prabhupāda explains in The Perfection of Yoga. Because this transcendental sound vibration is non-different from Kṛṣṇa, when we chant His name with devotion, then Kṛṣṇa is with us. And when Kṛṣṇa is with us, then what is the possibility of remaining impure? Consequently, one absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, in chanting the names of Kṛṣṇa and serving Him always, receives the benefit of the highest form of yoga. The advantage is that he doesn’t have to take all of the trouble of the meditational process. That is the beauty of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

So, then, in conclusion, the mind and the senses can be controlled only when they are fully engaged in service to Kṛṣṇa. sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāra-vindayor Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, 9.4.18 So, the point is this. The mind has to think of something. The mind has to be attracted, attached, engaged. It won’t do nothing. So, the point is, if it’s connected to Kṛṣṇa, then it’s always pure. So, then, this technique of yoga is how to connect the mind at all situations to Kṛṣṇa. That’s the real yoga. The Ashtanga Yoga system, what is it doing?

Ultimately, what is it doing? What is it doing?

Focusing on Kṛṣṇa, right? So, it connects us to Kṛṣṇa by removing all these other impediments and making it materially favorable to do that. Right? But once you meditate on Kṛṣṇa, then it takes off. These guys are nuts, no? They’re really crazy. They always move in groups of seven. Sometimes there’ll be, you know, two groups of them, but they’re in groups of seven. Some states call them the seven sisters, some call them the seven brothers. Whatever they are, they’re nuts.

Like that. I’ve even seen them in Australia. And they do, they travel and such. Same, same. And they’re just as crazy.

But they’re really funny. They always do that. They have these wild eyes, they puff themselves up and they make all this noise.

Yes. They would have difficulty with the Saṅgha yoga, these guys. Cranes might be able to do it a little bit, right? They could stand there and one leg look very spiritual. Like that. But these guys, forget it.

Okay, so this is, the point is, is that it connects one to Kṛṣṇa. But we see how difficult it is and the mechanics of it. Right? Because there’s no Kṛṣṇa until the end. You know? Does that make sense? So you’re not getting, because even you can say, no, but they talk about, you know, Viṣṇu and this and that, but is it in devotion?

No. So you’re simply by seeing, okay, here’s the Lord, and that’s, so what? Because it’s through devotion that one appreciates. That’s what attracts the mind. Does that make sense? So this is the important, so bhakti is how to connect now. Not later. Now. Just like what they had in Vṛndāvana, they were, devotees were worried about building Prabhupāda’s samādhi, so they had t-shirts that said, samādhi now. Right? Because Prabhupāda said, work now, samādhi later. Then his t-shirt said, samādhi now. Right? So this is the point. How does samādhi come? Now is by connecting to Kṛṣṇa. Right? So here it doesn’t mean that you’re doing nothing, because in karma yoga it means you’re doing something, but the focus is on the results for Kṛṣṇa. Jñāna yoga means it’s happening now. How you can remember Kṛṣṇa, what are the ways you can find Kṛṣṇa in the situations, here is what you’re doing. Right? Make sense?

Verses 35 to 36. Kṛṣṇa replies that although it is very difficult to control the mind, it is possible by suitable practice and detachment. Śrīla Prabhupāda describes that suitable practice in his, that suitable practice in his purport to verse 35. Right? So, in other words, he would say, the practice is not suitable, so it’ll be impossible with this method. Right? Because you’re simply taking the mechanics of you against the mind. Remember, the mind is you’re dealing with a part of the mind. Right? Mind is a material element. So, you take pradhan, it will divide up into these elements. So, how big is the element of mind?

Does that make sense? So, it’s a big element. Then you get a portion of it, just like how big is the earth, but there’s a certain portion of the earth in your body. How much water is there? Certain portions in your body. How much air? So, that means you’re only dealing with a portion of mind. Right? But there’s all that big amount behind it, so it has a lot of backup support, you could say. And the jiva is very small, won’t have that, unless you connect to Krishna.

Right? And Krishna is beyond the material age, and that means he’s bigger than the mind. He’s the source of the mind, so he’s the controller of the mind. So, if you have Krishna, then everything works.

Does that make sense? So, you’re trying to balance between this focusing on Krishna and doing it through your activities and with knowledge, because activities have to be performed with knowledge. Right? Activities result in knowledge. Right? But to do that, there must be the element of detachment, because the point is, is you get entangled because of the result, not the work. The result.

Yes? How this whole amount of mind would influence our small portion of mind? Is there some correlation?

When the wind blows, does it affect the air in your body? You get a cold. The cold wind blows. You’ve got air in your body, but it’s, you know, it’s not cold. But why do you get cold?

See, in other words, it’s like this. What’s the point of the example?

No, not your question. My example, yeah, what’s the point?

Okay, that means that’s there, but what’s the point of that? What was the point of that?

Yes, we should connect with Krishna, because Krishna being the source of the mind, then we won’t have any problem with the mind. What I’m pointing out is that we’re very small, but we think we’re going to do everything on our own. But the mind is bigger than us. You know, just as an element, it’s bigger. Right? Now, it is dead matter, it has no consciousness, so in that way it’s inferior, but we identify with it, so that puts it in the superior position.

You know what I’m saying? You don’t identify with it, there is no problem. But we identify. So, to say that we’re not going to identify with anything, which means what you have to do in the beginning stages of yoga, that’s not going to work. So we have to re-identify, which is appropriate, to a servant of Krishna. That connection to Krishna, that will make it easy to control the mind. So, Prabhupada is pointing out, suitable practice, right? So, the suitable practice and detachment.

So the detachment means, suitable practice means, what would work for you in the situation you’re in. What balance of karma, yoga, and karma, jnana, and yoga is going to make the proper, suitable. Right? And then, detachment means, the result is for Krishna. So, nice karma. Right? This is what’s going to work. So, we’re approaching it from different angles. Right? So, the point’s not to get into, well, how big exactly is… That’s not the point. You know, it’s just like I say, you know, there’s a driver in the car, so it’s because the man is in the car, the car is running. You know, but not… And he says, you know, but what kind of mileage do you get on this car? You understand? That’s not the point. So, one should always be careful to not get distracted by those. You know what I’m saying?

So, Prabhupada’s purport to verse 35. The difficulty of controlling the obstinate mind as expressed by Arjuna is accepted by the Personality of Godhead. But at the same time, he suggests that by practice and detachment, it is possible. What is that practice? In the present age, no one can observe the strict rules and regulations of placing oneself in a sacred place, focusing the mind on the Supersoul, restraining the senses and mind, observing celibacy, remaining alone, etc. By the practice of Krishna consciousness, however, one engages in nine types of devotional service to the Lord. The first and foremost of such devotional engagements is hearing about Krishna. This is a very powerful transcendental method for purging the mind of all misgivings. Misgivings. Because that’s… Doubts you can get rid of. Because doubts… Doubt… What does the doubt mean? You’re not convinced. So, that means you’re still open for being convinced.

Right? Does that make sense? So, the mind accepts and rejects. So, the process of convincing will be done by…

the intelligence. Right? You understand? But a misgiving means the mind has already accepted a platform and it doesn’t like this new presentation.

So, you can use intelligence from so many ways, but it’s already accepted. Work’s done. So, it’ll be very, very difficult, very, very lengthy to remove a misgiving and sometimes it doesn’t, right? Prabhupada gives the example of the… you know, the two sadhus or two pundits are fighting and one is saying about, you know, it’s this and the other one’s saying it’s two. I don’t remember the whole argument. But then somehow or another they fall in the river and the guy’s drowning and the last thing he does is stick his hands out and say, it’s two, you know. Before he drowns, like that. So, very hard to give up these things.

Right? So…

Yeah. So, misgiving is… these are big things that has to be seen. But the chanting of the Holy Name will purify the mind and remove these misgivings. So, that’s why if we’re constantly engaged this way, then it will work.

So, in other words, this process of hearing and chanting, that’s your beginning stage. That’s what’s going to do. And then, as I said, it’s coming up.

The more one hears about Krsna, the more one becomes enlightened and detached from everything that draws the mind away from Krsna. By detaching the mind from activities not devoted to the Lord, one can very easily learn vairagya. Vairagya means detachment from matter and engagement of the mind and spirit.

Impersonal spiritual detachment is more difficult than attaching the mind to the activities of Krsna. Right? So, detaching it from the material energy, that’s what we call detachment. So, we can see there’s the mechanical detachment, where it just means you just pull it out, but where does it go? So, it’s a problem. It’ll always go back. This is Arjuna’s point. Krsna’s agreeing, but He’s not saying that the process of focusing is not going to be there. So, here we see is that you pull it out of the attachment to the material by placing Krsna there, by connecting it to Krsna.

Does that make sense? So, the yogis, he has to remove everything, then only he can meditate on Krsna. But for the devotee, he’s actually a greater yogi because in activity, he can find Krsna.

So, we’re trying to see Krsna in the activity that we’re doing, in the knowledge that we’re having. So, whatever is an attachment for us, we see Krsna in it, so we connect it to Krsna. Then that’s detachment.

You understand? So, we have this more, you know, how you say, mechanistic concept of, you know, spiritual life, social dealings and all this, but it’s actually very impractical. Right? Does that make sense? It means we’re analyzing, but we’re analyzing in relationship to Krsna. So, we’re using jnana in connection to Krsna. We’re not analyzing and then coming up with plans that doesn’t include. You know, one has, you know, in Satya -yuga, they can do such things.

But even then, eventually, they have to meditate upon the Supersoul to get perfection.

Does that make sense? Well, in the Treta-yuga, they do these yagas for the Lord. Then He would appear at the end. But it would be connected with the Lord. Right? Then in Pancaratra, you’re directly dealing with the Deity. Right? And then one realizes the Lord. He becomes part of the meditation. In the Holy Name, then you’re dealing with the Lord as the Name, because the Deity requires rules and regulations. The Holy Name doesn’t.

You understand? So, in other words, by that association with the Lord, then all these three processes, you’re dealing in the beginning with the Lord. You know, either through fire, the Deity, or the Holy Name.

Does that make sense? But, in the Satya-yuga, you’re dealing, but only at the end. So that shows, they have the material good qualities to be able to work like that. But otherwise, it’s not, you know, that practical.

Vairagya means detachment from matter and engage of the mind and spirit. Right? So, by taking that matter and seeing it in relationship to Krishna, then dealing with the senses and the sense objects, if it’s done in this way, it’s still Vairagya.

This is important. Because otherwise, we’ll say, No, you’re not dealing with the senses at all. Right? I mean, just as much, maybe a year ago, I heard some devotees discussing how they had heard other devotees saying that to enjoy prasadam is sense gratification, it’s maya, it’s nonsense. Right? So you have to not enjoy, you just have to sit there and just eat it. You know, no time, no nothing, like this. And, you know, probably even better, it’s not even cooked nicely, it’d make it a lot easier. Right?

So, this means they have no idea about the devotional process.

Yes, okay, the path of God. Yes, maybe. But devotional service, no. Because the point is, it’s Krishna. So what you’re appreciating is Krishna. So why is that sense gratification?

Right? That’s glorifying Krishna.

You understand? This point is very important. You don’t catch that, then the Gita won’t make any sense. Devotional service will never ultimately make sense. Except chanting the holy name. These things will make sense. But these points of where our attachments lie, and therefore all social understanding, personal interactions, you know, emotions, relationships, all that will remain a mystery.

Because one can’t actually see it in connection to Krishna. So one will never actually be able to see its connection with spiritual life.

That’s where the double life comes in. That’s why a double life comes in. So we see is when it comes to direct activities, everybody will say, generally, except for here, you know, but taking Vrishad, they’ll say it’s spiritual, but, you know, you’re not supposed to enjoy it. So then that means then, you know, but in the same way, you shouldn’t enjoy chanting the holy name, or, you know, looking at the deities, wow, they look beautiful today, ooh.

You know, so it’s, it’s, it, it walks a very, basically it means it’s walking not on the path of bhakti. It’s walking over on the right side, which is the impersonal. Like that. So, so the direct activities, generally everyone will say this is spiritual, but the indirect activities, that unless one understands what’s given here, one will not be able to connect them to Krishna, and one won’t appreciate that connection to Krishna is actually all that one’s looking for. You know, we think it has to be this completely different thing, very difficult, then it’s spiritual. So that, that’s, that’s the process, holy, little kids can chant. You know, so that bothers, you know, some people. You know, so it’s so simple. You know.

Like that. Yes.

Used to what?

I heard like that. I never heard like that.

So the process of connecting everything to Krishna devotional service, that is eternal. So, if it’s so much easier, if people were so much more knowledgeable in the Satya Yuga, were there people practicing it back then also? At least Narada Muni was back then. it’s always going on. See, what’s happening is people are attached to different kinds of things. And so the opportunity to do that, people are attached to good qualities, living in an atmosphere of good qualities, living in the mode of goodness. So, therefore the facility is given. But the point is, is that things have to be connected to Krishna. Otherwise, there’s going to be no meaning, no value.

Does that make sense? That’s ultimately, that is the point. If it’s connected to Krishna, it’s perfect. If it’s not connected to Krishna, it has no value. It’s that simple. No matter how good and nice it is, it still has no value.

Right? Does that make sense?

That’s the point.

Okay? Yeah.

Impersonal spiritual detachment is more difficult than attaching the mind to the activities of Krishna. This is practical because by hearing about Krishna, one becomes automatically attached to the Supreme Spirit. You’re already doing that in the beginning. Otherwise, you have to purify yourself only at the end by meditating on the Lord. You come to the transcendental platform by meditating upon the Lord, then you see He’s also transcendent, the Supreme’s transcendental. So then one gets attracted. But as we can see, even the yogi can make a mistake, you know, and go back into mystic cities or into impersonalism. So it’s not guaranteed that it’ll work. This attachment is called paresanubhava, spiritual satisfaction.

It is just like the feeling of satisfaction a hungry man has for every morsel of food he eats. The more one eats while hungry, the more one feels satisfaction and strength. Similarly, by discharging devotional service, one feels transcendental satisfaction as the mind becomes detached from material objects.

Oh, material objectives. Not just objects, it’s objectives. In other words, any goal that you want that’s not connected to Krsna, then the mind slowly becomes detached from all of that.

It is something like curing a disease by expert treatment and appropriate diet. Hearing of the transcendental activities of Lord Krsna is therefore expert treatment for the mad mind, and eating the foodstuff offered to Krsna is the appropriate diet for the suffering patient. This treatment is the process of Krsna consciousness. So hearing about Krsna, chanting about Krsna, and taking prasad. So Prabhupada said, chanting, dancing, taking prasad. Everything else that we’re doing is organizing so that that’s possible, that goes on. So you have a temple so that people can come together and chant, dance, and take prasad there. Right? And since it’s there, then there’s, you know, administration, there’s money, there’s all this and that. But it’s all for chanting, dancing, and taking prasad. Right? If it takes on a life of its own, someone’s missed the point. Right?

For one whose mind is unbridled, self-realization is difficult. For one who controls the mind and strives by appropriate means, it is possible to attain success. Srila Prabhupada explains in his purport to verse 36. Unless one is engaged in Krsna consciousness, he cannot steadily control the mind. A Krsna conscious person easily achieves the results of yoga practice without separate endeavor. But a yoga practitioner cannot achieve success without becoming Krsna conscious. Right? The yoga has to become Krsna conscious. Now whether it’s favorable to Krsna or not, then whether it takes on devotional service. But unless he becomes Krsna conscious, it won’t work. So for the devotee, he can easily control the mind because the mind is engaged in Krsna. One has material objectives.

But what’s the working point or the principle of those material objectives?

Right?

There? They’re in line with Krsna’s plan, so it’s the plan that’s attractive.

So it’s Krsna that’s attractive. So…

It’s Krsna. So why do we call it material?

It’s not connected with Krsna. That’s the definition. Material means it’s not connected with Krsna. That’s why Prabhupada… Many people talk about material like this very strongly, but other places just say so-called material. Because actually there is no material world. There’s the inferior manifestation of the Lord’s, you know, spiritual energies.

But we, our spiritual life becomes covered by the concept of matter.

So because we see like that, that’s called material. Right? We identify with the external energy, so then that’s called material. But if you don’t identify with it, you see it’s Krsna’s energy and it’s to be engaged in the Lord’s service like any of His energies. Right? That means including ourselves.

Then, there’s no problem. Then there’s no material. There’s this inferior manifestation, superior manifestation.

Does that make sense? Right? So material is actually a concept. So, you know, the… impersonalists have a point in that they’re saying it’s not actually existing. But what they don’t understand is that there is inferior energy here and it is in a variety of forms.

But they take it that if it’s illusion, it doesn’t even exist here. No, the illusion is it exists, but you don’t see the Lord’s existence within it. That’s the illusion.

Right? So, for a devotee it’s easy because he sees Krsna and what he has attachment to. Right? So it’s Krsna who one is attached to. So one simply has to transfer that Krsna is that, but then what does Krsna point out? Right? He has entered as Brahman, He has entered as Paramatma, but He’s a person beyond that. So that’s the key, is that one sees through these ways of knowledge and then one knows that one sees, one remembers Krsna. You know the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Right? And one has work. What’s working in it is the Lord and His laws. So it’s a combination between Him and His energies. You follow that, you know, with the proper attitude of naiskarmi as an assistant, then you’ll get your result.

Right? So you have to see the Lord in it to even get your result. And why you’re attracted to work with that particular matter and do that activity, that’s because it’s Krsna who’s attracting you.

Does this make sense?

Verses 37 to 45, The Destination of the Unsuccessful Yogi. Sometimes I’m just saying it, I have all these, I have this premonition of lengthy discussions about all kinds of interesting but distracting subject matters.

Arjuna, verses 37 to 39, Arjuna inquires about the destination of the unsuccessful yogi who in the beginning takes to the process of self -realization with faith but later falls due to worldly attachments. He asks whether such a person falls away from both spiritual and material success and perish with no position in any sphere.

In the beginning of 7th chapter, Sri Krsna points out to Arjuna that out of many men, few strive for perfection and out of those who strive for perfection, only a few succeed. So Arjuna is inquiring after the vast number of failures.

Because the point is this, if you’re going to commit yourself to something, then one basically has to have the concept of success. Right? That’s the whole, means, means, prayojana means a result. So if you don’t get the prayojana, then the process is not complete. So what happens to such a person?

Does that make sense? So he’s given up his material position, takes up the spiritual. So now he doesn’t have the material but he fails at the spiritual. Now what happens? So that’s his anxiety. So it’s a matter of security.

Considering himself unable to succeed in the practice of asanga yoga, Arjuna is worried that he will be a failure both materially and spiritually. Because, you know, so far he’s failing materially because he’s sitting on the chair and dropped his bow and he’s crying. So that’s not exactly what you’d have in mind for a great warrior and everything like that.

The unsuccessful transcendentalist does not enjoy material happiness nor attain spiritual bliss. Does such a person have any position?

Or like a small cloud that has been broken away from the big cloud, he disintegrates. So he’s worried. So these would be all, you know, based on these impersonal concepts also. It means the materialist is enjoying, I’ve lost one, now I won’t get the other, so I’ll have nothing. Right? As if there is such a thing as nothing.

Or, you know, you’ve been detached from the main and so this way then you’ll disappear. But the point is, soul is eternal. It’s just a matter of the cloud will be over there sometime before it gets back. You know? Does that make sense? So these are all mundane concepts. But they’re very real if one is attached to the material energy.

One’s not attached, there’s no meaning to them. But if one is, then one will be. Therefore, so many varieties of misgivings. Right? Karma misgivings, jnana misgivings, like this. With this question, Arjuna reveals a fundamental doubt of the conditioned soul. The jiva generally does not believe in the existence of the spiritual world. Even when he has some faith, he is afraid to give up the shelter of his material activities because he does not believe in the protection of the Lord. Right? So in other words, maintenance and protection. The Lord is my maintainer, the Lord is my protector. Such a person has more faith in the material values than in the injunctions of Shastra. Why? Because you’re the doer. You’re there, I do it, then I get it. Right? Just like, just like an example is that there’s a bhajara, he’s doing some function, like an abhishek, or, you know, some kind of special puja. Now, somehow or another, before, everyone was satisfied that the bhajari did that. But now there’s a concept, unless I do it, I won’t get the benefit.

Right? So a million people try to come up, and in their own unique way, try to worship the deity. Unfortunately, Pancharatra has a process. You know, so the mental speculative methods aren’t necessarily going to work. Do you understand? So, where does that come from? That comes from the doubt that unless I do it, I don’t get the benefit. Right? So this element that just taking part in any way that is connected to the Lord, you get the same benefit.

Does that make sense? You know, it’s just like, if I don’t get the water, I won’t be nourished. But no, you put the water on the root. It goes through the roots, and then it goes through the trunk, and then through the big branches, and then the small branches, and eventually gets to the leaves. But you have to have faith that putting the water over there, I’m actually going to get it. Rather than, no, I put the water on myself, then I’ll get it. You understand? So this element of Krishna is the maintainer, Krishna is the protector. Right? Because He’s taking care of everyone. And He’s protecting. So we have to have faith that that will happen. Otherwise we’re thinking, I have to do it myself. Yes? If we get the same benefit, why do we get the chance to be?

If you’ll notice, in recent times, there’s not as much chance as there was before.

Means it’s there if some want to come. In other words, they want to render that service to the Lord. But most who are up there, they want to get the benefit. You know, like that. Yes. So those who want to render and are qualified to render. In other words, those who know, because the Abhishek is public, everyone watches. So you have to know that maybe you’re pouring the substance on the Deity, how you feel and it makes you excited. But remember, there’s another thousand people watching. Are they happy with it? So if they’re not, then better you sit down and watch and don’t do that people who know how to bathe, let them do it. You know, but any devotee can learn. You know, any second initiated devotee can learn that. But the point is, is you know, then you do it these people. If not, do daily puja. You’re there. It’s just you and the Deity, so you can work it out. You know, but when there’s a crowd, then, you know, the point is, is it’s the Lord and His devotees, so the devotees should be happy with it. But you know, people come up, this, that, and do all kinds of crazy stuff.

You know, when they’re pouring, hit the head of the Deity, you know, bump the Deities, you know, pour it on the back. You know, they’re standing behind, so they pour it on the back. They’re really happy. But you know, in the front, where everybody else is, you know, and also when you take a bath, you need to pour more water on the front than the back. You know what I’m saying?

So these kind of things.

Okay. Then in a comment, in Srimad-Bhagavatam 11 .13.30, Lord Krsna says, According to My instructions, one should fix the mind on Me alone. If, however, one continues to see many different values and goals in life rather than seeing everything within Me, then although apparently awake, one is actually dreaming due to incomplete knowledge, just as one may dream that one has awakened from a dream.

Right? I heard of that. Someone’s in the dream, wakes up, and then somehow or another later figures out they’re still dreaming. Like that. So here, one continues to see many different values and goals in life rather than seeing everything in Me. It doesn’t mean that means values and goals. In other words, you see the value as in the dead matter. You see the goal as in the dead matter. But if you see those values and goals in Krsna, then it’s not a problem. Because one will have to act. So that means one has to work through a particular medium. So being advised to engage one’s nature in the Lord’s service, so that means values and goals.

Right? Means vaisya. What’s his value? Profit. What’s his goal? Profit. Okay. So now, if he sees that in connection to Krsna, then it’s bhakti. It’s no problem. Right? So that’s what I’m saying. Values and goals. How you see your values and goals? Within Krsna. In other words, now you could say, now why to say within Krsna?

Right? Why not just connected to Krsna?

Sorry? Yes. Within Krsna is higher because who’s first? Yes? Yes, Krsna’s source. In other words, it starts with Krsna, then it comes down to the specifics of our conditioned nature of what we’re attracted to. This is the element of sarva-dharmam parityajya. You see Krsna first, then the opportunities within the material energy. Right? Does that make sense? If we start with the material energy and then connect that to Krsna, then that’s good. That’s the first step. But that’s, that would be this yoga rurukshu. That’s beginning. And when you see Krsna first, and then it comes back, that’s yoga rurukshu.

Does that make sense? So it starts with that. So, therefore, whatever it is, you value this and that, but that’s just within Krsna.

Does that make sense? You know, whatever, you like nice food, but all the tastes, all the different things, all the preparation, it’s all in Krsna. So, therefore, Krsna is the all-attractive one. And as one of His manifestations, He manifests through taste as nice food.

Does that make sense? You know, or the details within it, what you appreciate about saltiness, or sweetness, or hotness, or sourness, or bitterness. Is that right there? That’s Krsna. It’s within Krsna. So Krsna is. So it’s not just, He’s the origin, and then it comes down, and then it’s here, and Krsna’s over there. No, it’s in Krsna. So, Krsna, everything’s within Him. So, therefore, whatever qualities you appreciate are already in Him. So, therefore, you appreciate Him, then automatically what you appreciate here is already taken care of.

Does that make sense?

Purport. 11.13.30. Okay. One who is not Krsna conscious cannot understand that everything is resting within Lord Krsna, and thus it is impossible for him to retire from material sense gratification.

One may adopt a particular process of salvation and consider oneself to be saved. Nevertheless, his material conditioning will remain, and thus he will remain, maintain his attachment to the material world. While one is dreaming, he sometimes imagines that he is awakened from a dream and is experiencing normal consciousness. Similarly, one may consider oneself to be saved, but if he remains absorbed in making material value judgments between good and bad, without reference to devotional service to the Supreme Lord, he is understood to be a conditioned soul covered by the illusory identification with matter.

So, you can’t retire from sense gratification because you see it separately. But if it’s within the Lord, then that means it’s connected to the Lord, and you deal with it as the Lord, as his directions.

Yeah, according to my instructions, one should fix the mind on me alone. So, Krishna said, according to my instructions, you don’t make up your own. Now, within these instructions, he gives many instructions. As we’ll see in the next chapters, he’ll start talking about all the different ways you can connect yourself.

So, then you choose from within that according to your inclination.

Okay? So, that makes sense.

The conditioned soul needs a strong affirmation that he will not lose from his attempt to surrender. In other words, if I’m giving up, you know, well, then I’d be with nothing. So, you can give up if I get more. You know, you’re attached to your one rupee, but I say, okay, give me that, I’ll give you ten. You know, okay, listen. Before, you may have seen now or not, but before, when, like, you were giving money to a taxiwalla, and, you know, and you’re getting change, you did it simultaneously. You held the money between the first two fingers, and you took it with the other two. You know, and he’s handing in that, so you both are holding both the money at once, and then you take your money, and he takes his. It was just the way it was. You just don’t hand him the money, he just sticks it in his pocket. There is no change. So, he has to say, do you have change? You don’t say, oh, yes, and then give him the money. No, he has change, let’s see it. Get it out, it’s all there, you can see it. You know, like that, then you, like that. So, that’s, that’s the, the living entity basically thinks like this, right?

Like that. If I’m going to give up, then what’s, what’s, what’s, what’s my security?

He must be reassured by the Lord that even if he falls on the spiritual path, he will be ultimately benefited.

In verse 39, Arjuna declares that except for Krishna, nobody can remove this doubt. Right? Because God is everything, so only God can remove the doubt, because he could say, no, this is the way it is. Right? You know, he’s confirming it. Like that. Verses 40 to 45. Hearing Arjuna’s doubt, Krishna’s heart melts with compassion. This is indicated by the endearing tata. No, tata. The father or senior addresses the junior son or disciple, pupil, as tata, out of affection.

In verse 40, right, so in other words, that relationship is there, so then things work. So, we see is there’s not just this dry. You want the dry, astanga yoga is for you. Right? You know, it’s like dry as a bone until the very end, and even there is a good chance it’s going to be dry. Or you can try the impersonal path, guaranteed dry beginning to end, no juice anywhere. Like that. You know, so like that.

In verse 40, Krishna assures Arjuna that a yogi who’s engaged in transcendental activities will not meet with destruction anywhere. Right? So he’s not saying here or there. No, he’ll never meet with destruction. Because otherwise, you didn’t attain one and you didn’t attain the other, so, you know, you gave up one and didn’t attain the other, so then you’re finished. Right? But Krishna’s saying, spiritual’s not like that. Right? Because the soul’s never finished, so why would spiritual never be finished?

One who does good is never overcome by evil. Now you have to define what’s good. Because right in the purport, we’re saying, someone says they’re saved, but they still make mundane concepts of good and bad.

You know what I’m saying? So, where, you know, it’s not based on God’s instructions.

It’s based on your own feelings.

Kalyāṇa-kṛt. One engaged in auspicious activities. Right? So that means, according to Krishna’s instructions, that’s auspicious. Not according to his instructions, not auspicious.

Kalyāṇa-kṛt, one engaged in auspicious activities, refers to any genuine spiritual practice, not just to astanga yoga. So now he’s broadened it. So he’s given the one and showed this thing, but then, oh, okay, so then let’s go back to what we already explained.

The unsuccessful yogi does not perish like a riven cloud, but what exactly happens to him? After many years of enjoyment on the higher planets, he again takes birth into a rich or pious family. Verse 41. Or in a family of transcendentalists who are great in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Verse 42. The latter birth is very rare in this world. Right? Like that.

Verse 41 describes the destination of a yogi who gives up spiritual practice after a little advancement in yoga. Verse 42 describes what happens to one when one falls down after a long practice of yoga. So in other words, if one takes up yoga and it doesn’t get very far, it’s not that serious, but because it’s the principle of devotion being so much greater than the material, because the material is illusory, but devotional service is of substance, but because one is still distracted by the material energy, then one’s going to convert the spiritual aspects into something that you will feel is tangible, which will be material. Right? It’s not lost, but so what does that mean? It means one is distracted by engaging the senses, so one will go to that place where there’s the best possible engagement of the senses. Right? So one goes to the heavenly planets. Then after being there for some time, engaging in the activities that are one’s distraction, then one comes back here, but then one is born in, what does it say, pious or rich or pious family. So in other words, Brahmins are those who follow Vedas, they do nice things like this, or in some way, or someone who’s very rich, because in either one of them, the pious person will engage in religious activities. The rich person has the time to engage in religious activities.

One is inclined. The other one will do it for profit, but they always, even if they don’t, they have the time. Right? The rich person always has the time to engage in spiritual activities. Right? But he may be inclined to not. This is the weakness of this. The pious person may be, but then the problem is, is how much is it going to be connected to Krishna? So this is the weakness here. Or then someone who is, has been, after long practice, has been engaged in the process. You know, one has become more fixed, then one, instead of going to heavenly planets here and there, one just directly takes birth in a family of devotees. Right? Like that. So, that’s why those who are born within the devotee families, their purpose in life is to continue devotional service, not something else. Like that. So, seeing that they have the best opportunity to go back to Godhead, that’s what it’s for. If one doesn’t have confidence in that, don’t have kids. That’s Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur’s solution. He wasn’t confident, so he didn’t have kids. Same time, he’s setting the example for, you know, how to, you know, be brahmacharya and like this. While Bhaktivinoda Thakur set the example of how to have a family for Krishna.

Okay, does this make sense? Yes.

That were, but they’re not anymore.

Not anymore devotees. That’s unfortunate.

But the point is, is today the concept that one is born in a devotee family because he was a practicing devotee before and therefore he’s coming to this family only to continue his devotional practices. Is that the general concept?

No, I haven’t seen it to be. I know individuals think like that. But in general, no. The kid is there because I want a kid and I want to experience the interaction of myself with the kid.

You know what I’m saying? So, therefore the sense of possession, you know, we said before, is so great, it clouds the intelligence and they can’t actually see the position. So, they’re worried about simply the mundane aspect of how the child will be situated.

But the kids themselves, it means it’s like this. Do the kids like their parents? Do those kids like their parents? You’re sure?

Yeah. I’m just saying is that, you know, say, but it means one would like them to, but it’s not necessarily. So, the point is, is if they don’t identify with the parents. Just like this. A child’s in a family, he identifies with the parents. He has great affection for the parents. So, let us say the parents are, how do you say it? Have a particular religion. But the kid doesn’t practice anything, but if you ask him, what’s your religion? What will he say? Yes.

So, why? Because of that affinity. If there’s no affinity, then he has his own thing.

You understand? So, this is the underlying point of the importance of the social, understanding the social structure of what works. Because if you don’t, then the families, means that the relationship between the husband and wife won’t be strong. If that’s not strong, then the family won’t be strong. And if the families aren’t strong, how do you have community? So, the communities will be weak. And so, then where will the individual get that emotional and social support required?

You know what I’m saying? Because the idea is that if they need, if one’s going to say yes, but you need material degrees so you can get material jobs and so you can have money and maintain your family. Great. But point is, as Krishna’s saying, where did the concept of family come from? Where did the concept of getting married come from? Where did children come from? Where did the idea that you have an occupation come from? The Vedic system is just called ashram, right?

Isn’t it? The complete Vedic social system is called ashram. No, varna ashram. Varna means occupation. How you get your money, how you pay your bills, how you take care of your family. Does that make sense? So, that concept came from God. So, that means one could see that connection with God. I don’t see many people seeing it like that. They just say, oh, we’re being practical. Oh, it’s called the yuga. What else can you do?

You know, so… You know, oh, it’s very hard. Oh, you don’t understand. This is all mine. What about intelligence? You know, these things may be true, but still, having a family is trouble. It’s a matter of… It’s trouble. You can’t do it. Then why are they having families in the first place? Why are they having relations in the first place?

Everything’s trouble. You eat lunch, it’s trouble.

So… The point comes is that if you see it in connection with Krishna, then even you are teaching about how indirect activities… Because indirect activities are what you’re using to maintain the body. You understand? So, that would be in connection with Krishna. If it’s within Krishna, then it’s already there. Then you can see. But if you bring these points up, then people say, oh, how do I see my job in connection with Krishna, my relationship with my boss, or the co-workers with Krishna? But where does all this come from? It comes from Krishna. You know, so the boss, the workers, everybody’s within Krishna.

But these come up again and again because there’s somehow or another no application of this knowledge into the practical life. Does that make sense? So the point is, is if that is there, then why wouldn’t there be a greater success? Means that ultimately, of course, it’s up to the child. They’re an individual. But at the same time is they are a lot influenced by their environment and by their association, by their relationships.

You know what I’m saying? So one can say, oh, we tried that. It failed.

So that means then there is nobody who’s remarried. Right? We have nobody in our movement who’s remarried because they tried once. It failed. So therefore, they will never get married again. Right?

No. Right? You ate. And then you got sick. So hey, that’s it. I’m not eating this food anymore. You know? You know what I’m saying? So why if somebody starts a business, it fails, then that’s it. Finished. You know? Go out, sit on the sidewalk, put your hat out there.

Right? Isn’t that what the devotees do? No. They try again and again and again. Like that. So then why one wouldn’t try again in education?

Because of misgivings. Yes.

No.

Yes. It makes a big difference. Because, I mean, one you can say is it’s a fault. One has to. In other words, one can’t live this through a lifestyle. But now, if you look at where would be one cause of this? Just if we look at it socially, just because that’s more popular these days. You know, philosophically people are like that. Socially, where would this concept come from?

Christianity. Right? Because who teaches the kids religion in Christianity? The priests. That’s it. Because is there a Christian lifestyle that matches the religion? No. Other than, you know, being nice, being good. But that’s it. But, you know, eating, dressing, you know, you know, it’s like the, you know, you see someone, you go, oh wow, that’s so Christian. You know, you go out to the restaurant, wow, that was really Christian when you ordered. You know, you know what I’m saying? So, how do you tell? Other than a priest. You know, but if you check under that black cloak, you’ll see jeans. I’ve seen it. I was in Poland, guy is doing, you know, the whole thing, the mass, and the whole thing with the wine, and washing the glass, and doing this whole thing, and all Latin, and everything. You know, and when he sat down, we talked, you know, and he crossed his legs, you know, then you could see his jeans. You know, so, hey.

So, that’s the problem. While you see in other religions, it’s not as much of a problem. Because the lifestyle is, you know, if you take Judaism, Judaism, at least today, is more of a lifestyle than it is a philosophy, a religion. You can be Jewish and be an atheist. You know, that means you may not be accepted by, you know, the Orthodox, or the Hasids, you know, but amongst the, you know, reforms, that’s not a problem at all. You know? Because it’s a lifestyle. So, the lifestyle, your mother will teach you. There’s no question that you’re not going to learn it. You know? So, they teach you all these things. The emotion, they know how to make one emotionally dependent.

Right? Just as a side thing. One day, it was one boy’s birthday. So, his mother, his mother gave him two shirts, a green one and a blue one. Right? And so, then, you know, the next morning, then he took one of the shirts and put it on. And when he walked out into the living room, then his mother said, what’s the matter? You don’t like the other one?

Right?

So, like this. they have their techniques to bring the, so, like this. As you see, all these different places that, that’s very strong because there’s not a concept that someone else is going to teach the religion to your kids. You’re going to teach it. You know? The, the priest in whatever form he is, is there to back that up. You know, the whole family goes. You’re inspired, but the day-to-day cultivation is different. It’s all done by the family. Right? So, you’ll find some within the Christians who have a stronger sense of this, then they’ll teach the faith aspect, but not, there’s no lifestyle. So, at least get that across. But still, there’s no lifestyle. But in these others, the faith and lifestyle match.

You understand? It’s basically, I think, probably the only religion that doesn’t have a lifestyle. You know, the lifestyle, the science, and you know, all the material activity aren’t connected with the religion. I think it’s the only one. Everybody else, there’s, there’s, there’s more of a connection. I don’t know why as long as there’s a lifestyle being like Jesus Christ going with his disciples, leaving everything behind, all the sanctuaries. No, no, no, but the one thing is, is say what you like, is Jesus, the Last Supper. What was the Last Supper? Probably. Yeah, but that was there, but what was it? Why did they get together at that point? Easter.

Yeah, it was, it was Passover.

So, it was a Jewish festival. Jesus and all his disciples were all Jewish, 100%, practicing.

You know what I’m saying? The concept is, is the Jews say there’s going to be a Messiah, someone who will lead them, right? So, those Jews that accepted Jesus, he’s the Messiah, but the Jews not being Jewish, that didn’t even come up. You know what I’m saying? So, all those people, all those hordes of people, the poor, the hungry, the tired, they were all Jews.

Right? It was only later, then it became, started to filter out into the pagans. And then, when they joined, up to that point, anyone who became, if there was, they became Christian. I mean, became Jew, it means, became, yeah, became Christian, means they became Jewish.

Right? Because, in other words, Christianity meant, you know, Jesus was your Acharya. You know, like that. But, then the problem came, is there’s so many of them, you know, and because, of course, the Jews are the chosen people, so, you know, all this riffraff, you know, all these other guys who want to join, so, they can, but they didn’t have to become Jewish.

That’s when, then, this whole thing splits. So, I guess you could ultimately say it was the Jews’ fault, because they could have said, no, you have to become Jewish. I’m sorry. But, you know, that sense of superiority, so, you always have that problem when the, the Brahminical class becomes proud of their superior, then, you lose everything. Like in India, then, the Muslims came, sprinkled water on all these Hindus, and said, now you’re a Muslim. So, they went to the priests and said, you know, what are we supposed to do? You know, instead of saying, you just go take a bath and put your clothes on, then they said, no, now you’re a Muslim. But, how can we become Hindu? You have to drink boiling ghee and die, and then, next life, you’ll be born Hindu. Yeah, so, you’re going to become a Muslim. You know, so, like this, let me ruin the whole thing.

Does that make sense? So, the point is, is that there’s a lifestyle with it. That’s the point of it. You’re pagans, it was a lifestyle. So, their religion, their philosophy, their science, you know, how they lived their day-to-day life, their social structure, their justice, it was all one thing. You know, how consistent, that’s another thing, but it was one entity. And, it was like that all over the world. But, as Christianity moved throughout the world, it destroyed the local culture. Because, the culture itself was seen as the pet, because it was non-different. So, you have to give up the culture.

Right? But, this also comes from the element of, you could also say, it would be a reflection of the impersonal. Because that spiritual means something different than material. You know, like that. So, that combination of the impersonal, which is lack of culture, and, does that make sense? So, therefore, parents will have a tendency to do like that, because, it was, because original Western education, it was only priests. You know, and a lot of your major schools in the world, you know, oldest, they’re still taught by priests. You know, so, that concept is there, because otherwise, it’s not a lifestyle. Because, the local people, they had a lifestyle. They’re not supposed to live like that. You know, it’s like a problem, many times, in Africa or South America, because the culture is so strong, that they’ll mix their culture with Christianity. And, those who are there, understanding how it works, it goes nice, but, somehow or another, when it gets back to the Vatican, it doesn’t do so well. So, then, they have to send someone over, to kind of like tell everybody, no, you can’t do that.

Does that make sense? You know, so, that, it’s a difficulty, because if there’s no lifestyle. So, this is the point. Krishna’s saying, you don’t have to change the lifestyle, but you have to see it in relationship to him. So, now he’s given the highest, is that, means you’re doing it for him, but, intellectually, if there’s still a doubt, it’s because it’s within him. It’s part of him. So, that means it’s through his instructions, that you’ll deal with it properly. Is that, is that okay? So, so, if it’s seen like this, then it’s a matter of, then if it didn’t work, what worked, and what didn’t work, and then figure it out, and make it work. You know? There’s guys who went out, you know, tried to do book distribution, didn’t always work, and then somebody figured something out, and then things. They had books, big books, but they were only distributing magazines. I think it was Buddhimanta, or something. And he was the first one, someone took a stack of books, and went out, and some, and figured out how to sell them. So, that was like a revolution in the society.

You know what I’m saying? So, Prabhupada wanted it, so, he figured it out. You know what I’m saying? So, that’s the point. Prabhupada wants Vedic education, so, figure it out.

Is that something? You know, otherwise, how is it in line with the Acharya? You know, time, place, and circumstance is okay. I think, like in Germany, they don’t allow any alternative education. Only what is approved by the government, what they’ve established, that’s it. You know, most countries, you can, if you have, you can present, open a school, as long as you get your curriculum approved. You know, and then they’ll come and see you’re following your curriculum. But in Germany, they don’t know. They set the curriculum, that’s it. So, in Germany, when they wanted to do Gurukuls, then they found there’s villages on the other side of the border, because there’s this place between Germany and border that, in Germany and France, that at some point in history, it’s Germany, sometimes it’s France, it keeps going back and forth, right? You know, but it’s in France, but they speak German. So, they got a place there. And the idea was to set up schools in that there, so they could still use German medium and everything, but use, you know, alternative educational methods. You know, so they were trying. Does that make sense? So, that’s the point. You keep trying until it works.

Does that make sense?

You know, one may say, well, what about the kids? You know, it’ll mess up the kids, but does a divorce mess up kids or not? You know, parents are happy to do that, because if it is my life, you know, kids should understand. No. The point is, it’s like this. Who has the greater stake? Husband and wife, it’s a legal entity, right? But it’s technically, means it’s binding as long as they agree to it. But if two people split, they’re not husband and wife anymore. But whether your parents are divorced or not, whether they remarry or not, they’re still your parents your whole life.

So, who’s gonna get screwed up here?

Right? So, that’s the point. So, if we’re talking about getting screwed up, start with the divorce.

Start with, you know, proper marriages, proper dealings between husband and wife. You know, popping between that. Start there. You know? Like that. Then one can go into other things. Yes?

When we preach to people and they’re new and they don’t yet accept that the Bhagavad Gita is the absolute truth. So, how can we justify this apparent duality that we tell them that everything comes from God? God is the origin of everything. But at the same time, we use this dualism, like, don’t intoxicate, don’t eat meat, follow this lifestyle, wash after you eat, you know, simple things. But then, I have come to face the fact that this is all duality. Yes, so then, if it’s all duality and it’s all God, so why can’t we do this? So, why don’t they eat a shoe? You know, what’s wrong with you taking your shoe off and beating him? You know, because it’s all within God. So, you know, but the point is, it’s all within God. That God says what to be done and what not to be done. So, but it’s up to our choice what we want. We do it, things go nice, we don’t do it, we get a bad reaction. So, choice is still there. God leaves us our independence, but still you have to make a choice. You know, just like you go to a restaurant, right? And they have a very big menu, right? So, why? You have choice. Right? But can you order something that’s not on the menu? No.

So, that’s the point. What’s on the menu, you do, it works. What’s not on the menu, you get in trouble for.

So, the world’s like a great big restaurant.

The world’s a restaurant.

Is that okay?

After taking an elevated birth, the yogi revives his divine consciousness and strives to achieve complete success.

In that life, even without seeking, he automatically becomes attracted to yoga. Such a person always stands above the ritualistic principles of scriptures. Being washed of all contaminations, after many, many births, he attains the supreme goal. Well, there’s, there’s, in here would be two, two other answers to your question. You said, you know, saying about these kids and this and that, but do they like kirtan? Do they like prasad? Yes. So, those two things, you’ll see them always doing. They get together, have their groups and that. You know, other things they may not do, but that they’ll do. And then, so that’s one key. So, we see what it is because they’re attracted to that. Well, you know, well, you see if the first generation goes away, are they still doing kirtan and get together with all, no. Right? Do you get together with old blooped friends from the temple? Generally not, but the gurukulis do. And when they get together, they’ll always have kirtan and prasad. Right? Other activities we won’t go into, but those two will always be there. Okay? Right? And then, so that’s one thing. Then, being washed of all contaminations after many, many births, he attains the supreme goal.

Right? In other words, if they get seriously, then they’ll get there, but it’ll take a few births.

Right? Does that make sense? But, if they take it seriously, then, they can go back to God in one lifetime. But the point is, is Krishna consciousness is their culture. See, first generation doesn’t have a culture. Right? And it’s hard for them to see culture in Krishna consciousness. But for the second generation, Krishna consciousness is their culture. Now, whether they want to be cultured or not, that’s another thing. But it’s their culture. Yes? Raj, can you please tell us what could be our drive? I mean, we hear that it’s going to happen whether it’s now, in this life, or in the next, and, you know, it’s going to take some lifetimes. What’s the drive? After a while, you get tired of all these things. In other words, it’s like this. Kirtan, drugs and sex. Kirtan, drugs and sex. After a while, the drugs and sex starts to get a little old. Especially as you get old. But, you know, so Kirtan, it keeps increasing and all that. So after a while, one starts to kind of figure it out anyway. And by the chanting, the heart is purified, so one’s ability to see that also becomes clear. So it’s both just in comparison, but it’s also by purification.

You know what I’m saying? So if one keeps being absorbed in the hearing and chanting, taking Vrishad, not associating with devotees, it’s got to be successful. It’s just a matter of how long it takes, but it will be successful. It’s worth saying that everybody, every jiva in the material world will eventually go back to Godhead. But these are just the end stages. Does that affect you? Yes? What is meant by such a person always stands above the ritualistic principles? I was trying to avoid that one, but yeah. Okay. Such a person always stands above the ritualistic principles of the scriptures. In other words, the points, the rituals in the scriptures, that they are there because they generate the good karma, the good piety. By which, taking that, then you can do these other aspects of the yoga system. In other words, they may not be very cultured. You know, their taste may not be very elevated, but because they’re absorbed in some way in the holy name and the devotional process, that puts them better than that very pious person who’s doing all yagyas and this and that. He may not be as cultured, but he stands above him because spiritually he’s more developed. But until he kind of works out these little things that are uncultured, it will be a little slow.

As Chaitanya mentioned, Chaitanya Charitamrita, without, if you don’t follow Vaishnava etiquette, there’s no chance you’ll go back to Godhead.

Like that. Because the point is, what are you going to do in the spiritual world? Follow Vaishnava etiquette. If you don’t like it here, why would you like it there? If you don’t like the holy name here, will you like chanting there? So if you don’t like the etiquette here, why would you like it there?

But at the same time, we always have to remember it only takes a moment to surrender.

So even if somebody is not so cultured and rough and this and that, but if at the last moment they surrender, it’s done. But you don’t want to, you know, base your Krishna conscious security on maybe I will get it together then. You have to try to endeavor now. Is that okay?

That doesn’t mean that, no, second generation is above the ritualistic principles so you don’t have to follow everything.

So to avoid that, that’s why I skipped over it. You caught it.

Verses 46 to 47. A yogi is greater than a fruitive worker, a speculative jnani and an ascetic.

Therefore, Arjuna is advised to be a yogi in all circumstances. Srila Prabhupada explains in Renunciation Through Wisdom. The fruitive workers cannot be counted amongst the yogis. The actual yogis are the karma yogis, the jnani yogis, the astanga yogis and the bhakti yogis. Factually, they are the same, although named differently. This is important because we have, these definitions are given by Krishna.

So what they mean.

The yogic process is like a ladder. One ascends gradually towards the final goal of the absolute truth. Nice karma, or renunciation of the fruits of one’s labor, is the first step on this ladder. When knowledge and austerity are added to it, it becomes jnani yoga, the second step on this ladder. When meditation on the Supreme is added to jnani yoga, the third step is reached, namely astanga yoga. Finally, when loving devotional service to the Supreme Lord is practiced along with astanga yoga, it is transferred into bhakti yoga. This entire successive process is yoga. For an exact and clear delineation of the subject of yoga, all four steps need to be explained separately. Right? So that’s why they’ve been in different chapters. Those who desire the best for humanity take to the path of yoga. The process for progressing in yoga requires first determination and strict execution of discipline at each stage. When a person is firmly situated at one stage, he then has to relinquish attachment and adherence to the practices of that stage in order to elevate himself to the next higher stage.

Right? So in other words, it means one’s on karma, one’s engaging the activities, right, with nice karma. But one’s attached to the activities and this and that, that has to be given up to move to the platform of jnana, because jnana is that, you know, through knowledge that one’s performing the activity. Right? So it may be the activity that one’s most comfortable with, but that’s not the reason you’re doing it. You’re doing it because this is your process, this is how you apply that knowledge that you have. Right? And then in meditating on the Lord, you’re just attached to just the knowledge and thinking about just, you know, the Paramatma and Bhagavan aspects, or just the knowledge about Krsna. But you have to apply it. You have to actually think of Krsna as a person. There must be that affection.

You know? Does that make sense? So then that may be more difficult, because that means you can’t just, it’s not just mechanics. You get a taste just for the mechanics, you know, then that’s not going to work. Right? So you have the, how you say, the mechanics of the body and the mechanics of the intelligence and mind. So now it’s a matter of now meditating on the Lord. And then that attached to just meditating and not doing anything, that has to be given up to actually serve the Lord. Right? You understand? So in other words, these are the four stages, but at the same time, all these aspects are going on at once. But in Karma Yoga, when all these are going on, but activity is the main, it’s called Karma Yoga. Right? Because it’s one ladder, remember. It’s different steps on one ladder. Right? It’s the first rung, like, you know, the spiral binding here. You know, is this spiral binding? Is this spiral binding? Is this spiral binding? Right? So, you know, if I say, what am I touching? Spiral binding. What am I touching? Spiral binding. What am I touching? Right? It’s the same thing, but it’s different stages within it. So you can identify the stages, but it’s still one ladder.

Right? Does that make sense? Hmm? Okay.

Yes. What Krishna says, there’s only one path. No matter whether you’re going forward or backwards.

Or at least, let’s say appreciation. Bhakti would more be the affection. At least the appreciation.

If you’re trying to help other people in connection with Krishna, it seems very effective to develop that. You’re coming to that point.

Because the personal aspect is the most natural.

That personal dealing, personal interaction, that’s the point. But what we’re saying is you start the yoga process because what you do, you do for Krishna. In other words, the goal is for Krishna. So that’s nice karma. So whatever they start at, they come to the temple, they give some time, they give some money, they’re at home, they think of something, do something for the benefit of the devotees, or like that. That’s karma yoga. Because that element of detachment is there. It may not be situated enough that it can move to jnana yoga. But it’s starting. And by doing that, knowledge and detachment will come. So jnana yoga is a natural consequence of karma yoga.

Does that make sense? But on jnana yoga, it’s not that the activities change. Your motives change. And in that, if there’s less need, you may therefore keep less, work with less variety of material energy because one doesn’t have the personal need to be involved in it. While in karma yoga, there may be that need.

Does that make sense?

When a person is firmly fixed at one stage, he then has to relinquish attachment and adherence to the practices of that stage in order to elevate himself to the next higher stage.

Those who cannot reach the top for some reason and get stuck at any one of the four stages, acquire the designation of that particular stage. Thus there are karma yogis, jnana yogis, astanga yogis and bhakti yogis. Lord Krsna instructs Arjuna, the one who renders loving devotional service to Him, the Supreme Lord, is the highest among all yogis and that Arjuna should thus strive to become a bhakti yogi. So we’re preaching bhakti yoga. And so that’s the point. But within it, it’s going to have those four parts. Just like in karma yoga, it has all four. Jnana has all four. He said, all these other yogas only work because bhakti is included in it. But they don’t necessarily see it as bhakti, so they’re not getting the devotional benefit. But all four are already there. It’s just a matter of what proportion. Just like the body, it has earth, water, fire, air. And ether. Hopefully there’s less between the ears.

They’re all there, but depending on the proportion, you get different varieties of bodies.

Does that make sense? But still it’s the same thing. So they’re on these stages. So bhakti includes all four because it’s the origin.

So when you’re following these aspects within devotional service, then if one gets stuck on that, then it appears as a separated process. Or one is named as a karma yogi or a jnana yogi. And then from there, it degrades down into just karma and jnana and yoga. Does that make sense?

The yogis are the best among all transcendentalists because they realize the Supersoul. Of all the yogis, the one who with great faith always abides in Krsna, thinks of Krsna within himself, and renders transcendental loving service to Krsna, is the most intimately united with Krsna in yoga and is the highest of all. This is Krsna’s opinion. Srila Prabhupada writes in the Purport to verse 47, The culmination of all kinds of yoga practice lies in bhakti-yoga. All other yogas are but means to come to the point of bhakti in bhakti-yoga. Yoga actually means bhakti-yoga. All other yogas are progressions towards the destination of bhakti-yoga. Factually, bhakti-yoga is the ultimate goal. But to analyze bhakti-yoga minutely, one has to understand these other yogas. So it’s just like we’re saying, in cooking, if someone is cooking, he goes through all the stages of cooking, and cooking happens, people eat. But if one isn’t, one’s attached to a particular stage, like one just likes to go to the market, one doesn’t like to go into the kitchen other than to drop off the crates and sub-jeans and stuff, then one is known as, you know, who does the marketing. He’s not a cook. But someone who’s a cook, you know, or a chef, he can do all that. He can go to the market, choose what he wants, do everything. He can cut, he can wash pots, he can serve, he can eat. He can do all the stages. He can’t eat, he can’t cook.

No. Because you don’t know what it tastes like or what it should taste like when you cook it. You know, who knows.

Does that make sense? Or you were indicating that’s the part of the process you like the best.

Does that make sense? So, in other words, Bhakti is the ultimate goal. All the others are to get there, but to analyze it minutely, you have to know them in their context. So you’ll use that language, you’ll use the situations, but actually we’re only discussing in connection with Bhakti. But it can be, you know, misapplied where it’s discussed not in connection with Bhakti. Right? But it still has the element of nice karma, so it’s elevated. But it won’t attain Bhakti. Is that okay?

Okay, so then, so then you’ll have the other ones?

Hmm? Have one for me. Okay. One thing is there is that tomorrow I have something to do, so this morning class being Gita then won’t happen. So we’ll run the Nectar of Devotion Ishopanishad at this time. Right? And then Thursday we’ll have them. Thursday you would have them? You could have them? Okay, so then on Thursday we’ll finish up with this and we’ll go into the seventh chapter. Okay?

Yes? So then you’ll have them. Okay. Jaya.

Lecture Notes

A brief summary of the lecture contents, based on the notes of Śāstra-cakṣus students

  • While practicing yoga one is left with one’s mind and one’s determination to control it.
  • 6:00 Āsana is perfect when one, perfectly relaxed, can hold it for 2 hrs 45 min
  • Prāṇāyama is perfect when breathing is stopped, because as long as the breath is moving, mind will be restless
  • Serious yoga starts at dhyāna and samādhi.
  • Real yoga means how to connect the mind to Kṛṣṇa in any situation.
  • 17:00 Birds making noises (“7 brothers”)
  • Bhakti means connecting to Kṛṣṇa now, not later.
  • Mind is one of the material elements, and it is big. Just as wind makes us feel cold, the movements of the Universal mind influence us.
  • By hearing about Kṛṣṇa, misgivings from the mind are removed.
  • Jñāna, karma etc should be applied in day-to-day life in connection to Kṛṣṇa.
  • Is eating prasādam sense gratification?
  • Arjuna’s doubts regarding the destiny of unsuccessful yogi come from material conceptions (will the soul disappear like a riven cloud etc.), due to material attachments many doubts and misgivings come up.
  • 45:00 Previously, only Pūjārīs used to bathe the Deities in Abhiṣeka, but now everyone wants to do it, because they have doubt that they will get the benefit, unless they themselves do it.
  • In yogārurukṣu stage one connects one’s attachments to Kṛṣṇa, but in yogārūḍha stage one sees Kṛṣṇa first, then looks for opportunities to serve Him within the material energy.
  • Unless one sees Kṛṣṇa in everything, it is not possible to retire from sense gratification.
  • The path of devotional service is not dry.
  • 58:00 If one advances a little, it still gives great assets on the material platform, because the transcendental is actual reality, while material is illusory.
  • Children appear in devotee families simply to get opportunity to practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
  • 68:00 the concept that only priest teaches children religion comes from Christianity, because it does not have a lifestyle. Jesus and his disciples were Jewish, but later others who joined accepted just the philosophy, not the culture.
  • 2nd generation, Kṛṣṇa consciousness is their culture. First generation doesn’t have a culture.
  • 85:20 What does it mean that a Kṛṣṇa conscious person is above the rituals of the scriptures
  • Rituals are meant to create piety to take up Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Uncultured person having some taste for the holy name is better than very pious ritualists who are not Kṛṣṇa conscious, but still they have to refine their unculturedness.
  • Unless we like following Vaiṣṇava etiquette we will not like it in the spiritual world.
  • Bhakti yoga is the whole process together, it includes all the other yogas, but to study bhakti-yoga minutely, one has to understand all the other yogas. We are only discussing other yogas in connection with bhakti.

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