Sadhguru chants Sanatana Goswami’s name.
According to Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, now Arjuna asked a question, that you liberate and give yourself to your devotees, but when, when do you not show prejudice arising from attraction and repulsion? The Lord refutes this in the next verse. Krsna does not envy anyone, nor is He partial. Although equal to all, He is a friend to one who renders loving service to Him in devotion, and declares that such a devotee is in Him, and He is His friend.
Right? So He gives liberation and He gives Himself to the devotees. So how does He, is He not, how is there not prejudice? How is the Lord not showing favor to one and not another? Right? So then, Krsna is then establishing is that He’s equal. He’s not partial to anyone. He’s equal. But the point is that someone who surrenders, he reciprocates that. Someone who doesn’t surrender, he doesn’t. You know, then what do you reciprocate?
In his commentary, Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana compares Krsna to rain. Some trees produce bitter fruits and others produce sweet fruits. This does not mean that the rain is partial. In the same way, the Lord is equal to all living beings. At the same time, He’s especially inclined towards His devotees. This special affection is not a fault but rather an ornament of the Lord, who is known as bhaktivatsala, the lover of His devotees. Srila Prabhupada writes in Renunciation Through Wisdom, one must not misunderstand the meanings of the word sama, equal. It does not mean that the Lord is impersonal, that He will bless any whimsical act, even unruly behavior. The Lord is absolutely personal, the reservoir of divine sentiments, the supreme performer of transcendental pastimes, and He is the well-wishing friend of all living beings. But friendship has different degrees of intimacy. Thus, the Lord’s equal disposition is not without varieties of personalism.
In other words, the Lord reciprocates with us according to our intensity of love for Him. In the Gita, 4.11, He says, ye yathamam prapadyante tam sthidaiva bhajamy aham. As all surrender unto Me, I reward them accordingly. He responds to all the different devotional mellows, servitorship, fraternity, parental affection and conjugal love. Similarly, He ignores those who disrespect Him by regarding Him as an ordinary mortal. Conversely, He always shelters and protects those who accept Him as the Supreme Lord and serve Him along with loving devotion, following the footsteps of past saintly masters.
So this element of this equalness, then there’s two aspects. There’s the fact or the position of equalness. So that means He’s the well-wishing friend of all living entities. So that’s an eternal fact. But as they surrender to Him, as they interact with Him, He’ll reciprocate. So the position is, as you deal with Him, He’ll deal with you. So that’s just the fact. But the point is, is that’s where the personal element comes in. You deal nice, He’ll deal nice. You don’t deal nice, He doesn’t deal nice. And you have to understand, one-tenth-thousandth dip of the hair against unlimited, it’s not going to work out good for someone if they want to not be nice to God.
So, the thing is, is very personal.
And so, as the person is involved, so this is what’s brought out. Otherwise, you can just stop with that point that just as they deal, that’s how He reciprocates.
But the point is, is that’s the glory, is that someone who reciprocates with affection, He returns that affection.
So that option is there. So that’s why it’s being given, is that how you approach the Lord, He’s going to reciprocate. But it’s not left at that. That’s why these chapters are here. Because Krishna’s emphatically pointing out that you can deal with Him in pure devotion, and He will reciprocate in the same way. Otherwise, it’s just business deal. Okay, I give you this, I get that back. So it’s just business. But He’s saying it goes beyond business where it’s just purely personal.
What was I saying? Persons have things, but things aren’t personal.
You understand? People use things, but the things aren’t people.
Of course, this doesn’t apply to teddy bears and other important things like that. But that aside, then, do we see, in other words, do we see the element here? Because we’re looking at equal. Okay, what if equal, anyway, why He’s dealing nicely with this person and not with that person? Because they’re just looking at, He’s dealing. But there’s something beyond, there’s a person there. So His equality is, as you deal with Him, He will reciprocate. So if you deal in love, He will reciprocate in love. But the potential is that love. Otherwise, why is He recommending it? Because if He didn’t care, then what does it matter to Him? You know, these are all the options. I’ll reciprocate with you however you deal with me. It doesn’t matter to me. You know, these are all the options. You know, like you go into a store, you know, and there’s five kinds of juice and they all cost the same price. Does the store manager actually care which one you buy? No, as long as you buy one, that’s all. You know, that’s all. It doesn’t matter to Him. So it’s not like that. But that’s how we’re looking, because that’s impersonal equality.
So that’s generally so. When we talk about these qualities, remember, this is another, you know, sorry, another blow to the modern concept of, you know, goodness, is that it’s actually impersonal, because what’s it based on? It’s based on quality. Being good, being nice, for what? Just for the, for being good for goodness sake, right?
Isn’t that? So that means Santa isn’t as personal as one would say. Right? Like that. So, you know, that’s otherwise to be good for someone else’s sake, but it’s only for goodness sake, right?
So then that goodness is, who is this Santa guy anyway? What’s it got to do with Christianity?
Saint Nick. Okay, so he’s one of their ordained saints, you know, registered, recognized saintly persons, you know, like Mother Teresa or something. Did he make it? Francis of Assisi.
Oh, he’s East Orthodox.
Wow. How did the Catholics and Protestants, you know, digest this? It’s East Orthodox. Wow. That’s far out. Like that, but they don’t have trees over, like pine trees over there, really. There must be something. Pine trees are German. Yeah, I think so. I know Denmark imported it from Germany at least. Okay. But it’s new. It’s like 1800s or something. Oh, the Christmas tree. Okay. Unless they come with the Enlightenment or something.
Okay, so the point is, is that it’s good not for a person. You’re a good person if you do it, but its goal is not personal. You’re good, you’re moral, you’re upstanding, you’re righteous just for righteousness sake, just for justice’s sake. So the point is, is according to the definition, what the quality of just the good quality on its own, where does that stand in God realization?
No, no, I’m just saying what level of God realization is this? Brahman. So it means it’s impersonal. So that’s why this element of equal is not understood because we try to understand equalness from the impersonal point of view. Equal means everybody would get the same.
You know, like that means everybody gets a can of dog food. The elephant gets one, the cat gets one, the parakeet gets one, everybody gets one. Right? Like that. Then we’re equal.
Like that. No, but equal means everybody gets according to their need. That’s equal.
Right? Does that make sense? That’s the actual equalness.
Then that works because, because this other, this impersonal concept doesn’t really work because otherwise how do you define it? What’s equal?
You know, the concept is their equalness, but there’s unlimited ways you could approach equalness, right? Because the Lord is one, but his energies are many and the energies are all serving the Lord.
So then what will happen? What will happen? That means there’ll be so much variety of one, of equalness. So many different manifestations of equalness.
So you have to know that’s why the culture is important. Then you know how you apply equalness in the various situations.
That’s why there’s a need of study of the situation.
Study of the persons involved. You know, study of the relationships. Then you know how to apply these qualities in that, to the personal application. So here is though he’s equal, that’s not the emphasis. Because he’s already said, as you surrender, then I reciprocate. That should end it. It’s already defined that, okay, according to the individual there’s equalness. But he’s taken it beyond that, is that such a person, then he will reciprocate that loving exchange, right? So that’s what’s important.
Such a devotee is in him and he is a friend. Because he said everything else is not in him. It means the Lord is there, he is everything, so everything’s within him. But it’s not within his heart. It’s not, it’s just there. You know, you say your fingernail, it’s in me and it’s a friend. You know, like that.
Of course, it depends what kind of nail it’s about, like that, and how much it costs you. But other than that, but it’s not, but it’s something that’s dear to you, that you say is in me.
So we see here, this is what’s being brought out now. Before, in the earlier chapters, we’re seeing the mechanics of how you can take whatever position you have and connect it to Kṛṣṇa. But having connected it, now Kṛṣṇa’s pointing out, now there’s a step further. It’s just that relationship with Him that’s not based on the mechanics of that connection.
Do you understand? Someone who’s not connected at all, that’s just illusion. That’s useless. So then one takes whatever your position connects that to the Lord. Then one connects to the Lord that’s not dependent upon the environment.
It’s not dependent upon karma or jñāna.
So that’s called śruta-bhakti. Right? Activity is being performed, knowledge is being used, right? But activity and knowledge, those two elements, that’s the citta-potency.
Right? So activity, karma, knowledge, jñāna, those two comprise the citta-potency.
But it’s not, you don’t consider it material.
You understand? You’re focusing, when you’re connecting your activities, the focus is there, that’s karma-yoga. When you’re connecting the intelligence, that’s jñāna-yoga. When you’re just serving Kṛṣṇa and connecting to Kṛṣṇa, and you’re engaging your intelligence and your activities in the Lord’s service, that’s just called pure devotional service. It looks the same. So that’s the point. Arjuna, in the first chapter, he’s a warrior on the battlefield, right? Then in the next chapters, then he’s learning how to connect himself to the Lord. And what is he going to do? What is he going to be? A warrior on the battlefield. And now he’s introducing pure devotional service. And what’ll he do? Still be a warrior on the battlefield. Right? So this is the point. We take it that good means they do all these wonderful, nice, syrupy, sweet, wonderful things, and bad means it’s just disgusting and terrible and everything like that. But it’s just like, I forget what it was, Al Capone, or one of these big, in the 30s, big, big gangsters in America, like that. And then when he was caught and arrested, then his mother said, but he was such a nice boy. He was so nice to his mother.
So he just saw him as her son. And he was dealing always nice. She didn’t know what he did for a living, like that. But it’s just, he dealt so nicely. So, you know, why is everybody upset?
Yes. It means if you’re not seeing devotional service, then basically you will look at Karmanyan, right? So, because you’re looking at activities of knowledge. But then if you can see that connected to the Lord, then that’s good. See, the point is this. If something is connected to the Lord, it’s good. It doesn’t matter what it is. Then we get into, oh, but, you know, then what’s the next thing? Well, can you connect sinful activities to the Lord? Immediately we go for that, right? You know, so it’s like, well, you know, you can, you know, you can eat them raw. You can, you know, can we eat garbage? You know, you know, you know, can we, can we eat, you know, the side off of a truck? You know, can we eat an entire? You know, it’s like, you know, what is, why does it have to always go there? As soon as you say everything, what pops into a lecture of Yavana’s mind? Sin, right? So can I do sin for Krishna?
You know what I’m saying? So it always has to see why, why always that extreme, you know, we’re taking here is somebody is doing good work, proper work according to their nature. Now you connect, is it connected to Krishna or not? And if it’s connected to Krishna, is it proper? It means, is it in line with pure devotion or is it still our own considerations are still prominent, right? So you have all these gradations. So within, within not connected to Krishna, you have pious and impious. Connected to Krishna, then you’re going to have sakam nishkam, right? And then the next stage will be, is it, you know, pure devotional service or not? You know what I mean? You understand? It goes, so there’s always these, these to distinguish where you think, no, it’s just gotta be this or that. Yeah, but this or that that has variety within it.
You know? Does that make sense?
So that’s, that’s see. So here is Krishna’s taking it beyond, right? So he’s just reciprocating. So that’s straightforward. As you surrender, he reciprocates.
But then, then the point is, is, but then there’s the element of reciprocating based on love.
So that’s special. That’s beyond just as connected to him. And so one will be liberated. One will be peaceful. One will have all good qualities. One will be satisfied. Those are great. But what about this affection?
You know? So that’s more. Affection is greater than peace and love and all those things like that.
Right? Does that make sense?
Okay.
In the beginning of this chapter, the Lord explained that although the material creation rests on Him, He remains aloof from it. Here in verse 29, He says that He does not stay aloof from His devotees. This indicates that the relationship with His devotees is most important for Krishna. Now, on the basis of, of reciprocation, if someone’s an illusion, they’re aloof from the Lord. So naturally, the Lord will be aloof from them. You think it’s dead matter that makes it special. It’s not. It’s Krishna’s potency. Therefore, you’re ignoring Him. He ignores you.
As you deal with Him properly in these forms, He’ll reciprocate.
The, the, the machine works by Krishna’s potency. So if you deal with the machine properly, that means you’re respecting at least what, what little bit you can understand of the actual machine, then you’ll get a better result. That would be pious. You don’t. You just deal with the machine however you feel like dealing with it, not considering, you know, the mechanics of the, the machine. Then you’ll get a bad result. Right? So that’s impious.
So piety means working according to the nature. Impiety means working outside of that. Right? So that’s why it’s not a question, well, can we engage sinful activity? Are you sinful?
Right? Someone who is sinful, that’s where they stand. They start there. Right? You know, as we were saying before, the wino, okay, he offers his wine. He understands that, you know, what the taste that’s in here is, is Krishna. Right? You can’t offer the wine with the pure water in the wine. Yes. But the point is, he’s a wino. Then after drinking like, offering like this, after a short time, he becomes a devotee. So you can’t say, well, you can do that, so now I’m in my position who can follow everything nicely. I’ll go back to that.
You understand? This is according to nature. Is that your nature? Is that what you’re doing?
It doesn’t make the activity okay.
You understand? Because the point is, is drinking the alcohol, is that complete? Why does someone drink alcohol?
Right? Hmm? Yeah, there’s some experience they want to gain from it. Right? So the point is, is it’s not the drinking of the alcohol, it’s the experience that’s important. So that means if you’re actually dealing properly according to the nature, you would deal with the experience.
Not with the medium. You know, it’s just like, let us say there’s a writer. Okay? And he writes this great book. So what’s important? That, that, that, the written word or his computer with which he wrote it? Yeah, so means after he’s written this book and it becomes a international bestseller, then you go to the shop and what are they selling? Computers of like what he wrote, wrote the book on. Can I get the book? Oh, what’s the book? Here’s the computer. He wrote on this kind of computer. Right? You’d say the guy’s, they’re crazy. Right? So that’s the point. It’s not the alcohol that’s important, it’s the effect that it gives.
So that means they’re trying to attain Krishna, but they don’t know it’s Krishna. They think it’s the alcohol. So that is general illusion.
Right? Then it’s effect that makes it, of course, not very useful in anything.
Yes.
Why is he doing this?
Okay. He wants to forget. Why, why does he want to forget? And why would it be a bad experience?
And so why would not getting a good result be a bad experience?
His identity, right? His, his attachment to the results.
Does that make sense? So the point is that if he understands he’s servant of God, servant of Krishna, and the results are for Krishna, and he performs his duties, then what does it matter? He said, oh, he lost all his money and this and that, you know. But so many other, I mean, just even on the material platform, so many other businessmen lost their money and started over again and became quite successful. So the difference is he became disheartened. They maintained their determination. He lost his goal. They kept maintaining it. You can’t get a goal if you don’t know what it is or can’t or don’t endeavor for it. It means you don’t know what your goal is and you don’t endeavor how you’ll get something. So he lost that because his identity was lost.
Right? So now he thinks he’s a useless guy who could do nothing. You know what I’m saying? So even materially, it’s pretty useless platform.
Otherwise, and why those people, they’re not considered like the pinnacle of society, because they’re not success, they’re not doing anything. They had no direction.
Does that make sense? So the point is, is then Krishna conscious philosophy deals with that. So what you’re looking for is already there. That’s why they’re saying it’s a universal religion. Because no matter what one is looking for, in what way, it can be found in Krishna consciousness.
Does that make sense?
Yes.
Can we get lost in trying to establish our identity? Means, as being servant of the Lord, that you can’t get lost. In trying to engage the conditioned nature, that we have to be more careful.
You know, in other words, we should never think that the material desires and needs are us. We may be able to identify a conditioned nature, but it’s still not us. But it’s what we’re comfortable to work with. So that’s why we work with it.
Does that make sense? Because there’s an identity. So that’s what it is. The basic is, I’m servant of Krishna.
But the secondary is, therefore in my service, I have a nature. So it should be spiritual, but right now it’s material. So in any case, the point is, is engage your nature in the Lord’s service. So that’s why it’s not what nature it is. You know what I’m saying? Does that make sense? You ever hear in the pastime of Krishna, where Krishna’s with one set of devotees, or he’s glorifying one group, and the other group says, well, you know, we can also do that. You know, the cowherd boys, they go out and have fun in the forest, mother show. I can also go out there.
Do you ever have that? No. Why? Because they’re comfortable, whatever. Because the point is, engage your nature. It’s not a matter of this nature is better than that nature. Does that make sense? Nature is given as something’s better or not, based on how efficient it is to get you out of the material world.
You know what I’m saying? Does that make sense?
So therefore you’ll make a distinction, because karma on its own is very, very slow, and it’ll never get you out. Jnan can get you out. So therefore it’s higher. Attachment’s going to keep you here. Renunciation can get you out.
But even if it gets you out, it’s still temporary.
So then it’s devotion that will get you out, and it’ll be permanent, because you’ll be connected with the Lord in a loving relation.
So now, because it’s a loving relation, therefore the elements of karma have elements that are more easily connectable than jnan. Because the jnan, the tendency is for impersonal. If they’re a personal jnani, then that’s great. But if they’re an impersonal jnani, that’s lower than being a karmi, as far as the ultimate effect of personal realization.
Because karmis are personalists, but just a mundane personalist.
And the devotee is spiritual personalist. So that would mean impersonalist is the lowest. So that’s how culturally then they’ll be respected. You have a karmi and you have a jnani, the jnani will be respected more than the karmi. I mean, of course, depending on how great they are in the field. But if you had a big, big, how do you say, swami in that, and you had a big, big industrialist and all that, the swami is more respected. But as far as his ability to take part in Krishna consciousness, probably the industrialists will do better.
Maybe I should have said the organic, how do you say, what’s that called?
That kind of farming, permaculture, organic permaculture, farmer, instead of saying the industrialists.
Okay, is this okay?
We understand these two aspects. There’s the mechanics of how he’s equal, but it’s still based on the personal element. Because he’s a person and you’re a person. So you, according to your needs, and him according to his needs, the equality is there. For him, that personal relationship is important. So the more you are seeing the personal relationship, the greater he reciprocates. The less you see it, the less he reciprocates. So it doesn’t mean anybody can reciprocate more or anybody can reciprocate less. So that’s the equality. And the living entity, according to their nature, the method of how they surrender, then according to that is how he’ll reciprocate.
You know what I’m saying? You know, so you have mother Dushodha, and so then Krishna, he reciprocates with everybody equally. So therefore, the cowherd boys, he deals with them like they’re their mother, the servants like his mother, the gopis, the cowherd girl like his mother. That would be some funny paintings.
I could. It could definitely. But Prabhupada didn’t really like funny paintings. Like once it was, it was Pushkar, he painted. Krishna’s really dressed nicely. You know, the Pushkarian art, you know, everything’s kind of like effulgent and everything. So Krishna’s like really decked out, you know, playing his flute and doing the whole thing. And then there’s a few cowherd boys, you know, kind of like jumping around in ecstasy, you know, and they’re in the forest. And Prabhupada says, what pastime is this? No, but I just thought it would be nice, you know, Krishna and his devotees. And I said, no, you paint according to pastimes. Because the point is, he dresses up like that for the gopis, not for the cowherd boys. So playing like that, if gopis have been around, it has some meaning to the cowherd boys, you know, that they walk around in their kopas and they’re happy, you know. So why does Krishna have to dress up?
Does that make sense?
To compare the Lord to a desire tree is only partially correct. The desire tree responds equally to all requests and does not develop affection. On the contrary, the Lord becomes personally involved in the lives of His devotees to the extent that He is willing to become the enemy of His devotees’ enemy.
Right? Does that make sense? So it’s not just that, that’s why we’re saying there’s two parts of this. There’s that He’ll deal with everybody, you know, according to their nature, what their desire and all that. But at the same time, still, that’s personal.
But then there’s the element of that affection that’s beyond that just dealing.
Like that. Because the other one, he’s not personally involved. This one, he is. So if you deal in this way, he’ll personally be involved. You don’t deal in this way, he won’t be personally involved. My, I’ll take care. You want something like that, you know, she’ll take care.
Kṛṣṇa personally maintains and cares for His devotees. Even if His devotees act improperly, Kṛṣṇa would nonetheless protect and purify them. If by chance or accident, a devotee who is engaged in loving service to Kṛṣṇa is found to have fallen, he should still be considered saintly because he is properly situated in his determination. That’s just one thing. I didn’t think about it for a month as she asked the question. She might not be here when we got to the park.
Even if the devotee acts improperly, Kṛṣṇa would nevertheless protect and purify him. If by chance or accident, a devotee who is engaged in loving service to Kṛṣṇa is found to have saintly because he is properly situated in his determination, quickly he will be reestablished again. Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna to declare boldly that his devotee never perishes.
The Lord does not take seriously an accidental falldown because the devotee is determined to continue his service despite the obstacles placed by his conditioned nature. In the case of an accidental falldown, the only price shifted for a devotee is devotional service itself. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains in his purport, verse 31, according to the Vedas, there is a certain regulation that if one falls down from his exalted position, he has to undergo certain ritualistic processes to purify himself. But here there is no such condition because the purifying process is already there in the heart of the devotee due to his remembering the Supreme Personality of Godhead constantly. Therefore, the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare, Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, should be continued without stoppage. This will protect the devotee from all accidental falldowns. He will thus remain perpetually free from all material considerations.
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura comments on verse 31, I mean 30 and 31 as follows. Because, see, in here there’s going to be questions here. Okay, what do we see here? The Lord does not take seriously an accidental falldown. But now there’s a wide range of the definition of accidental. If someone thought about it, then it’s not accidental. It just had to have happened.
You know what I’m saying? But the point is, is accidental means that’s not your determination. That’s not the direction you want to go. You’re absorbed in devotional service, but you may get distracted. But that distraction does not become more prominent than the devotional element. That’s accidental. If the person decides, no, I want to really go after this, and this is more important than my devotional practices, then that, you could say, that’s not accidental, because now it’s a determined.
Right? They said, oh, but it’s been going on for six months, so that’s not accidental. No, it doesn’t matter. Falldown is one thing, whether it’s, you know, for one moment or for six months. What does it matter? It’s one thing.
You know what I’m saying? So it’s one element. So it’s just a matter of knowing what’s the mood of it.
Does that make sense? So that then has to be defined. So this is what’s going to come up here.
But, considering his bad conduct, how is he a devotee, right? Oh, he did this, so, no, we should deal with him. He’s a brahman. No, but if he did this, he can’t be a brahman. But if that’s his natural state, yes. But if that’s a state where that’s not his plan, you know, it happens, then that is still one’s brahminical.
You understand? One has to see. Those working in that, that’s one thing. But then, if dealing with it, then he understands the problem, then that’s another thing. So it has to be defined. He has to be respected as a devotee because of his devotee qualities. It is a command. Not doing so is offense. My order is the authority.
So, Krishna is speaking here. How is this? How would he be a devotee? Because he did this, whatever. So he’s supposed to be respected because of his devotee qualities. Did his devotee qualities go away?
Because we say he’s a brahman. So now he did this, he’s not a brahman. What did he do wrong? He didn’t do asma? You know what I mean, saying like that. He didn’t wash his feet. What didn’t he do? What’s the problem? Where’s the fall down?
Forgot Krishna? Yeah, no, I’m saying that’s essential. Forgot Krishna. But in which? In varna or asrama?
Generally speaking, that we’re worried about is asrama. You know, if someone’s varna-sankara, we couldn’t care less. Asrama-sankara, we’re not going to tolerate one bit of this.
You know what I’m saying? You know, he’s a brahman, you know, and he’s out, you know, driving a truck or something like that. That’s cool, you know, like that. I know so many places where that’s the guy who does all the yagyas and all the festivals for the temple drives a truck. I mean, one of these 22 wheel trucks, not, you know, just not a little delivery van, you know.
You know, so it’s not, it’s not an uncommon thing. So the point is, is that it means, so we never worry about things like this.
But all we worry about is something that’s connected with our so-called morality, our standard of ethic.
You know what I’m saying? You know, the same person will go, oh, you know, he did this and he had this, you know, interaction with a woman. This is very bad, you know, this can’t be, he can’t be in this position, has to be removed and this and that. But they’re the same person who will support divorce.
You know what I’m saying? So what’s their platform of consistency? What decides what will be accomplished?
That’s the point. It’s, that’s mental speculation. That’s why I say, mano rata, means it’s just the mind just goes wherever it likes. And wherever it goes, we’ll say, that’s good. Whatever path our mind takes, we’ll say, that’s good. If your mind’s going on that path, then you have a friendship. It’s not, hey, we have nothing in common.
So this is problem. So here is how you do it. Then Krishna’s saying, it’s my order is the authority. It’s Krishna’s decision.
You know? So here he’s taking, Prabhupada said, according to the Vedas, there’s a certain regulation when one falls down from his exalted position. He has to undergo certain ritualistic processes to purify himself. But there’s no such condition. But here, there’s no such condition, because the chanting is the process.
So, or it’s just, again, if you won’t forget, because I will, is that, that the point is, is here, according to the Vedas, there are certain regulations. So what we’re saying here is, we’re taking the Vedic regulations as a basic standard. Right? Then you’re going beyond that to the actual real purification is the holy name. This is probably mentioned here, a modern made -up, speculative process of purification.
No. So that doesn’t even count.
So if Vedic price citta doesn’t have any standing, why would modern?
You know what I’m saying? It’s like saying, you know, as devotees, then, you know, we see beyond, you know, material wealth and all that. So even for us, you know, you know, a big pile of gold is as important as devotion to Krishna.
Right? And then we’ll go, yes, that’s important. But this, this little pile of broken glass over here, now that’s really valuable.
Right? In other words, we’ll leave the Vedic for the devotional, but we won’t leave the modern. That’s really got substance.
You understand? It’s just total illusion. It’s basically just, it’s conditioning what it is. It’s just, we’re used to a certain way of thinking and doing. And so we just fall into that habit. So that’s why reading, you know, hearing and chanting and good association is important. Otherwise we won’t, we won’t work out because the authority is Krishna. So it’s either directly within devotional service or indirectly through the Vedic injunctions. There is no process that purification within the concept of illusion purifies, you know, be like, you know, you know, he’s standing in the sewer, you know, you didn’t, you didn’t say Atman. This is nonsense. What is that going to do?
It’s not going to work.
You know what I’m saying?
So he should be considered devotee in that proportion where he worships you. And as a non-devotee in that proportion where he commits adultery, right? So this is the question. So, okay. So now we can accept, okay. He has bad conduct. How is he a devotee? But Krishna says he’s respected as a devotee because of his devotee qualities, right? That’s Krishna’s command. He’s not just saying, this is how I like it. This is a command. Not if you don’t respect like that, it’s an offense.
This is my, my order is the authority. So he says, because I’ve said it, therefore, right? Like that. I guess that’s where Ramsey’s got it from, right?
Okay. So now the question comes, okay. So then, so because of his devotee qualities, that’s where, that’s, that’s the key. Okay. Now I got that. So that means how much he’s worshiping you, that, then we look at that, but how much he’s involved in, in Maya, then he’s that, right? So notice he said where he commits adultery, right? So, you know, pull out the main one because, you know, anything else, you know, who really cares like that.
Okay. Then Krishna says, no, he should be considered as a devotee, Eva in all his parts. You should not see his bad qualities at all. He’s completely convinced. Some yuck. He makes a splendid resolution. I will go to hell for my sinful actions, which are hard to give up, but I will not give up dedicated worship of Krishna.
In other words, that service is there. You know, it means I’ve done the activity, right? And so it means if activities going on, you might be careful of how they’re engaged, but if activities stopped, what’s the problem?
You know, and they’re determined that I will go on, you know, I will, you know, whatever is the result of my previous activity, let me suffer that. That’s fine. But I will continue to do my service. So what would be the purifying thing? Service, not, you know, no kirtan, no class, no position, no, you know.
So the point is, is one is engaged in service, dedicated worship of Krishna, according to your nature. This is the difference that we see. Prabhupada, if someone had a problem, he kept them in their position. He’d correct them so that they weren’t active in their problem area by giving them good association and instruction, but he would keep them in their position because body, mind and words are to be engaged in Krishna’s service. That’s Krishna’s expectation. So if you’re not allowed to perform your activities of your duty, how will you be engaged?
You understand? So that means it’s not an understanding of devotional service. It’s simply a concept of mundane morality and justice. And it’s not even real morality and justice because there’d be consistency.
Yes?
A few times Prabhupada also gave sannyas. Do you have some serious problem? Yeah, no, you have serious problem, give sannyas, so they were sannyas, then he would say, okay, you’re a sannyasi, you’re, you, with that, you know, you fell down with this woman, so do you now see that, okay, that was foolish, but I want to continue as a sannyasi, that’s my service, that’s how I’ll be best engaged, or you want to marry this girl or marry somebody and then continue doing the same service of preaching.
Because devotional service is the only prayas chitta. See, the thing is, we’re saying, oh, but that’s a different situation. No, prayas chitta doesn’t work. It just doesn’t work.
You know, they say, no, it’s your meditating upon, well, why do you want to do that? So they can meditate upon what they did wrong. So is that what the meditation is? Krishna says here, no, you should not see his bad qualities at all, but he should see them. I don’t have to see it because he’s seeing them.
You know what I’m saying? By meditating upon bad qualities, what do you develop? Bad qualities. So the thing is, what’s wrong with criticizing devotees? What’s the problem? Are you associating with, what element of the devotee are you associating with? Their bad qualities, right? So what do you develop? Bad qualities. So now, if the person has done something wrong, he meditates on his bad qualities, what will he develop? Bad qualities.
It’s very straightforward. So one may say, oh, but, you know, devotees in general, you know, won’t accept this. So what, if people are in maya, are we supposed to say, okay, that’s the standard. Everybody’s in maya, so therefore, you know, what can we do? You know, we just have to roll with whichever way the wind is blowing on the, you know, the favorable, you know, winds of, you know, the Vox Populi, you know, modern Western culture.
You know what I’m saying?
Like that. So it’s, it’s, it’s really weird. Really weird. Yes. It is expressed very strongly in this verse, and it says that most abominable. So I wonder, why is it like such a strong expression? Because if they said something small, then you would say, oh, he did a small thing, okay, we’ll let it go, but he did something really bad. So to what extent can you go to any sin? Yeah, well, what’s the limit you can go to? What’s the worst, what’s the worst sin you can commit?
Killing a Brahmin, that’s the worst. Is that what we’re jumping up and down about? No, so that’s the point. So it’s not even the worst, but we’re making it out to be the worst. Right? Because that’s because of the element of the puritanical. We, we impersonally, the impersonal concept is the senses cannot be engaged with the sense objects and be religious.
That’s our, our flaw. We can’t understand. The senses and sense objects can be engaged religiously. But the point is, is you may get distracted by it. Why would you do it? Why would you be involved if there’s more direct methods, unless there’s some attachment or need? Right? So that’s why it’s the lower position. It creates so much trouble that, that avoidable trouble, you know, unavoidable, you know, it’s, it’s cold now. You can’t avoid that. You know, it’s in the summer, it’ll be hot. These can’t be avoided, you know, but getting involved materially, you know, more and more in family life and position. Well, that can be avoided. So unless it’s the nature, the duty, then that’s one thing. Then you’re doing it because of that, not because you need it. Because that’s the duty. That’s your position you’re in. You may have needed it before. That’s why you’re in the position. But if you look at it now, then that’s a different thing.
Does that make sense? Yes. So here, abominable beings, whatever it is, being in the material world is already abominable. We’re taking it that, you know, being situated in the material world, especially in the West, that’s actually a nice situation. It’s pretty good. You know, it’s, it’s abominable to be in the material world. You know, you know, Prabhupada said in Nectar of Devotion, in Kali Yuga, the demigods don’t even come to earth to pass urine, let alone to come for a yajna. You know what I’m saying? It’s like, they’re just not going to, it’s like, you know, you just don’t go there.
You know what I’m saying? But we’re so proud that our position is so great and so special. This is illusion only. And then based on that, then within this abominable situation, then we make good and bad out of that. You know, it’s like the pig in stool. It’s all stool, but he’ll say, this stool is better than that stool.
But it’s all stool. No, but this one’s better than that one. You know, he ate that one. Oh, he’s, he’s terrible. You know, we’re eating this, this one’s good. No, but it’s all stool.
Because they’re not seeing the principle that’s behind it.
Point is, is you’re attached to, to, to religious sex life. It’s still going to keep you in the material world, right? Does that make sense? So it doesn’t matter. Religious, irreligious, you’re attached, you’re going to be here. So that’s Krishna consciousness beyond either of them.
That’s our job. Why would they do it?
Because it’s our duty.
See, because the bottom line is this, who’s responsible for you doing sacrifice or not?
Yes. So these kinds of questions then put the thing as a, why did, why did, why didn’t God, why did God make me this way? Why didn’t He make me somewhere else? Along the same line.
You understand? They’re dependent upon it. So it means times aren’t so great for them either. Kali Yuga is Kali Yuga.
Does that make sense?
No, but how?
Because you’re saying, why don’t they come here and make me do my duty? Why don’t you just do it yourself?
I’m not you, but others, but it’s the same principle.
The point is, is if you don’t do your duty, what happens?
Yeah, it means it’s just like this. There’s a householder, he has his house. Does the government sit in his house and, you know, make sure he does everything right? No, he does right. He gets, you know, properly dealt with. He’s, he’s, you know, doesn’t deal right. They put him in jail.
So human beings do things properly. Then he’s rewarded. They don’t do things properly. Then, you know, there’s so many varieties of, you know, hellish, you know, reactions.
So they are dealing with it, but that’s, that’s what they could do. They can’t do anything more than that. How are they going to make you do it?
What is their potency to make you surrender and do your duty? Here God’s saying, do this, and, you know, people, are they doing it?
Yes? No? Yeah. So the point is you, you have to do it.
Yeah. They got enough, it gets them through. They got a decent savings, so they’re doing okay.
How can then, okay, so, so he, he, his resolution is, it doesn’t matter what, I’m going to serve Krishna. So that should be what’s encouraged. How they can be properly engaged and absorbed in good association and in direct devotional activities. In other words, if somebody has problem in the indirect, then the solution is not remove them from direct. The solution is involve them more indirect.
How can you accept the worship of such a sinful person? How can you eat the food and drink offered by a heart contaminated with lust and anger? So these are the questions. Very quickly he becomes righteous. The present tense is used instead of future to express the fact that having committed sin by remembering me, he becomes repentant and very quickly becomes righteous.
Right? Means in present tense, in, in, in the, in Sanskrit, something that’s just right now is considered present. Right? Like you, you just wrote something, but now you’re not, you just stopped writing. And I ask her, what are you doing? What are you going to say? She says, I’m writing things. You can’t say, no, no, but you haven’t been writing for three seconds, so you’re not doing that. So what are you doing now? No. You know what I’m saying? Sanskrit, if it’s immediately just now or here, it’s, it’s what you’re doing now. So it includes, it includes that whole range. So present is, is within that, you know, your determination of your action, you know, what’s going on. Like that. Result, maybe if you put it like this. So the point is, is it’s very quickly becomes righteous. How do you become righteous?
Yeah. Remembering Krishna. That’s the only way. Because we’re saying, no, you can become righteous without that. It’s Kali Yuga. It’s Mlecchas and Yamanas we’re dealing with here. How do they become righteous?
Yeah. Only by devotional service.
Really? You know, by standard of righteousness, you know, who has it?
Not many. But that even will come from proper activity in past life. Because otherwise they don’t know why they’re doing that. They just know they feel better doing like that. Right? Well, the Veda, you can say why you’re doing like that.
You know, so it’s just habit.
Could I summarize that as sociologically now movement, as we entered and we’re contaminated by this Mleccha culture, position became something important. So to express yourself, you will be the best thing, you turn the boat, you get a ticket to India, you’ll be the best, then the temple president and everything. So it’s a lot in meetings with senior devotees. So there is this thought of the one which is most elevated. And then if you’re coming from a culture which is in yourself, you want to get there, you want to express yourself, you want to be God, let’s say, that will develop that tension between and then once that person’s fallen, then all this system will come up because I mean, you’ve been fighting yourself, surrendering and letting that go, surrendering and letting that go, understanding that you can’t, you must be God, you must be this thing. I mean, what’s exactly the point? The point is this, you’re saying that we adopt Western systems of justice.
So I’m trying to understand in my own process and what I’ve seen, if that comes because in our movement we’ve adopted, Prabhupada has presented something very pure, the system of authority, which is ready. But in our trying to follow that, it’s not always as pure. No, but that’s the point, is the endeavor that’s important. You know, you’re trying to cook for Krishna, may not be great, but you’re trying.
You know what I’m saying? So you make that endeavor and with time it will get better. You know, as long as you don’t think, you know, how whatever I cook, that’s good enough, you’re trying to improve, trying to develop.
You know, it’s not like, oh, you know, it’s like, you know, somebody’s doing something and they’re not doing it exactly right, and then you say, well, like, there’s no, but we’ve always done it like this. What is that? So what? So what? You know, it’s a matter of what’s correct, what will make progression.
So these are just part of the elements.
You do have a hierarchy because you have management and administration and all these different things. So there has to be leadership and then those who are following. That’s just natural, you know, spiritual platform. You have those who are leading and those who are following. It’s always like that. You have, you know, the lead cow and so many other cows, the lead Kalpavriksha tree, or there’s leaders in the cowherd boys, or within Mother Deshota is the leader of the, you know, the parental rasa. Radharani is a leader of the conjugal rasa. So you have leaders and those who are following. So that’s natural. That’s why servant of the But one has to understand it’s one’s service that one does this. It’s not that we have a false idea of what it means to be on top. Because we see here, Krishna’s on top. What does he say? As you surrender, he reciprocates.
But if as you surrender, then the other guy’s false ego becomes greater and greater. That’s not doing what Krishna’s doing.
You know, so someone is surrendered more, he does more, he does distribute more books. So then you try to take care. So you’ll be inspired by this. You’re going to India, getting some good association on. So that’s, that works.
You know, but it’s how you see it. If it’s a matter, okay, if we offer this, then they’ll work harder and all this as a businessman’s kind of thing. So it can be a beginning start.
But generally speaking, we don’t use those in the long run. No, but it doesn’t mean that then we don’t give anybody anything in reciprocation.
But it means our motive is not that because I’m giving him this, then I’ll get that. It’s a matter of he’s doing something nice, so let me do something nice for him. So he sees like this, so this would be nice for him. You know, someone else would be something else. You might give him an apartment or, you know, some facilities like that or get dental, you know, whatever it is. There’s all these different things. Does that make sense?
Yes. In trying to help a devotee who has an accidental fall down, how do we try to balance between pushing the potential, pointing out there as a shortcoming? It’s how you say it. Pointing out something, how can you say it? How many ways could you say it? Yeah, so the point is, is you have to pick the right one. In other words, you have to inspire. So that means you have to pick the right one that would inspire them as an individual. So it’s not just, well, I told him, you know, I did my job, you know, now it’s up to him. You know, that’s cheap. That’s not taking responsibility.
It means positive what they receive, but the point is it has to be realistic with the situation they’re in. So it can’t just be all just, you know, sentiment and enthusiasm. It has to be practical. It means you’re in this position, how to get from there to where you want to be. You know, and that basically means just emphasizing the devotional element. You know, the soul doesn’t have to get somewhere. The soul just has to recognize who they are. We don’t have to get to God. God’s already there. We have to understand.
Yes. It was discussed that the position of the devotee is not determined by how he falls down or the activity that he does, but by what is his determination.
So what if a devotee has an idea that he will simultaneously perform devotional service and he has determination, but he also has determination that he wants to perform some other abominable activity? But what does that mean? How would he have both at once? I, you know, on my hard drive, it’s got, you know, 250 gigabytes, and I’m going to fill it all up with, you know, Prabhupada’s books, but at the same time with, you know, all 250 gigabytes and the charyas and all this, and then collect them all till, you know, there’s not one bite left, you know. At the same time, I’m also going to fill it up with movies.
What if he has another 250 gigabyte hard drive with movies? But the point is, this means that you can go on and on like this. What if he has three? What if he has two and a half? What if one of them only works on half of it because the other half has been corrupted, you know? Because the hard drive is corrupted, it’s all ready to put corrupt things on it. You know what I’m saying? The point is, is how do you have determination for nonsense and Krishna at the same time? Because there will be determination. No, you’re involved in these things because of attachment, but it’s not your determination.
You understand? You may be involved in the sinful activity, but it’s not your determination. Your determination is to serve Krishna. Your determination is to be involved in the sinful activity. You’re not going to be determined to serve Krishna.
You understand? It’s one or the other.
You know, but Krishna’s point is, as long as that focuses on Krishna, then you’re going to look at that aspect. Because that substance, well, it’s a substance, it’s a substance, it’s a illusion. So very quickly, the devotee, by remembering him, then he’ll come out of that illusion, because it’s by hearing the holy name.
You know, instead of, you can’t lead any kirtan, it should be, you’re going to lead every kirtan in the temple, you know, Mangalati, Guru Pujayani, you know, like that, you know, then they’re going to get purified, and you’re going to be good.
Yes? In my experience, when devotees get into this kind of situation, when they have to fall down, and everybody kind of, I don’t want to deal with it, you know, I’ll better stay away from this guy for some time, and then we’ll see, and then instead of engaging him in devotional activities, everybody’s kind of not sure. And then the devotee itself doesn’t know what to do, then if he’s strong enough, he’s continuing, and if he’s not, in most cases, that’s what happens, he just walks away. And then he feels guilty, I don’t know what. And then he can’t come back, you know, it takes 10 years, and then he’ll come back.
Because they’re not friends. See, friend means when things are good, you’re friends, and when things are bad, you’re a friend. If you’re only a friend when things are good, you’re not actually a very good friend. That’s the mithi, that’s dharma-sastra, that means the sastra says like this. So friendship is tested in adversity. So if you still support, even when they have trouble, that means there’s friendship. And if you don’t, that means the friendship wasn’t really there. It wasn’t. Yeah, it was not there, it wasn’t very deep. It means there may have been something, but it was very shallow, because shallow means it could be there and then go away. You know, if there’s some depth to it, then it doesn’t matter what happens, it’s only the worst. Does that make sense? You know, so there’s concerns.
Does that make sense? You know, so before, things would be more out in the open, because there was more of that friendship. So everybody could have heard about it, but no one will feel bad about it. And everybody will be trying to support and give some direction. You know what I’m saying? So it wasn’t a matter because everyone is truthful, or this or that. No, because of the closeness. Now, because no one’s close, therefore, it’s just based on the mundane quality of truth. That’s why it should be brought out. Because otherwise, you know, what am I going to talk about? You know, because I have no relationship, so why they should talk to me? Because technically, unless you’re going to give some support, you’re going to do something for them. There’s no meaning to this truth. You’re only required to be truthful with truthful persons.
It’s not a rule. You have to tell truth to liars.
You understand? Truth is told to truthful people.
Like that. So this idea is no, but you have to tell us the truth. Why does he have to tell the truth? Based on what? Are you going to do something for him? As it is, you’re not, you don’t do anything for him. Then if he does something wrong, then if he tells you the truth, then you’re going to do something, you know, difficult for him. So what’s, what’s, what’s the, what’s the authority?
You understand? Because we’re talking about relationships.
We’ve, we’ve boiled them down to they’re just positions. But the point is, is it’s relationship, not positions.
Is mother and father just the authority in the house? Or is it a relationship?
You can say legal, yeah, when there’s a divorce and they fight over the kid, then it’s a matter of just the husband and wife and parent and child. That’s all. There’s no relationship element.
You know, but in actuality, the relationship in the family is based on, on that, not on position.
So the point is, is if one’s position in society is simply because it is a position. It doesn’t mean you technically have the authority in people’s personal life.
So if you’re not going to take responsibility, then don’t deal with it. You know, or just say you’re not welcome here, go somewhere else. That’s also appropriate. If anything, someone doesn’t, doesn’t work in that, you can, you can tell them to go.
But no punishment is administered.
Does that make sense? Because only if they accept your authority and all this and that, then you have a position of authority. You know, actual means responsible, responsible. Authority goes with responsibility. You’re not responsible, you’re actually under authority.
Does that make sense?
So it comes again down to this personal aspect. That’s why this is being brought out, because we very nicely understand these other chapters.
Even there, it’s a problem because, you know, mundane good, mundane bad, we can understand, but how is it that when it connects, the mundane connects to the Lord, it becomes spiritual instead of material. So that’s the subtlety within the karma yoga and jnana yoga. Right? So, but then, then in here, then it’s the subtlety is in the personal dealings. It’s still personal, but it’s based on the spiritual, means it’s based on Krishna’s preference, His authority, not ours.
Oh, if we do like that, no, we would like to be broad-minded, but, you know, this yatra won’t accept. So what?
Because people have a non-devotional attitude, therefore we should take that as a standard?
No, go preach to them. Oh, we can’t do that, then don’t make a decision. You don’t have the authority to make the decision. The jiva belongs to Krishna, not to you. Your position is one of management, not of one of the soul.
In other words, you’re the temple president, someone else is a member in the temple, but because you are a manager by a conditioned nature and they’re not, then they do what they do for Krishna and you manage it. But as far as souls go on the spiritual platform, that’s equal. That is a matter of the devotion to Krishna, not the position.
So generally someone who takes more responsibility advances quicker because they’re doing so much for Krishna, but it’s not dependent upon that.
So you can’t say it’s that because you have a position you own the soul.
Your business is to engage the soul, so what will be best for engaging the soul in Krishna’s service? So if they need some kind of punishment, that’s okay, but it should increase their affection for Krishna. If it’s just punishment for punishment’s sake, then you’re only dealing with equality. And even then, you’re not actually dealing with Brahman because you don’t see a connection to Krishna. So what does that mean? Brahman that’s not seeing a connection to Krishna, what do we call that? Maya. It’s illusion. So how is illusion ever a remedy for anything?
And even if thousands of people think like this, it still has no value. It’s still illusion.
That is the hard truth.
Not whether the fact or whether somebody did something or not. That’s within illusion. It’s like you’re looking at the tree in the water, so is that the flower or is that the fruit? You’re pointing out things in illusion.
But what we’re saying here is the difference between the real tree and the reflection in the water.
That’s real discrimination.
Okay.
Oh, so it keeps going.
Okay. Oh, how unfortunate I am. There’s no one as low as I. Bringing bad name to the devotees. Repeatedly he feels completely disgusted.
So the point is, it’s because of the position. What is abominable?
Actually the activity or the not thinking of Krishna. That’s the real point. So if you can somehow or another bring out the Krishna consciousness, then you can see this kind of repentance will come. But the modern concept of repentance is to point out how bad your activity is.
You understand? It’s very different. If you point out the Krishna consciousness, it’s not Krishna conscious. So it doesn’t matter what the activity is, it wasn’t Krishna conscious. So therefore, one will be repentant. One is trying to point out, well, this activity is bad. Okay, it’s bad, but on what level? If you really want to look at it, it means you’re saying it’s bad because of the devotee’s position, but the devotees accept the Vedic culture. So according to the Vedic culture, what’s the position?
You can’t then take it and then use some modern situation. You know what I’m saying? It’s a mix. It’s just trying to get done. That’s why I say it’s gossip. It’s not. It’s not actual, real correction. Yes. The Vedic culture can accommodate all versions of that, isn’t it? It’s not that it accommodates, it has a position for them. Like people who can’t keep their hands off of other people’s possessions, they live in the forest. You can only live in the city if you don’t steal. If you steal, you have to live in the forest. You know, they’re not, you know, you know what I’m saying?
Yeah, but within their position.
So there has to be some standard because there is a natural standard and then there is a variation from it.
Like that. But who sets the standard? That’s the point. If you don’t accept God sets the standard, then the difficulty comes is how do you define? You have 8,400,000 species of life. So the human being can have consciousness of any one of them.
So how will you set a standard?
Because they’ll argue over these standards forever.
Does that make sense? So, you know, it means even you see, depending what it is like in America, different states can have their own laws as long as they don’t go against the main laws of the nation. But like certain states, they allow abortion, certain don’t. Certain, you know, their marriage age, you can get married when you’re young, certain states don’t. Certain you have to go to school up to a certain age, not. So all these different things, you know, what they consider legal. Some there’s death penalty, some not.
You know what I’m saying? So it’s up, and that’s within one country. And then they’re going to say that they’re going to come to an absolute standard based on, on, you know, just what’s good. No, but the absolute standard, what’s good means Krishna because he is good.
Yes, confirmed.
Or the use of the present tense can indicate that in the future he will develop righteousness fully, but even right now it exists in a subtle form. After taking medicine, though the destructive effects of the fever or poison remain for some time, that is not considered seriously. Thus, with the entrance of bhakti in his mind, the sinful reactions are, are not taken seriously. And the traces of sin, such as lust and anger should be considered insignificant, like the biting of a toothless snake. Thus he gains nigacchati, complete cessation of lust and anger permanently, sasvat. In nigacchati, ni stands for nitaram, completely. This means that even during the stage of having tendency to commit sin, he has a pure heart. See, these are these overlapping as you’re dealing with people, right? What makes people, people?
Right? These contradictory elements, right? Machine is not contradictory, right? You push the button, you know, and it does this. You push that button, it does that. You know, it’s not contradictory.
But people are. So that one has to be able to understand these kind of elements. So as soon as one remembers Krishna, right, that means when we start an initiation, what’s the first mantra we use?
Yeah, om apavitra pavitro va. So just by remembering Vishnu, one becomes purified. So the point is, is what’s the real purification? Making them feel bad or making them remember Krishna. When they remember Krishna, they’ll be purified. Then they see what I’ve been doing is not in connection with Krishna. So they’ll feel bad about that. But they’re feeling bad because it’s not for Krishna. Not that it’s bad.
You understand? The one comes to the other. It’s automatic, right? You eat, then hunger goes away. You don’t have to focus on the hunger.
Right? So modern is saying, no, focus on the hunger.
So it doesn’t work.
If he eventually becomes righteous, there would be no argument. However, if a devotee is sinful right up to his death, what is his position? So Arjuna is saying, okay, so he becomes righteous, but what happens if he doesn’t?
Like that.
The Lord then, affectionate to his devotee, speaks loudly with a little anger. Don’t make the Lord angry.
O son of Kunti, my devotee is never destroyed. At the time of death, he does not fall. Because he’s involved in devotional service. So the Lord is taking care. Yamaraja doesn’t take care of devotees. So he’s not in devotional service. Yamaraja takes care. Pious or impious, right? If you’re pious, then Yamadutas, they do a good job escorting you there and you get a nice boat ride. Everything is nice. But if you’re not, then they know what to do also. Right? But for the devotee, then they never see Yamaraja. Krishna arranges, you know, but arguers with sharp tongues will not respect this.
So this is Krishna’s saying.
Now, according to, you know, what’s saying there is that, but we could say, well, how come Krishna doesn’t make the arguers with sharp tongues respect this? You understand? But that’s their choice. And then you get the response of your activity.
Krishna then encourages the worried, lamenting Arjuna, O Kunti, going to the squabbling assembly with the tumultuous sounds of drums, throwing your hands in the air, you should fearlessly declare this.
My devotee, the devotee of the Supreme Lord, though committing sin, does not perish, but rather reaches success. Arguments in pride defeated, they should undoubtedly respect you as a guru.
Yes? So what is the position for a devotee who gives up the practice and gets deviated because of material desires? Are they also in a miscast car? Lease?
They’re not active, but still Yamaraja isn’t dealing with them like that. No, they’re done in their service, so…
No, no, this is that someone is taking up the process. Yeah, so in other words, you’re in contact with the bona fide process.
I mean, even if they did, he’s a nice guy.
He’s dharma himself, he can’t be all bad. But if you’re not religious, then he’s got, you know, some good forms to…
Okay, we’ll just read this and then end.
One should not… Okay. On the other hand, a devotee should not use these verses as an excuse to deliberately commit sinful activities. Srila Prabhupada explains in his purport. One should not misunderstand that a devotee in transcendental devotional service can act in all kinds of abominable ways. This verse only refers to an accident due to the strong power of material connections. It means he’s not committed to this is what he wants to do as a platform. He may be, oh, I want to do this, but it’s not that this is his determination. That subtlety has to be able to be understood.
Devotional service is more or less a declaration of war against an illusory energy. As long as one is not strong enough to fight the illusory energy, there may be accidental falldowns. But when one is strong enough, he is no longer subject to such falldowns as previously explained. No one should take advantage of this verse and commit nonsense that thinks that he is still a devotee. If he does not improve in his character by devotional service, then it should be understood that he is not a high devotee. In other words, he’s doing devotional service and he’s not improving because the other one would improve. He may be distracted by sinful activities, but because of his determination in devotional service, it’s improving, it’s becoming purified. He’s moving forward.
This other person says, no, it’s fine to be like this. So he’s not going to move forward like that. So he’s not very advanced.
Okay, so, oh, I’m not sure if I’m going to discuss this.
Oh, okay.
Yeah, I don’t think I discussed this. I wasn’t sure of the arrangements, but the rest of this week, I’m not going to be here.
It’s like this. You all have to have your classes. So I guess, uh, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, then the classes would be, yeah, the nectar of devotion.
