This verse is particularly applicable to modern society, because in modern society there is practically no education in spiritual matters. In this verse particularly, the process of hearing is strongly recommended, and this is very appropriate. Although the common man is often not as capable as so-called philosophers, faithful hearing from an authoritative person will help one transcend this material existence and go back to Godhead, back to home.
So, due to this lack of spiritual education, then it’s not part of the natural cultivation of lifestyle and practices in the modern society. In most other societies that we would consider that are not as modern or so modern, there’s a concept of the philosophy, the religion, and the lifestyle being combined. It’s one entity, just different aspects of it. So it’s expected that one will have a proper viewpoint, proper culture, proper attitude. But in the modern society that’s not… Okay. And the point of that is because karma yoga is based on good qualities. Jnana yoga is based on those good qualities of renunciation. One is good qualities with work and endeavor. The other is good qualities with detachment. And yoga is that peacefulness to be able to sit and focus and meditate, be in a solitary place, do these things. So these qualities, though, normally are inherently part of the lifestyle of this one following a religious process. In the modern society it’s not. One may say, no, but there are good qualities and people appreciate that someone has proper behavior and all that. But where does it come from? It’s not coming from religion. Maybe for an individual it is, maybe for some groups it is. But in the modern culture, what we call the modern culture, the modern democratic, consumerist culture, where your money generating good facility and having a peaceful environment in which the maximum amount of people, at least ideologically, are able to take advantage of it, then the basis is not religion, which is dharma. The basis is artha. So, in other words, the good qualities are there only for the purpose to see that artha and karma go on nicely.
Does that make sense? So there’s a difference.
Some may say, no, but it’s based on good qualities. You have to have good qualities. But the good qualities are there so that artha goes nicely.
So you’re working hard to make your money for sense gratification. It’s not your religious duty. There’s no long term necessarily. Long term means something beyond this lifetime. Anyone who’s working in longer terms, right, because those who are working in karma yoga are looking at longer. I will do something now, in the future I’ll get the good benefit. And not only that, in some things I’ll get benefit this life, but some things it’ll be next life, right? So if we look at the modern scenario, then those who are considered to be great leaders of the modern economic success, those who are considered to be great leaders of the modern economic success, then one of the common elements is they generally think in a 20 year plan. They think they had 20 years. And so that’s considered very unique or special amongst modern man. Right? You know, sometimes someone who’s other than those guys, your standard guy, if he’s really together, he’s got a five year plan. Not 20, five only. Right? And the other person is just thinking, you know, what’s going to happen today, tomorrow, next week, you know, hey, we’re going on vacation at Christmas, you know, that’s it. It doesn’t go past specific little things. It’s not a plan for the life. You understand?
So I do get it.
Okay.
Yes. So these qualities that they have of that, you know, determination, perseverance, work ethic and all that are for the purpose of economic development. It’s not because they’re not doing business because this is their duty, right? They’re a grihastha, they’re business families or something. They’re doing it because they want the results of business. You understand? Because karma yoga means it’s your duty to do business. So you do it. The result is up to the Lord. And that result then is dealt with in an aspect of detachment.
You understand? So the qualities are different.
It’s basically, I mean, basically saying quality, but in its interface with the living entity, individual, it doesn’t have as such a religious purpose because religion deals with the nature of something, right? Religion deals with the nature.
But this is not dealing with the nature. This is just dealing with their desire. So then the problem is you have to have some semblance of some good quality to make everybody work together without killing each other. So that’s the only purpose of the good quality, right? Because otherwise bottom line is what they do in their spare time. As long as it doesn’t bother anybody else. Nobody cares.
Yes.
They’re not interested in art. They’re not interested in art.
No, but if you don’t require it, why worry about it?
Yeah, but laziness is not a good quality.
So in other words, the good qualities are meant for devotional service. So if you’re not engaged in devotional service, then at least you’re being a nice guy. So then you’re being a nice, following these other practices of karma, jnana, yoga. You’re doing something that’s progressive. So laziness is not an option. It’s not a quality that there’s an option in. So that’s also a problem is that they’ll think that my not endeavoring for material benefit is actually detachment or renunciation when basically it’s just laziness. It means it’s not that someone who’s practicing a brahminical occupation may be living a simpler lifestyle, but he’s making his endeavor. He’s not doing nothing. Because people who do nothing in the Vedic system aren’t married.
Brahmacharya is the sannyasis, final process. They don’t do anything to generate money, but they’re not active grhasthas.
So they don’t need. If one’s an active grhastha, he has to generate funds. Varna is there. For the other three, technically, there is no varna. It’s just the brahminical lifestyle is what their occupation. So basically, brahmacharya’s varna process of sannyasis are brahmins, even if they’re not by varna, but their lifestyle and their occupation is brahminical. So only the grhasthas, then they will, they can take up, besides the brahminical, they could take up the satya-vaisna-suddha.
So it’s much more limited. Does that make sense? So in other words, laziness, but at the same time as you have to see that it’s the performance of your duty, and then what comes from that, that’s what then you live on. You know what I’m saying? In other words, do you have what money you want and whatever time is given to that, or you give your certain amount of time and whatever money comes? You understand? So Prabhupada recommends eight hours for varna, right? For your occupation that generates your facilities, eight hours. Because if you do more than that for a grhastha, it’s going to take out of your sadhana, because that starts at, I’d say, four in the morning until nine o’clock. By that time, now you’re ready to go do something else.
And then there’s family time, and then there’s sleep.
So more than eight hours is going to cut out of something.
Does that make sense? So what you get in eight hours, that’s what you live with. Because one may say, no, but if you work more, you get more. Not necessarily, maybe a touch more, but what do you lose?
That’s the point. Because these really wealthy people in eight hours can make hundreds of thousands or millions. Another guy makes ten bucks. So the point is, you’re only going to get what you’re going to get anyway, so you might as well be satisfied. Is that OK? Laziness is not a quality.
In the working field, the environment is very much changing so that there is often an expectation for you to work perhaps outside of those, that period of time. So then that’s where you have to decide if that’s what you want to be involved in, because by working outside of that time, you’ll make more money or keep that position. And at the same time, is it worth it what you lose on the other side? You spend the time, you have to put in that extra time, you make them more money, but what is that time coming out of? Because it’s not coming out of varna time. Varna time is eight hours. That’s done. It’s coming out of ashram time. And for a grhastha, that means then it’s divided between sadhana and family.
So something’s going to go there. So now then you just have to decide how you want to live.
So that’s why traditionally dweejas are independent is then they set their hours.
I’m saying they’re the ones setting the hours. They’re not. It’s not being set for them.
That’s the sacrifice you’d have to make. But then if by saying that’s the sacrifice you would have to make, then you’re taking it that making of money is the prominent element, the primary element, and then family and sadhana is secondary. You understand? Just like I was saying here before is that astanga yoga, if you take that as the primary, then knowledge is secondary element and they’re making endeavors. So the first six stages are considered karma yoga. Sankhya refers to the method of sankhya with meditation as the secondary element. Working without fruitive desires refers to the next karma of cultivation of knowledge and meditation as secondary elements. So if we say that, okay, that’s the sacrifice I have to make, that I don’t put so much time, then you’re making economics the primary element, family and like that. You know what I’m saying? But means we should never take it when the statement is used for Prabhupada mentions Varna first means Varna is the prominent element. No, because ashram is already brahminical. There is no other form of ashram. There’s no ksatriya ashram or vaisya ashram or shudra ashram. There’s only ashram. It’s brahminical.
Brahmacharya, grhastha, varna process. Yes, that’s a brahminical process. It’s for the purpose of understanding Brahma. Right? Varna, then that’s where the brahman, ksatriya, vaisya, shudra comes in. And that’s only applicable, as we said, to grhasthas. Right? Does that make sense? Otherwise, all the brahmacharys do the same thing, even though it’s understood, OK, they have a brahmacharya, vaisya nature, but their duties are the same. All varna prasthas, no matter what varna they’re from, their duties are the same. All sannyasis, no matter what varna they’re from, their duties are the same.
Does that make sense? So the varna first element means that understanding that, then you can define how they will be situated in, you know, when do they begin brahmacharya? Do they begin brahmacharya? When do they get out of it? Will they be grhasthas or not? You know what I’m saying? Because generally, only brahmins would not get married.
Right? Always ksatriyas, vaisyas, they always get married. Very rare you see where someone doesn’t. But otherwise, even if they’re not, they’re living in the grhastha environment.
Sometimes in business family, there’s one person who’s not married, but he’s doing business, and he’s involved in the family and everything, but he’s just not married.
Because like a sudra, he doesn’t go to gurukula, so it’s considered he’s always grhastha.
Brahmacharya means you’re not at home, you go to the school. Then that’s brahmacharya. But if you live at home all the time, you’re grhastha, just unmarried. So then does secondary become primary because of lack of faith in Krishna? Does the secondary become primary because of lack of faith? It’s not necessarily lack of faith, it’s just strong faith in the material energy and so on. Because you’re dealing with two things at once. One’s material attachments. That was the point before, is that the living entity is addicted to a certain combination of the modes. So then economics is one combination. Someone else’s power, someone else’s art and expression, someone else’s knowledge, and everything’s like this. So everybody has their specific attachment.
So the idea is connect that attachment to Krishna. Then it starts to work. So you don’t want to overbalance it. Because the point is that, why have a family if one is not going to take care?
So therefore in this age, let’s say this time, not this age specifically, this time where there is no training in lifestyle processes that are elevating in a way other than elevating to the point of economics.
Because the other systems will take on past economics into dharma and moksha.
So then this process of hearing, which is the most important of all these processes, still works. So through hearing, then one gets this understanding. Through hearing, then we take that in practice. And through hearing, then that success is obtained. So therefore this hearing and chanting is the most central of all the processes. So it’s prominent. And then karma yoga, jnana yoga and jnana yoga are secondary. So that’s why before Krishna’s pointing these things out so you know how they work and how they’re devotional service and how to use them to advance devotionally. But then he points out kevalabhata, pure devotional service, which means it’s the primary and these are secondary. So the hearing, chanting is primary. These are secondary.
So that combination, then that’s your buddhi yoga.
Because primary is devotion. Secondary is these other three. Whatever works. Yes. Kevalabhati is saying the devotional element is pure. Buddhi yoga means that you’re engaged in devotional service through these processes of using karma, jnana and jnana yogas. So now here’s also an interesting thing to note, is that when one is working within that system of these three yogas, one is prominent, the others are supportive. But then when you’re talking about pure devotional service, pure devotional service is prominent. These other three yogas are secondary. Now within that secondary, according to one’s condition nature, one will be prominent, the others will be secondary.
Does that make sense? So the devotion is primary and then your particular yoga is secondary. And then that makes all the other ones tertiary.
So then like that, then one can. So one has to get used to this, that there’s, you’re going to have something, it’s two things, but then something still has a division. It doesn’t make it into three. One has to be able to accommodate that. The modern is that you get each one of them the equal thing. And that’s why then without the balance, it doesn’t have the culture.
Let us say, OK, let us take, we want to make some pasta. And we’re going to take half a kilo. So it’s got some kind of variety of dried wheat product that you’re going to boil. It has some kind of, let’s say, we’ll go with a more generic, some tomatoes. There’s going to be some spices, some salt, some olive oil. Let’s just stick to that. So now the Vedic would be that you have half a kilo of pasta. You have a kilo of tomatoes. You use, I say, 150 grams of the olive oil. You’re going to use about 30 grams of salt. And what did we leave out? OK, some basil and all that. You use a handful. OK, we can live with that. So you have a balance and it has that preparation. Modern would be, OK, we have these five elements. So there’s half a kilo of pasta. There’s half a kilo of tomatoes. There’s half a kilo of salt. There’s half a kilo of olive oil. And there’s half a kilo of basil.
Bon appetit.
You understand? That’s the problem with the modern. It has the elements. And they’ll say, that’s like at the beginning of the discussion. We say the Vedic has these good qualities. The modern doesn’t. They say, no, no, but people know that being good and nice and working together and cooperating and democracy and mom and apple pie and all this is very, very important.
But the difficult, sorry, and helping old ladies across the street. OK.
And you can still do that. Right. That’s not considered like male shogunism or anything. Right. Opening the door for a younger lady. Now, that’s a problem. Right. But the old ladies across the street, that’s getting out your seat is also considered. It’s still cool. Some places it depends because then you might be patronizing. Why can’t they stand? They don’t have enough energy to stand. What’s wrong with standing?
I got lost somewhere.
OK, so. But the problem is, is they can’t tell what’s the balance between these qualities and what the qualities are actually meant for. You understand? Because if I know it’s to eat, then I understand that I have to have a balance there. But if I don’t understand it’s for eating, then what does it matter to me that there’s half a kilo of salt and half a kilo of pasta? Because you’re not going to eat it anyway. You know, not only that, it’ll be well preserved. It’ll last a lot longer than this, you know, more, you know, how you say old fashioned way of preparation. Right. You know, that goes bad after a few hours because the tomatoes with this. Hey, you know, it turns into pasta pickle.
So that might be interesting. You look at it as a pickle, then it might work. Right. All that oil and all that salt. You’ll definitely get a pickle. That’s an interesting point. Huh? Pickle marinara.
Right. Marinara has pasta in it. I think that’s pasta. Oh, OK. Pickle marinara. OK.
OK. Then. So is that clear? Is how to distinguish these qualities, because the basis of these qualities is not is not doesn’t have a balance in progressive life other than progressing economics. Right. That’s why the point came up. So then we’re making that sacrifice of doing less work and all that, because that’s what the culture is aimed at. So in the modern culture, that is a sacrifice.
Right. You know, because it may mean, you know, you have to stick with your, you know, how you say your G3 iPhone instead of the G4, you know, because, you know, you’re not willing to put in that extra time. So you’re not getting that extra money. So it’ll just have to wait. Right.
OK. We weren’t the we read the translations, not the twenty to thirty five. First, twenty eight to thirty five described the vision of a person equipped with knowledge of the material nature, the soul and the super soul. One develops such a vision by good association. So we see here is it’s still always coming up, hearing and association.
Right. You see a nectar devotion. That’s the prominent element. Krishna always is mentioning this throughout. You have to hear and you have to have proper associate. I mean, hearing from the proper source and having proper association. That’s what actually is the dynamic elements of the whole process. These others are to engage the conditioned nature. Right. Karma, jnana and jnana yogas engage the conditioned nature. Right. So make sense. But hearing, chanting, associating with devotees. These aren’t according to conditioned nature. These are the natural activities of the soul.
When it can see the body, the eternal individual soul and the super soul is actually seer versus twenty eight. Oh, that was the thing that we were talking about is the ability to understand. Yeah, that there are balance. So therefore means you see the material. You know the field and you know the knower of the field. But the knower of the field is two. Right. And of the two, one senior, one junior. Right. Just like you say there’s sambandha, abhidheya and prayojana. But sambandha has two aspects. The field itself and that inspiration to work in the field. Right. Because the field itself is then what the activity is based on. But the reason of activity is relationship.
Right. So that starts with the desire. Right. So that starts the process of desire, goal and. And I mean, yeah, where you have your desire, there’s the goal. And then you take up the activity that will accomplish that goal. Right. So those three are there, but they’re based on the field. Right. So the ability to see things, how they will group naturally. But what is, you know, primary, what secondary, you know, what goes together. But it has divisions because otherwise the modern anytime they can find a division, they make it. But it’s got equal, equal weight with something else. Right. Means like, let’s say, just say we are learning grammar, at least in English. It has this problem is that you have the different parts of speech. Right. Means the different means, in other words, the field of the language. And so of that, then you have nouns and verbs. Right. And then they’ll have adverbs, adjectives, you know, and what you call it, pronouns and all these other kinds of things like that, you know, conjuncts and these things. But they’re all just considered one of the eight. But the point is, is actually there’s only nouns and verbs. All these others are simply assisting in that process that doesn’t come out. If that come out, then kids would actually understand. You understand. But it’s all equal. So therefore, you know, you know, I’m saying this is the problem in the modern is that they don’t understand the balance because the balance is not speculative.
Right. They’ll observe and make some adjustments. And oh, we thought it was like that. Now we know it’s, you know, it should be adjusted this way. And then. But after some time, then some other adjustment. And then someone comes up with some other idea and then changes it again.
It’s just the same. That’s the problem with it. That’s why it makes it so difficult. See, that’s it. Technically speaking, it would be harder for someone who doesn’t know English to learn English. Well, actually, it’d be hard for someone in English to learn the other because they don’t understand the principle of grammar.
There’s people who are very intelligent who somehow another on their own are able to work it out. But you have to work it out yourself because the books actually can’t work it out for you.
Even the college level definitions of things, they can’t define one of them on their own. Each one is always compared to the next.
That’s the difficulty. So by working with it a while, you yourself are able to see. But it’s not that the system itself. That’s the difference. So that’s the problem, because it’s based on speculation.
These other languages, it’s not speculation. They don’t know why it’s there, but it’s been like that for thousands of years.
So it’s based on a science.
But here it’s not. So it’s the cultures like that also. They have all these elements, but they actually don’t know the importance of one over the other. So therefore, OK, freedom, democracy. So that being most important. So therefore, then, you know, the kid should also have a say in what we do in the family and all these things like that, which is nice on certain things. You know, hey, you want to have this for dinner or that for dinner. That’s OK. But on other things, it’s not. So they can’t find the balance between where, you know, then the parent and child, you know, and these other things. And so everything’s out of balance. So culturally, it’s a mess. So therefore, in such a situation, then hearing and chanting will work. And by that purification, then with time, one can understand one’s conditioned nature and be able to understand how much one can take advantage of or requires engaging karma, jnana and jnana yogas. You understand? To address that. But in the beginning, it’s not very obvious. So therefore, hearing and chanting.
Does that make sense? In other words, if you don’t know your varna or ashram, then hearing and chanting is your main. It’s going to be main anyway, but that’s basically what you got. If you know what your varna and ashram is, then you can say, OK, then I understand how to apply karma. Karma yoga means what are you engaging? Right. Your actions, which means it’s based on what your varna and ashram is.
Right. Like that. So if you can’t understand the varna, how are you going to engage in karma yoga? Right. Does that make sense? Jnana yoga. Then you’d have to have that. Generally, more intellectual people do that. But you do have those. I have seen when I came to India, very intelligent, you know, people who are vicious, you know. You know, they wear tilak and dhodis and everything, but they’re huge businessmen like that. And they do the puja every morning for hours. They can quote shlokas coming out of your ears like that. You know what I’m saying? Like that. So you do have that quality. So then they would be balancing these two. Or someone else in the family just does business. It’s only going to be karma yoga. You know, so there is karma with the support of jnana. But then there’s others who are, you know, very much just into the jnana. Does this make sense? Maharaj, could I say that to properly engage the secondary, I need to know the primary? Yes. Until you’re situated in the primary, the secondary won’t come so well. But if you can’t do that and you know the secondary, then engage it. Because by that you’ll be purified. Then you’ll get more of a taste for hearing and chanting. Is this where we see the value of the stories of the different personalities and how they come to that after getting the balance wrong? They come to what? To the platform of the hearing and chanting realization. Yes. You could say that. But they’re showing how to engage one’s situation, you know, in the Lord’s service. So they’re showing how it’s done as opposed to figuring out how to do it.
So does that make sense? Gita is showing you what should be done in Bhagavatam. They’re doing it. They’re applying it. Like that. Guru Maharaj knows he’s a ksatriya. Otherwise, why is he asking for a kingdom? Right? So? Yeah. You know, so, yeah. More land, you know. Hey. If you own all the land in the universe, then that’s a good monopoly. Like that. You don’t even let people buy. They can only lease.
OK. The Supersoul is equally present everywhere in every living being. One who sees this does not degrade himself by his mind and attains Krsna. Because that means you won’t degrade yourself by the mind because the mind won’t be thinking about stupid stuff. Because you see the Supersoul is everywhere. Everything that you’re involved in, Supersoul is there. Every person you’re dealing with, Supersoul is there. So whereas the lead doesn’t give rise to the opportunity for the mind to misbehave. Because it only misbehaves because it’s not connected to Krsna. But the Supersoul is everywhere. So therefore, the mind is always properly connected. Is that why atheists is always, I mean, for people who want to enjoy, they always like this? Because Paramatma is there. How can they? Yeah. The point is, is if the Lord’s there, if the Lord’s involved, then how are you going to enjoy yourself? Right? You know, it’s like some gurukul kids were complaining once. Says, we know too much to enjoy the material nature, but we’re not serious enough to enjoy spiritual life.
Except that you ingested the poison. Yeah.
It’s like that.
Srila Bala Vibhushan writes in his commentary to verse 29, He who sees the Lord distinctly situated with permanent qualities and form in all living entities equally does not cause degradation of himself by the mind which contemplates the transformation of property and is lusty for the taste of such objects. He attains the excellent position discriminating the self from the transformations of property by developing disgust for the taste of property.
This word disgust, it comes from the idea that it does not belong to me. It belongs to the Lord, so the activity is not proper. Disgust, it belongs to me, that’s also. I would say it’s more comes from the element, because that wouldn’t be disgust. It would come from the element that it’s not something you’d want to get involved in. You know what I’m saying?
Like some garbage, you know, if we said, you know, here’s lunch, you’d go, you’d be disgusted, right? But a crow or a pig, you know, hey, great. You know what I’m saying? So the point is, is that because there’s a higher taste, the lower one is given up. Because higher taste, because that’s why he’s very specific things. He sees the Lord distinctly. He’s as clear, it’s not just, OK, he’s kind of there. Remember, like, what was it, Atriya Rishi? He asked for the Supreme to be his son, but he wasn’t very clear exactly what that meant. So then he got, you know, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, you know, as his son. Right? Together as one. So distinctly situated, right? It means he’s very clearly there in every living entity and in every situation. Everything that’s working, he’s involved, right? In every atom. So the elements, the selves, the actions that they perform, the purposes they accomplish, like that, the people involved, super souls there and everything, but distinctly. And it says with permanent qualities and form. All right? Because if it’s permanent means then you understand the personal element. Otherwise, he may be there as a temporary manifestation of the mode of goodness, of Brahman, like that. You know what I’m saying? The Mayavadis just say like that. So they can relate to that. Yes, you start with that, but then the higher stage, no. But the point is this, the higher stage is understanding the permanent qualities and form.
Because otherwise, qualities, how will they come from somewhere? Right? And if you’re saying quality of Brahman is eternity, eternity is still a quality. So where did eternity come from?
You know what I’m saying? How does it come from itself? It is a quality of existence. But what is existing? That’s the question.
So when he sees the Lord is permanent, he has the qualities, then that means the qualities are in everything. Right? And in all living entities. So it doesn’t matter who the living entity, the Lord’s there. Then you don’t degrade yourself because you contemplate the transformation. You think the transformation is yours. But the Lord’s in the object, original object. He’s in the process of transformation. And he’s in the transformed product.
You know what I’m saying? So where is the point of, you know, enjoyment? Right? So in other words, one can be an instrument in that process. And then, Krishna being happy, you’re going to be happy. Right?
And then, in that, you develop this taste for trying to enjoy. It means developing this for the taste of property. Now, if you’re engaging something in Krishna’s service, and one is happy in that process, is that the taste of property? No. No. Even though it’s using external energy, it’s not the taste of property. The taste of property is illusion.
So in other words, there’s a disgust for trying to taste something not connected to Krishna.
You understand? So it’s not like the Mayavadis, who just try to give up the taste. It’s a matter of, you have another taste, so why would you be interested in the lower taste? Right? The kid’s out in the backyard eating mud pies. Right? So then, the mother gives him some nice sandesh or that. So then, liking the sandesh, he doesn’t eat the mud pies.
Verse 29 describes how.
Oh, maybe that’s why. Because on your own, you’ll make a mud pie. But if there’s mom, then there’ll be apple pie. So is that meaning that one has already come to a higher stage in that? And so that’s what they’re trying to bring out. So that’s the good American quality. I don’t think they think so much about it. Oh, I see. So you don’t think that there’s some hidden philosophical import there. I might be wrong, but no. My gut says no. Okay.
Verse 29 describes how, by seeing the Lord present everywhere, one can discriminate himself from matter. Verses 30 to 31 explain how one can attain the same result by observing the transformations of property. One who can see that the soul is beyond bodily activities actually sees. One can see the difference between the bodies and the living entities are due to different desires of the individual souls and do not actually belong to the soul itself. He actually sees. So here he’s showing these different ways of seeing. If you see the Supersoul there, then you’re an instrument in that process. So you’re just starting with the Lord and then working back to yourself. This other one is then you’re seeing the transformations of property, so you’re seeing your separation from it. Because if you say the transformations of property, it means it’s not your transformation, so you’re not property. So you can see matter is transforming. So why is that transforming? Because of God’s will, His purposes. So therefore, you’re also not engaged.
Does that make sense?
So the different bodies are transforming because of the different desires of the individual souls. If the soul has a desire, then it transforms.
These are the seven systems.
They’re very noisy.
So starting with either one of these, it’ll work, the process. You start with the matter, we’re not the matter, we’re the soul. Or we’re the soul, we’re not the matter. Or Paramatma’s there. And so therefore, all this is His. So we can take part in it. It’s just like the karma-jnana and jnana -yogas. One will start off to be the prominent and the other one’s the support. So you can start with any one of these. You can start with the super-soul, start with the soul, start with the material energy. But if you see with the same vision, then you’ll come to the same result.
Because the other one’s a yoga, you’re connecting. But you’re using beyond activities or meditation.
So here you’re using the field of activities, the soul or the super-soul.
When we analyze prakriti, we shanka, yes. Because that then gives the breakdown of the elements. Means you can also be watching the cause and effect. You can also use that as a breakdown. You know that the material energy transforms itself. The soul doesn’t actually transform it. We don’t have that potency. Super-soul has that potency. So it’s actually super-soul who, through the modes of nature, then the transformation is there. So he sanctions. So then the external potency then, through that modes, transforms. But the soul doesn’t transform it, but one thinks one did. One can be an instrument in it, but one is not actually doing that.
You know what I’m saying?
Like you take a piece of wood and you saw it in half. You know what I’m saying? What actually sawed it in half? The saw, right? And the saw is the soul? No, saw is material energy. So material energy is transforming. But you can be an instrument in it, but you are involved in the process.
You know what I’m saying? So that means the potency of the Lord to cut is then applying on the particular potency of the wood to be cut. You take that same saw, you know, and take a, you know, like that. Okay, we have this apple juice here, and you know, you want half, I want half. So we’ll take the saw and we’ll saw the juice in half.
Right? No, it won’t work. So because that potency is not there.
You understand? So the material energy itself then is transforming within itself due to the laws of nature, right, which are governed by the Lord. He sanctions.
Does that make sense? Okay. So even within these, you have these different aspects.
So in other words, you’re getting these forms on how to put together all this knowledge, right? Because then in each one of them, the soul, there’s so much definition of the soul. There’s so much definition of action, so much definition of knowledge.
So you know how that fits. Otherwise, it’s this big book that has so much stuff in it. How do you analyze it? Basically, it’s being brought down to this, right? You know, there’s the field and there’s the knower of the field. So then in dealing with that, then you’re either going to use this pure devotional service or you’re going to use these various yogas, right? Or a combination, right? And then within each one of them, they have their subdivisions of the processes, right? And of what you’re dealing with, then the material energy, the living entity and the Lord, right? Does that make sense? So acit-iśvara is there, right? Then you have a process. So that’s these karma-jñāna-yoga and bhakti, right? And then you have a goal.
So depending upon what process you’re using, you have your goal. So Kṛṣṇa’s recommending the pure love of God. That’s generally that. So then these processes are seen that way. So the acit-iśvara.
So then that’s complete philosophy. So everything fits into these five. And these five fit into sambandhā-videha-prayoṣa.
Does that make sense?
The soul is imperishable, transcendental, eternal, beyond the modes of nature. Even while in contact with the body, the soul neither does anything or is actually entangled. When the soul understands this constitutional position as servant of Kṛṣṇa, he does not mix with the body, though he is situated in it. The soul illuminates the entire body by consciousness. Those who can see with the eyes of knowledge the difference between the body, the soul, and the Supersoul, and can understand the process of liberation, attain Kṛṣṇa. So all five are mentioned just in that sentence. You understand? One who can see with the eyes of knowledge. So that’s what’s going to be. What means through the eyes of knowledge means what we’ve gained from guru-sādhu and śāstra. The difference between the body, the soul, and the Supersoul, so acit-iśvara, can understand the process of liberation, that’s the abhidheya, and attain Kṛṣṇa, prayoja.
Śrīla Prabhupāda summarizes Chapter 13 as follows.
The purpose… The first part, knowledge, that’s broken up in the Tadasi Mūla, isn’t it? The sub-bundled definition of sub-knowledge. Yeah, you could say that, but that also defines citta-citta and iśvara. But you can see with the eyes of knowledge, the eyes of knowledge is based on the śāstra, so this will then establish, you can say this even takes it more, where it goes into defining the fundamentals of the Tadasi Mūla. So then you have citta-citta-iśvara, the process, and the goal, but those are based on the authority of the scripture.
So the scripture is that basis, and these are what’s described in the scripture. So you have pramāṇa, or evidence, and you have pramāya, what is defined by the evidence. So pramāṇa is this knowledge, which comes from śāstra.
And then pramāya is the difference between the body, the soul, the super-soul, understanding the process and understanding the goal.
And then within this, then in Tadasi Mūla, then the knowledge, the eyes of knowledge is one thing, the process is considered one, bhakti, the goal, love of God is one thing. But then in understanding the super-soul, then you’re going to have three elements. There’s going to be Him as the Supreme, Him as the Lord of all energies, and Him as the Lord of rasa. And in the soul, then you’re going to have the conditioned soul, the liberated soul, and the nature of the soul, the inherent nature of the soul. So these three things will be described. And then acintya-bheda-bheda-tattva, what is their actual relationship?
Does that make sense? Because that difference means then the relationship.
Does that make sense? Yes. What’s the difference between consciousness, how consciousness works with intelligence, mind? Are they mixed together or how it works?
The consciousness defines your perception.
It means if you have proper consciousness, you see that you are the servant of the Supreme Lord. You have polluted consciousness, then you think, I’m the controller and enjoyer. So based on that, then you’re going to engage the intelligence, the mind, and the senses in pursuing whatever is the kind of consciousness you have. So if the consciousness is constitutional, you’ll pursue that. If the consciousness is conditional, you’ll pursue that.
So like this perception, can we also say that it is kind of intelligence? It means it will be expressed through intelligence.
But the point is, is consciousness means that you’re conscious. Intelligence means that you’re discriminating. So there’s a difference. But the two go together. Because the chit potency is consciousness, and that’s what knowledge is.
So that’s why we’re working with polluted consciousness, so we have polluted intelligence. But because of the nature of the soul, you can work with pure consciousness, and therefore pure intelligence.
They go together. So if you’re using pure consciousness, pure intelligence will be there. In other words, you’re going to do something.
But to do that, okay. And so then you look at it devotionally and say, well, this is not so ideal to do. So that’s pure consciousness and pure intelligence. But then we decide, no, I’m going to do it anyway. So now that switches us then back into polluted consciousness. And so now you must use your intelligence to decide how you’re going to do that activity. You know what I’m saying? Because if you use the pure consciousness and the pure intelligence, then how you would deal with that situation would be different.
You understand?
What’s the Sanskrit name for consciousness?
It’s chit. Chit.
And intelligence is buddhi.
Within consciousness, you’re discriminating.
See, that’s the thing. The Mayavadis, they think consciousness stands on its own. Like that. But consciousness and intelligence go together. And here’s the fun part. Is that if everything’s just eternal, where’s the consciousness?
Right? So how do you even know you’re eternal? So if you don’t know you’re eternal, how do you enjoy being eternal?
You know what I’m saying? So because they only accept sat. There is no chit. And there is no ananda. But there’s somehow another saying that all sat, chit and ananda are there, but there’s only sat.
Right? This is the problem with their… Yes. Yeah.
The point is because their identity is I’m the controller and enjoyer. That’s the actual identity. You know, they’re just willing to give up the lower forms of that and work on the higher form. You know? I can’t be a successful businessman or family person like that. I’ll become God.
You know? You know what I’m saying? It’s like… You know, I’m having trouble, you know. I can’t… No one will vote for me for mayor, but so therefore I’ll run for president.
Yes. Yes, Maharaj. Does Jnana Saksha refer to realized knowledge? Does? Does it refer to realized knowledge? To Jnana. I couldn’t hear what you said. This Jnana Saksha, does it mean realized knowledge? Jnana Saksha. Chakshus. Oh, Jnana Chakshus.
Realized knowledge. That’s what you want to get to, but it can also be just understanding. In other words, you hear something, right? And then in practicing it, you’ll take what you’ve heard because you understand and try to apply it in the situation.
So you see that way, and so then you try to act that way. And then from that, it’ll give you more understanding, so it’ll go back and forth until it does become realization. But realization is what you want to get to.
But it starts with… Because it says one who can see with the eyes of knowledge.
Right? So then that means you’re applying it. Would it be like a nice karmic level? Would it be like a nice karmic level? I mean, it would have to be a nice karmic level if you’re actually seeing the soul, super-soul, and the body, the difference. Because then you’re not acting for.
Because if you see the difference and you’re using that for your own sense gratification, then you’re not going to understand the process and attain Krishna. So you won’t actually understand the distinction between them because then you think that the living entity is the enjoyer. But he can only think he’s the enjoyer if he thinks that it’s his. So he would have to think he’s transforming material energy. Right? So you’d have to see it in the devotional line, otherwise you won’t actually see it. So only devotees can really see. Right? But that seeing starts with understanding and turns into realization.
The purport of this thirteenth chapter is that one should know the distinction between the body, the owner of the body, and the super -soul. One should recognize the process of liberation as described in verses eight through twelve. Then one can go on to the supreme destination. One can understand that this body is matter. It can be analyzed by its twenty-four elements. Right? Here’s the asaṅkhya.
The body is a gross manifestation and the subtle manifestation is the mind and psychological effects. And the symptoms of life are the interaction of these features.
But over and above this there is the soul and there is also the super-soul. The soul and super-soul are two. The material world is working by the conjunction of the soul and the twenty-four material elements. One who can see the constitution of the whole material manifestation as this combination of the soul and the material elements and can also see the situation of the Supreme Lord becomes eligible for transfer to the spiritual world. These things are meant for contemplation and for realization. Right? So this answer is your one. Right? Contemplation and realization. And one should have a complete understanding of this chapter with the help of the spiritual master.
Very nice summary.
Right? So he’s put everything into perspective. So you have to know these three. Right? And understanding that and you should know the process of liberation which is then applied.
Right? Starting with one of these or a combination of these and understanding the complete picture.
And then you analyze the material element, material nature, the body through the material elements. Right? And the life forms because of the transformations. You know, birth, growth, maintenance, reproduction, dwindling, death like this. So all these elements you can see. Right? So then you’re cultivating through that. Using the element of karma and then how these elements are transforming and working together. If that’s the area of interest. Or jnan, how the process of knowledge and detachment and all that’s working. Or jnan, the process of meditation, the mind and all that. So all these then find their place here. So then this is the science how all that can be put together. Means whatever’s been given before. Right? Because after the 12th chapter, it means first six chapters are describing the process of karma, jnan and yoga and the soul. Right? Actually, it’s the Supreme Lord also. So then and then after that, specifically the Lord and devotional service. Right? So now this is saying how to combine that all.
The which comes? Shastra. Knowledge. Knowledge.
And in this process, I mean, I would realize that I’m a servant and then pick up the mood. Yes. In other words, these purports are what it says. One should have a complete understanding of this chapter with the help of the spiritual master. In other words, through these bhaktivedanta purports. This is how we’re going to understand. Because shastra is defining the Supreme Lord. But from so many different aspects, to any level of realization and any different method of absorption.
So that’s all the shastra gives all that. So then the parampara then connects that to the Lord and in a specific way. So the instructions of the acaryas then is what is going to make it work. And you approach your acaryas through your spiritual master. So by understanding these purports, then it makes it very clear what the previous acaryas are saying. Because Prabhupada has already taken what they’ve given here. Like you see in this. This is very important to note. In here, we have Prabhupada’s purports. We have Baladeva’s. We have Visvanatha. Even Ramanuja or different persons are there. But does one ever notice a difference in flavor? No. But if you just go and pick up their book and read it, you might find a difference in flavor.
So what’s the difference?
Yes, of course. That’s there. But why is it that in this presentation, there’s no mix of flavor? Okay, getting there. Close but aligned with what?
Of? Prabhupada’s. Yeah, that’s the point. In other words, they’re being given in the context of how Prabhupada presented it. Does that make sense? So that’s what Rupa Goswami means by approaching the previous acaryas through one’s own acarya.
Right? Does that make sense? So the founder acarya is our acarya. Right? Then we have our spiritual master to see that we’re properly connecting to Srila Prabhupada’s instructions. Right? But it’s always going to be Srila Prabhupada’s instructions. Right? The spiritual master’s instructions are how to understand Prabhupada’s. Right? Does that make sense? They don’t stand on their own. Right? Prabhupada’s stands on its own. That’s because it already includes everything else. It’s just the way the process works. Right? You have a founder and that’s the way it works.
So if the one does that, then it works very, very nicely.
Yes? The founder acarya establishes the hermeneutics of the whole. Yeah, the founder acarya establishes the hermeneutics for us how to approach. I mean, specifically that hermeneutics is established by Rupa Goswami. But how we’re to understand Rupa Goswami, that’s then given by our acarya. Because the point is the acarya knows the situation. So therefore, he gives for that. People may say, oh, but the situation’s changed. It’s been 50 years. Think about it. When you read Greek history or Roman history, how many paragraphs can you cross a few centuries?
Right? Because the Greeks, you know, they start like 2000, 3000 BC. Right? And generally, in one paragraph, you’ve crossed that whole thing. You know, they were there, some villagers. They somehow or another got together and figured out and said, hey, we seem to be the same kind of, you know, wild tribals. You know, we kind of speak a similar language and we kind of have the same ideas. Hey, why don’t we kind of work together? Like that. And then they created the Minoan culture or something like that. And then some others that were on the other side, the Aegean Sea. Right? Aegean Sea. Right? So very different and all that. Then they developed kind of also a slightly different thing. And then some other marauders from somewhere else that God only knows where they came from. Because no one could figure it out. Right? Because all they were were Greeks. But where did these guys come from? And so they came in. And then that disturbed that. And that created this. And then it somehow or another, the whole culture broke down. And for, I forget it is 200 or 400 years, they had no written language. They had nothing. You went from this whole society to nothing.
Yeah, the Dark Ages, the Greek Dark Ages. And then somewhere about 700, 800, 700 BC, they somehow figured it out. And got it back together and started the Olympics. So that may have been the thing that brought everyone together.
Yeah. I was just thinking. They brought everyone together because they got a bunch of nude men running around and doing activities. So everyone could come and look at them.
That was the start of how they got everyone together. Okay. So my point is, is that 50 years in modern culture doesn’t actually mean anything.
Age of Enlightenment. How long was that? Renaissance. How long is that? Dark Ages. How long is that? We’re talking sometimes hundreds of years.
So the point is, and so Prabhupada says books are for 10,000 years because there’s always going to be this element of people not following the Vedic culture in this context of, you know.
Does that make sense? So that means it always will be valid.
Yes. So the relationship between Siksha Guru and Diksha Guru and Acharya and the Sastra, anything particular to look out for?
It means, in other words, the founder Acharya is speaking what the head of the line is saying. So he’s able to articulate it so that you understand. In other words, Prabhupada can articulate it so the modern person can fully understand what Rupa Goswami is saying and apply it in his life. That’s what makes the founder Acharya. Then, so that means any other guru after that, he has to be speaking what Prabhupada says in that flavor. It adjusts from there, then it’s not like, well, he’s a guru and it’s his right. No, because it’s in the founder’s line, these are the founder’s people.
So he’s just an assistant in that process. So that’s why the process works, because the instruction that you’re getting from the founder is that Uttamadakari, Nityasiddha, liberated, pure devotee, whatever else you want to throw in, that is already there. Because the point is, why do you want to take initiation from a pure, unalloyed devotee? Because of that proximity you get to the body or something? I would like to copy the behavior. Yes. So the point is, it’s the instruction.
So that’s already there in Prabhupada’s purports. But that still has to be given because the parampara, I must connect to you.
So that connection is there. But then the same time as the instruction, that still goes back to Prabhupada. Like Narottam dasa Thakur, he was not a Diksha disciple of Krishnas Kaviraj Goswami, but he’s a Siksha disciple. But there’s four generations between them.
You understand?
Does that make sense?
So that’s the element.
Does that make sense? So the Siksha, because it’s instruction, then that element is eternal.
The Diksha element is dealing with your conditioned nature. So you have to have the Diksha element to deal with the conditioned nature. To connect that to the Siksha that’s given by the founder. Does that make sense?
Do we see the Diksha as the only Siksha? If we’re looking at it from Diksha terms, in other words, the neophyte tends to do that. Which is not a problem if it’s the reality. You know what I’m saying? In other words, someone comes to Krishna consciousness, then with time, one starts to have faith in many senior devotees.
And then with time, one of those becomes prominent, then you take initiation. So now the natural process is, this is the spiritual master who gave Diksha, and his Siksha is the most prominent. But these other Siksha gurus are also part of the process of your upliftment. That would be the natural stage. So then if that’s there, if anything does happen to… And it’s all Siksha, in other words, it was all based on Siksha. Just that you took Diksha from. So now if anything happens to that Diksha guru, that means you have all that support of the other Siksha gurus, because it’s Siksha why you’re approaching spiritual master. Diksha being a ritual, it’s already accomplished. And the point of Diksha is to hear Siksha. So one technically doesn’t need re-initiation.
Re-initiation is important if your Diksha guru wasn’t a bona fide Diksha guru.
Or not, let’s say, was not a bona fide Siksha guru.
Right? Does that make sense? You know, it’s like the family guru. So maybe Goswamis, and that Diksha would, you know, technically remains, but that’s generally going to be like Upanayanam or something like that. And even if it was Pancharatra, then it’s not actually a proper Pancharatra connection. So therefore you have to be someone else. You know what I’m saying? It’s like Bhaktivinoda Gaura. He’s taken from, you know, someone in the Goswami line. It’s a bona fide Goswami line. So the Diksha connection itself is bona fide, but their Siksha is a bit out to lunch. So, you know, he decided to, you know, go with someone who is…
Yes? If you hear Siksha from different guru, from different disciples, even though they follow in line with your problem, but they are different personalities… They’re different personalities. That’s why the Diksha guru is the prominent. Yes. But the Siksha, when we hear, he can’t stick only to the Diksha guru, because, you know, society… I couldn’t say it again? No. He cannot stick only to the Diksha guru because of the society and many Siddha devotees we can hear from. Yes, no, but we can hear from that we have that kind of faith that they would be the prominent ones in your life in taking you back to Godhead. See, the difficulty why I’m saying this is because before it was popular in the 80s that, you know, you have your guru and have all these different persons, so when you take initiation, then the chase thing to do is you give up that interaction with those other persons on that close level. And so it’s just the Diksha guru. Then when the Diksha guru left, then they’re left with nobody. Well, if they hadn’t taken that neophyte attitude, because no one said that you have to do this. This is just their own idea, you know. And so then you would have support of other devotees. And if you understand the Diksha connection is still alive, like that, because it’s kept alive by Siksha. If you’re getting Siksha from others, it’s alive. If you’re not getting Siksha, then you have a question. So if you’re defining that you only get Siksha from this person that you take Diksha from, if you lose the Diksha guru, then in your process you would have to accept another Diksha guru to get Siksha. So therefore the Diksha connection is lost. But it’s a very neophyte way of doing it. It can be done, but it’s extremely neophyte.
You know what I’m saying?
No, but that’s sadhu. You have guru, sadhu, and shastra. So that’s sadhu, because within you have three levels of the preachers. You have the founder, acarya. You have the sadguru, which is the Diksha guru, or any Siksha gurus on that level. And then you have the preachers. So the preachers preach to you, but they’re not taking you personally as a responsibility.
They’re taking the responsibility to preach to those within Prabhupada’s mission.
So that can be any senior devotee.
So they’re all Siksha gurus, but they’re not Siksha on the level of sadhu.
Does that make sense? Like the temple president is there, he guides you, but then at some point you leave the temple or he goes somewhere else. There may be no specific feelings of obligation.
But you can, just like the Diksha gurus on the level of sadhu, they’re taking you back to God, you can have Siksha gurus like that also. Does that make sense? So there’s three levels.
So technically this is next year’s discussion. This is Harinam Chintamani.
On the verse, not accepting, not thinking the guru is an ordinary person. Right? And then ten offenses.
We’ll move from this. Somehow I know this is interesting, is that I notice, you notice this pattern? When we get to the last page, when we end it, because then it’s conclusion and you bring everything together and use the different things, somehow that sparks off this whole, you know, it means we can go through two, three pages in a day, but when we get to the last page, you know, that last word, we can’t get past that because it brings out, it’s so condensed, it brings out so many discussions. You notice this? It’s always very interesting. Yeah. Because of the summary. So it’s just it sparks all these these these things. It’s very far.
OK. So we’re clear on that last. What do you call it? Two sentences.
Just keep it to this.
Then you can ask whatever you want. Why do you say that picture is for the condition state?
Because the purpose of Diksha is that you will be serious about taking Siksha. So in the liberated state, just by hearing Siksha, you are committed to it. So there’s no need of a ritual of Diksha to connect you. So ritual makes one more serious. Yes, because the the conditioned soul thinks that something’s happened.
Right. Because you think of transformation, you do something, you’ve transferred the material energy that’s there. So the ritual is there then as some scar to be to give a positive impression. You know that now you’re connected here like that. So it it does practically do those things. But the point is, is the need is there for that because otherwise it’s just if you didn’t, then according to me, Diksha guru, you know, you’re in a good mood or not, then still is your Diksha guru because you had an initiation. Then everybody saw that. And then it’s known this is your guru. Right. But if it wasn’t known, it was just something like that. Then, you know, today talking about, yeah, this is a guru. But then tomorrow they say, you know, well, it’s just, you know, it’s just some feelings. But actually, he’s my guru. You know, it’ll just it won’t be focused.
Because the point is, is that commitment that surrender, because that’s ultimately what has to be done to Krishna. So you’re practicing what you’re doing for Krishna with the spiritual master. Right.
How to accommodate different applications.
You mean the point is, is you choose someone who you can relate to.
That means, in other words, they’re able to speak proper instructions so you can understand them and apply them successfully in your life. That’s how you choose it. Right. That’s the point. So there’s because the condition natures are so varied. That means the presentations or approach of the spiritual master may be different. You know, some, you know, how they’ll give and that. But you see, they’re all effective. But it’s just the approach is very different.
So you choose something that works for you. That’s the point is, does it work or not? It’s not a matter of. So that’s why it should be a little bit more than, oh, he smiled at me. That gets me free from the idea that I have to put all the gurus.
I have to have complete harmony between all the gurus.
Means harmony is that they’re serving Prabhupada and they’re trying to do something there within his mission. So that’s the harmony. So there’s a oneness in their purpose, but there’s individuality. But the point is, we’re an individual. So we choose working with an individual. And so this is not bodily conscious. It’s a matter of just what works. You know, it’s just like, is it bodily conscious that somebody’s absorbing karma yoga, someone’s in jnana yoga? No, it’s connected to Krishna. So that’s not considered. Right. So one that’s why Rupa Goswami says one should associate with like minded devotees that are more advanced.
Because then in that environment, you can advance nicely. It’s like minded. You can relate.
You know, I’m saying if you can’t relate, how will you know what they’re saying? You know, I’m saying, you know, yes, not to be present.
Well, the thing is, is here is that the like mindedness becomes very general and that they’re within Prabhupada’s mission. They’re following Prabhupada’s program. They’re speaking on Prabhupada’s books. So that’s the common element. But in closeness or in intimacy, then you’re more careful, you know, that you are with those that you can, you know, relate to and therefore you feel inspired and can advance nicely. But these are general programs, you know, so it’s not so that wouldn’t apply. And, you know, who’s offering Mangalarthi or who’s leading the kirtan or, you know, who set up the mic? You know, stuff like that.
You know what I’m saying? You know, the guy who set up the mic’s wearing pants. I’m not speaking in this mic. You know, like that. Contaminated. Yes.
Does that make sense? So there’s the general, but then who he wants more close with. And that’s, that’s, that then you’re, you’re, you’re specific. And that’s not bodily conscious. That’s a matter of identifying conditioned nature and making it work. So it’s using intelligence.
If you think I am that conditioned nature, that’s bodily conscious.
Does that make sense?
Then chapter 14, the three modes of material nature. All embody, all embody, all embodies or embody, all embodied souls.
But you could say, well, embodies.
Yeah, I guess you could twist the grammar and get it to work.
Like you entrain and detrain. So, you know, entrain you get on. So embodies, then you’ve been put into the body. So he’s been, you know, because then that if it’s happening at present, then it would be embodies. If it’s in the past, it would be embodied. So this is talking in the present.
Trying to avoid confusion of the mode of ignorance here.
All embodied souls are under the control of the three modes or qualities of material nature. Goodness, passion and ignorance. Lord Krishna explains that these modes, what these modes are, how they act upon us, how one transcends them. And the symptoms of one who has attained the transcendental state. Right. So you have to know what they are and how they act upon you. Right. Then how you’re going to transcend them. What are the symptoms that one has transcended? Right. So basically saying these are the four things that one’s going to learn in this chapter. Because now it’s said before, material nature. Right. Means you have to know the field is the material nature. Material nature works by the modes. Right. So now in this chapter, we’ll figure out how the modes work. So this defines that that aspect. So then we have verses one to two. The Lord glorifies the knowledge of the three modes. Verses three to 18. Description of the three modes and their effects. And verses 19 to 27. Transcending the modes.
So verses one to two. The Lord glorifies the knowledge of the three modes.
The Supreme Lord, the Supreme Personality of God has said, Again, I shall declare to you the supreme wisdom, the best of all knowledge, knowing which all the sages have attained the supreme perfection.
By becoming fixed in this knowledge, one can attain to the transcendental nature like my own. Thus established, one is not born at the time of creation, nor disturbed at the time of disillusion.
In Bhagavad-gita 322 it is said, 1322. The living entity in material nature follows the ways of life, enjoying the three modes of nature. This is due to his association with that material nature. Thus he meets with good and evil amongst various species. Chapter 13 described the conditioned soul is distinct from matter and yet entangled by it. Chapter 14 explains in detail how the soul is controlled by the three modes and how he can attain freedom from them.
In verses one to two, Krishna says that he will explain the best of all knowledge, knowing which all the sages have attained the supreme perfection. By becoming fixed in this knowledge, one attains Krishna’s nature and is liberated. And so he says again he’s going to describe. So it means now we’re getting to a specific detail in this area. But at the same time, this described means it’s being in the context of how this connects with everything else.
Śrīla Prabhupāda writes in his purport to verse one, from the seventh chapter to the end of the twelfth chapter, Śrī Kṛṣṇa in detail reveals the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Now the Lord Himself is further enlightening Arjuna. One understands this chapter through the process of philosophical speculation. He will come to an understanding of devotional service.
Here he’s used the philosophical speculation. So the point is this philosophical speculation means you’re taking what’s there and trying to analyze it from different perspectives, right, and trying to apply it this way and that way. So in other words, you have something and you say, well, if that’s there, then that could mean this and that, and you try to put it together. So the process, the mechanics of mental speculation are the same, whether it’s being used by the devotee or by the materialist or by the Māyāvāda, right?
But generally we see is that it’s philosophical speculation we generally use in the negative, right? Because it’s application, that’s all they do, the jñānīs, is mental speculate. But the problem is it’s not connected to Kṛṣṇa. So they’re just going through the mechanics but not actually getting anywhere, right? And the karmīs are using the process to dream up newer and newer ways to enjoy the material energy and getting nowhere.
So this philosophical speculation, mental speculation, basically it’s the same thing. Whether it’s more on the intellect, less on the mind, or more on the mind and less on the intellect, means the prominence, right? In other words, philosophical speculation will more mean that the intellect is the prominent, right? But there is an element behind it why you’re doing something, right? There is a mental need that you’re doing. Otherwise, why would you be accepting the process, right? Unless it’s going to give you some benefit. But the focus is more on the intellect, right? Mental speculation will be more on the experience and all that. But it’s the same thing, you understand? And so the devotee uses the same thing. So technically this means vichara, looking at it from different angles and all that, like that. Does that make sense? So that’s why generally philosophical speculation is always used in a negative connotation, because it’s about the others. Because the devotee uses, he contemplates, he meditates, you know, like that. These kind of words will be used. But technically, mechanically, it’s philosophical speculation.
So occasionally you’ll see it used in connection to the devotee in the process. Yes? Sometimes you hear from the devotees that they’re afraid to do that. Are we speculating? But the speculation is… In other words, you’ve heard material life is full of misery. So unless you observe and you see somebody with a sad face, so then you’re going to contemplate, OK, that’s from this. Or something happens and then, you know, they get all upset. You know, you’re there in the public place and all that. The family’s there and everyone’s laughing and this and that, with the baby and all that kind of stuff like that. And then something happens, they turn around, oh, can you get this? And then, you know, everybody’s happy and all that. And then they turn around, the kid’s gone. Then they freak out, where’s the kid, running around, this and that. You know what I’m saying? So then you put it together.
Vichara is a place of misery, right? And that misery is based on attachment. So now these people are freaking out because of their attachment to the kid. Right? So you can see it directly there happening.
You know what I’m saying? So that process is already going on. Because anyway, we may not want to use it intellectually in philosophy, but we will, surely we’ll use it, you know, materially. You know, for speculation, I mean our own enjoyment, sense enjoyment. You know what I’m saying? I ate that, and that made me so rich, that made sense, so therefore I should eat all these light things, and what light things I could eat. Well, this would be nice, or that would be nice. We ate that, but that gave us gas, so then we’ll eat this. So that’s mental speculation.
You know what I’m saying? So that’s going on, everybody’s doing that. So the process is already being used. It’s not just a matter of whether we connect it to Krishna or not. Right? So karma yoga means you connect that process of mental speculation on transforming material energy and connecting it to the Lord. Right? And you use that speculative power of applying the knowledge and that element of detachment on the Lord. Yes?
Yes. Yes, that would be the negative. Yeah, you don’t quite know. But if you know what it is, that Krishna is there, but you’re trying to get there, then technically it’s not speculation. Because I think also speculation can mean just that investment of time, but you would only put it where there’s actually an opulation.
Well, I had to get that word.
Opportunity.
Opportunity and speculation. Yeah, opportunity. Opportunity to speculate.
That’s wild. Yeah.
You get something from it.
But it does have that element of the unknown.
That’s the weak side. But if it’s connected to Krishna, then it’s fine. But that means then by guru, sadhu and shastra, that’s your basis. Then based on that, then you’re trying to apply that into your situation. That means you hear from the authority, shabda. Then you try to see that shabda in pratyaksha. So if you can see the authority of scriptures in what you see with your senses, that means you’ve actually understood. Yeah.
Then it’s not technically what we call speculation in that negative connotation. If it’s pratyaksha without, that’s the speculation. That’s the problem.
Yes. Shri Prabhupada gives an example. Oh, okay. The devotee hears that Krishna is the taste of the water. And then when he drinks water, he meditates. He thinks how exactly Krishna is. Yes. He’s trying to find how is that.
Okay. You didn’t hear? You’re saying Prabhupada gives the example of this, is that you hear that Krishna is the taste of water. So then when you drink water, then you contemplate how is it Krishna is that taste. You’re trying to find that. Where does that connect, that point with the senses of tasting and that experience? So then you bring it all together.
So then, if one understands this chapter through the process of philosophical speculation, you’ll come to an understanding of devotional service. In other words, you’re going to have to go in and see what you’re doing in the modes of nature that are there and try to connect them all together.
In the 13th chapter, it was clearly explained by humbly developing knowledge. One may possibly be freed from material entanglement. It has also been explained that it is due to association with the modes of nature that the living entity is entangled in this material world. Now, in this chapter, the Supreme Personality of Godhead explains what those modes of nature are, how they act, how they bind, and how they give liberation. So that means the modes can be used to get out. If you use the modes to get in, you can use the modes to get out. If you use the ladder to get into a hole, you can use the ladder to get out.
You just have to go the other direction.
The knowledge explained in this chapter is proclaimed by the Supreme Lord to be superior to the knowledge given so far in other chapters. So the problem is that you’ve used the ladder, you’ve come down into the hole or into the well here. But then, the material world is a reflection, so therefore the bottom of the well is up.
So you want to go up, out of here, up to the transcendental platform. So if you don’t actually understand the direction of the acaryas, you’ll be trying to go farther down the ladder to get up.
Problem.
The knowledge explained in this chapter is proclaimed by the Supreme Lord to be superior to the knowledge given so far in other chapters.
By understanding this knowledge, various great sages attain perfection and transfer it to the spiritual world. The Lord now explains the same knowledge in a better way. In other words, because once you get more, you can explain it more clearly. And then as that goes more clear again, more clear again.
This knowledge is far, far superior to all other processes of knowledge thus far explained. So this is knowledge, not devotion. The devotion, that’s been clearly explained, but the processes of knowledge, how that works. So this is going to… because the modes of nature are what you’re directly going to deal with. The other said, you tell the difference between matter and spirit.
And the modes of nature control matter. But to understand that, that’s your key. Because then you’ll see the elements of goodness, passion, ignorance. Then you can start to differentiate. Because then goodness, you’ll get knowledge. From there then you can see properly. Goodness is illuminating.
The others are a little less than illuminating.
And knowing this, this many attain perfection. Thus it is expected that one who understands this 14th chapter will attain perfection. Remember, perfection means… I mean, you have two levels. One, liberation. That’s the general term of perfection. But also we understand actual perfection means situating oneself as a servant of Krishna, right? In one’s relationship with Krishna. Because that is permanent perfection, right? There’s temporary perfection and permanent perfection.
So verses 3 to 18. Description of the three modes and their effects.
Okay, verse 3. The total material substance, called Brahman, is the source of birth, and it is that Brahman that I impregnate, making possible the births of all living beings, O son of Bharata.
So here is again established that the material energy is Brahman.
It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kunti, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father.
Material nature consists of three modes. Goodness, passion and ignorance. When the eternal living entity comes in contact with nature, O mighty-armed Arjuna, he becomes conditioned by these modes. So coming in contact, it’s the modes that are conditioned, because the modes carry everything out. So all of what’s going on is carried out by the modes. Because remember, the modes are the active form of the divisions, of the reflection of the external Brahman. The internal Brahman, it’s sat-cid-ananda, sam -vid-sandhi-mihladhi, that’s the reflection here. So it’s the same principle.
So once one’s situated in rasa, spiritual platform, that differentiation is not so important. Just like when one is absorbed in rasa here, you don’t worry about the distinction.
But if you’re going to transfer, then you have to be able to distinguish these, so one can get out of that and be working under the sam-vid-sandhi-mihladhi, as opposed to goodness, passion and ignorance.
Does that make sense?
So it’s not that this is not a major topic. It’s major topic because everything that goes on here is by those modes.
O sinless one, the mode of goodness, being purer than the others, is illuminating and it frees one from all sinful reactions. Those situated in that mode become conditioned by a sense of happiness and knowledge.
The mode of passion is born of unlimited desires and longings. O son of Kunti, and because of this, the embodied entity is bound to material fruit of actions. These are essential points. Then there’ll be more definitions later. It means all definitions that will come in this chapter and in later chapters, you have to take it back to this. In other words, it’s pure, it’s illuminating, frees one from sinful activities. Happiness is there, knowledge is there, but one is conditioned to that, it’s still a mode. And then passion is unlimited desires and longings. So that’s going to bind you to fruit of work. So when you get out of fruit of work, you have to give up the mode of passion. You can’t have longings and desires.
O son of Bharata, know that the mode… So that’s why naiskarmya, because then the mode of passion is removed.
O son of Bharata, know that the mode of darkness, born of ignorance, is the delusion of all embodied living entities. The results of this mode are madness, indolence, and sleep, which bind a conditioned soul. So that indolence is not wanting to work, liking sleep and video games. That’s the madness.
O son of Bharata, the mode of goodness conditions one to happiness, passion conditions one to fruit of action, and ignorance, covering one’s knowledge, binds one to madness. So this is like the essential point of what they do. So the one is the situation, and this is specifically what they do. Sometimes the mode of goodness becomes prominent, defeating the modes of passion and ignorance. O son of Bharata, sometimes the mode of passion defeats goodness and ignorance, and other times ignorance defeats goodness and passion. In this way, there is always competition for supremacy.
The manifestations of the mode of goodness can be experienced when all the gates of the body are illuminated by knowledge.
So that means they’re all, through knowledge, one is dealing with all the gates according to śāstra. One is connecting it to Kṛṣṇa. O chief of the Bharatas, when there is an increase in the mode of passion, the symptom of great attachment, fruit of activities, intense endeavor and uncontrollable desire and hankering develop.
So you can see it’s when all the senses are engaged, that’s the mode of goodness, properly and according to śāstra and uplifting activities. When mode of passion, then you’ll see that the attachment is great, the fruit of activity is very strong, intense endeavor, they’re working very, very hard, uncontrollable desire, they just have to have these things and work on these things. So this is how you tell, to that degree it’s that intensity, to that degree passion is there.
When there is an increase in the mode of ignorance, the sun of kuru, darkness, inertia, madness and illusion are manifested.
When one dies in the mode of goodness, he attains to the pure higher planets of the great sages.
When one dies in the mode of passion, he takes birth amongst those engaged in fruitive activities. And when one dies in the mode of ignorance, he takes birth in the animal kingdom.
The results of pious activities is pure and is said to be in the mode of goodness. But the action done in the mode of passion results in misery and action performed in the mode of ignorance results in foolishness.
So pious activity means you’re doing according to śāstra, so then there’ll be that element of detachment and all those things like that. Therefore it’s considered in that way. But if one’s doing activities without that, it’s not in sacrifice and in passion.
Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam describes these three gunas.
Are there some descriptions of gunas in fruitive, in shāstra? Shruti, invaders.
This is Upaniṣad, so that’s Veda.
In other words, Veda means the Saṃhitā, which has all the mantras. The Brahmana is how to use those mantras in sacrifice. The Āraṇyakas that explain the metaphysics of the mantras and the Upaniṣads that explain the philosophy. So Gītā is then an essence of all the Upaniṣads. So this is Vedic understanding.
According to I Ching, there’s strong yang qi and dak yin qi and then balance. So is something similar like the three modes? What do the first two do?
We speak yang, yang qi. Oh, okay. Yang, yang qi. Yang and yang. Male and female principle. Yeah, you could say that. It means the male principle will be the mode of ignorance. The female principle will be the mode of goodness. And then the mode of passion will bring it together. Like that. You could look at it that way. Or you could take it… Yeah, no, you would do it that way. It’s through interaction that there’s balance. You can only balance if there’s action. See, the problem is there they’re trying to balance by inaction.
But how did they learn that? Through action. So it’s application is an action, not an inaction.
Does that make sense? Can we say that I Ching, the Changing Book, is kind of science about three modes? You can, but the problem is they won’t know it’s full application. Something is there. You know, does that make sense? But see, it’s like this. Something is good, don’t get too excited, because within time it’ll go bad. And if it’s bad, don’t lament, because in time it’ll go good. Right? That’s basically what it’ll tell you. So the point about why does that work, that the I Ching can’t tell you. If you run into an obstacle, then you just, you know, how you say, you go deeper, right? Because the water runs down the hill, then it’s an obstacle. So being shallow like that, it won’t get past. But if it just sits there and doesn’t move forward, it’ll get deeper. Then it gets high enough that it goes over.
But the point is, where did that nature of water come from? Where does the nature of earth, water, you know, how you say, the fire, the wood, the metal, all this, where did that come from? That I Ching can’t tell you. It can only tell you that this is there. So it’s something that’s left over from their understanding and their connection with the Vedic culture. So there’s something that’s there, but where that comes from, they can’t say. So this is a deeper understanding.
But I would say it’s more of a masculine-feminine principle. They probably put less on modes of nature. But there’s probably some element to this. Because they go together.
From the mode of goodness, real knowledge develops. From the mode of passion, greed develops. And from the mode of ignorance, develop foolishness, madness, and illusion. Somehow, though, the others, you can say it so nicely in like one word. Ignorance always has that whole group of bad words. But it always comes back to madness and illusion. That seems to be foolishness, madness, and illusion. It comes back to these things.
Those situated in the mode of goodness gradually go upward to the higher planets. Those in the mode of passion live on the earthly planets. And those in the abominable mode of ignorance go down to the hellish worlds.
The Lord opens the description of the soul’s entanglement by identifying Himself as the origin of all living entities. It is Kṛṣṇa who impregnates the total material substance, Brahman, with the living beings, and makes possible the birth of all species of life. Thus He is the seed-giving Father. Three and four. Three and four? Okay, so the point is that it has to be understood, because we’re distinguishing these. What we have to understand is Brahman, because otherwise one would say, well, why would we deal with this? But it’s also Brahman.
So what we’re having to distinguish is the types of Brahman. Supreme Brahman, living entity Brahman, material energy Brahman. And being able to understand that, that’s knowledge. Not understanding that, that’s illusion.
So that’s what’s trying to be gained here, right? And it also establishes that everything else comes from Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa put the living entities here. Kṛṣṇa is impregnating the material energy. So He’s the one that’s making it work. So therefore, if you want to actually understand, then you have to understand Him. Does that make sense? When the living entity comes in contact with the material nature, becomes conditioned by the three modes, goodness, passion, ignorance, Śrīla Prabhupāda writes in his purport, the living entity, because he is transcendental, has nothing to do with this material nature. Still, because he has become conditioned by the material world, he is acting under the spell of the three modes of nature.
Because living entities have different kinds of bodies, in terms of the different aspects of nature, they are induced to act according to that nature. This is the cause of the varieties of happiness and distress.
So one will come in contact, but because one’s come in contact, one doesn’t know the material energy. So one’s going to act, one doesn’t know what to gain, right? So there’s no, specifically as such, passion. And there’s no delusion generated from interaction with the material energy. It means there’s a delusion about your position as enjoyer. So there’s already some ignorance. So that’s why then the material energy becomes the place for us. We want to enjoy.
So we’re a controller, we don’t know who we are, we think we’re the enjoyer, so the passion and ignorance is inherent there in the polluted consciousness.
But it’s not from the modes of nature, it’s the polluted consciousness. So therefore when we come in contact with the material energy, then though we’ll be situated in a position of goodness, the tendency is towards passion and ignorance. So unless you’ve figured it out in that first contact, like that, or first, second, like this contact, then one could technically get out.
But if we look around, then we will notice that maybe everybody didn’t get out so quickly.
So that then determines, by dealing with it because of that, then that will generate the further things and bring one under the modes because of the actions performed. So then that will bring to this material world. It means lower and lower into the material world. One already would have been situated there.
Yes? Q. The desire to enjoy separately from the Lord comes out of ignorance.
A. It means the separate from the Lord is the ignorant part, the wanting to enjoy, that’s the passion part. Q. But then we understood that that desire originated from our original position. A. No, it’s our original position becomes covered because you can see the position of acting as an instrument or acting as the controller and enjoyer. Right?
But somehow or another, we thought the controller and enjoyer part looked good. Q. But then from that thought, then that would mean that there would be ignorance there. A. No, it just means you can see both. Q. Right. A. And it’s just a matter of… Q. The options are there. A. Yes, it’s just the options. It’s not inherent. Q. Right. A. It’s inherent in the material energy. So if you look at material energy, it’s like this. You have sandhini, samvid and hladini.
Now you’re looking at the reflection. So you think you’re looking at samvid, sandhini and hladini because everything looks the same. But you’re actually looking at goodness, passion and ignorance. So if you think, well, that looks nice, then you’re under the modes. And if you think that doesn’t look nice, then you’ll be under the samvid, sandhini, hladini. Yes?
Q. Does the mode of passion lead to the mode of ignorance? A. Does the mode of passion lead to ignorance? Q. Like contemplation of the objects of the senses leads to attachment and anger and delusion and… A. Yeah, yeah. It just means… In other words, your desire becomes so strong that it’s unobtainable.
Right? And so then, at that point, then the delusion and madness and all that kind. People who are clinically insane, it’s because their desires are greater than what actually is the balance.
You know what I’m saying? So that’s why they have so much material desire.
But it may be manifest in some more peaceful fashion, but that’s what it is. So Prabhupada mentions that if it’s too crazy, then they can chant Aum. Because even a crazy person can chant Aum. And that will purify and start to bring them back to the… How do you say it?
A bit more balanced state.
In other words, workable insanity rather than unworkable. So in other words, everybody’s crazy. But if it’s unworkable, that’s called clinical. And if it’s workable, then it’s not clinical. They move around freely.
Right?
Yes. You mentioned the other day that when we come to the material world, we have to be sure to accept this thing. Yes. Is that where they come in? Be sure to accept it. Well, that’s the primary. Then the secondary is me. But the point is the first position one’s in is Brahma.
Right? Like that. So one’s working with that primary creation and creating the secondary. But if one gets attracted or distracted by that manifestation, then one moves down from there. So generally, Brahma, the Pajapatis, the great sages, and then after that, then… You know that? Hmm? You know, next stop, Indragopa.
Like that. But that’s how it works.
So everybody… Because the point is this. Brahma is the most pious living entity in the universe. Now, what’s more pious than somebody who’s never been here?
Huh? You understand?
Okay. You understand? Because he doesn’t have any… There’s no sin. There’s no nothing. So he’ll be the most pious living entity. So naturally, he’ll be Brahma. But then as Brahma, then he may get more distracted than advisable.
Yeah.
I mean, so the point is you’re within the material situation. But those develop as it goes. You know, you don’t see them right in the beginning. But as the transformations of the material energy take place, then there’s that attraction. Because that’s the point. One can see the material and spiritual ones attracted by the form of the material. So as more you get involved with the forms and various forms of the material, that will make one more and more entangled. That’s why one has to understand the soul is different from the field.
Right? So all that entanglement because you think, I’m involved in that. But we’re not involved. We’re not the controller and enjoyer. The Supersoul is. So if you see the soul and Supersoul in connection with the abyss and then their actual connection with the field of activity, then one doesn’t get entangled. Or if one is entangled, one can become unentangled.
Does that make sense? But I don’t understand entanglement from a biological point of view as neuro-receptors and transmitters, which make you conditioned to specific motivations.
One could take that approach. But the point is, is which came first? The desire or the, what do you call it, neuro-transmitter.
Which came first? Right. So that’s the point. So because that’s there, then there’s the mechanics. Because otherwise, the soul is naturally a lover of Krishna. So that emotions are going to work very nicely with the spiritual form. Everything will work very smoothly because it is the manifestation of the actual nature of the soul. Material world, the body is not the soul. The soul has desire. So there is technically no connection between them. The spiritual world, the soul and the spiritual form are not different. So therefore, what the soul thinks and desires is what they do with the form. So you don’t have to have the mechanics there. In the material world, the soul is not the body. So therefore, for the body to respond and all that to that, that’s why there’s this nice elaborate system of all your different chemicals and different elements within the body that do all the functioning. The reason I ask is because sometimes someone who is speckless from all the questions, for example, has many desires. Yeah, but that’s from previous lives. So he has too much adrenaline or whatever it is that creates all that. If he has a biological understanding, does it help? If you have a biological understanding, it can be a start. What you understand is that, you know, I am not these chemicals. So like that. It can start that way. I’m just a victim. Well, I can’t even say you’re a victim, no, because you put yourself there. You know what I’m saying? It’s like if you go up to the counter, buy the ticket, step onto the roller coaster, and then once it starts, then start claiming that you’re a victim, then it’s not going to actually get very far. Maybe in America, but you won’t get in the unit. You’re not going to.
It won’t work with Maya. She’s a little more clever than that. Yes? If we understand that sometimes what we think is genuine emotion is actually hormonal or biological. No, but that’s how it’s affected.
You feel this emotion that would naturally create tears, but how is it going to happen since the soul is not actually connected with the body? So there’s the mechanics of how that’s produced.
You know what I’m saying? So that’s why it’s the consciousness of the soul that’s important. The mechanics aren’t the main focus. To some degree, there’s some focus. How much it will be useful to understanding that. But the point is whether one’s crying out of ecstasy and chanting Hare Krishna or crying out of ecstasy because he just won the lottery. So the point is that the mechanics of how this body will function are the same. I think especially as women, we have a tendency to mix things together, to not discriminate.
So if you can also see from that, to be able to dissect it, that it’s not necessarily something meaningful. Of course, the cause is obviously from our identification with the body but to see the actual effect as being… It’ll help. In other words, if you know it’s hormones, that’s why you’re crazy, then it makes it a lot easier than thinking, I actually am crazy. Because it’s just a matter of with time, chemicals go away. At least they’re supposed to.
That’s the theory at least. So they say. You know what I’m saying? Does that make sense? So that can help. The whole point is analyzing how the body is working.
But what one wants to see is what are they generating. That’s more of a problem. If they’re generating emotions, that’s not necessarily the problem. But what emotions are being generated so you understand what modes at work. Because the same chemicals can produce all these different feelings. You know what I’m saying? Does that make sense? So if you analyze, you can see basically it’s the same feelings, just the mind interprets them, yes, as different. But otherwise, it’s like adrenaline does one thing, but you’ll interpret it in so many different ways. Some person, you know, this is freaky. The other guy, wow, this is great. Does that make sense? So that’s the thing. There’s only so many chemicals. And so they make a particular effect, but that effect can be seen in so many ways, depending upon the situation.
Does that make sense?
Can we say that the mode of goodness is a manifestation of chit-shakti?
It’s a reflection of chit-shakti. No, no, excuse me. It’s a reflection of the hladini.
Reflection of hladini, sir? Yeah. Passion’s a reflection of chit.
Ignorance is a reflection of sandhani. Because sandhani is existence.
So your existence is in ignorance, not in knowledge or an identification as a servant of Krishna.
And then the chit means you have your knowledge in your activities, but your knowledge and activities are the purpose of gaining control and enjoyment. So it’s passion.
And then one’s actual enjoyment, that’s the mode of goodness, because it only happens in the present.
So it only lasts a moment. So unless you can see it with knowledge, then you continue staying in the present. But otherwise, I’m going to get it. I have it. It’s in the present. But having it turns into the past. That was the difficulty in the beginning of that, the present of the embodies and the past of embodied.
Does that make sense? So that’s the point, is that it’s only a moment there. Same time as your action should be done in the mode of goodness, means in the present. So in there, it’s done in the present, so that’s goodness. Future is passion. Past is ignorance.
But action itself would be considered passion, because it generates results. But if it’s done for the results, not for yourself, it doesn’t give the effect of passion. It gives the effect of goodness. Because I’m doing the activity to get the result for myself. That’s why it’s called passion.
Does that make sense? Because the mode of goodness is going to reward the result. But if it’s done for a higher purpose, in sacrifice, then getting that result isn’t considered passion, it’s considered goodness.
So like this, you study the modes, then you start to see how things work. So the modes move according to one’s consciousness? No, the modes are there, they act upon you according to your consciousness.
You know what I’m saying? Now you can either be affected by them or liberated by them. The pure devotee is acting in the material world, so it’s the modes of nature that are getting things done. But he’s liberated.
But for the other living entity, because he sees it in an illusion, thinks that he’s in control of it, therefore the effect of the modes binds him. Does that make sense?
Like one mode’s way over and another mode’s in turn it moves.
So that’s according to one’s consciousness, based on that. It means the situation is there, that’s affected by the modes, and what you do with it, that’s up to you. You can either work within the modes or not. Okay?
So enter. Om Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Jaya. Srila Prabhupada ki. Jaya. Samaveda bhakti-vrindiki. Jaya. Jaya. Jaya. Om. Om. Om. Om. Om. Om. Om. Om.
