Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and He is the source of both the Brahmāna and Paramātmā features of the Absolute Truth. The Lord is different from all other living entities, both fallible and infallible. He is beyond them because He maintains them and gives them all facilities for enjoyment according to their different work, nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām eko bahūnāṁ yogad adhāti kāmān. So beyond fallible and infallible, He is different. He is, without Him explaining Himself, He will not be known, right? Because you relate to things according to how they’re connected to your qualities, right? The things that you don’t have, you don’t think about, right? It’s just, it’s not the way you work. You only work on what it is that you are able to perceive, you know, what is in your sphere of experience. So for the living entities, then God’s beyond that, right? So the common elements, the element of Brahman, the different qualities that are there, so we relate to that, but unfortunately in our relating we don’t see it in connection to Kṛṣṇa. You know, we see being good or nice is something valuable, but it’s valuable because it’s connected to Kṛṣṇa, it’s His quality. So we have a minute part of that, so that we’re able to perceive in the world. But something beyond that, we’re not. So unless He explains Himself, then we won’t be able to appreciate, right? So therefore, one must learn, not that just because I’m intelligent I’ll figure it out. No, there’s a limit to how much you can figure out.
And then He takes care of everyone, and so according to their work, then He, how do you say? Yeah, He gives them their facilities. So as you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, then He reciprocates, right? That’s the whole point. So you’re surrendering in the way of devotion, then you have spiritual form, spiritual facilities, right? You’re surrendering to Kṛṣṇa in the way of proper work according to śāstra, then you get pious results, pious facilities. You surrender to Kṛṣṇa in just the different qualities that are there within the world, but you don’t see them in connection to the Lord, not according to authority, it’s just simply our own interest, and that’s all. Then one will get less facility.
You know, it’s just like, if someone’s supplying you with a facility, and you see the relationship with that person, since that’s the purpose of the facility, if you act within that relationship, naturally the facility is there or increasing. But if you don’t, why you’ll get it?
You know what I’m saying? You know, you give the kids some money, and, you know, they leave it in the corner. Why you’ll give more?
Right? It’s just they don’t know what to do with it, right? You don’t give a nice jewel to a little kid, right? You know, they won’t like it anyway. You can’t play marbles with it, you can’t do so many things, right? You know, it’s like, so that’s the point is that we’ll have our own idea of what we should be doing with it, but that doesn’t mean that that’s what it’s for, right? Little kid, okay, well, great to have the nice, you know, pearl necklace and the diamond necklace to put on their Barbie doll, great, but that’s not what it’s for. So if that’s how you use it, it’ll be taken away.
You know, and one may complain, the child will be upset, but they don’t actually understand what’s the bigger picture.
So living entity wants all facility at the same time to just do whatever they want with it, but then it will be lost.
Yes? So rascals that are very materially successful, are they just heading for disaster or? Why what would be the alternative? Okay, yeah, sure. You know what I’m saying? Yeah. In other words, why would they have that facility? Because of the good work they did in this life? Previous life. Yes, in previous lives. So the work, always remember whatever work they’re doing now, that’s what determines what they’ll get in the future. What they have now is from the past. So if the work that they’re doing doesn’t match with what the facilities they have, you know that they’ve done something in the past, right? You know, it’s like you see someone who’s, they don’t follow the law, but they’re very well placed. That’s simply because in the past they have performed that piety that will give them that facility. And by their improper activity, that will create the problem in the future.
You know, it’s like how many, you know, in the stories, how many gangsters, you know, die living in a nice peaceful situation? Very few, right? So there’s a time when they enjoy themselves. That’s the overlap between their previous pious activities, still, you know, giving the results, and their impious activities haven’t fructified yet. So in that gap, that’s where it seems they’re prosperous. And then people make the mistake, well, hey, they’re doing it and they’re happy. Why can’t I do that? They’ll come back after a few years and then you see what’s happening, you know, see if, you know, now their facility, they’re sitting there and, you know, in solitaire, you know, is that what you wanted, you know, let me say. So that’s the actual result.
So if devotional activities are being done, so in other words, sinful activities are being done, the facilities are given according to that. If pious activities are done, you get the facilities for that. If devotional activities are done, you get the results for that, right? And always remember that something, the facility is in accordance with the work.
Does that make sense? Like you’re doing pious activity, would you expect an impious result? No. Or an impious activity, would you expect a pious result? It means the individual may want that, but in reality, no. Okay. Now here’s the fun part. If you’re doing devotional service, what kind of results should you be getting?
Devotional. So devotional means, you know, good placement, respect in the community, you know, dental and health care, you know, right?
No, but what happens when, you know, that position comes up, you know, and for, you know, they’re looking for the temple president and someone else got it, you know, but, you know, I’ve been around longer, I’ve done more service. How come I don’t get that? I’m the bigger devotee, you understand? But what’s happening here? It’s not being the bigger devotee. That’s there, but I’m saying in connection with this, one is considering that devotional activities will give pious results. You understand? I’m doing devotional service, where’s my material facility? No, you’re getting facility for devotional service. Does that make sense? So that’s why it’s said the devotee is not worried about the situation, is not disturbed by the situation.
It’s nice, he does a service. It’s not nice, he does a service. Probably gives the example of the rice husker. It husks rice, whether it’s set up in heaven or it’s set up in hell, it does the same thing. So it’s not affected by the environment. It always does what it does. So that’s why Krishna is always saying constantly engaged. What does that mean? So we just say, okay, yeah, we’re regularly engaged. Constant means it doesn’t matter what’s happening. We still have the focus on devotional service.
Does that make sense? Yeah. Can we say that material facility also can enhance one’s devotional service? It can, but it also, we see that it doesn’t necessarily.
How did Chairman Mao do with his facility? Did it enhance?
You know what I’m saying? You have so many examples. Point is, devotional service, whether you have nothing or something, you can still do devotional service.
Let us say you have $10 in the bank. Can you chant Hare Krishna? Yeah. Let’s say you have a million dollars in the bank. Can you chant Hare Krishna? So how does the money facilitate devotional service?
You know what I’m saying? Your devotional attitude to be engaged is not affected whether you have facility or not. It just creates environments. Maybe you can create a nicer environment in which people can be involved.
Say if I have no, even one, one dollar, you know, so I would have no, you know. And so you can’t chant Hare Krishna.
The guy sitting on the side of the street with no home, he can’t chant Hare Krishna. He’s so busy.
You understand? See, the point is, is we connect our happiness with facility.
Facility is, is just that. It’s a facility to do something, you know what I’m saying? That’s all it is. So, it’s not that the facility itself is the activity or is the result, or even is the identity, but we make the mistake and connect them. There, means connect them meaning that they’re directly equal.
No, one supports the other. Just like let’s say you have a cup of milk. What’s important? The cup or the milk?
The cup can contain milk. Cup can contain milk, but what about if you have a very nice, you know, ancient Ming Dynasty glass, you know, but nothing in it?
What do you do with it? What can it do? Just keep it. Keep it for what? For appreciation. But if you don’t appreciate it? No one comes over and appreciates it. I just sell it. You can’t sell it, but that’s an activity. You can’t sell it. You understand? You’re not separating these two. If you can’t separate this, how are you going to separate the soul and the field?
You know what I’m saying? It’s the same principle, right? If you can’t cut a potato in half, you won’t be able to cut a cauliflower in half either.
You know what I’m saying? So if you can’t separate between the environment in which you can do something and the doing of something, you know what I’m saying? Okay, which would you rather have? You know, something to eat, but it may be on, you know, a leaf plate or, you know, this very nice, elaborate silver platter, but nothing to eat. And you’re hungry.
Which would you rather have? The leaf plate.
What about the food on the leaf plate? See, you’re still looking at things according to facility.
You understand? So therefore, the plate is in support of the food, but the food is the prominent. That’s what’s important. So devotional service is what’s important.
Facility is simply to assist that. That’s all. Right?
You know what I’m saying? Because if the point is, okay, money, then that will create the facility for devotional service. But if you look back, then where would, in China, where would they have programs?
If you’re going to have a program with devotees, where do they have it? At home. At a home. Okay. So does that cost any money? Yeah. Plus some. For the food, but does, that you have a house and that people come in and take up the space, does that cost you money? No. No. Okay. There are temples that we have around the world, very expensive, no one’s there.
You understand? So facility doesn’t generate preaching. Money doesn’t generate preaching. Preachers can use money, but just because you have money doesn’t mean you preach.
You understand? A preacher gets $100,000, he does a preaching program. But there are devotees that have $100,000 that aren’t really doing much preaching. Not in any way comparison for the money.
Right? They have $100,000, they’re thinking about buying a second house. They’re not thinking about, how can I spend all this $100,000 this year?
You understand?
So, facility is to be used, engaged in interaction, and that interaction can be based on devotion, piety or sin.
Right? So that’s separate. So according to what you’re interested in, Krishna creates a facility.
So how can we attract more facility? How can you attract more facility? Notice the term attract. If you’ll remember about, you know, a week or ten days ago, we discussed the law of attraction.
The point is, here it said, according to, he maintains them all and gives them facility for enjoyment according to their different work. You get the key there? Right? So, if you want attracting facility for preaching, means you preach, that will attract that facility. But if you just sit around trying to attract facility, you don’t get facility.
You understand? Does that make sense? Yes. So that means if we preach, then facility comes. Yes. That’s the point. And if you’re intelligent, opportunities come up, you take them. But it’s not, someone who is a fundraiser, do they ever do anything with that money?
No, they just raise funds. And the people who are doing something that the fundraisers are raising the funds for, they just do what they’re doing.
Right? Does that make sense? You know, so these big welfare organizations, what do they talk about? How many people are in the field applying the welfare, or how many people are collecting the money?
Yes, you know, we have this big international welfare group and we’re helping poor kids in Africa, like that, and so we have 1 ,000 collectors, aren’t we a great organization?
Or we say, no, we have 1,000 people in the field, you know, helping the kids. Which do people want to hear about?
People helping the children. Yes. You understand? So those who can create the facilities, those that focus on creating facilities aren’t necessarily the ones that are using it, you understand? The parent is creating facility for the child, who’s using the facility? The child. Yes, not the parent. So if you are always focusing on facility, you won’t be the one using it. You focus on the work, facility will come, you know what I’m saying? Not that, oh, I won’t make any endeavor, no, opportunity is there, take it.
You know what I’m saying?
So you do devotional work, you’ll get devotional. You analyze these things with intelligence, you’ll get the facility for that.
The result of attaining this knowledge is described in verse 19. One who knows Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead without doubting, right, is the knower of everything. And this is without doubting, and remember, doubt is the minor point, right, misgiving, that’s the bigger point. So if you have misgivings, definitely you’re not going to know God. If you have authority issues, you cannot know God, because He’s the supreme authority.
You know, so I’m saying, doubt means it’s just intellectually doesn’t match up, you don’t know how it works, right?
So, he who knows Krishna as the Supreme Personality without doubting, is the knower of everything, right? So if you know that, you know everything, because Krishna is everything, you know Krishna, you know everything. So it’s not that, oh, you don’t know anything, you have to separately endeavor.
So knowing Krishna, and He has unlimited glories, that means there’s unlimited things you can study about Him. So even you want to study something in the material world, it functions because of its connection to Krishna, not otherwise. Material energy doesn’t function on its own. So to think that secular knowledge has some standing, other than getting you a job and some money, then you have to be a fool, right, does that make sense? Because it functions, it is a body of knowledge only because it’s coming from Krishna. He is knowledge.
But it’s called secular because you don’t see the connection, right, does that make sense?
If you have a stolen car, you don’t see the connection with the owner, right? But does that mean there is no owner?
Does that mean that there is no laws concerning your dealing with that car without seeing the connection with the owner? Yeah, so that’s the whole point. So if you have a bunch of criminals, do they have a problem with the stolen car? Let’s say you get together ten criminals, do they have a problem? What about a hundred criminals, a thousand criminals, a million criminals, right? What about ten million?
Yeah, yeah, so there’s not a problem, right?
So but does that make it any less of a crime?
So, just because people say it’s okay, you know, we have Krishna conscious, no, but the massive people don’t appreciate that so we have to change it. Who cares what a bunch of criminals think?
Criminal means you don’t see a connection with the owner and the owner is God.
That’s the point. So knowledge, wealth, position, influence, you know, anything, beauty, fame, any of these, if it’s not in connection with Krishna, it’s stolen.
So this is the point. You see it in connection with him, work with it in connection with him, you get that facility. You don’t see it in connection with him, then you get that result.
So someone with this knowledge, he therefore engages himself in full devotional service unto Krishna, Srila Prabhupada explains. The imperfect knower goes on simply speculating about the absolute truth. But the perfect knower, without wasting his valuable time, engages directly in Krishna consciousness, the devotional service of the Supreme Lord. The person is engaged in full Krishna consciousness, in the devotional service of the Lord, it is to be understood that he has understood all the Vedic knowledge. In the Vaisnava parampara, means that’s what knowledge is trying to give you, otherwise you could say, okay, no, no, but people have all this knowledge and all that, it’s not resulting in that, what’s it for, right? What is it actually for?
What does the knowledge do?
Right? So it’s supposed to come to conclusion, right? With that conclusion, then you can do something, right? Let us say, you know, so, you know, are we going to go to Miami or are we going to go to Bali for a vacation?
So if there’s no conclusion, do we go anywhere? No. So how will modern academics go anywhere?
There’s no conclusion, so they can’t do anything with it. You can say, no, but look at the world, so many improvements, but who’s doing that? Not the academic.
Some businessman, you know, somebody in, you know, the political field, they’re doing something with it.
Does that make sense? They’re taking it and turning it into something practical, because they have a conclusion, hey, this will do this. So they may engage those academics, but they’re just being engaged, you understand?
So that’s the whole point, is knowledge concludes with the Supreme Lord, and therefore, one engages in devotional service. So if your knowledge doesn’t conclude in the Lord, it will not result in devotional service.
So if by your knowledge, then you oppose the Lord, oppose the culture, oppose the philosophy, it’s not going to get you devotional service, so don’t kid yourself that it’s somehow or another. It could be, yes, it could be, but that doesn’t mean it is, that’s the point. So that’s the point of facility. The facility could be engaged, so that’s not the point you look at. You look at what they do with it. So that determines whether you deserve more of that facility or not, right? The academic uses his intelligence, but doesn’t connect it to the Lord, right? So he doesn’t deserve actually more. So how is he defined by Gita, right? Seemingly intelligent, but not actually getting any more, because he doesn’t see it in connection to Krishna.
What do you call an intellectual who seems to be very knowledgeable, but can’t see his knowledge in connection with Krishna? Mayaya-apritya-jnana. Maya steals it. You always have to remember, she’s a little bit bigger than us. We’re one ten-thousandth of the tip of the hair, she’s one quarter of the cosmic manifestation.
Slight problem there.
In the Vaisnava paramparā it’s said that if one is engaged in devotional service of Krishna, then there’s no need for any other spiritual process for understanding the Supreme Absolute Truth. Right? You don’t need anything else. You’re engaged. That is the perfection. Because the purpose of knowledge is to engage. You’re already engaged, there’s not a need of another process.
That doesn’t mean you’re not studying this Gita. That is part of the process.
You know? Some will mistake, see, you just have to serve, no, no, none of this knowledge, no, we’re not talking about… That you study Gita, that’s not jnana.
This is about Krishna. So it’s devotional service.
He has already come to the point, because he’s engaged in the devotional service of the Lord, he has ended all preliminary processes of understanding. But if anyone, after speculating for hundreds of thousands of lives, does not come to the point of Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead and that one has to surrender there, all this speculation for so many years and lives is useless waste of time. Because intelligence is a facility.
So it’s only useful if you perform the work with it. Right? Because what… I mean, the previous chapters, what is Krishna talking about is given to him.
What is it that you’re… in the devotional activity, what are you trying to obtain?
Love of God. Love of God. Okay. How will that be obtained? Through relationship. Through relationship. And relationship with? Krishna. Krishna. Okay. And so, how is that relationship expressed? Through activity. And the activity generates a result. So, the result is for Krishna. Right? So, the result being for Krishna means that’s what will please Krishna. Then that means there must be an activity. And the activity is performed with the facility.
So, what’s important is not the facility, but it’s what work you do and what is your idea of the result.
You understand? So, we have to shift. Do you understand? In other words, you’ve been… Even though one is connected with the Middle Kingdom, one has been fully indoctrinated with the consumerist attitude.
Because the consumerist attitude means I have the facility, then I’m happy. No, if you have the facility, you have opportunity to be happy. But it doesn’t mean you are happy. It’s your work that will make you happy. And the work generates a result. So, it’s the result that’ll make you happy. So, if the result’s just for you, there’ll be minimal happiness. If the result’s for Krishna, then you’ll actually be satisfied.
You understand? So, it doesn’t mean facility is not important. Just as we’re saying, we’re going full circle. You know, which is more important, the milk or the glass?
Milk. But you need a glass to hold the milk. But that’s its only purpose, is it holds the milk. The milk is the real thing. So, facilities assist in performing devotional service. But that’s their only purpose, is their connection to devotional service. They don’t stand on their own.
You know what I’m saying?
Does that make sense? Right? You have a gold Rolex watch. The only value of it is that if you can use it to tell time in devotional service. If it’s not being used like that, it doesn’t have a separate standing.
Yes, because that’s the conditioning.
No, but that you build a big temple because so many people will come.
You know what I’m saying? On a festival day, how long are you here for?
One month. Okay. But if you notice on the road, there’s a lot of people. And that’s just from what’s here now. You put that big temple there and you won’t, you know, to get from here to, you know, wherever you want to get will take you, you know, hours.
How many seconds?
You know what I’m saying? So, if it doesn’t, because the work’s going on. You know, if devotees are sitting around in a place and nothing’s happening, nobody’s coming to the temple and they think, wow, if we build a big temple, then all the people will come. It won’t happen. Here, when we had a grass hut, people were coming. So, as you increase it, then it’s there. So, according to the work, then the facilities.
That make sense? So, the work’s already going on. Both sides should be mentioned.
Both sides should be mentioned. Match. Match, yes, they must match. So, according to the work, therefore, the facility.
The work increases, facility naturally will increase, but that’s not our worry. We’re worried about the work. You know what I’m saying? Because there’s not a particular specific detail of work. It’s the quality of work.
Devotional work is being applied. Now, whether you have nicer facility or not, it’s the devotional element that’s there. Facility simply is the cup for carrying the devotion.
You understand?
So, if you have more, you do more. If you have less, you do less. Yudhisthira had an empire. He was engaged in Christian service. He had nothing. He’s sitting in the forest. He engaged in Christian service. So, his devotional service never decreased, whether he had an empire or he had nothing.
Does that make sense? Yeah, but normally we see that having a person with empire, if you go with empire, always more facilities will be appreciated more, you know. You have more preacher, you know, more… You can. How much money did Lao Tzu have?
How about Confucius? They were known for being really stinking rich.
Right? So, what’s their wealth? Knowledge. Right.
Knowledge, renunciation.
Right? It’s also considered as wealth. Yeah. It gets things done.
Do you understand?
Yes.
You can put big bhakti in a small cup.
Yes. I mean, Sudama Brahman, then he had some chira, right? Some flat rice, you know. It was dry. And Krishna ate, you know, one or two pieces. And then the devotion that it contained, then material facilities that matched that were unlimited. So, he didn’t… He wasn’t worried about the facilities. He was worried about the devotion.
Facilities will come as you were. Krishna says, as you surrender, he’ll reciprocate.
So, that reciprocation means in the relationship and in the facilities for the relationship.
You know, the point is not to make an issue of we need the facilities or we don’t need the facilities. The point is, is devotional service is what’s important. And according to our conditioning, then we’re going to want bigger facilities or want no facilities.
You know what I’m saying?
Those who are into farm projects think, you know, building the big temple is a waste of money. You could grow so many potatoes for that money.
You know what I’m saying? So, that’s not the issue. The issue is devotional service going on.
Does that make sense? We have to be able to get to the essence here. Because that’s what Krishna takes, is the mood. It becomes devotional not because it’s a work and not because it has facility and not because it gives a result. It’s devotional because of the attitude, because of the consciousness.
Yes? Previously it was mentioned that four kinds of wise people come in, in contact with Krishna consciousness. And it appears that at least half of them, at least two of them, they come from facilities. No, three do. Three, yeah. They come from some facilities. But that’s why they are considered lower. The jnani wants to know Krishna as a person. The others are interested in knowledge or wealth or, you know, a nice environment.
You know, a safe environment.
So, but the point is, all that’s coming from Krishna. Knowledge is from Krishna. Right? You know, how you say, that satisfaction and all that comes from Krishna. And wealth, position, power, that all comes from Krishna. So, if you see it in relationship to Krishna, then you’ll actually obtain what you want. But if you don’t see it in relation to Krishna, because you’re doing devotional service, some facility comes, then one will go away.
You know, so you see that.
You go, they all go away. You know, so somebody who, you know, is talking about, you know, they’re interested in knowledge. And they’re talking about how, yes, you know, Prabhupada was one of my teachers. And, you know, I have so many, this academic and that professor and this one and that. That’s, that’s Jigyasa.
He came, he got some knowledge, he’s satisfied, he went away.
But the point is, is all of those three, they want to advance, have to come to the point that they actually want to know Krishna, please Krishna, interact with Krishna.
Then they become steady.
Then they move from that, you know, the third class platform to the second class.
So, the point is, is that it doesn’t matter where you start as long as you’re connected to Krishna. Then it will be progressive.
That’s the idea. If you’re not connected to Krishna, then one, there’s the chance of going away. When whatever it is that you approach Krishna for is satisfied.
But not satisfied is that you also have to know what you’re talking about. You know, let’s say you have a five -star restaurant. You know, and a bunch of teenage punks come in there. You know, are they going to be satisfied, right? They can’t even read it, it’s all in a different language, right? You know, like that. You know, and the price and this and that. Hey, man, we could go to this place and, you know, like that. They’re not going to be satisfied.
Because you actually have to, there has to be some qualification also to be satisfied.
You know what I’m saying? How many times do you have someone who is, you know, emotionally unstable, right? And because of this they have trust issues, they have authority issues. But let’s say they meet someone who’s very nice, interacts properly and is very supportive and is not, you know, themselves, you know, specifically motivated. Will they be able to appreciate that immediately? Sure.
No, but then, because then you have to know what you’re looking for.
You know what I’m saying? The person with, you know, security issues and authority issues, that means they don’t actually know what security is or authority is. So they don’t know what to look for.
Someone who’s experienced these things and that has lost them, then you can go looking for them and find them. But if you don’t know what you’re looking for, you know what I’m saying?
That’s the problem. You’re hungry but don’t know what food is, so will you be satisfied?
You know what I’m saying? You’d rather have that nice shiny thing over there. It looks better than, you know, something, you know, some food. It doesn’t look, you know what I’m saying? This is the problem. Because even if they come in contact, it doesn’t mean they know what they have.
You know, it’s a very common thing.
Does that make sense? Yeah. Okay.
Krishna summarizes chapter 15 in verse 20. These instructions are the most confidential part of Vedic literatures. Whoever understands will become wise, and by his endeavors he will know perfection. In his purport, Srila Prabhupada explains the meaning of the word anagha before summarizing the chapter.
The word anagha, by which Arjuna is addressed, is significant. Anagha, O sinless one, means that unless one is free from all sinful reactions, it is very difficult to understand Krishna. One has to become free from all contamination, all sinful activities, then he can understand. But devotional service is so pure and potent, and one who is engaged in devotional service, he automatically comes to the stage of sinlessness. So it’s more powerful. It works. Other systems, you have to get rid of the sin, then it works. Devotional service works and gets rid of the sin. So, so much better. Well, one has to understand, so here again we see this thing of what’s the prominent, what’s the secondary. If sin is not there, one can appreciate devotional service. So which of the two is more important?
Devotional service, right? So, therefore, one should not be focusing on the lack of sin, or on sin itself.
That’s easy to do. Just like focusing on the cup is easy to do.
Focusing on the essence, that’s hard.
So, we don’t focus on sin. Oh, he’s done this, he’s sinful. No, but the point is, what’s the problem with sin? The problem with sin is only because it gets in the way of devotional service. That’s its only problem.
Right? Does that make sense? Because factually sin is defined as not connected to Krishna. And piety is defined as connected to Krishna. Right? So, if it’s directly connected to Krishna, it’s called devotional service. If it’s only connected to Krishna through the rules and regulations of the scriptures, that’s called piety.
Right? And if it’s not connected to either of those, it’s called sin. Right?
One who is performing devotional service in the association of pure devotees in full Krishna consciousness… Oh, while one is performing devotional service in the association of pure devotees in full Krishna consciousness, there are certain things which require to be vanquished altogether.
The most important thing is one has to surmount the weakness… The most important thing one has to surmount is weakness of heart, not sin, weakness of heart. Sin is just the situation.
Right? Weakness of heart defines what you’ll do in the situation.
Does that make sense? So, that’s more of a problem. Oh, he’s sinful. But if he’s bold and strong, then you explain devotional service, he’ll be bold and strong in devotional service.
Right? So, weakness of heart, that’s more of a problem.
The first fall-down is caused by the desire to lord it over material nature. Thus, one gives up the transcendental loving service of the Supreme Lord. Here’s the fall-down, it’s caused by the desire to lord it over, so it’s desire. Right? Desire means connection, what’s the result you want? So, therefore, there’s an activity. So, is it the facility that made one fall down?
No, it’s the desire.
Right? Because that’s what generates the results. The results determine what is the activity.
I perform the sacrifice, and my purpose is to go to the heavenly planets, what do I call it?
Yes. I perform the same sacrifice, my goal is to liberate myself from material existence.
Hmm? Jnana yoga. First one would be karma. Second, jnana, right? Because one was activity. Then, I’m performing the same sacrifice, and my goal is to please Krishna, what do I call it? Devotional service, right? You understand? So, it’s what you do with the goal, right, which is generated by the work, which is based on desire.
So, your desire is what’s going to determine what you do. Right? So, if the heart is weak, there’s weakness of heart, means your desire, material desires will triumph over spiritual desires.
You understand? So, devotional service is not dependent on the facility. No. But a fall down, is that, does that have any relation to the facility? Is it a bigger fall down if you have more facility, or is that also independent? You know, I’m saying, the guy living, you know, the bum living in the street, and the millionaire, they’re both just as fallen. You know what I’m saying? It’s just one, by his activities in the past, he ended up with facility, and one ended up with, well, I mean, he’s got, you could say, depends how you look at it, you know, if you want to have fun, is that the wealthy man, then he has a big house, you know, he has his lawn, he has his, you know, 15 cars, you know, but that’s the limit of his facility. But the bum, all the streets of the whole city are his. He can go anywhere.
You know.
I don’t know if anybody else looks at it that way, but.
So, in other words, facility may influence, but it’s not actually has to. So, if it influences, there’s weakness. If it doesn’t influence, meaning, if by the influence of the facility you don’t do devotional service, then that’s weakness of heart. Right? But if by, you know, one facility you do this devotional service, another facility you do that devotional service, then one is steady. One’s consistent. What Krishna’s talking about. Right? So, facility’s important, but only in its connection with being engaged in the Lord’s service. That’s all. Other than that, it has no value. Right? It just doesn’t have any value. So, sometimes we only claim that, you know, we want to, like, make money, you know, to do this for Krishna’s service. That’s great. If they do business and use it for Krishna, probably I did that. But actually, you know, then they do business and they have no time to chat. Then you judge by the result.
You know what I’m saying? That’s what you look at. You judge by the result. That’s why these points are being brought out. What is the goal? So, his goal is devotional service, but at the same time, you don’t engage in devotional service. So, what’s the importance? Then wouldn’t it be better to be making less money and engage in devotional service?
You know what I’m saying?
Yeah, that’s nice. In the future, yeah. I mean, that’s great. It’s what we, you know, call in English, you know, a rain check, you know. You know, it’s like nice. It’s great. But, you know, the point is if they’re making so much money, you can still do little things now with your money. You know what I’m saying?
So, are they doing anything now with their money in connection with devotional service? And what’s the whole point of devotional service is to chant your rounds. So, if you’re doing so much and you don’t chant your rounds, what’s the use?
So, then he should give lots of donations, but because he’s not chanting, he should not be telling people how to spend it.
Because he doesn’t have the spiritual vision.
You know, he can make sure that it’s not wasted. Okay, it means they could buy something for, you know, for the devotional service, but, you know, due to lack of knowledge, they approach the wrong people and so it costs more. So, he can direct them, no, I have contacts, you can get it for less. That he can do. But he shouldn’t be telling, oh, you can spend on this, spend on that. That he shouldn’t be doing. Because where’s the spiritual potency?
You know, he may like, okay, I want to, you know, do this, this, but then the people who are doing that, they should say what goes on, not him.
You understand? But the point is, is you do devotional service because you chant. If you don’t chant, then what’s going to be the basis on which he will be consistent in making that money for Krishna? What’s going to drive him? Unless he’s making and immediately giving, that’ll be some service.
Right? But you generally see if that goes on after time, then they start chanting.
Because they start seeing, because what’s the point here is that if they’ll do that and not perform devotional service, then that means making of money is more important to them. You know, making devotional service is also important, but that’s a weakness of heart. They’re overcome by their material conditioning. So the person is going to make money. That’s what they’re going to do. They’re a devotee, they’ll make money. They’re not a devotee, they’ll make money.
So the karma aspect is much more important. So only when he gives that money, then there’s yoga. Otherwise, he’s just making money. It’s nice to talk, but the point is anybody who actually knows, then there’s always some money you can do something with. Because if he says, oh no, only when I get so much money, then we can do so much in devotional service, walk into the guy’s house, check what he’s wearing, check what he’s driving, check his facility.
And if it’s a complete, how you say, very like a poor man lives, then he can see, okay, maybe he has a plan if he’s actually making money. But if he has all kinds of nice facilities, how did he get the facility to spend for that? Why couldn’t you have given that money in devotional service?
We have no problem that he’s giving lots of money, he lives nice, no one can complain.
No one should complain.
But you have to look at the result. He says giving to Krishna, but is he actually doing?
You know what I’m saying?
People who are doing devotional service and they have to do some, you know, have some paperwork and that, they could engage in office. But the person who thinks, oh, when I’ll put together the office, then I can perform devotional service, they never end up actually doing devotional service.
They make a nice office and then it’s empty because they’re not there to do devotional service.
They’re off busy somewhere else making another nice office.
Right?
Like the end of some night, end of some, you know, how do you say, you know, 50s coward movie, you know.
I think our work is done here. Right off into the sunset, you know. Yeah, it’s a great office. Our work is done here.
Okay, so the first fall down, he’s talking about, he’s talking about weakness of heart. The first fall is desire to, is caused by the desire to lord it over material nature. So that’s the first weakness of heart. So that desire to lord it over material nature. Thus one gives up the transcendental loving service of the Supreme Lord. Right? So here, that’s how it works. You desire to lord it over, so you give up the loving service.
The second weakness of heart is that one increases the propensity to lord it over material nature.
That as one increases the propensity to lord it over material nature, it becomes attached to matter and the possession of matter. Because that’s your facility.
By desire you perform an activity. That activity gives a result. Right? In material nature. So that then gives you more facility to perform more activity. So you become attached to the facility. Right? So first is the desire to lord it over the material nature. And the second is attachment to the facility by which one can lord it over.
Right? So now, as we’ve been discussing, our vision generally is the second. We don’t even notice the first. That’s just standard. Like we were saying before, the thieves, stealing is normal. So they don’t even, it’s not even a discussion. You know? Is stealing good or not? They don’t discuss that. They discuss what to steal. Right? You understand? In other words, the principle of stealing isn’t part of their perspective.
That what they’re going to steal, that is. Right? So that I’m lording it over material nature, that’s not the discussion. But what facilities I have that I’m attached to, that’s what we discuss.
You understand?
So unless one can recognize the first one, how do you get to the second one?
Right? Means you can’t get rid of the attachment to matter unless you get rid of the desire to lord it over matter.
The problems of material existence are due to these weaknesses of heart. Right? That’s where the problems come. We think it’s in this, and it’s in that, and it’s, you know, in this authority, in that facility. No, it’s in these two. This is the problem.
In this chapter, the first five verses describe the process of freeing oneself from these weaknesses of heart. And the rest of the chapter, from the sixth verse through the end, discusses purusottama yoga.
Right? So by seeing things, you know, separating oneself from the modes, then one overcomes that weakness of heart. But having overcome that, what are you going to do? So then it’s a matter of connecting yourself to the Supersoul. Right? In other words, you have to separate. To be able to… You won’t be able to tell the difference between you and the Supersoul, or the Supersoul is there, or that your soul, if you’re attached to matter. Right? So if one is attached to the field, then one’s not going to see these other two. So you see that you’re separate from the field. The field is controlled by the modes. You’re Brahman. You’re separate from that. Seeing that, then you can connect to Supersoul, who’s the Supreme Brahman, and the controller of both.
So, as I was saying, the first six chapters are defining how one separates oneself from matter. And then the rest of the chapters, therefore, how to connect yourself to the Supersoul and engage material energy in the Lord’s service. Right? Because the principle is going to remain. There’s us. There’s matter. There’s the Supreme Lord. Right? So if we see the Supreme Lord, then matter, we’re taking it as something to use in Krishna’s service. And the result we get from dealing with that matter is devotional service, so it’s spiritual. So the matter is there, but we deal with it as spiritual. And the result we get is spiritual. So naturally that will bring us to the position of that particular energy we’re dealing with is not matter. It’s spiritual.
You understand? But the principle is there. If you can’t separate yourself and connect yourself to Krishna, then how are you going to work? If you can’t tell the difference between you and the devotees, and that you’re supposed to be engaged as an instrument of the devotees in Krishna’s service, how one will be in the spiritual world?
Because that’s what goes on there. So, that is practiced through seeing yourself as different from matter and seeing how you’re an instrument in engaging that matter in Krishna’s service.
Does that make sense? So this is purushottama, yoga. Seeing the Supreme Person, connecting to the Supreme.
So that direct element, that’s what’s there. Because the other one is through karma, through jnana, through yoga, through, you know, that’s how you’re connecting yourself. This is you’re connecting yourself with the Supreme because you’re Brahman and He’s the Supreme Brahman. So therefore, you have a relation. You’re going to express that relation by dealing with His energy.
And that’s going to be done by engaging that energy in His service. So it doesn’t matter whether it’s material energy or spiritual energy, you’re going to still deal with it in the same way, connected to Krishna. Does that make sense? So, as I said, this is the most confidential. Because it’s directly connected. The others are, you know, important. Everything is important because it’s connected to Krishna. But we can see as we go, you know, what’s more important. You know? Okay. Does that make sense? So we start to be able to distinguish.
So, as I said, we have the milk and we have the cup, which is more important. The milk, okay. So, now, but what’s the milk for?
Yeah, so that means then who’s more important? Krishna. Right? And so now it’s Krishna and this milk and this cup. What environment are you going to put them in?
Offer it to Krishna. Where are you going to do that? Yeah, in the temple. Not in your garage, you know, over there, you know. You know, it’s nice to look around. Okay, well, okay, the carburetor’s flat on the top, you know. You understand?
Does that make sense? So, like that then.
So, why, like, in China, you know, some Buddhists, they know their soul, you know, existence, but they can’t, you know, recognize.
Because their knowledge is stolen by illusion. Because, what, here, the first one, that’s one, the first fall down is caused by the desire to lord it over material nature. So the Buddhist, as he advances, what does he want to do?
They have, like, Mahayana, you know, they know their soul, they want to do, give benefit to other living entities, to help them. Okay, but what’s their ultimate goal? Goal is, you know, nirvana. Nirvana, and who gets the benefit of that? Themself. Yeah, so then they want to be happy, they want to lord it over, and how are they going to get that nirvana? By just sitting there and doing nothing. No, they’re going to control the material energy, so they get nirvana. Their theory is, by helping others, they get nirvana. By helping others, but you could just, so, so, what’s the need of their philosophy?
Their philosophy helps them to detach from matter. Yeah, but somebody else is helping others, but does not detach from matter. So then, is that actually what’s giving them the nirvana?
Yeah, but by helping others, they can’t… You’re helping others, the mother is helping her child. But they can’t help without attachment. So therefore, it’s performing the activity without the attachment that gives the result, not that you’re helping others. Helping others is the facility. Yeah. You understand? But it’s the consciousness in which it’s done.
You know what I’m saying? So they’re helping others, but they’re still seeing themselves as the lord of nature.
You know what I’m saying? But they already separated themselves from matter. But then, if that’s there, then why do they have to interact with matter? They think matter is a way of expressing, you know. Okay, a way of expressing. Okay, so then that’s good. So it’s a way of expressing. So you’ll do much better looking at it from that point of view, than from this consumerist point of view. Okay? So, it’s a way of helping, but the point is, ultimately, why are you trying to do that?
You know what I’m saying? Because you look at the result. That’s how you define.
You see that unless they help others, then they will not go to nirvana. Okay, unless you help others. So that means you’re helping others to go to nirvana. So actually, you don’t really care about the others.
Because you’re detached anyway, so that doesn’t matter. You can’t get attached to them. So you’re only using everybody else as an instrument to get done what you want.
You know what I’m saying? So this is the point we made. When you have a bunch of thieves, they don’t discuss if thievery is good. So for those who are attached to lording it over material energy, that’s not a discussion, so therefore you won’t find it in their philosophy.
So lording it over material nature to get what they want, that’s there. Devotional service means you’re helping others, serving others to please God, not to please yourself.
You know what I’m saying? Because the ultimate point is that one leaf on the tree will become happy. Because it will detach itself from the tree.
You know, we serve Krishna also, we also experience happiness. Yes, but you’ve experienced it through.
It’s just like this. The mother will get more happiness by serving the child or by being down at the spa.
Yes. You know, she may have fun down at the spa, but then she wants to get back to the children. So why is that? The one is all about herself. She walks in and they’re all, oh, hello, and this and that, and taking care, and making nice arrangements, and it’s all about her.
But, you know, she goes home and, you know, not necessarily as nice an environment, it’s all about the kid.
So in other words, there’s greater happiness from serving others than oneself.
So now, if that is there, so then serving the source of all others, why wouldn’t that be even greater yet?
Right? So they’re serving others, but their ultimate point of doing that is simply their own pleasure, not actually the other people’s pleasure. So therefore you can tell what its purpose is.
You know?
Does that make sense? Yeah.
Okay. Thus this chapter discusses overcoming the material attachment and understanding Krishna as the source of Brahman and Paramatma, and as Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is maintainer and controller of both the conditioned and liberated souls. Knowing all this, the Jiva engages in devotional service to Him. So it makes it very, very simple. That’s the point. You have all this, you know, this foundational knowledge, then it becomes very simple. You simply have to understand we’re the soul, we’re not the body. Right? And if we’re not that, we’re not implicated. So we’re not the cause of good result, we’re not the cause of bad result.
You know? Other people are not the cause of good result or of bad result. Right? It’s simply the material energy functioning according to her nature, which is controlled by the Lord. So if we serve the Lord, then that engagement with the nature in His service, that will get a devotional service. That will make us happy. Seeing that material nature is separate from Him, means we identify with it, come under the modes, then we suffer. Material energy is designed that it creates problems.
Right? Right? Because the soul is sat, eternal, cit, full of knowledge, and ananda, bliss. And what’s the material world? Temporary. Ignorance. Right? And, you know, it doesn’t, and ignorance doesn’t give us happiness. So it’s just the opposite.
So it’s just the way it is. Even when it’s working well on a good day, you know, it’s still not going to be that great.
Chapter 16. The Divine and Demoniac Natures. Those who possess demoniac qualities, and who live whimsically, without following the regulations of scripture, attain lower births and further material bondage.
But those who possess divine qualities and regulated lives, abiding by scriptural authority, gradually attain spiritual perfection. So now we may, you know, have a problem with this. Right? Because now you’re getting right down to the nature. The other is that you’re going to, to, by prusatam yoga, you’re going to see yourself as separate. Right? We’re going to see ourself as soul and separate from material energy. And therefore we won’t be under the modes. So therefore, in that liberated state, we can appreciate the Supreme Lord and connect everything there. What’s going to be the basis of that?
What’s going to decide whether we see ourselves as the soul and separate from material energy or not?
Because Prabhupada mentioned the first weakness is seeing oneself the desire to lord it over material nature. And the second is, the second is that one increases the propensity to lord it over material nature. He becomes attached to matter and the possession of matter, as he does that.
Right? So that’s what’s going to cause it. So, what is that? You want to lord it over material nature. Is that divine or demoniac? Right. Do you understand? So there’s natural next progression. Okay. So now he’s brought it down to the essential point is this. But what’s going to determine that? Divine or demoniac mentality.
So divine, right, the regulated lives abiding by scriptural authority, then they gradually attain… demoniac, live whimsically without following the regulations of scripture.
Right? Does that make sense? This is the fun part is, because we have all that background from before, then it can be stated in such simple terms. So if someone is saying, oh, we don’t have to follow all these rules and all this and that, and that doesn’t matter, you know, it’s like that. We just chant, we do what we like. What are we actually talking here? Divine or demoniac? It’s demoniac. Right? But, as, you know, most people when they’re applying Niti, then they’re going to state it according to something. It means, what’s the use of talking to someone unless it’s in a way that they can relate to it? Right? Right? So you need to talk to other people who have a demoniac mentality piously. No, there’s no need. But people who are pious, then you need to use pious, you know, context to explain to them the demoniac need.
You understand? So that’s always going to be used. So the real point is not, we chant Hare Krishna. The real point is, we don’t care about the rules.
Right? Otherwise, nectar, devotion, all these things, that’s the whole point. You come to, takes initiation, following the regular principles. Why? Because they regulate our lives so that we are careful about increasing the propensity. So that means it decreases the amount of things we’re attached to. That means then we’re able to look at our propensity to lord it over material energy. Like that.
That make sense? Is it raining?
I was thinking that there’s a lot of water going on.
That make sense? The essential point is how to define in our mentality.
Right? What’s what? No one can get upset about this. Oh, you’re calling me a demon. No, that’s not the point. Mentality is what we’re talking about. If you identify with a mentality, then yes, one’s called a demon. But what has it, that doesn’t make one a demon. It just leaves it there. Right? It’s said in Satya Yuga, then the demons and the demigods lived in separate planetary systems.
In the Dvapara Yuga, they lived on different, how you say, in different countries.
You know, it’s just like you have the demigods and the heavenly planets and the demons and the lower planets. Right? Like that. Then you have, they live in different countries. You know, so Ravana lives in one country, Rama lives in another. In Dvapara Yuga, they live in different families. The Pandavas and the Duryodhanatis. Right? But in Kali Yuga, they live in the same body.
You understand? So, like that. So, there’s always going to be a bit of demoniac mentality to deal with. So, this then is giving that, how to deal with that. Verses 1 to 6, transcendental and demoniac qualities. Right? Because that’s the thing. Who has the qualities, then they live whimsically or they lead regulative lives. And because they’re whimsical, they don’t follow the rules of scripture or because they lead regulated lives, they abide by scripture. What’s the basis? The qualities. Divine or demonic. So, the first thing, transcendental and demoniac qualities. Right? Then the demoniac nature, going into detail. Right? Because, you know, talk all day about the good qualities, no one wants to hear about it. You know, talk about the bad qualities. Right? Right?
How many shows are there about someone who’s just so good and nice and wonderful and, you know, as soon as they come to a street corner, there’s an old lady crossing, they’re out there, you know, or about the guy and, you know, he’s, you know, a bad guy and he’s doing all kinds of things in his life. So, therefore, after we’ve defined the two, we get into more detail. Right? Then, verses 21 to 24, escaping from hell and attaining the supreme destination.
Interesting thing here is hell means hell, then you also have to see whose definition it is.
Like that. Because we may say it’s great and someone else says it’s hell.
Okay.
The divine and demoniac natures.
Okay.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said, fearlessness, purification of one’s existence, cultivation of spiritual knowledge, charity, self-control, performance of sacrifice, study of the Vedas, austerity, simplicity, non-violence, truthfulness, freedom from anger, renunciation, tranquility, aversion to fault-finding.
Because fault-finding means you put yourself in a position… If you find fault, then one considers oneself superior. One who’s able to find the fault. And so, that’s the first weakness. I’m the lord of material energy. Right? So, I find fault, so that makes me the lord.
But what’s your business with them to point out the fault? Why do you need to point out the fault? You recognize, okay, but the point is, is that person actually at fault?
If we use the knowledge of the last chapter.
Yeah, he’s the soul, so he’s not actually at fault. It’s just the modes of nature. But it’s based on his desire, therefore that response is there, but they’re not that response.
So, now what? Now you’ve recognized that fault, now what are you going to do? What are you going to do with that? Because now you recognize that fault. That’s a field. What are you going to do with this field?
Okay.
But why do you want to help, or do you want to avoid?
Otherwise you don’t get Nirvana.
No, we have to, you know, like, we mean we have to, you know, do devotional service together, so… Maybe we have to do devotional service. It’s one of the options. Like, maybe we’ll have to take out the garbage, you know, because yesterday was a program, so… But maybe not.
Does that make sense?
That’s the point? No. Devotional service must be performed. So, are you able to influence that person for their benefit? Then you say something. If not, you notice what’s going on and the results you’re getting, and that, if you use that for yourself to strengthen your own devotional service, then that’s fine, but you’re not criticizing. But you sit around and criticize and fault find, then what’s the benefit?
Does that make sense? Somebody has to get benefit.
For example, privately, they will talk with me about… Yeah, but what’s the point? Do you or them get benefit?
Right? You talk about, oh, this guy, that, he’s so attached, and this and that, and just, and this and that. So, how are you going to use that? That’s… You know, if we’re calling that knowledge or something of value, what are you going to do with that now?
But is that the purpose of your conversation?
Are you trying to analyze what it is this devotee is doing wrong, because you perceive that there’s some wrong result, and therefore devotional service isn’t going nicely, so you want to see that it goes nicely, so you want to analyze what exactly is wrong here, because you don’t understand.
What situation means?
What’s… What does that mean by situation?
Okay, so if you’re trying to work that out, then it works nicely, but if you’re not, then it’s just fault-finding.
Yeah, depends on the mentality, because what you’re going to do with the result.
It always comes down to the result. What are you going to do with the result?
You know, and result’s based on action. And action’s based on mentality.
So if you look at the result, then you can tell the other two.
Does that make sense?
But activity doesn’t change. It’s the desire and the result that you look at. That’s where you tell. That’s where the mentality is.
So fault-finding choice always here, you know. I mean, people stay together, always have to, you know, That’s different. That’s called evaluation. Fault-finding means you just point out the fault, but, you know, what’s the benefit? It’s called fault-finding because you point it out with no benefit.
Evaluation, that’s another thing.
Yes.
It means the result is Sacrifice means voluntarily giving up the result of action. That’s it.
You know what I’m saying? So that basically means the proper performance of one’s duties.
Like that. Just like in the modern context, does the mother, you know, really want to take care of her child all the time? No. So that means that’s not sacrifice. That’s why they don’t get so much taste out of the relationship. That’s why when the kid grows up, they don’t care as much about their mother. Because the mother actually is more caring about herself. So what you put in is what you get out.
You know what I’m saying? If I put the battery in the charger and leave it for two minutes, how much can I get out? I leave it for two hours, I can get more.
So that’s the thing. They’re worried about themselves so they get less. But their philosophy is, I’ll get more.
Why just sit at home and take care of the kid? You could get more out of life.
You understand? But they don’t know what life is and they don’t know what more is.
Because if you check, that more out of life means you’ll spend money. So they’re getting more out of life.
Because actually the sense is, why would you want to stay at home? You want to get more out of life for me.
That’s actually it. Yes? Is it okay for a devotee to love spiritual activities? Of course, spiritual activities, because then you’re pleasing Krishna. So you’re taking care of the child, they’re devotees, you’re serving Krishna. You’re dealing with the child in relationship to Krishna. So that’s there. But on one’s own, one’s got to do something separate for myself. Like that, I’m neglecting myself and all that. That’s the whole point. The point is this relationship. What are you going to do with it? Because even if you do something for yourself, great. But having done something for yourself, then what are you going to do with yourself?
I spend time fixing my house. But then what you do with your house, that’s what’s important. So if you spend some time for yourself, that means supposedly you’ll have improved yourself. Now what are you going to do with yourself?
But they think, no, by improving myself, that’s already accomplished it. So it’s just more consumerism.
I get more money, I create more facility, I do something for myself. But the point is this, how are you going to engage yourself or your facility?
So if that’s not defined, then… Because that’s what we’re saying. The facility, that’s the field. Yourself, that’s the soul. But just that engagement, that’s not enough. You have to know the Supersoul. So that means when we see ourselves in relationship with the Supersoul, engage the energy, the facility, in relationship with the Supersoul, then that’s the yoga. But to do that then requires proper mentality.
So that’s where…
Compassion for all living entities, freedom from covetousness, gentleness, modesty, steady determination, vigor, forgiveness, fortitude, cleanliness and freedom from envy and from the passion for honor. These transcendental qualities of Sanabharata belong to godly men endowed with divine nature.
So these are all the nice qualities, these are divine, but that still has to be applied in Krishna’s service. So this is not now, okay, all that was before, now this is the new thing. They’re defining what’s already been going on. So they’re giving finer and finer points how you do it. So that means that all has to be engaged in the Lord’s service. Then all these qualities have meaning because these qualities have come from Krishna.
Pride, arrogance, conceit, anger, harshness and ignorance, these qualities belong to those of demoniac nature. Seems to be this is some kind of this unequal distribution of qualities here.
The transcendental qualities are conducive to liberation, whereas the demoniac qualities make for bondage. Do not worry, O son of Bandhu, for you are born with the divine qualities. Right, because he might get an anxiety.
So transcendental qualities are conducive to liberation if they’re performed according to duty, you know, like that. And the only way you actually get liberated is in connection with devotional service. So when those qualities are engaged according to Krishna’s service, then they have meaning on their own. Then they’re conducive, but they don’t stand on their own.
O son of Partha, in this world there are two kinds of created beings. One is called divine and the other demoniac. I have already explained to you at length the divine qualities. Now hear from me of the demoniac, right, because the divine has been what’s always been emphasized because that’s what you’re going to engage, because that’s conducive to liberation. So the demoniac hasn’t been actually defined very well. Right? So now Krishna will define that.
Yes. Yeah, so many people may have divine qualities.
I always appreciate it. Yeah, but you also have that some of these are also…
Pride, arrogance, conceit, anger, harshness and ignorance, some of those, they’re also appreciated, but by the demoniac. So, in other words, you’d have to have some piety to appreciate piety.
Right? In the demoniac, they appreciate the demoniac. Now within the demoniac, then, you know, those who will have some of those divine qualities, then that will be appreciated, right? You know, the thief who doesn’t steal from other thieves will be appreciated, not the thief who does steal from other thieves, right?
Does that make sense? Yeah. Yeah, so like that.
Does that make sense? You know, you’re doing your thievery, you get caught, right? Okay. But then the other thieves, while you’re in jail, take care of your family. So you’d appreciate that.
So the qualities are conducive, and the demoniac aren’t. So one has to see that the divine are used and the demoniac are avoided.
In all cases, then, the divine are useful.
So even the demoniac people can use divine qualities.
Yes, but that particular combination, that’s what makes it divine.
You understand?
Those qualities themselves together, that’s the divine qualities. So the qualities themselves are divine qualities, but someone who possesses that, then they’re considered divine nature. So the more you possess of that, the more divine the nature.
But the qualities themselves, because they come from Krishna, so they’re there.
So like a thief, you know, save another thief’s son, you know. Like this particular activity consists of divine nature.
Which? You know, he saves his son. Yes, he saves him, so that element is. But that’s why it’s considered appreciated. But it doesn’t mean that he’s, if you look at the overall picture, is he of divine nature.
You know what I’m saying? You have to look at the complete package. See, in other words, it’s like this.
You have to see what is actually at work here.
You know what I’m saying? It’s just like, let us say you go and and you see, you know, you go to get the milk. Okay, and there’s something floating on it. Okay. So you want to remove that. Okay, and you get the glass, and there’s something dirty, so you clean that. And there’s a few glasses, so you pick which one you think is the best for that particular application. But now, once we have that milk proper and the glass proper, are we worried about faults in the milk or the glass? No. So that means there’s a limit to it. So, the emphasis on simply finding what’s the exception and therefore what’s the fault, that shouldn’t be the focus. That is part of the process, but that’s not the complete process. There has to be a theory on which you find the exception and therefore the possible fault. But the point of that is not that you found it. Now that’s perfection.
That’s called fault finding. It’s now what are you going to do to correct it, because you have to come to a conclusion.
Does that make sense? Yeah, so that’s why one has to be very careful. Someone will say something and, you know, we use the intelligence and go through things and find an exception. So then we think, ah, I’ve defeated it. No, you’ve simply brought up a doubt. But bringing up the doubt, that’s not the end. But for those who are fault finders, then that’s what they’ll do, because finding fault is their method.
Because if you find fault, then I’m superior. So the purpose is to be superior, so therefore we find fault. Right? But so we want to avoid that and that the fault may be found so that then we can improve the quality of it so it can be engaged nicely.
You understand? So the one, its purpose is making oneself supreme, and the other is serving the supreme.
Right? So is the benefit for yourself or is the benefit for others?
Right? And even if it’s for others, unless it connects to the Supreme Lord, it’s limited in its benefit.
Does that make sense?
Okay, so we’re in here. Om Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Jaya. Śrīla Prabhupāda ki. Jaya. Śrīla Vaitāya Bhaktivinda ki. Jaya. Sanatārī Gaura Prabhupāda.
