Bhagavad-gītā Seriatim #12

Bhagavad-gītā Seriatim #12

Full Playlist of Bhagavad-gītā Seriatim Lectures 

Use your browser search function* to search for keywords within the lecture transcription. You can click anywhere in the audio track to jump to the respective section of the transcription text, and click anywhere in the transcription text to jump to the respective section in the audio track.
*CTRL+F on Windows, CMD+F on Mac, Find in/on Page on phone

DISCLAIMER: This is an automatic transcription which contains some misspellings and other irregularities. When in doubt, compare with the audio. If you would like to help us edit these transcriptions, please write to bvps.transcriptions[at]gmail.com

Prabhupada das remembers Sri Caitanya -caritamrta 2.1

If you have a few other points on there.

It’s also making the point is that you have this knowledge is that you’re studying this knowledge now. And in studying this, then it has to be applied. To apply it has to be contemplated.

So in contemplation, then you’re trying to see this knowledge in, you know, the workings of your life, what’s happening around you, the environments you’re in. And so that would mean is that if you can see the connection, then that’s good. You can’t see connection, then you understand that there is and you continue to contemplate until it makes sense. Not that if you can’t figure it out, then it doesn’t it doesn’t have any meaning. That would be the mistake that the armchair speculators make. Then the other aspect is that when it when it does make sense, it doesn’t mean that you have seen the full depth and full range of the application.

So so in your contemplation and practice, you may find that there are other elements that that with time start to become known. So as they do, you should not be attached to your preliminary understandings, you should be able to accommodate the broader and deeper understanding, right? Because the other one may be more simple, the as it goes, it gets more complex. Does this make sense? So it goes from being very clear to you start to be sensitive and notice other elements, then you have to think more and then that will come together and that will be solid and then it will become more elements. Does this make sense? It’s an ongoing process, right? Because it because of the devotee being able to do this in connection with the Lord and see it, know that ultimately is the Lord, then he can understand devotional service because it’s not through intellect, it can be understood, right? That’s why the example is given of the bee on the jar of honey, right? The bee is quite, how do you say, on one level qualified, right? They but at the same time as it’s inaccessible, right? They’re unable to actually appreciate the honey. They can only see what it looks like. They can say that this is honey. They can identify it, right? They can study the, you know, the color, the grains or the, you know, whatever it is in it, but they can’t taste it.

So only when this contemplation and practice is done in connection to the Lord, is it tasteable, right? Otherwise it’s not accessible. So that’s very important to notice that intelligence isn’t quite enough. It has to be applied. So there has to be that sincerity of application.

Then we have the element is that we’re here is that the soul cannot be killed, right? So that’s the ultimate point. Anything else that we have then is based on the material consideration, which may at the time be important for us, but ultimately then that’s not going to be that important. Because once you get to the spiritual world, then whatever were the considerations within the material, those aren’t important, right? You know, what was the particular thing or, you know, hey, you borrowed, you know, a cup of sugar and never gave it back, or, you know, these things, they just don’t matter anymore. So the soul cannot be killed. So there’s no cause for lamentation when someone leaves the body, right? There’s no cause because they go on, right? Maybe your appreciation of it doesn’t, but they don’t go, they don’t, they don’t stop to exist, right? So then one shouldn’t be, see that as a problem. So the body, the purpose of it is according to the nature that it has, then you engage it in the religious principles that are connected with that nature.

Does that make sense? The body has a particular nature, therefore you use it according to that nature in the Lord’s service, right? As we discussed previously, is that’s, in the spiritual world, that’s what they’re doing. They’re taking their nature and engaging in Kṛṣṇa’s service, right? There, they have their mood, it develops the external, right? Here is, on the material platform, the mood of the, the flavor of the mind creates the body, right? It’s the senses and the body. So it’s the same principle. But when we’re going to, there it’s because of the service to Kṛṣṇa. So it’s, it’s coming from that subtle to the, to the manifest. But for here, we have to talk, take with the manifest, and then take that and connect that to Kṛṣṇa. So you’re reversing the process, right? In other words, the gross, the body and senses that are created by the mind, you engage that in Kṛṣṇa’s service, that starts to change, purify the mind. Then the mind is able to take it back into, I am a servant of Kṛṣṇa. So then one starts to develop the spiritual, right? Then the body and all that’s engaged, but with time, then it will reverse. And now because of that devotional, then it will manifest in the spiritual world as the spiritual form. You understand? So that’s why all these things in, in the, the śāstras are describing the creation, because it shows you how you got in the situation you’re in. So basically, you have to reverse that to get out. So it’s not the gross thing. Okay, he made the mountain. Okay. But the point is, is why is the mountain there? Why are these things there? That’s why it’s there.

You know what I’m saying? It’s created because of that particular desire, that particular quality.

That will be why it comes up. All right? And then you have the mechanics of one thing going to the next. Right? In other words, creation is happening because this false ego is added. No false ego, no creation.

Right? So if no false ego is added to dāna, there will be no mahat.

Right? So it’s false ego that is the basis of the material creation is false ego. Right? False ego is not the basis of material energy. Material energy is material energy, whether it’s manifest or not. But it’s manifestation that you can be involved is because of ego. Does it make sense? You get rid of ego, the false ego, then you get rid of material existence.

All right? So therefore, we identify with the material energies because of ignorance. We don’t identify with it, then we’re not adding false ego to the material energy. So then there’s no material manifestation.

So what we’re dealing with is just external energy that we engage in a service.

So then in principle, we’re doing nothing different than the residence of the spiritual world. Just we’re working with inferior ingredients.

Right? You know, someone has a nice kitchen and lots of nice fresh vegetables and spices and everything like that. And you know, we have, you know, some, how do you say, one little dinky fire and one pot and a box of Maggie noodles. So the principle of cooking is the same. But the ingredients in the environment are inferior.

No offense to anybody, meant that anybody is very attached to, you know, these particular noodles.

Okay? So the point is this. It’s not that the body is maintaining the life. Right? The soul, when it’s in the body, it maintains the body. Right? The soul is situated in the heart. And because it’s there when the blood goes by the soul going to the heart, then it becomes energized. Right? So modern medicine, they know the energy is coming from the heart, but they don’t actually understand where. Otherwise, how does one thing that’s dead generate energy?

Energy comes from energy. It means, what is it? Newton’s third law. For however much is put in, that’s how much comes out. So if that much is coming out of the heart, what goes into the heart to make that there? That they don’t bother with.

Something like that. But that’s the point is, that is what maintains the muscle and makes that, gives that, that. But what pushes the muscle?

You know, all that. Because the air is pushed. So life airs. Life airs move. If you have muscles and you’re depressed, do your muscles move? No. You’re feeling enthusiastic and all that. Do the muscles move? Right? So, but it’s the same muscles.

Right? So what is causing the movement? It’s the soul. Right? So the soul maintains the body, just like the sun maintains the universe. The soul maintains the body. You remove the soul, the body stops functioning.

Right? So in other words, death means the body is unable to be of any more, say, you know, specific use that the soul will be able to maintain, you know, be able to function within it. Does this make sense? It does. So that’s another point of why it’s not a problem. Right? You’re thinking you’re killing them, but you’re not. Because you can’t kill the soul. Right?

Okay. Then in 220, then the point is made that the one who’s free from desire and lamentation, then by the Lord’s grace can understand the soul. So desire, that will mean passion.

You know, that’ll be the future. And lamentation, that’s the past. Right? So both of these are not technically active. Right? The future and the past aren’t active. Activity is happening in the present. So if one is always absorbed in the future or the past, right, on the mundane platform, one can’t understand the soul, because the soul is eternal. It’s always functioning. Right? So that requires goodness. So then by engaging the body and mind in service, one becomes purified. One becomes free from those desire and lamentation. Then one is able to understand.

Right? Does this make sense? But the Lord’s only giving His grace to someone who is doing it to please Him.

Does it make sense? So the devotee is performing the activity, and Kṛṣṇa says He will remove that ignorance.

Yes? Make sense?

Okay. So, what? Was it that Kṛṣṇa will give His grace to one who is endeavoring to become free from desire and lamentation, or He will give His grace when one is free? No. The point is this. Okay. The question is this. Does Kṛṣṇa give His grace when one is endeavoring to become free, or when one is free? Technically neither.

He gives His grace to one who is trying to serve Him. Right? And so lamentation, desire, getting in the way of that service, that’s the point. It’s not that one is separately trying to get rid of. In other words, one’s trying to separately develop the good qualities and get rid of the bad qualities. Because the point is, what is the use of a quality?

Yes. That’s the point, is that if it’s used to serve Kṛṣṇa, then it has meaning. But if it doesn’t, then even it’s such a nice quality, it doesn’t really have any meaning.

So, it’ll be misapplied.

Okay. So now, okay.

So consciousness and knowledge, right? So consciousness is the symptom of the soul. Now the soul can cultivate this knowledge, right? It’s natural for the soul to be in knowledge, but one has to awaken this knowledge. It’s not something new. This is standard for the soul. And so then, by purifying that, then everything starts to work. The yoga system means that the soul being situated in the life airs. It’s sitting in the life airs. That’s why it doesn’t rattle around in your body, trying to figure out where your soul is. Well, it was here yesterday.

So, it sits in the life airs. The problem is, the life airs, and then they’re the ones who do activity, right? So if consciousness is wrong, then the activity is wrong, right? And the activity is performed by the life airs, right? Does that make sense? So, the idea of the yoga system is purify the life airs, that will purify the soul. It’s a very mechanical process, right? So they have to stop doing anything that would be activity, that would be impure, right? So, therefore, they just do like their asanas and different things, breathing exercises. The idea is, I do no impure activities. Therefore, the life airs become purified. Therefore, then the consciousness of the soul is purified. You understand? But it’s a very slow mechanical process. So, what would be a more direct process? Using the same mechanics. Purify the consciousness.

Okay, but how will you purify the consciousness?

Start with activities, yes.

Serving Krishna. In other words, the yogi will not do anything that’s going to be impure, but they’re not doing anything that is actually positive, right? They avoid doing anything negative, so they put themselves in a neutral state. That’s why their inspiration in the beginning is their thinking of the super soul, but in the end, Patanjali doesn’t make the super soul as the goal.

From the lower stages, you’re trying to get to the point of meditation upon the super soul, but it’s just a process, a technique.

The super soul is not the ultimate goal of Patanjali’s yoga system, right? Because you want to merge into the Lord. So, what’s the meaning of him being a person? Yes.

Jnana culminates in jnana.

Jnana yoga means you have understanding of what is actually functioning, so therefore, you’ll be very careful on what you do. But generally, the jnanis, they tend to avoid those things that are impure.

They are, but it’s more in the negative, by not doing impure activities.

But it means, in other words, those things that would involve you in karma, that fruit of work, they avoid that. So, if you’re not doing any work that generates a result, after a while, there are no more results. The system stops. So, they call that liberation. But for the devotee, he takes the body and senses and engages it in the Lord’s service. So, not only is it not doing something wrong, now you’re actually doing something positive. So, that purifies the life airs and that purifies the consciousness. So, if the devotee is always engaged in pure activities, that will purify the consciousness. Otherwise, if one says, oh, I’ll do whatever I want because I chant Hare Krishna, then what’s going to happen? You do whatever you want, that requires the movement of the life airs. Whatever you want, if it’s not a devotional activity, then the airs are not going to be purified. So, that’s not going to change the consciousness. So, that’s why generally those who make those kind of statements are not known to be that pure.

Does this make sense? Yes? No? Kind of what didn’t make sense.

Is it that if we perform devotional service, then everything else will follow up? Should we endeavor separately? No, that was their opening point. We don’t endeavor separately because we just engage in devotional service. The yogis and the jnanis, they’re engaged in endeavoring separately.

In other words, they think, okay, the life airs are impure, therefore consciousness is impure. Therefore, if I follow a regulated lifestyle of sadhana, perform asana, pranayama, control the senses, don’t engage myself in any at least seemingly fruitive activity, then the life airs are purified.

Then when they’re purified, it’s brought out and it purifies the consciousness. Then one is able to come to the point of being able to meditate upon the Supersoul.

So, that comes with time. But what they don’t understand is if you engage in devotional activities, then that’s actually positive. The other thing is just avoiding the negative. And then that very quickly elevates one to the platform of purity. Because, not only is the, because, see the point of why I mentioned it that way, we’re attached to the body and all these things. So, we are very much affected by, therefore, the purity or impurity of the life airs. But to do it through the yoga systems, we see in reality, it takes 10 to 60,000 years.

Like that. Really focused, we hear of 10,000 years, like the pacetas or that, 10,000. But we do hear of prajapatis, and that’s 60,000 years to actually see the Supersoul and everything. So, you’re talking about quite a big window, which is a bit, even the lowest end, the 10,000 is a little bit more time than we have. A hundred more times than we have on a good lifetime.

So, it won’t work from that method.

But the point is, if we engage the body in the service, then the body and senses are purified. So, that means the life airs are purified, that will have an effect on the consciousness. But the most important is the direct aspect that we’re rendering service to Krishna. So, that means our consciousness is fixed on Krishna. That’s going to be the most effective.

Does that make sense? He’s remembering Krishna, absorbing Krishna, doing things for Krishna. That’s going to have, that’s direct. The indirect is because we’re attached to the body, because the body is being engaged in Krishna’s service. Therefore, we’re becoming purified from that side also. So, that’s the indirect. Does that make sense? So, we don’t endeavor separately for the indirect. For us, the indirect is still connected back to Krishna, while others connect the indirect back to Ramana or the yoga mystic cities, or they don’t connect it.

It’s just like Shankaracharya. If someone came up to him and had big, big philosophy he wanted to discuss, and he’d say, first take sannyasa, then we’ll talk. His point is, why I should talk to a grhastha about renunciation and about Vedanta philosophy when they’re absorbed in material life?

Because they don’t have a way of connecting the grhastha life to transcendence.

Does that make sense? So, they stop doing activities of karma with the idea that it will finish up and burn up. You perform an activity of karma, you will get the result in the future. You stop performing any activities of karma, then in the future there won’t be anything. So, then in that time, you either merge or you evaporate, depending on if you’re a Mayavadi or a Buddhist. Does that make sense? That’s their idea, but there’s no such thing as no activity. You’re breathing, so there’s a result from that. So, karma will always be there, just it may adjust the thing.

But in devotional service, then those things can be connected to Krsna. But you have to give up the desire for your own pleasure and connect that to Krsna’s pleasure. Then it doesn’t matter the position. That anybody can talk about.

Does that make sense? So, that’s what we’re saying is that they’re endeavoring separately. They’re just trying to be good, trying to be nice. Like the modern thing, you’re supposed to be good and nice, but what’s the system for being good and nice? You’re just endeavoring to do good work and be nice and being a good associate. So, good points, but it’s very mechanical. How will it work? What’s actually to say that they’ll be uplifted?

Okay, and then the last point. So, by following the instruction of the spiritual master, then one becomes purified, because the spiritual master will engage body, mind and words in the Lord’s service. Therefore, the consciousness will be purified.

Yes, but at the same time, because there’s a lot of things we do that aren’t direct, but they’re connected to the spiritual master’s instructions. So, from either way, we’re being purified, whether it’s from the consciousness purifying our other aspects of our existence or engaging the other aspects of our existence in Krishna’s service. So, from both sides, then it’s being purified.

But these others, the yogis, the jnanis, they only have one side to do it, the lower side, and that’s very mechanical and it takes a long time.

Like it just says that the Brahma Samhita, the yogis drilling their respiration for millions of lifetimes, cannot even see the effulgence off of the toe of Krishna’s toenail. I mean, effulgence off of Krishna’s toenail.

So, the effulgence is Krishna’s quality. So, they can’t even actually come to the real Brahman realization, except for millions and millions of lifetimes. So, that’s a slow process, right? Let alone karma.

Karma is like, you know, as slow as it gets.

Can you please explain what it means that by purifying the consciousness, the other aspects of our existence are purified? It means if you purify your consciousness by understanding your relationship with Krishna, then you’ll naturally engage in activities that are in connection with Krishna. So, in other words, you’ll engage the life airs in pure activities, right?

Does that make sense? And at the same time as those activities, some of those activities may be direct, some of those activities may be indirect. So, the indirect is because we’re attached to those activities that are on the material platform. And so then, in this way, then you’re engaging those material activities in the Lord’s service. So, then that then purifies the life airs, and then from that side, mechanically it purifies. You understand? And the other is you purify the consciousness so you engage the life airs properly.

You understand? It’s the same thing, but it’s just a matter of which side you’re approaching it. What’s the consciousness? Right? So, what’s the difference between Buddha yoga and Sarva-dharmam parityajya? Right? It depends on which side you’re coming from.

Does that make sense? Yes? So, you could say that the difference between one and the other you just mentioned is one is working for Krishna and the other is working for us and connecting to Krishna. Yes, like that. In other words, yeah. In other words, where you’re connecting is that’s where it’s the, basically, the sakham. It’s your own desire, but you’re connecting it to Krishna. Naisakamya, you’re already doing Krishna’s work. So, it’s a combination of the two, but the emphasis is on consciousness remembering Krishna.

Is this all? Yes?

Okay.

So, then in 2.21, then everything has its utility. One situated in complete knowledge knows how and where to apply a thing for its proper utility. Right? So, everything can be connected to the Lord. The only one in knowledge, in other words, one who’s gained instruction from the spiritual master, knows how and where to apply something to get its proper utility. Right? So, Arjuna here, then he’s talking about this respect to the guru and all that, which is fine, but he’s misapplying it. He has a lack of knowledge. He doesn’t know how to apply it. Right? So, his compassion, that’s not a wrong thing. There’s a proper utility for compassion, but he’s misapplying it. Right? But now that he’s surrendered to the spiritual master, now he’ll become in knowledge. Right? So, by that surrender, then he’ll learn what’s the proper utility.

Okay? So, without the spiritual master, one cannot know what is the proper utility.

Right? So, in practice, that utility is the principle, like that, but that utility is still based on on the instructions of the guru. Right? So, guru-sādhu and śāstra, books are the basis. Right? So, in other words, Vedic authority is the basis. Right? Out of that, then the essence, then is preaching. Right? You understand who you are, you understand who Kṛṣṇa, who are the living entities, the material energy, so then you discuss on that level. That’s the essential point. Right? Now, you’re going to have to apply that in your life. That’s utility. You have to be able to see how to apply that knowledge of śāstra. That’s the central point, is cultivating Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness into your life and others’ life. Right? And how are you going to be able to do that? Purity is the force.

Does that make sense? So, that was the original order was given, and that’s what Prabhupāda accepted. So, if you change the order, you technically change the meaning. You know, the importance of what’s there. Many times devotees, they relate it, but they change the order. It changes slightly the mechanics of it.

So, then we were down to here. Okay. The analytical description, Bhārataṇa, twenty-five. The analytical description of the soul made in verses twelve to thirty did not remove Arjuna’s delusion. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa now recommends the process of bhūti -yoga. By following this process, one is free from karmic reaction and realizes his spiritual position. In his commentary to verse thirty-nine, Śrīla Bhāladeva Yavuṣaṇa writes, Kṛṣṇa says, the understanding or knowledge necessary for performance of śaṅkhya alone has been spoken to you. Starting with verse twelve and ending with verse thirty, if that knowledge does not arise in you because of impurities in your heart, then hear about the knowledge necessary to execute karma -yoga, which will now be spoken, and which includes within it ātma-jñāna. By performing these actions with these understanding, you’ll be freed from the bondage created by action. Executing these actions with great energy, with a desire for the bliss of ātmā, and by the order of the Lord, you will cross over saṁsāra by being fixed in ātma-jñāna, which will later appear in you as a result of niṣkāṁ karma-yoga.

This is probably where the term niṣkāṁ comes in, because Prabhupāda generally uses niṣkāṁ here. It’s the same thing, it’s just a matter of words. But we see in the eleventh canto, then the term niṣkāṁ comes in. So it’s probably from the purports of the ācāryas that the term comes up. So here is that he’s spoken śaṅkhya, analyzing the material energy, analyzing the soul, and showing how the soul has no connection with material energy. And then from that platform then one can function. But Arjuna was not convinced. He did not see practically how to apply it, because he’s used to performing activities with a focus being on that. Dharma and doing the righteous thing and everything is correct. So now, Kṛṣṇa will now explain karma-yoga that has inherent in it, which He says includes within it ātma-jñāna, the knowledge of the soul. So before He showed the knowledge of the soul and how the soul is there within the creation, how it functions and all that. So you can distance yourself that way by only seeing how the world mechanically works. Then you don’t get emotionally involved.

But because that’s not working for him, then he’s bringing in karma-yoga that has the same knowledge included within it. So this is called niṣkāṁ karma-yoga, buddhi -yoga. So the process of naiṣkārmya, that’s buddhi-yoga, where you’re performing your activities with proper knowledge, because that’s the natural position anyway of the soul. Because the śaṅkhya system is simply that the soul won’t be entangled in the material world, and then from that you’ll move forward. Then you’ll move forward to devotional service, where you’ll take up activity in the spiritual world.

Does that make sense? So it’s just to draw one out of one and into the other. It means you stop engaging in material activities, you come to the neutral position, and then you start cultivating the spiritual activities. Does this make sense? But buddhi-yoga means you don’t have to stop the material activities, you just have to perform them with proper knowledge for Kṛṣṇa. So you don’t change your position. And then from there, it automatically becomes spiritual, because what you’re doing is actually the spiritual. Just your consciousness still may be more focused on the material, but actually you’re following the spiritual process.

Does this make sense? Yes.

Yeah, there’ll always be benefit if it’s bona fide. There’ll always be a benefit. But as Kṛṣṇa mentions to Nanda Bābā in the Govardhana-līlā, is that someone who has knowledge or is conscious of what he knows why he’s doing something, he’ll get more benefit than if he doesn’t know. So the more you’re conscious, the more you understand it, the more benefit you get.

Why did you throw in intelligent?

I’m saying there is lazy intelligent, but a lazy intelligent means he’s fully aware of everything. And he’s so aware and knows what’s going on, he can engage everybody else in it. So lazy intelligent doesn’t mean he’s lazy. He is very efficient in getting things done, but he just uses his ability to be conscious of it and know what moves with what, what gets what effect, that he engages others as the instruments.

Active intelligent means he sees that same thing and does it himself. Lazy intelligent means he sees it and gets others to do it. Lazy just means you sit there and you do nothing.

Does that make sense? Is lazy intelligence the way brāhmaṇas operate?

How do you define brāhmaṇa?

Yeah, they’re not involved, but what does it take to instruct another brāhmaṇa or a kṣatriya or a vaiśya so that they understand, they see the importance of, they’re inspired, they identify with, and when they graduate they will perform those activities.

Means you’re conscious, you’re aware of every individual that you’re dealing with and what situations they’re in or will be in. So in other words, it’s a matter of here lazy intelligence means that the intelligence is very active, but the physical is not so active. Right? Does that make sense? Yeah, you could say, but at the same time the kṣatriya is sitting there in his court and running the whole kingdom, so that also.

You know, the vaiśya is sitting there behind the cash counter, you know, just counting money and everybody else is running the shop. It’s just like, let us say you walk into Marks and Spencer’s, right, on, how you say, Oxford Street, okay? How many people are working in there at any one time?

Right? Things what, like three or four floors high or Harrods? Have you ever bumped into Mr. Dowd while walking through Harrods? No. So that means you’re never meeting the guy that has the brains, but otherwise hundreds or thousands of workers are working, right? So that’s lazy intelligence.

At the same time is, he’s also probably active doing whatever he’s doing, but what we’re meaning is for how much work he’s doing, how much result is coming.

Yes, like that. That’s what we’re meaning. You know, while active intelligence, he’ll be down there on the floor going around, seeing, talking to customers, you know, on there, seeing, are you doing this and that? Hey, this person come, you should have done like this and like that. But lazy intelligence will train somebody to do that for him. But it’s not that he sits back and does nothing, you know, and they look like that, but that’s not what they’re doing. That’s why you can’t necessarily, for most, at least the modern people, have much of a relationship with them. Because even though you may be out to dinner with them or doing things with them, they’re always thinking about their business.

So does that make sense?

You know, that’s where the polite term, I got to take this, comes from.

In other words, that business call is more important than that dinner with you, though he wants to be involved with that dinner with you. But that phone call is more important because that phone call pays for that dinner.

You just have to see the application. But the point is, is the act of intelligence means that he’s not doing that much physical running around. You had something?

Q. Your goal is to attain the lower goal, you’re focusing on the higher goal.

A. We would say it that way. But what we’re putting is, is that the lower goal you actually can’t focus on. The soul being a person can’t focus on nothing. Just like, let’s say you go to a Zen monastery, right? And they’ll have this, that, and they will sit in front of a wall and meditate for nothing for six to seven hours a day. And that will be considered a quite rigorous Zen lifestyle, right? But it’s only six to seven hours. It’s 24 hours in a day. So that’s the point, is that’s the maximum they can get themselves to focus on nothing, right? And you never actually know if they actually are focusing on nothing. Just if they don’t talk about it, then everybody else thinks that they are. And since you’ve been there longer than everybody else, that’s why you’re the abbot. And so then they think you must be more advanced. You just may be better at, you know, living the lifestyle and hiding that, you know, who knows what you’re thinking about.

You know what I’m saying? You can’t think of nothing. So their idea is you think of the Lord, and they accept Him as the Supreme Lord. But to develop a relationship with the Supreme Lord, that’s not their goal. You know, does that make sense? So all these Vedic systems that aren’t connected to devotional service, they accept the Supreme Lord and they know He’s the Supreme Lord. And they don’t see Him from a material platform, but they have no interest to develop a relationship with Him. So that’s why devotional service is unique.

You know what I’m saying? You want to understand the person, you want to develop a relationship with them. So that’s why the jnani is special. He wants to develop a relationship with the Lord. That’s what’s important.

The other three, they’ve approached the Lord, so therefore they’re pious persons. It’s good. But one would hope that desiring to develop a relationship with the Lord will come with time. But it’s not necessarily. Maybe they pray to the Lord, get something and go away.

The jnani wants to know the Lord, wants to develop a relationship with the Lord.

So that’s why he’s said to be the best.

True natures means you have the constitutional, which is the nature of the soul, you know, in its natural relationship with Krishna. And then you have the conditioned nature, which is your gross and subtle body that you happen to have at the present time.

So you work with the two together, but the most important is the constitutional. But depending upon our ability to work with the constitutional, we have to deal with the conditional to that degree. Someone who’s more conditioned has to deal with it more. Someone who’s less conditioned deals with it less. But the principle’s the same. Just what is your nature connected to Krishna? So this is a lower nature, but it’s connected to Krishna. But the emphasis should be on the higher. So even dealing on the lower, you’re trying to get to the higher.

So that’s why there’s no inconsistency in following the process. Others, then you go from this and it changes into completely something else. You know, you’re serving God as a servant, and then suddenly you become God. So that’s not exactly consistent.

So that’s not nice. By meditating on the Supersoul, then you bring yourself to the liberated platform. And then to merge into him, to become, in this case, more God, that’s not exactly a full reciprocation of gratitude.

You know what I’m saying? Because you got yourself to that position by interfacing with him as a person, but then you neglect that aspect.

Okay.

So the nice karma means you understand that I’m performing this activity for Krishna. At the same time, by performing it for Krishna, I’ll be freed from material reaction. All right. But the focus is on performing it for Krishna. So it’s this nice karma. Now, you can perform this activity without Krishna involved, and you can liberate yourself from the material energy, all right, in theory. But the problem is, is what will give you the motive to perform an activity without desire for results? Knowledge. But is knowledge enough in this age? What does every packet of cigarettes say on it?

Yeah. And what is the sign above the cigarettes say? There’s a big sign above the cigarettes.

What does it say?

Good for you. Yeah. So the point is, is that knowledge isn’t enough.

Why does the person still smoke?

Yeah, there’s no realization. But the point is, is his motive. What’s his motive?

Yeah, the experience he gets from that, the enjoyment of it or whatever is his reason. So the experience he gets. So in other words, if something is not experiential, we’re not going to function. So the point is, is just the mechanics of knowledge isn’t enough. So there has to be something that’s based within a relationship that works very well, because otherwise Arjuna is 5000 years ago. Right. So things are quite peaceful. Right. I guarantee is that, you know, nobody’s fighting there. It’s probably quite peaceful out on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Right. And they’re all out there with nice, you know, handmade, organic, you know, materials. You know, nothing is synthetic. Nothing’s been made in a factory and all that. You understand.

So it’s all nice and, you know, organic and natural silks and armors and, you know, the horses are all, you know, I say free range, you know, and I’ve got the elephants and, you know, it’s all, you know, good, good stuff. So it’s probably quite peaceful there. But still, he says that following these systems that are just based on this knowledge and this yoga like this, or it’s just meditation with no activity is too difficult.

And this is, you know, end of Vyaparayuga, where, you know, they still had a few more qualities than they have now.

Does that make sense? So that’s the difficulty, is it’s not enough. But if you’re dealing with the person, then someone’s willing to risk anything.

Right. If you have a relationship with a person to the depth of that relationship, then you’re willing to get anything done. You’re inspired to do things. That’s why.

Yeah. Why the association is.

So therefore, the personal is always going to be more quick and more efficient because the soul is personal. Right. You’re trying to get yourself liberated. That’s an impersonal concept. So the soul intellectually can work on that platform, but it’s not actually a very inspiring platform.

Yes.

He was calling in the Lord and so much faith and I just couldn’t get it. I think we want to leave that aside because it’s it seems simple. It seems intellectually inspiring. It sounds like a great idea, but it’s not necessarily that it is, you know, like you have modern theories of, you know, anything. They sound great, but they don’t work.

You know what I’m saying? They’re observing things that do work and then coming up theories that may not work at all because they sound good.

You know what I’m saying?

So just like I say, was it what was it we discussed? Let go. Let God. Right. So they say you’re too attached. Just let go. You know, leave it up to the Lord. OK, great. Sounds good. But now what does that actually mean?

In reality, if we’re going to get a full result, what does it mean?

It means you’re going to have to let go of thinking I’m the controller and enjoyer. Understand, Krishna is the controller and enjoyer. I can only be an instrument in the performance of this activity. And because Krishna is the ultimate goal, then the results of this are up to him. And so but then why should I be perform? Why should I be inspired to perform my duty? Because I don’t know if it’s going to come or not. It’s up to the Lord whenever he gives it. So why should I work? Because it’s my duty to work.

So to actually make that statement work, you have to know all this that we just said. But they don’t say that. So people get the idea is that, OK, I’m so attached to that. So I’ll just sit back a bit and then it’ll happen. So that may work if the guy is very active by nature and he’s getting too much into detail and micromanaging everything. And so he’s getting in the way of the process because other people can do it. Other people can do things. Let it take its natural course. You’ve done something. Let it take its natural course. You know what I’m saying? You know, it’s like you got your blender and you put something in the blender, but you want to sit there and push the button and let it happen. You know, you’ve got to be there with, you know, the button, take the lid off. You know, you put something in there, try to turn the blades. Let’s go in, you know, just to make sure, you know, it’s not going to work. So therefore, just leave it alone. But to that kind of person, leave it alone means do the normal amount of work. But now if you take a person who’s doing the normal amount of work and you say, let go, they’ll do nothing.

So therefore, that works for very active, goal -oriented people. And so they can use it, but anyone else, it won’t work.

They work in very narrow situations. That’s my point. Yeah. So therefore, that’s why it won’t function. So our philosophy is complete.

It has all these things. We may not have all these cute little sayings, and so we don’t remember. So that’s the thing. They have that, you know, it’s all one. Sounds great. You know, what is that? What does one mean? Define one. Well, it’s all light. Well, where does this light come from? Light means energy. So energy had to come from somewhere. So where did this come from? Well, it’s all darkness. But therefore, if you’re going to have darkness, it has to be situated somewhere. There has to be at least space. Otherwise, where does your darkness go? You know, so they can’t think of these things. So it’s just whatever the thing is, is you question that, that, that, that essence of theirs, because generally they don’t even see it. It just sounds good.

You know what I’m saying? Just like Lear, I’ll give you one thing. You know, the two guys are sitting down at the pub, right? And they got a problem, right? Well, otherwise, why are they sitting in the pub? And they’re going, you know, I like this, and I like that. I like this and that. Yeah, yeah. And then what’s he going to say? Well, you got to show to his boss, you know, you can’t take that. Yeah, yeah, right. And then he comes home. And then what happens?

Yeah, those are good. Those are good. Especially the Italian ones. The ones for ravioli.

That’s why Italian mamas, they really, no one gives them any trouble.

All right. So did it work? No. Does it have anything to do with reality? No. But it sounded good. So that’s the problem with all these modern things. They sound great.

But it’s not because otherwise here is like we’re discussing things that you’ve heard a million times. You’ve even just read it within the last week. Right. And then I’m saying these things and it’s kind of like there’s this very pleasant kind of how you say, newness or just neutral state of everyone just sitting in. What is he talking?

Because the thing is, it’s so clear, but at the same time, it’s so big and broad and goes into everything. We’re used to just these little, some little, you know, it’s just like, how do you sell something? Right. Now it’s not as much, but we have, we used to call it before a jingle or something, you know, it’s just, it sounds great, you know, like the Nike shoe. Just do it. Just do what? You know, why do I need a pair of running shoes to just do it? You know, it’s like, you know, you know, yeah, just sit down and just play that game of Scrabble. So I need some Nike shoes to do that. Right.

You know, what does it mean? Just do it. So all these different companies have their little thing that makes it stand out and makes it unique.

You know, you know, what do you call it? You know, it has some brand, you know, some fancy branding to say, you know, New York, you know, Paris, Milan, like that. But, you know, there’s a lot of slums in New York, you know, like that. And, you know, yeah, yeah, you know.

So then, then the point is, is that just by saying that you think, wow, great, you know, but it’s like, so what? You know, why does that, you know, suddenly, you know, you said New York, you know, I mean, you know, the rats in Paris are big enough to walk off with babies, you know, you know, like that. It’s a special rat, you know, they’ve come up with. They’re like dogs, you know. In fact, I think dogs are scared of them. They definitely eat cats, you know, like that.

You know what I’m saying? But it’s just because you say that. Oh, yeah, that’s great. You know, you know, I’m saying the brand name and it said, you know, uh, soul Papua New Guinea and Canary Islands, you know, would you go, wow, yeah, I gotta have that.

You’re going to say, say so.

So here, when karma, karma yoga is mixed with it means, in other words, you have the activity of karma yoga, but you have the knowledge of jnana yoga. Jnana yoga means that things are done without a desire for results, but then they perform no activity. And karma yoga is to perform an activity for results. So buddhi yoga means you’re performing that activity of karma yoga. And but the results not for us, but we want the result. It’s for Krishna. Right, because a lot of times you see, oh, it’s not for us. So they’re very renounced. The temple brahmacharis are always very renounced. You can tell by looking at the car, looking at the room they stay in, looking at, you know, the doorknob on the door. You know, it’s been broken for the last, you know, how you say two years because somebody forgot the key and they kicked it in. You know, the shower only, you know, one knob works and like there’s a set of pliers there if you want to turn it on. So they’re very renounced.

Right. But is this naiskarmya?

No, because what does naiskarmya mean? An activity. Well, they are turning on.

Proper activity, but in relation to what we just said for the Lord. So that means there is a goal. So they’re not noticing the goal for the Lord. You look at the temple car. Would you want to call that God’s car?

You ever seen the pope’s car? That looks nice. The queen’s car, the president’s car. Good looking car. But God’s car. We wouldn’t want to trust it. You know, hey, we need the vehicle. You know, we have to drive five kilometers the other side of town. Oh, well, then forget the car. Our car. Take my car. Like that. Want to get it out the driveway. That might work. But, you know, that’s basically driveways are sloped. You just put it in neutral, take off the brake, you’ll get in the street.

Does it make sense? So it appears to be renounced, but it’s not actually.

Because they’re doing work, but taking no responsibility for the work. Because if I want to get the work done, that means the car has to be in good shape. Right. How many times, you know, is it famous that the devotees didn’t make it to something because they forgot to put petrol or they never fixed the car and it broke. Right. You know, Lila Amrita, there’s something. They all went to pick up Prabhupada at the airport. All the devotees piled into something and went off. And, you know, and then probably showed up the temple alone. Right. Because they never made it to the airport. Right. They said, you know, something they put in their enthusiasm, they forgot. And so then there’s one devotee at the temple who was just left back. And then he greets Prabhupada, takes him around, puts in his room, gives him prasad and that and all that. And then finally they got to the airport. Prabhupada is not there. They all come back and Prabhupada is there. And then this devotee is already taking care of everything. So. You understand? In other words, the result is for Krishna. That’s naiskarmya. Not, you know, I don’t care about a result. Therefore, I’m not even aware if my dealing with what I’m dealing with now is getting any result at all.

Does that make sense? You know. It’s not a matter. It’s working now. That’s good enough. What about in the future?

Right. For yourself, OK, this works now. That’s good enough. But if it’s for Krishna, then you want something more permanent.

Does that make sense? So we have to be clear what naiskarmya means. Otherwise we will put some mundane spin on it like that, you know, which most will, everybody will accept. Right. But at the same time is, you know, it’s good on one level, but on the level of naiskarmya, then that’s another. You know, if you’re trying to be austere, yes, then they’re very good. But the point is, is who’s that austerity for? Right. So this please Krishna, then is that austerity in that form actually pleasant, pleasing Krishna? Or, OK, it’s nice. The endeavor is there. But if you did more, wouldn’t that be better?

You actually, you know, change the tires or, you know, I say, fix that dent, you know, or does that make sense? Or actually pay, you know, the parking tickets and all the other things that are there, all the, I would say, infractions that are there that the government expects you to deal with, you know. So then one day you come and they impound the car. So now you have no car for Krishna. And now it’s all the fault of those dirty karmic, you know, demons, you know, that they don’t understand it’s a service to Krishna. But Rupa Goswami says in sixth chapter, don’t be neglectful in ordinary dealings. So this is the meaning. The car works because you take care of it. So you take care of it, it works for Krishna. Don’t take care of it, at one point it won’t work for Krishna. You take care of it, it starts to fall apart after two years, let alone if you don’t take care of it.

Yes. Is it that karma yoga means you do what you want for Krishna? No. Karma yoga, if you do what you want for Krishna. No. Technically, karma yoga means engaging activities in Krishna consciousness.

So is nais karma yoga higher than karma yoga? Karma, nais karma, yeah, nais karma is a higher level of karma yoga. That’s why it’s, here he didn’t say technically it’s a combination of karma yoga, it’s a marriage of karma yoga and jnana yoga. He said it’s karma yoga, which includes jnana yoga.

You understand? Because the point is, is you’re going to be engaging in activity, but with knowledge.

No. Karma yoga would mean, means you’re trying to separate them too much, make this cute little boxes and stuff like that.

Karma means it’s for yourself.

Karma yoga means then with knowledge is connected to God. Now your knowledge may be greater, so it’s nais karma, or your knowledge may be less, so it’s karma. Does that make sense? That’s the point.

In verses 41 to 53, the Lord describes buddhi-yoga as working in knowledge without attachment for the results.

Srila Prabhupada defines it sometimes as karma yoga and sometimes as bhakti-yoga, because these terms are all interchangeable. It’s the same thing. It’s just which aspect you’re discussing at the time. It means if you’re talking about karma yoga, you’re emphasizing the element of activity in Krsna consciousness. If you’re talking about bhakti-yoga, you’re emphasizing the devotion in which you perform that activity. If you’re saying buddhi-yoga, then you’re emphasizing the element that the activities we performed devote a spiritual knowledge that’s connected to Krsna.

Does that make sense? So it’s just a matter of you use the word, it would be what you call synonyms. Synonyms, they mean exactly the same thing, but because the situation or the perspective is different, you use a different term.

Does that make sense?

Yeah? Like that. So it’s different terms maybe there.

You know, it’s just like you say, if you say prasadam, let’s say here you’re talking about devotees eating something that’s offered to Krsna. OK? Now, if you use the term prasadam, what does that mean? Mercy. But what does it indicate? What are you emphasizing? Foodstuffs. No. It’s been offered. Now, if you use the term foodstuffs, even though it’s something you’re going to offer or has been offered, what are you emphasizing now? The food itself. The food itself, the ingredients it’s made out of. Right? You understand? Though they’re talking the same thing. It’s just a matter of what you’re talking about.

Does that make sense?

OK. There’s a permanent gain in following the path of bhuta-yoga. The intelligence of those who are resolute is firmly fixed on one aim. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti’s commentary, verse 31, 41, is very instructive in this regard. Yes. You are regarding permanent gain. Permanent gain. Yes. Because it is said that work performed as an offering to Krsna, occasionally without consideration of the fruit, is in the mode of goodness. And it implies that such a work doesn’t bear a permanent gain. Why wouldn’t it bear a permanent gain? Because it’s in goodness. Because it’s in goodness. And what is, if we’re talking in those terminologies, what is transcendence? How is it defined as? As being specially made by Krsna, Bhagavan Tatantam. OK. But what is the term used in relationship to the terminology you are using? Pure goodness. Right? So goodness, pure goodness. Then it’s a matter of, it’s offered to Krsna. The work itself is being, it’s in pure goodness. But your consciousness may not necessarily be. But at least it’s in goodness. Because what’s the difference between goodness and pure goodness? Does the activity change? No. There’s just no mix of passion or ignorance.

So that’s, so pure goodness, that’s the vasudeva platform. That’s the srutasattva. There is no other thing. But the activity is the same. So that’s why activities in the mode of goodness are considered useful.

Q. Can it be also that in pure goodness, on the Kali-siddhi platform, some passion, ignorance can also be engaged? Like if you look, let’s say, in the seventies, people were doing everything, they were doing, they were crawling fast, they were walking on that drive, but the form of it was not necessarily, you know, shastra.

A. Okay. I just have a problem with the premise.

Is something on the platform of pure goodness that’s not in pure goodness?

So, but what’s the element of pure goodness? Okay. But what’s the element that’s not? Okay. So that means that there’s some mixture there. But now, here, as we’ve just discussed, is that you have goodness and pure goodness. So the activities of goodness are performed with attempting for the consciousness of pure goodness, because it’s a matter of, is the activity in goodness or pure goodness or ignorance or passion? What is it? Let us say we put a, you know, a wooden, you know, platform, a board, we put a potato, we put a knife. Now, is this act, what, what, what mode is this action going to be in? What is it? No, but it depends upon the person.

Right? So, so the point is, is goodness is the situation, you know, of the thing, but what your consciousness is, right? We say it’s activity in the mode of goodness, but what, what, the activity doesn’t change. Right? Means the person gives something in charity, right? And afterwards he feels, I shouldn’t have done that.

Right? What mode is it in? Okay. He’s done the exact same charity, but he says, I’ll give you this, but, you know, I want this. It’s passion. He gives it to a qualified person and there’s no strings attached.

Right? But the activity is the same. So we’re talking goodness, we’re talking about a minimal that’s very workable in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, because as soon as you put passion and ignorance, then there’s very big obstacles.

You know what I’m saying? So in other words, they may be, devotees don’t have so much training, but great enthusiasm and, you know, commitment like that. They may engage activities of their own conditioned nature, but the consciousness is on a very good platform. Just the quality of the offering may not be very good. It means to know there’s the medium they use, but as they become purified, they start to raise the standard.

You know what I’m saying? It’s just like 26th Second Avenue. In the beginning, devotees came for weeks and weeks and months and months, and as it was, then that was fine. You know? And then at some point, then they thought, hey, why don’t we make this place look nice? So everyone brought something from their house.

You know, someone had some old rug, and somebody had some picture, and someone had this and that, and then they put it up to kind of decorate it, try to make it look nice. You know, it still looks like a hippie’s place, but now it looks like a hippie’s place rather than, you know, just four walls and a floor and a ceiling. All right? And then with time, you see, then they specifically go out and try to find things that specifically would be nice for a temple.

You know what I’m saying? As they become purified, then naturally they start doing things, and it improves. So it doesn’t matter that it started there. What is happening now?

Does that make sense? You know, some of the devotees used to, where they lived and where the temple was, they’d have to walk through a cemetery. While they’re walking through the cemetery, you know, there’s always going to be flowers there. So they thought, you know, what’s the dead guy need with the flowers? So they’d bring the flowers to the temple, and they’d decorate the altar and stuff right. So nice and sincere. And that is that they figure, you know, better the flowers are off to God than, you know, somebody who won’t even notice that they’re there. Right. So that’s nice. But at the same time is that, you know, the quality of flowers in the cemetery, they kind of had been offered to that person. They’re not exactly considered ideal. So then they figured out, OK, we don’t take them in the cemetery. We take them from the neighbor’s yard. Yes.

The consciousness will be, but the actual activity itself is not necessarily controlled by that. But that doesn’t matter. It’s what’s the consciousness. Then the point is, is that sense with naturally as you become purified, you want to match the medium and the consciousness of the same.

You want to match the two. So then it becomes nicer. So naturally, the devotees would have great. Then after a while, then they decided to ask the people because then they get some benefit for having rather than, you know, who stole my flowers like that. And then I can’t remember who it was.

There’s so many people I know. I don’t know. On the tour, he would he would he was like that. I don’t know if he comes back, but he was, you know, you were kind of like managed setting up of the stage on the Polish tour. I’m asking. Yeah. Dominic and Dominic’s wife registry. So when she first joined like that, then she was one of her service of going around door to door and collecting flowers. But she was very good. As you go up to them and ask them this and she come back with huge amounts of flowers. She’d ask. I’m not sure if others would, but she would. She would ask if she’d get more than anybody. So it can work.

OK. Does this make sense? Is that the difference? So then here, Vishwanath’s purport, a very famous purport. Yes. Can you explain this question of the game? Where is the game from? Where is the game? Whose game? This feminine thing one gets by performing bodhi yoga, but not on the. So so what so what do you expect to remain means of all the elements involved?

Right. What are you expecting will remain that? Where’s the you have a question of permanent game. So you’re in anxiety that things in the material world are not permanent.

The modes are not permanent. I was thinking that one unless like because there is this statement. So unless one offers his activity to Krishna. Yes, but he offers his activity to Krishna. So Krishna is permanent or non-permanent.

OK, so something contacts Krishna, then it takes on that quality of permanence. So therefore, then to that degree that it touches Krishna, to that degree, there’s permanent game. Right. So something that is offered in full devotion has full gain, permanent gain. Something that’s offered partially to Krishna, that partialness, that’s that is that is permanent. And what was not the aspect that was not connected to Krishna, that will be temporary.

OK, from the purport, the best kind of intelligence I can have is intelligence used in the service of Krishna. That intelligence is defined as fixed. What is intent upon my spiritual master’s instructions, such as chanting the holy name of Krishna, remembering his activities and performing service to his lotus feet. These instructions are my sadhana and my life, both in the beginning stages of bhakti as well as in bhakti’s perfectional stage. I desire only to follow his instructions. I accept nothing else as my life’s work, even in dreams. Whether I am happy or distressed, whether material world remains or is destroyed, I don’t care. There is no loss for me. I simply must carry the orders of my spiritual master.

Fixedness upon his order is determined intelligence and devotional service. And only by being fixed on his orders can such determined intelligence prosper. Right. So here’s the element of Bodhi yoga is that being fixed on the order of the spiritual master, trying to apply that, then everything becomes perfect because the devotional activities you perform now, the same activities will be performed eternally. All right. So this this dependence upon the instruction of the spiritual master doesn’t go away. It’s not a temporary thing. It is the prominent element in the life of the devotee.

Then then it gives permanent results. Does that make sense?

Those who are not fixed are diverted by many branch fruit of desires. Such less intelligent people who are attached to the flowery words of the Vedas say there is nothing more than heavenly enjoyment. Thus they are bewildered and bereft of the resolute determination for Krishna’s devotional service, samadhi.

Such people are in diseased condition because they deprive themselves of real happiness. So the problem of rights and beyond birth and death. The body must be considered a diseased condition. A diseased man cannot enjoy himself properly. A man with jaundice, for instance, will taste sugar candy as bitter. But a healthy man can taste the sweetness. In either case, the sugar candy is the same. But according to our condition, it tastes different. Unless we are cured of this diseased condition of bodily life, we cannot taste the sweetness of spiritual life. If we really want freedom from the miseries of material existence, we must minimize our bodily demands and pleasures. So in other words, bodily demands and pleasures, then just to stand on their own, then is not very important.

If there’s something there that we can connect to Krishna, then it becomes useful. But just on their own, that’s not enough. Because then you’re increasing that distraction.

Because we have our order of guru chanting the holy names of service. So these other elements, then if they’re connected, nice. But if they’re not connected, then they just keep us in this diseased condition. Because the spiritual life doesn’t change. So one person’s chanting is very happy, another person’s chanting and not getting so much from it. But the chanting isn’t this different. It’s not that you have a different holy name or something. It’s the same name, it’s Krishna. It’s just a matter of whether we appreciate or not. We go before the deities, we appreciate or we don’t, or how much we appreciate, but the deities don’t change.

Does that make sense? It’s not like you come in and then the deities say, hey, you know, then they take their cheddar and throw it off like that. After it goes by, then put it back on. They don’t do that stuff. They’re the same. You appreciate or don’t appreciate.

Yes? In verse 43, the Lord states that the materialist, being desirous of sense gratification, and opulent life, say there’s nothing more than this. Thus the religion or philosophy one follows is predestined by the disposition of his heart. Srila Prabhupada explains in his purport to Bhagavad -gita 7.13. In other words, what you consider as your goals, that will define your philosophy. Your philosophy has to get your goals, right? Because in defining the goal, that means defining philosophy, there’s five parts. What is God? The soul and the material world. What is the process by which the soul with the material world interacts with God? What’s that process? And the fifth is what will be the result gained from that process, right? So the goal is sense gratification, so therefore they’re going to have a particular method to get it. To be absorbed just in sense gratification, they have to have a specific definition of God and the soul, right? So let us take a fairly standard one, modern one. God is the order supplier. Whatever you want, he supplies. He’s given you this world to enjoy. And so therefore, that’s what you should be doing, right? The soul is the body. So therefore, then the soul or the body takes the material energy that has been given by God, and by interacting with it, tries to enjoy the senses. So at the end of the day, if the senses are enjoyed, then God’s a good guy.

Does that make sense? So you went through all the five levels of more considered religious persons would view these five elements. So this is their philosophy, right? The world’s been given for man to enjoy. God arranged this, so God’s got to take care of it. Does that make sense? Like a bunch of kids playing in the playroom or something. They expect snaps and everything to come in. So it’s just like, you know, it’s not their business.

You mentioned before about appreciation, that we appreciate. So how does one develop appreciation? How does one develop appreciation? But here the best kind of intelligence, I can have an intelligence using the service of the Lord. So that means one has to, 46, one has to use that intelligence in connection to Kṛṣṇa. Then you can see what you actually have, then you can appreciate it. Right? The point is, you know, the saying, you don’t know what you have till it’s gone. What does that mean?

You don’t notice, you’re not, yeah, you’re not appreciating, but it means you weren’t aware of what you actually had. Right? So when it’s not there, then you contemplate what you had. So the point is this, Buddha yoga means you contemplate now while you have it, you know, then you won’t have to wait till you lose it to appreciate it. Right?

Okay. Prabhupāda explains in his purport to Bhāgavad-gītā 17.3, pure goodness is transcendental. In purified goodness one can understand the real nature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As long as one’s faith is not completely in purified goodness, the faith is subject to contamination by any of the modes of material nature. The contaminated modes of material nature expand to the heart. Therefore, according to the position of the heart in contact with a particular mode of material nature, one’s faith is established. It should be understood that if one’s heart is in the mode of goodness, his faith is also in the mode of goodness. His heart is in the mode of passion, his faith is also in the mode of passion. If his heart is in the mode of darkness, illusion, his faith is also thus contaminated. Thus we find different types of faith in this world, and there are different types of religions due to different types of faith. The real principle of religious faith is situated in the mode of pure goodness. But because the heart is tainted, we find different types of religious principles. Thus, according to different types of faith, there are different kinds of worship.

So you have faith in something, what it is. In other words, who you are, what’s the environment you’re in, what you can get from that environment. And you have faith in that. So depending upon that, that’s going to define your desires.

What you have faith in, that’s what then defines your desires. Modern man has faith in science. Therefore, then within his heart, things connected with science then become important.

So what your faith is, then that being, depending on what mode it is, then that defines what activities and what interest you have to perform activities. Because we said the heart, you know, it means, of course, the desires. We also mentioned that’s where activity comes from. The mind, then it wants something, then that will push on the life airs or push on the physical body that will push on the gross physical body and that will then push on the senses. That will get the activity done. Does it make sense? So what is your faith? That’s then what modes you will then function in. Your activities will be connected with that. So if you have faith in Krishna, you’ll connect your activities then.

Does that make sense?

So through intelligence, then you can change this. The mind can be adjusted through the intelligence, right? Without the intelligence, it’ll just go on feelings. But the intelligence is there, then you can adjust it. That’s why buddhi-yoga becomes important, because you’re performing the activity, but with proper knowledge, with this atma-jnana. Otherwise, then without atma-jnana, you’re not going to change. It’ll change with time anyway. The modes always adjust, but it won’t necessarily be for anything better.

All non-devotional concepts are simply attempts to justify different grades of impiety. They are not born out of an objective search for the Absolute Truth, because any sincere quest for the Absolute Truth must lead to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Srila Prabhupada makes this clear in his purport to Bhagavad-gita 5.4. The aim of the analytical study of the material world is to find the soul of existence. The soul of the material world is Visnu, or the Supersoul. Devotional service to the Lord entails service to the Supersoul. One process is to find the root of the tree, and the other is to water the root. The real student of Sankhya philosophy finds the root of the material world, Visnu, and then, in perfect knowledge, engages himself in the service of the Lord. In other words, through this knowledge, then he will come to the point of serving Krsna.

But if that doesn’t work, in this case, because Krsna tried that, it didn’t work, because he should have gone, OK, I’m not this body, so therefore this is my duty, so therefore I should just do it. But it didn’t work. So now he brings in the element of buddhi-yoga, is that then you perform your work connected to the Lord.

So in other words, you start with service to the Lord, and from that, one will become purified, the intelligence will be there, then you can understand analytically why you’re doing it.

Does that make sense? The other is you understand analytically why you’re doing it, then you do it. This is you start with just doing it, and then that purifies you, you start to get the intellect to why you’re doing it. And then in that state, then you perform more, and so it goes back and forth. But the first part of it is the devotion, not the knowledge.

Does that make sense? So because the devotion has been performed, the devotional activity has been performed, even though you don’t really know what’s going on. Like a new bhakti comes into the temple, OK, Krsna’s God, great, Hare Krsna, take prasada, wash the pots. OK, but he doesn’t know that much, but he’s washing pots. But by washing the pots, he becomes purified. Then he starts to understand more about the devotional process. Then he’s more engaged in that, and then like this, it develops. What we’re talking about here, the analytical study, sankhya, means you analyze what’s going on, and then you decide, why am I doing this? I should be engaged in devotional service. Does that make sense? Yes?

Yes, you can say that. But the point is, you can do both at once. The point is, why would they do your service if there’s not some knowledge? Right? So in other words, it’s the association of the devotee that then one takes up the service, but one doesn’t understand much. It means devotional service is the ultimate culmination of understanding all knowledge.

But so they’re taking that up, even though they just have a little knowledge, or they just know it’s nice, or they just feel, OK, I took prasada, I should do something.

Does that make sense? But if you just talk philosophy all day and don’t engage in service, that’s the meaning. Because sometimes we do that. We sit there and talk for hours and hours and hours, and then the person will go away. You’ve never seen him again. Nice, but the point is, is in that so many hours, talk for a little bit, they’re convinced, then get them doing service. Then there’s more of a chance they’ll be back.

But yeah, basically. See, before you’re talking, now, you take some, talking about this, taking this sankhya and understanding the analyticalness of it, then how did Prakashananda Saraswati take up devotional service?

OK, and then after that, that he just immediately started.

Lord Caitanya just used mystic experiences too.

He defeated him. In other words, he was the top sannyasi in Varanasi, right? He had 10,000 sannyasi disciples. And so he was very well situated in Vedanta. So then Lord Caitanya explained what was beyond. He’s convinced. So then he takes up the process. So in other words, he was convinced, then he’s fully absorbed. Or Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya. Same thing. So this is the meaning. You’re going to start, you’re convinced about the philosophy and all aspects of it, then you engage and there’s no problem, right? Because you’re already situated nicely in that sankhya understanding. Or you start with devotional activities that include that knowledge.

But the emphasis is put on being engaged in activity, right? And then the results for Krsna. And then as you go, more and more of this knowledge becomes introduced. You’re starting to understand. So what we’re saying is that someone who’s very, very intelligent may be able to work from they’re completely convinced and then they just do and they never look back. But others, that wouldn’t necessarily convince them, so they start doing practical service. And as they go, then you give the knowledge. So to not give knowledge, then that would also be wrong. Because something, just do the service, don’t worry about all this studying. That’s for jnanis. That’s also not important.

Yeah. And then what happened? What happened and where are those couple of presidents? That’s the point, is that they had done that. Prabhupada was expecting by 75, devotees would have already passed the Bhaktivedanta degree. What’s the question? The question is, is that, you know, earlier times than that was the pressure. It’s just the temple devotees just do service, don’t study. It’s Maya to study. I mean, I was directly told it was Maya. I was reading Nectar of Devotion. I got in trouble for that. Pleasant.

Nectar of Devotion tells you to serve Krsna, so why don’t you serve instead of sitting around and reading, you know, like that, OK. So, but they don’t understand the problem by 75, one of the devotees were Bhaktivedantas. What does that mean? That would be a serious course of study. But I’m personally, except for satsvarupa Maharaj, I don’t know of one senior devotee at that time that understood Prabhupada’s instruction. Not one. Maybe personally they were somewhere doing it, but as an organized thing, satsvarupa was the only one that would organize bhakti-sastri courses and give degrees and stuff like that. He’s the only one that took it seriously. Of course, he was, you know, involved. His service was college preaching, so then I guess education seemed to be, mean more. But most others, they were distributing the books, they were doing everything else, but they weren’t reading the books. So the point is, is you distribute the book, that’s good, but if you read the book, then you have more potency.

So if they combine the two, you know, just like Sri Prananda said about Kesa Maharaj and Sridhar Maharaj, if they combine that dynamic effort with that deep understanding, you know, then that would have been the best.

So it’s not wrong that they engaged devotees in service, because of that they advanced and then they were able to do studies and that later. You know, at the same time, it wasn’t a broad enough understanding of Prabhupada’s, you know, request.

Yes.

Yes, some basic, but I’m saying it’s not like this is a completely means that person is saying some basic knowledge. Are you giving him a complete analytical study of the material world and the modes and all the different? No, you’re giving him enough to understand that they’re the soul, there’s God and their business is serving God like that. So you’re giving that it’s Vedanta philosophy, you know, and it’s most essential points, but not much detail. So we’re saying here is the analytical study is to find the soul of the universe. So you go through everything, analyze everything, then you can understand God’s beyond all this like that. So you would see that previously people could do it like that. Not necessarily that’s important, but it’s just that that’s the idea of the analytical because Arjuna is already engaged in improper, pious activities, but he doesn’t have the knowledge, as we mentioned, is that, you know, he understood that he was only dealing with the material energy. So Krishna was adding the knowledge of the soul and knowledge of the Supreme Soul. So then having added that, then he should have himself engaged in devotional activity. So in other words, after the first 30 verses of the Bhagavad Gita in the second chapter, Arjuna should have gone, oh, right, and then taken up devotional service. But he didn’t. It takes another, you know, 600 or so verses before that happens.

The cause of that is that he’s taking the position of the conditioned living entity. And very few conditioned living entities, you know, you go walk up, walk down the street there in Warsaw or something, go up to some babushka on the street, start talking, you know, Shrankhya philosophy, and she goes, right, what am I doing, you know, and then, you know, turns her house into a temple and is engaged. Right?

So like that.

Okay.

So we’ll end here.

Sign In

Register

Reset Password

Please enter your username or email address, you will receive a link to create a new password via email.