Bhagavad-gītā Seriatim #23

Bhagavad-gītā Seriatim #23

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This is eleven-fifteen. How Kṛṣṇa reciprocates with persons who do not want transcendental love for Him, but desire something else, Kṛṣṇa answers in verse eleven.

So verses eleven to fifteen, Kṛṣṇa is the object of everyone’s realization and creator of varṇa -saṁha. Kṛṣṇa is the object of everyone’s realization. Everyone is dependent on His mercy for success. Śrīla Viṣṇu Nācākavārtti Ṭhākura comments, Kṛṣṇa says, Therefore, not only the devotees surrender to Me, but rather everyone, sarva-sahābha, all men, jñānīs, karmīs, yogis and worshipers of the devatas, follow My path. They surrender either directly or indirectly.

Jñāna, karma and other processes are all My path. Since I am the essence of all those paths, the results are given only by Me.

As they surrender to Him, Kṛṣṇa rewards them accordingly. This principle applies in both the material and spiritual world. Śrīla Prabhupāda confirms this in his purport. In the transcendental world also, Kṛṣṇa reciprocates with His pure devotees in the transcendental attitude. Just as the devotee wants Him, one devotee may want Kṛṣṇa as supreme master, another as his personal friend, another as his son, still another as his lover. Kṛṣṇa rewards all the devotees equally, according to their different intensities of love for Him. In the material world, the same reciprocation of feelings are there, and they are equally exchanged by the Lord with the different types of worshipers. The pure devotees, both here and in the transcendental abode, associate with Him in person and are able to render personal service to the Lord, and thus derive transcendental bliss in His loving service. As for those who are impersonalists and those who want to commit spiritual suicide by annihilating the individual existence of the living entity, Kṛṣṇa helps also by absorbing them in His effulgence.

Everyone is searching for Kṛṣṇa in the different aspects of His manifestations, but Kṛṣṇa is fully realized only by His pure devotees. So this is very important, it means this will be expanded in the Bhāgavatam, this point. But everybody is looking for Kṛṣṇa, what they’re looking for is Him. So actually everybody is serving Kṛṣṇa, it’s just a matter of whether they realize it or not. They don’t realize that this is called illusion, right? They realize that this is called, you know, spiritual understanding, right? They realize that and deal with, to please Kṛṣṇa, this is called devotional service.

Because otherwise there are the followers of the Vedas who understand this philosophy, but they don’t use it to develop love for Kṛṣṇa, they only use it to come to the impersonal platform. So that’s what Prabhupāda said, he’ll help them also. So the point is, how someone surrenders to him, that’s how he reciprocates.

Does that make sense? So the devotee, it’s direct, it’s obvious, they have a relationship with him. How they deal with him, that’s how he responds.

But now in the material world, then just because they don’t know it’s Kṛṣṇa they’re surrendering to, doesn’t mean that he doesn’t know and he doesn’t follow his same pattern, right? This is his position, as you surrender he’ll reciprocate.

So, what it is that they’re looking for in life, right? They have a friend, they were, you know, very intimate, very close, very strong relationship, but what does the person think is the friend, right?

You have a friend, right, a materialist has a friend. What is the friend?

The body in their mind. Is actually the friend the body? No. Is it even actually the soul? Technically the soul’s identifying, so the soul’s agreeing and going through it. So you would say, even there, yes, okay, the soul’s a friend, but in actuality that’s not the basis of the relationship, right? So what’s the basis of the relationship on? Where does the friendship experience come from? Kṛṣṇa, right? Yes. In other words, Kṛṣṇa’s quality of friendship is reflected in this, you know, the dead matter that is interacting, right? And because it’s closer to the actual form of how friendship should interact, therefore the quality of friendship is better, right? And if the form of the interaction is less proper, then the quality of the friendship will be less, right? So in other words, you deal with this friend’s body in an appropriate way, how a friend should actually behave, then Kṛṣṇa reciprocates, because He’s actually the friend, you understand? He reciprocates, and because you’re dealing nicer as a friend, so He reciprocates more nicely, so the friendship is considered deep and, you know, a full relationship. You’re very superficial with the friend, then Kṛṣṇa will respond superficially, you understand? Because it’s His potency. The jīva’s just taking part and identifies with the dead matter, so He thinks, I am the friend. That feeling of friendship, that’s coming from our interaction. My endeavor has created this, but how does dead matter generate live feelings?

This is the illusion.

It can’t. Dead matter doesn’t generate anything, right? You know, you take two drops, you know, here, you know. Oh, hi, how are you today? Oh, yeah, very nice, yeah, you know, yeah, cool, yeah. Is anything happening? Where’s the feelings? You know, it’s all going on. Okay, of course, you take enough LSD, so many things can be going on. But, other than that, it’s, you know, that was yesterday’s discussion, you know. You know, how you say, those who are, hmm.

That’s called karma. There was an ant on there.

Okay.

Okay.

So, does this make sense? So, the actual active principle that makes it work is Krishna. He’s defined friendship. He’s defined how it works, what it looks like, what you have to do to make it work. And so, if somebody identifies with that and follows Krishna’s laws, then you experience the taste of friendship, because Krishna reciprocates. You don’t follow it, it won’t happen.

Somewhere you say that everybody follows Krishna because, in that sense, you’ll be serving the friendshipness. Yes, you’ll be serving the friendshipness, which is the Brahman aspect of Krishna, right, in this case. Because you’re not dealing with the person, you’re only dealing with the quality of friendship, which is Krishna’s effulgence.

But, you don’t know that that’s what it is. If you know that’s what it is, then you’re on the Parabrahman platform. You don’t know what that is, you’re an illusion. But it’s still Krishna. When Krishna says everyone follows this path, there is only one path. The point is whether you’re an illusion or not on this path.

That’s why the activity of the devotee technically doesn’t change.

All that changes is whether you’re in God Consciousness or not. Does that make sense? Like devotees, community of devotees, does eating, sleeping, mating, defending stop? No. But are we complaining about that?

No. So, what are we complaining about when we say eating, sleeping, mating, defending is a waste of time? What are we complaining about? Because Krishna’s not involved.

You know what I’m saying? We have nothing good to say about anything, no matter how nice or how pious it is, if Krishna’s not involved. And no matter how insignificant it is, if Krishna’s involved, it’s glorious.

So, it’s Krishna that’s important. This is what we’re trying to split here. This fine point is that if it’s connected to Krishna, it has value. If it’s not connected to Krishna, it has no value. No matter how nice it is, it still has no value.

You know what I’m saying? It’s just like, let’s say, you’re very hungry, and you’re, you know, somehow or another trapped in a, you know, very large, you know, distinguished banks. How do you say, what are those things called? Not the big vault. Yeah, okay, the big vault, or the room where they have all the little ones with the keys. Safe deposit box. Yeah, safe deposit box. And so, basically, all you have is a huge pile of paper money, you know. Or if you’re in Australia, then you have, you know, plastic money, you know. Or let’s say you have all kinds of gold rings and jewels and diamonds. So, can you eat that? No. Is it valuable?

No. Is the money actually valuable? You go out in society and buy stuff with it. Yeah. It has value. It may be worth millions or billions of dollars. Can you eat it? No. No. No. So, as far as food goes, it’s useless. No matter how valuable it is. This is the important point. So, that’s why when we were discussing last time, is that these qualities that are there, being nice, being compassionate, being good, being… They have a value. But if it’s not connected to Krishna, what’s the use? You can’t use it. The soul can’t get the benefit.

So, only when it touches Krishna, then you actually get the benefit. So, when you say that everyone is serving Krishna, at the same time, has no value, unless it’s connected to Krishna. They’re all serving, but the point of relationship is how many-sided.

Yeah, I mean, it’s like, you know, what do you have? You have, what is this? You know, the famous kind of scenario. I think there’s one in Shakespeare where somebody is sitting there. Oh, what is it? He’s talking to a skull. Yeah, you know, it’s going on, this whole dialogue, you know, about this whole thing. Is the skull responding? No. You know, are we led to believe that there’s a dynamic relationship here? No. It’s very obvious that it’s just as feelings are pouring out, but the skull couldn’t care less.

You know what I’m saying? So, this is the point, is that it’s one-sided. In other words, Krishna is dealing within the relationship, but the individual soul is not.

You understand? So, he’s following the path, but he doesn’t actually understand it’s God’s path. So, he doesn’t get the benefit of the relationship. You know what I’m saying? So, it’s like this. Krishna, it’s like he’s surrendering to this process. In this process, he is following God’s rule. He’s approaching Krishna for it. So, Krishna is responding according to the quality of his surrender to that process.

Now, the point is, is because you are interacting with Krishna, right? There is some, you know, happiness on Krishna’s part. Right? Therefore, the living entity can taste that little bit of happiness. Right? But how much happiness does Krishna get from a one-sided relationship based on dead matter? No. So, the point is that the living entity has approached him. Therefore, there is some little bit. Right? And to that degree that there is that surrender in the way of following, you know, proper laws properly, then he’ll get a little bit more. But the point is, is how much, but if it’s dealing with him as a person, then how much is there?

Right? Because you recognize him. So, therefore, that’s why when you deal in a devotional platform, that’s unlimited. So, the point is you’re going to make the same endeavor. So, you can get this very, you know, very small temporary amount out of it. Because that’s all Krishna will get. Or, one can do the same activity in conscious of Krishna, in devotion to Krishna, and then it becomes like an unlimited ocean. Because Krishna is pleased. And he’s the complete whole. So, how much happiness is available? Right? So, basically, it’s only limited to how much the soul can appreciate of unlimited.

Does this make sense? Yeah? So, this is the underlying point that’s there. Because sometimes you’re like, well, how will that know they’re so different? The Karmis, Gyanis, will say they’re so different. But actually, they’re following, they’re on different parts of the path. You know, it’s just like, you know, the bus sitting at the front gate is different than the bus sitting in Krishnagar. It’s different from the bus in Ranagar. It’s different from the bus in Calcutta. The situation is different. But it’s on one path.

So, it looks different, but it’s just on the same path.

Does this make sense? Like that. Because as we see is that when you’re performing Jnana in the aspect of Jnana Yoga and devotional service, the activities of Karma are still there. And when you come to Jnana Yoga, the aspects of Jnana and Karma are still there. Right? And when it’s done in Bhakti, it still doesn’t change. Right? Activity is activity. Knowledge is knowledge. Meditation is meditation.

You understand? But people who only see only the Karma part, the fruitive part, that’s called Karma. Those who only see the knowledge part, that’s called Jnana. Those who only see the meditative part, that’s called Jnana.

You know what I’m saying? Like I give the example of a cook. For a cook, you know, making the menu, going to the market, buying the vegetables, coming back, washing the pots and that, cleaning the kitchen, cutting the vegetables, cooking, arranging so it looks nice, arranging the serving, serving to the cook. It’s one thing. Why do you cook? You cook just to let you feel good. You cooked it. And then the bhaktas come along and throw it out and wash the pot. You’re happy, right? No, it’s the whole thing. But someone else who’s not on that level, to them, they just come in, wash the pots and go away. They’re a pot washer. Or someone else gets the list, goes to the market, buys the stuff, puts it in his truck, comes back, loads it in the kitchen and walks off. He’s just a marketer. Someone else comes in, you know, and cuts the sabji and grinds this and that. He’s a kitchen help. Someone else just serves the meal and everything. He’s a waiter.

You understand? But a cook knows the whole thing. Of course, he’s a good cook. You know what I’m saying? Does that make sense? So bhakti is the whole thing, but people only see part of it. Therefore, we call it by these names. But it’s only one process. Right? Krishna is non-dual. There’s only one thing.

Right? But in this one thing, there’s variety. So depending on what you combine, it has a name.

So just kind of get to the first point you’re making about compassion without Krishna. So the problem with the modern is trying to deal with it without connecting to Krishna. Right. They’re not dealing, connecting to Krishna, but they can’t even identify why compassion is important. It just feels that it’s good, but why would compassion be important?

You know what I’m saying? The serial killer really sincerely wants to cut your head off with a chainsaw. You know, he really feels it. So, you know, shouldn’t we be compassionate and let him fulfill his needs? You know what I’m saying? So what’s the purpose of compassion?

Compassion has a purpose in relationship to the social order in which people cooperate to serve God. That’s what it’s for. Then people forget about God so they can socially interact because there’s that compassion for that. But still, then you can say is because of the social. Where does the social order come from? It’s come from God. There’s nothing in the social order that, you know, anyone in any social structure doesn’t have some basic concept of. Right. Even the most backward aboriginal cultures, they have a concept of, you know, marriage and, you know, some kind of, you know, what’s yours and stuff like that. You know, it’s like your bone, you know, to put in your nose. You know, you don’t have to share it. The house may be shared, but this is your private bone. You know what I’m saying? There’s some element of that. So they have concepts of these things. How, why is it every living entity has a concept? Even the dog, you know, from this tree here up to that road, that’s his. Why? Where did the concept come from? It comes from God. Where does economics come from? Where does the sense of duties come from? Where do the Rasa’s come from? Do the Karmis get upset that there’s only five Rasa’s?

Has anybody, any, you know, great thinker of the past or present ever thought of a sixth Rasa?

No. You understand? Are they complaining about that there’s a concept of value?

Right? Concept of knowledge or education or that work gives results. Is anybody complaining that if you do something you get a result? No. Why? All this has come from God. Right? They’re complaining that trees are green and they live in the ground and birds, you know, fly around and fish don’t. You know, is anybody complaining?

No. So the whole point is, is it’s all accepted. Why? Because it’s God’s. So that’s the point. If it’s not, if that’s not seen, then it’s just sentiment. It may be nice sentiment, but it’s still sentiment. And how will the sentiment get you back to Godhead? Because it’s some bandhagyan that you’re going to use to perform the activity. Right? Some sentiment has to be there to be inspired to do something. The desire to do, the inspiration to do, that enthusiasm to do. That’s a feeling. Right? So prejudice is alive. But to do the activity, what’s it going to be based on? Knowledge. You can’t do the activity just on sentiment.

The activity is done, sentiment is expressed through the knowledge and activity. You know what I’m saying? So if you don’t have knowledge, how will the sentiment be expressed?

Right? And so everybody has a different opinion on how it should be expressed. But the problem is, is that sentiment comes from God. So he’s already defined how it will be expressed.

Does that make sense? Yes. So when people are complaining about volcanic eruptions and earthquakes… That’s just because it disturbs them. But if it happens off at some island in the middle of anywhere, does anybody complain? Is anybody worried that Bikini Atoll at least used to be there?

No. How is it there?

So how do these things happen? They’re not worried about that. In fact, you can buy coffee table books on all the major natural disasters of the world. You open it up, Krakatoa is always there. It’s always a big point of conversation.

That was a big bang.

You understand? So it’s not a problem. If it doesn’t affect you, then who cares? Actually, sometimes they like it because they can do benefit shows and stuff like that to get some good sentiment out of it. Yeah, of course. You can get something out of it. A matter of some emotion or at least wonder. It’s one of the 12 wasps. Wonder or horror.

For generations you’ve been living on the side of Vesuvius and now more smoke’s coming out than it should. So that brings that horror. So the rasa is there. Like that.

Like that. Yes. So Maharaj, in our relationships, for example, if we have a friendship relationship, according to the sincerity that we want to have a pure friendship, according to our sincerity, that much Krishna’s potency will come through our activities like that. Yes, but at the same time, what’s part of sincerity? There’s the feeling, but what else is there? Understanding. Understanding. So sincerity has to include the understanding.

You know what I’m saying? So the two have to go together. So that balance between the understanding and the mood, that has to be made. If there’s only mood, no understanding, or understanding, no mood.

Or worse, there’s no mood and no understanding, of course. Like that. Does that make sense? Yes.

So if we have only the mood or only the understanding, then will one come from the other? One comes from the other if you actually want it. Sincere means you actually have to want it. In other words, prema comes because you want it. You don’t want prema, then you won’t get it. Right? Prabhupada mentions, because desire is the only thing that jiva actually has. That’s the only thing they have control over. So if you desire it, then it will go in that direction. You don’t desire it, why should it go in that direction?

Right? Does that make sense? Yes.

When a devotee establishes a relationship with Krishna, does Krishna always reciprocate accordingly in their deeper dealings, or sometimes he may deal with something a little bit more than that? A little bit more? What’s the point? You’re worried that it’s all about, you know… It’s like this. If you don’t… If you do something more and the person won’t appreciate it, what’s the meaning?

Nothing. So the point is, is it just getting something done? You understand? So in other words, analyze the question. The question is coming from a combination between the controlling element of that, I do something, I get it done. So that’s a masculine principle, but that’s coming from the purusha-bhava. Because underlying it is, will Krishna do more? Is it just how much I do? So will I get that full experience? Because I may not do the full thing. And so will I get it? Because Krishna will be doing it. So then there’s the feminine dependency.

You understand? So in that, the one thing, there’s these two things mixed. There’s the inherent nature of the soul and the worrying that it won’t be complete because I may not be competent. But at the same time, this is the element of control.

That’s not coming from the element of rasa. It’s coming from the element of, how you say, the perverted masculinity.

Does that make sense? So in other words, don’t worry, you don’t have to worry about that. I mean, one is by worrying about that means then there’s the element that you’ll feel comfortable and that yes, Krishna will take care. The point is, is that if you have a relationship with Krishna, why won’t you be dynamic? So then why won’t he be dynamic in reciprocation?

But what is mercy?

How do you define mercy?

No, but what’s the common element?

You’re on the battlefield. You’ve defeated the guy. He has no weapon. You have your machine gun pointed at his head. What’s mercy?

Right? Not shooting him, right? You know? Something you don’t necessarily deserve. But it’s not coming as a reaction to something you deserve. No, but it’s not a matter of deserve. It’s just like, OK, you don’t deserve. OK, the kid is, you know, in some country and they’re starving to death or mosquitoes are biting him. In other words, but what you’re dealing with is something that’s natural in the relationship.

And so their need you’re fulfilling.

You understand? Compassion means fulfilling the need.

You know, maybe they deserve it or not. That’s another question. But it is an actual need.

You know? Does that make sense? You know, it’s just like you have a very rich person. You come up to him and hand him, you know, $10 and pat him on the back and say, you know, you know, just, you know, trying to help a friend out, you know.

You know what I’m saying? What does it mean? So there’s no need. So compassion means fulfilling a need. We see the forms of it, so we’ll say, oh, it’s this and that. And we have a particular feeling that comes from it. But the actual technical point is fulfilling a need. Right? So the devotees need to interact with Krishna. And him responding to that, that’s compassion. Because he’s Atmarama, he doesn’t have to respond.

You understand?

Does this make sense?

Yes? Is there a difference between mercy and compassion? Or are they synonymous?

I would say mercy is more of a formal element, while compassion is more the feeling, you know. Right? Yes? Yes?

But you’re thinking it’s the fruit that Krishna’s accepting. He was like really over the moon about the fruit he gave her. So what is it that he’s responding to? Right. How much is devotion worth?

So, you know, it’s just a basket full of jewels.

The point is, for her and the position she’s at, she just thought he’s such a cute boy and so nice and she just wants to give him. So she gives one and he’s so nice and she just keeps filling until he can’t carry anymore. So it’s just out of that kind of natural attraction and affection. So that was pure. So he responded to that. And she’s out there, you know, to make money and stuff like that. So it would be a natural way to respond to that.

Does that make sense?

So Krishna’s expertly knows how to respond to it.

Yeah, you could say that. Yeah, that’s a very nice point. Also, the surrender is to the most greatest, intensest degree. So that means then, because the conjugal rasa includes all the others, so all aspects of need are included in it. So then that aspect of him responding to that, then that’s why conjugal rasa is called karunya rasa, or compassion.

Does that make sense? So it’s the original and everything else comes from there.

Yes.

Paramatma means it’s just the mechanics of it, in the way of just, you know, how you say, the non-interactive element of it. Just that, you know, Krishna’s the quality of friendship, so therefore his potency is taken in the form of what is friends and what are the methods that they can interact. That’s the Brahman level. Paramatma is that you want to be involved, so you follow those forms and everything that Krishna gives.

Right?

Right, knowing that it’s the Lord that arranges all these things, so that’s the Paramatma level.

Right? But if you’re doing that to please him, then these other two get absorbed in the Bhagavan. Right? Because Paramatma and Brahman are expansions of Bhagavan. So that means the same activity can be seen on all three levels.

So, but the point is, you’re situated in transcendence, so as you’re mature then it can move from one to the next. Or, best, Krishna prefers, is just you go straight to the… you do it to please him as a person. The others are just for, you know, dealing if you’re, one, attached to the intellectual process, or there’s something that you’re really materially attached to, so it’s a problem. So the only way to get at it is through intelligence, because you can’t easily adjust the sentiment to seeing Krishna. So therefore, intellectually, because as we said, consciousness is there, it’s the nature of the soul, with that is the spiritual intelligence, that’s the Chit Potency. So with that, then you can overcome the material sentiment.

Does that make sense?

Yes or no?

Yes. Well, I wouldn’t want to discourage pious activity, because, as one example, Prabhupada gives in his book, somebody gets a well, he’s long gone, some sadhu drinks from the well, he gets a secret. So pious activity can end up in secret?

Yes, that’s why it’s recommended. Right. Conversely, if someone acts like a tyrant, he may offend a Vaishnava. Right. So they just set him back. Right. So, I understand the point that morality or good qualities are negligible without, you know, spiritual vision, Krishna consciousness. Still, why would one want you to discourage those even after one becomes a Vaishnava? How do you recognize it? Who are you saying? Who is discouraging?

Who is discouraging? This boy here is not wearing any sewn cloth. That’s our uniform.

As far as clothes go, do you get more pious than that? No. Okay. The environment around here is very natural. Do you see any plastic anywhere? No. Do you get more pious than that? No. So, who is discouraging piety?

You understand? Because I’m making a point that we have to be able to distinguish between piety and devotion, because if you don’t, at the time of death, you’ll come back to be a nice, pious person. Someone wants to go back to God here, they have to be able to distinguish.

If you can’t tell the difference, then it’s just sentiment. But you have to know what you’re working. You can’t tell the difference between what’s the blade of the knife, the back of the knife, the hand or the point. You’re going to get caught. So, by pointing that out and say, you have to hold it this way and this and that, one could say, no, but why are you discouraging?

We’re only teaching the technique by which you can actually use compassion in that. Otherwise, people are using it and misusing it. That’s why it comes up later, why you don’t disturb the minds of the ignorant. But this isn’t a class of ignorant people. This is for those who want knowledge. If I go out and deal with somebody who’s just pious, that’s nice. We’ll encourage.

But this is not a political forum or a social forum. This is a philosophical forum. So here we discuss things philosophically and put things in their perspective, where they belong.

Does that make sense? So, that’s the point. How do you recognize a Vaishnava?

Well, we’ll get to that, but what has that got to do with this conversation?

Because you recognize out of the 26 qualities, it says one who surrendered to Krishna, that’s the real quality. The other ones may be there or may not. Bhima is not known for his humility, but it’s one of the 26 qualities.

So, therefore, compassion means what? Giving them Krishna. If they don’t see Krishna, that’s not compassion.

Why is Jarabhara taking care of the deer? It’s not this mundane compassion. It’s because he sees the deer as a spirit soul. But this spirit soul is in ignorance and thinks it’s a deer. And as thinking it’s a deer, it’s attached to its mother, which it just lost. So, out of compassion for that soul who thinks it’s a deer, he takes care of it in a motherly way because that’s what it’s looking for. It’s in ignorance. It can’t tell anything else. So, his dealing with the deer is on the Brahman platform.

It’s not compassion like, you know, a guy on the street.

It’s with self-realization.

But still, Krishna’s point is he’s a person. He’s beyond that kind of Brahman level and Paramatma level of understanding. That’s where his mistake is.

So, at the time of death, you remember him, not Paramatma and Brahman.

Because he didn’t remember, but in his next birth as a deer, he was self-realized. You know, he could go and sit there and listen to the class and understand it.

You know what I’m saying? So, we’re working at these levels of stuff here. It’s that the social issue is not enough. It’s just a social issue. If they weren’t devotees, they’d be doing the same thing, which is okay, but do we want to move forward? Do we want to bring that conditioned nature into the fire of Krishna consciousness or just taste it on its own and get no spiritual benefit?

So, one has to see the philosophy in what one’s doing. Then it doesn’t matter what you’re doing. It’s connected to the Lord. But then, here’s the problem.

As long as you wrap yourself tightly in the name of Sri Akraalbhai or Krishna, you can do anything and everything. No. That’s why we’re teaching here how to analyze.

You’re looking at what we’re doing here through the eyes of sentiment. We’re trying to analyze what’s actually going on.

You can’t analyze. Then you will be just sentimental and then use it for your own purposes. But here is the process. This is self-realization. You can’t see in yourself what’s going on, how you’re going to help anybody else. If you don’t know who you are, how you’ll help anybody else.

So, self-realization means this. If you’ve had bad experience in the past of devotees behaving badly, that’s a social issue that doesn’t impact the philosophy.

So, they didn’t understand it themselves. They don’t fully apply it. So, this is… We can’t turn the study of the Shastras into a social issue. If you do, then we’ll study Dharma Shastra. And then you have to do what Dharma Shastra says, because that is the real social system. Or you have to follow Artha and be willing to accept that you’ve dropped down a level. Or follow Kama. Right?

Jnanamoy, basically, is not known as a social system.

You know what I’m saying? But otherwise, where do you get it from? Just the feelings, they’re coming from the soul. But the soul is not seeing it on the soul platform, the soul. They’re just seeing the kid’s there and he’s hungry. They’re just seeing a body.

And so, unless they can see the soul and what it is, and what their duty is, and that’s coming from scripture, then that feeling is not going to give you any benefit. Because that same taking care of that kid can liberate you from material energy, or it can bind you. So what I’m talking about here is a parent changing their child’s diapers can liberate them from material existence if they see it according to what we’re talking about here. And if they don’t, it binds them. So what we’re talking here is compassion so far beyond what’s being discussed in most political circles that it’s not even understood that it exists.

Because what you’re talking about doesn’t deal with a mom’s attachment to her child and her dealing in such a way that being a mom and taking care of her child, she’s freeing herself from material existence by the very act of how she puts the safety pin into her child’s diaper.

That’s what I’m talking about. So, you know, this course, these three courses, give you an undergraduate degree. We’re not talking first grade here.

So this should be understood as you had problems in the past, all that, though we understand that. It’s not good. No one’s going to say it was good. But what we’re discussing here is Vedanta philosophy and how anybody can put it in their life.

Right? And if it’s not working, you know, why is that half of the room still here?

Right? Ladies aren’t known for sitting around and loving to discuss Vedanta.

But they’re here. Why? Because they’re able to see how this Vedanta applies in their life as women with all the feelings, emotions, attachments and everything that goes with it. That’s what we’re discussing. So it’s not just theory. It’s practical. It works. Because it’s what Prabhupada’s giving us. So this is the vision that we’re trying to look for. You know, so when Prabhupada says everything’s in books, we buy that. So we’re talking here, you know, what, 4th chapter, verse 11. You know, where it just says everyone’s following their path. And everybody, okay, yeah, great, moves on. We’re discussing what that means. We’re talking about how everybody is actually connected and having a relationship with Krishna.

But they don’t know it. And so they don’t get the benefit of that personal relationship.

And so we’re talking about understanding that and awakening to that and then not changing your activity. You have a relationship with Krishna.

This is what Vedanta offers that no other philosophical or any other kind of consideration offers.

Because here, otherwise, it becomes the religion of compassion. What’s the real religion of compassion? Right? It’s the material, but then the spiritual is, is that there’s a soul there. It doesn’t mean you don’t feed them. That’s why we’re going through these finalizations, is that so one can distinguish that you do still feed them, you still do give in charity, but you don’t just, it’s not just the feeling that I should give. One is that the Shastra says, Arjuna’s complaining in the beginning about this. He’s saying all the good works of the family will be stopped, which means feeding poor people and this and that, you know, not big, big yagas and big feeding Brahmins. He’s talking about these little, little things. All that will stop.

And Krishna’s calling him a fool. And what is he saying? Oh, you’re just sentimental and you’re just… No, he’s saying you’re not including the soul. You’re not including that vision. Therefore, you’re a fool. He’s not changing his activity. At the end of Gita, he’s going to fight. So the social system stays in place. We’re talking about the knowledge in which you can actually operate the Vedic social system, which includes anything anybody’s talking about.

Yudhisthira was a nice guy. That’s what we’re talking about.

Does that make some sense?

Good enough to work and move on?

A question may arise. If Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, fulfills the desires of everyone, why so many people worship the inferior demigods?

Verse 12. The demigods are worshipped by those who desire quick temporary solutions of their problems. It says persons are afraid to approach the Lord because they do not want to lose their material attachments as a result. Engrossed in securing temporary benefits, they are blind for their ultimate self-interest. In his commentary, Srila Baladeva Dibhushan describes such persons as follows. Lord Krishna says, In this world, living entities under the sway of beginningless impressions of enjoyment hanker for results of their action.

In the form of domestic animals, sons and other things, they worship Devatas such as Indra who can give temporary things in small quantity by action filled with desire. They do not worship me, the master of those Devatas who can give eternal bliss by the performing desireless action. He doesn’t say you change the action. He says the action is desireless.

They act in this way because in this world of men results of such actions come quickly. The other result in the form of liberation from knowing me through worship by nishkarma comes slowly. All men whose determination of temporary and eternal is eclipsed by desire for enjoyment worship my servants, the Devatas for that purpose. Notice here he’s taking the lowest level as a pious person who’s following the Vedic culture and performing all his duties.

So in other words, what we’re discussing here is pious life we’re just taking as normal.

We only refer in the misunderstandings to impious life of not Vedic.

So here Krishna’s pointing out is that the person who has no understanding he’s interacting with Krishna.

But in going through what he’s doing, he’s making the mistake is that in the same illusion that he’s thinking if I worship Krishna because he has some idea of his supremacy in his position, but that will take longer and that takes more surrender and everything. Well, if I worship the demigod I’ll get something quicker and I don’t have to give up anything.

So it’s still within the illusion. They don’t understand the demigod gives it only after Krishna’s sanction. And what they’re giving is what Krishna gives them to give anyway.

So they’re missing this point because of that attachment. So they’re getting temporary very minor amount of things that are temporary.

They’re not getting anything of depth, of quality.

They’re not getting. So Krishna’s point is that all it is is you have to do that with desirous action. So desirous action means what does desirous action mean? Does that mean there’s no desire for anything? You don’t desire for anything. It means you don’t desire for yourself so it’s for others. And then of others, what would be the highest place to repose at? Krishna. Because whatever it is in others that you see is also Krishna.

So you’re trying to bring it to that platform of Krishna himself directly as a person rather than just his manifestation under how he’s permeated the world. Right? It’s Paramatma and Brahman.

So then it becomes very… So saying that, it’s very simple. That’s what Prabhupada says is our philosophy is very simple. It’s just, you know, where Krishna serves, we try to please him. But then there’s the element is that but he says it’s very vast literature. So we want to explain the mechanics. It’s very vast, very technical.

But the point is very simple. That’s what’s the beauty of the Vedic system is that it’s based on the principle.

And the principle means that then you start there. And then from there, the principle will always work, always apply. But the detail, that changes according to the situation or according to your advancement. So the Vedic can be applied anywhere to any level. That’s the perfection of it. Because it’s not coming from the mundane platform.

While mundane thought, it will only apply in that particular situation.

Verses 13 to 15. Although Krishna is the supreme controller and the cause of all causes, he is not responsible for the sufferings of the conditioned soul.

Akartaram avyayam.

He is the creator of four divisions of human society according to the modes of material nature and the work associated with them. But at the same time, he is transcendental to this system because he is always aloof from material actions and reactions.

Krishna is not affected by any kind of work because he is impartial. He is not attracted by the fruits of action.

Lord Krishna says, These actions, such as creation, do not contaminate me with the fault of unfair dealing or desire, unlike the case of the jiva. This is because of my acts of creation. Maintenance and destruction are responsible for our response to the karmas of the jiva in his body, not to my needs. I have no desire for results and actions such as creation of the universe or creation of the bodies of the jivas. Thus, I am not contaminated by the acts of creation and destruction.

So Krishna is not… means the jiva needs this. This is what we are saying, the compassion. The jiva wants this. So according to his desire, Krishna is fulfilling it. But because the living entity is an illusion, he actually doesn’t know what’s good for him. Right? So Krishna is trying. It means the sages come, incarnations come, the scriptures are there, the devotional path is there. So all opportunity to know the correct thing is there, but many people don’t want to know Krishna if that wasn’t, how you say, an observable fact. Why are there so many living entities here?

So…

So Krishna is only responding to the need of the jiva. Otherwise for himself, there is no need of creation and destruction.

Right? Because in the spiritual world, there is no creation and destruction. Because, why? Because nobody there needs it. Right? So Krishna only responds to the need of the individual.

Right? That’s the meaning of… in rasa, of the… how do you call it? V…

Staibhav, Anubhav, Sancharivah, Sattvikabhav, Vibhav. So Vibhav means you have the element of ashraya and vishaya. So what the ashraya sees in the vishaya, that’s how the vishaya responds. Mother Yashoda sees her son. Krishna responds as her son. Is Krishna actually her son? Right? No, God’s original. Right? She’s expanding from Radharani. Right? So… But she’s the mother. So that’s how she sees Krishna. So that’s how he responds.

Does it make sense?

But then also, he creates that energy that he wants. No, no. He doesn’t create the energy. The energy is already there.

You understand? He’ll manifest the situations. So you say creation here means he takes it and manifests it so you can see it. And it’s there. But the energy was already there. All those potencies are already there. He just puts them together.

Krishna’s the origin of? Motherhood, yes. Because he is rasa. So rasa includes motherhood. That’s why in Chaitanya-lila, you know, if a chaitan tried to meet, I think in Chaitanya-bhagavata or Mangal, he takes the form of Lakshmi.

One time during one of the pastimes.

In other words, it’s not different, so it’s not a problem for him.

Right?

So, what I was trying to see is then at the origin of Mother Yosoda having that desire. What’s the… No, it’s eternal. So that desire is always there.

You know what I’m saying? She’s internal potency. So that’s… She is that aspect of the internal potency.

You know what I’m saying? Because it’s just that. There’s no conjugal. Right? Rasa has all these five aspects. You take out the conjugal, then you have just those four aspects. You take out the parental, then you have three aspects. You take out the friendship, then you have two. You take out the one, then you just have appreciation.

Right? Does that make sense? You take that out, then you get the other sub-rasas.

You know what I’m saying? So, generally I think that would at least be there to face the other rasas.

Does that make sense? So, she is that aspect of internal potency.

Does that make sense?

So it’s… That nature is there. The jiva has their inherent nature. So according to that, Krishna reciprocates. So that’s just the way it is. But when the jiva identifies with their conditioned nature, then Krishna responds that way. Because the point is this, what you feel and think and do, that is how you identify yourself.

Right? So you have certain feelings, therefore through karma, this particular manifestation is there, this particular body, mind, intelligence, senses, situations you’re in, manifest due to your mood. So therefore Krishna reciprocates in that position. While on the transcendental platform, then they have that love for Krishna.

Right? They have that love for Krishna. And so, he responds to that.

So, yoga maya arranges all those situations in which they can express that love. For the conditioned living entity, then maha maya arranges all the situations.

Yeah, we express our, you know, perverted love that’s there. You know, it was in the form of lust, so therefore, and then it comes out in the same rasas. In other words, love for Krishna then fuels the interactions, the social interactions and dealings of the spiritual world. That perverted love that’s transferred into lust, that’s what fuels what happens here. You know, just like the maya body has that lust for the experience of liberation.

That’s what fuels it.

So, Krishna is not contaminated by these because it’s not being done for him.

He’s doing it for the jivas and they’re getting the result. He’s not being affected by it because it’s nothing to do with him. He’s not performing any karma that would give a material result. Therefore, he gets no material experience.

Right? He’s doing it out of naiskarmya.

In other words, he’s performing his duties in the mood of naiskarmya for the benefit of others. So, why will he get a reaction? So, what is he asking us to do? Yeah. Nothing that he’s not doing. Right? He says, I have no duties here but I perform them anyway.

So, the devotee has no duties here but he performs them anyway.

Right?

So, Krishna is trying to please the living entity. So, the natural thing is the living entity is trying to please Krishna.

So, that’s all Krishna is asking. It’s not out of the ordinary. It’s very natural.

Does this make sense?

One who knows that Krishna is forever free from material reactions also does not get entangled. Right? If you understand, he’s not entangled, you’re not entangled. So, those who feel God’s entangled, then what happens to them? They’re entangled. In other words, it’s very dangerous to blame God for how things are going badly in this creation.

Because then you think he’s involved and he’s doing a bad job. So, therefore, you’re going to be involved and do a bad job.

It’s reciprocatory.

He does not get entangled in fruit of work. Karma appear, not nasa bandhyate.

All liberated souls have attained association with Krishna by engaging in devotional service. Like them, Arjuna should also act according to his will. Krishna’s will. Because, point is this, everybody’s acting according to his will anyway. Right? Does that make sense? Businessman, he comes up with an idea and then he’s able to market it and he becomes fabulously wealthy. Why? Because he didn’t follow any laws of economics.

No, because he perfectly followed them. Therefore, he got the better result. Right? Some guy’s taking, you know, something, you know, selling it, you know, losing money. Somebody else is taking it, making a little money. Somebody else is taking basically the same thing and making billions of dollars. Why?

It’s just they’re more expert at the laws of economics. So, in other words, as they surrender, Krishna’s reciprocated.

Yeah, that’s why. Therefore, you do the wrong things. Right? You see, the guy does, then he gets a little bit, you know, big and then he, he’s in the beginning, he’s very careful in how he does everything and then when he becomes big, he’s not careful anymore. Then what happens? What happens if people aren’t careful? They lose.

So, it’s very standard.

So, it’s just they’re not careful. So, those who are always careful, in other words, you see is the big people who are humble, they’re the ones who are able to stay big. The big people are proud. It’s just a matter of time before they make a mistake and they’re not in that position.

No, it’s not about you. It means why it’s working here is because of the planets, because they’re following the laws properly. So, Paramatma is sanctioning the results of what they want and then the material nature through the modes of nature, through the planets, then give you what you deserve. Right? For your appropriate endeavor. So, they give you the ability to do that endeavor and they give you the results of that endeavor.

It’s not like the effect of the planets at birth. You know, like we’re supposed to be really predestined to be poor and this and that. If somebody needs transcendental knowledge, then… The point is this. What is devotional service? A different situation? Or how you use the situation? Yes, so therefore, for the devotee, there’s no need to change the situation so be in from previous karma. He has to change his consciousness. There’s no need to change them. If Krishna changes them, that’s up to him. Like Prabhupada said, should have had your arm cut off, you know, and you only got a little nick on the end of your finger. Right? Just so that you will always remember you’re still in the material world. Right?

Because if it just went away, we might forget. The demigods forget. Right? They’re there. Why are they there? They followed the laws of God. They’re devotees. Right? Demons who are pious don’t go to the heavenly planets. They go to the lower heavenly planets.

Understand? Demons are pious. They’re giving a cherry. They’re doing all the things. Right? Otherwise, why would Sukhacharya be with them? He’s a Brahmin. He wouldn’t be able to tolerate if they weren’t following the Vedic culture nicely. But they’re not God conscious.

And because of that, then they miss the point and, you know, they’re more ritualistic and they drive them nuts. But, you know, he just doesn’t want to be up there with Brihaspati. So, therefore, he has to stay with the demons. Right? So, they’re devotees. That’s why they’re in the positions. You think you’re going to give a post to someone who’s not done some devotional activity, some piety.

Everything in this world, anything anybody has good, anyone born in a rich family, a noble family, a powerful family, right, a religious family, a devotional family, is because of previous devotional activities. This is mentioned in the Sixth Canto. So, we’re thinking that this, it’s called a yuga, it’s going on differently. Everything you see here and all the people that they’re quoting that are successful, they’re only in that because of previous devotional activity.

We don’t, it means we have to understand what is this yuga, how it’s going on. As the partition says, there’s only one path.

We somehow or another see that there’s all this that has nothing to do with Krishna and then there’s our little movement here that has something to do with Krishna. But because I have to interact with this material world, therefore, I have to be practical and so therefore, I don’t necessarily, I don’t, I can’t apply the principles of Krishna Conscious in the material sphere because, you know, it’s not practical to, you know, go to, you know, Wall Street in my dhoti.

But the point is, is Wall Street works because of God’s laws, not because of someone else’s.

The other guys have observed God’s laws and they’re very expert at it, but they didn’t create the laws.

You understand? It’s like you take, you take a flower and you do hybrid, you know, and make something like something like something. When the thing turns purple, that’s the end of the line. You can’t do anything more with it. You can’t do it and get something else. Well, that’s the end. You can only do certain things. Certain trees, you can go cut off a branch, stick in the ground, it grows. Certain ones, you cut off a branch, it’s dead.

Right? Who made that law? So people know that, farmers know that, know which trees to do what and this and that.

So they’re just expert at what God’s already made.

So they don’t create. Right? So there’s that basic economic system. Then you can get what they call derivatives from that. You know, in other words, they hybrid the thing. But still, they can only hybrid according to the laws God allows.

Because at some point you go far enough, it won’t make money. It won’t work.

So all it is is they’re observing the system. So they have the piety from previous work of following the rules properly that therefore they’re getting the result now. So what they’re getting now is not from the work they’re doing now. They’re able to do the work now that gets their result because of their previous activity. They say, no, but he went into his garage and he and his other high school friend and they sat down and they worked out this thing on the computer and then they launched it and they made a billion bucks. Right? There’s so many stories like that. But how did they have the intelligence to do that? That didn’t come from them sitting in the garage. A garage is known. In other words, why isn’t every educational institution in the world look like a garage? If that’s the greatest inspiration, it’s all those old boxes that your mother put there and the smell of the grease and all the wrenches on the wall that your father put there and the bicycle, of course. So that’s what sparked the synapses that you can’t… It’s the karma from before that they did the activity. The activity gives the result. Even if they didn’t do the activity, they’d get the result.

You know what I’m saying? But by doing that activity right, that will give them the future. It will be the medium for the present and for the future. That’s the thing we’re thinking is they’re separated.

Karma creates… The free will creates the predestiny of the situation you’re in. But what you do with it is free will. So that means two things are happening at once. The closure of one and the beginning of the next is happening at the same time. So you receive your previous karma through this work and you create your future situations for your results then.

They’re going on simultaneously. That’s why it’s bewildering. Because you say, no, it’s got to be this or that. It’s not this or that. It’s both. You know? I mean, you know, let’s get it straight, mom. You’re either my mom, you know, or, you know, your father’s daughter or, you know, my father’s wife. You know? Come on, I can’t have three relationships at once. You know? Make up your mind, mom.

But all three are happening at once. It’s just the way it is.

So predestiny and free will are simultaneous.

One’s the situation, one’s what you do with it. And what your free will will create the next situation. And through the exercise of your free will you receive your previous stuff. Right? Like this. Was it by your free will that you see I stepped off the curb onto the street?

Yes or no? No. The light turned green and you stepped off the curb. Was it your free will? Yes. Okay. Now the Mack truck that happened to come by and run you over, that’s the predestiny.

But it was your free will that put you in front of that truck.

You know what I’m saying? Was it your free will that you’re driving down the highway at 90 miles an hour? Yeah. But it’s predestiny that there’s another car going the opposite way at 90 miles an hour that happens to run into you.

You understand?

So it’s their free will to be the car that will run into you. They don’t have to be. They could have driven properly. That’s their free will.

Yes. Can you give me one example that even Columbus got the credit for discovering America because of some previous… Yeah. Otherwise, how many millions of Americans were already in America when he landed?

They don’t get the credit, right?

I guess they spoke the wrong language, right? They spoke Spanish, you know, when they got there. It would have been different.

Yeah. So it’s by his previous karma. He thought he’s going to India.

The guy’s in total ignorance. And then he runs into a very large… How do you say it? Blockage there. Asia is kind of like you bump into that and you kind of can go around it. It gets farther down. But it’s obvious. America is just straight across. You know, it’s like, you know, you’re not going to get across on the north, you know, unless you’ve got, you know, dogs and a sled. And down at the bottom, that’s really far down. I think it’s even farther than Africa.

So it’s… You know what I’m saying? It’s a very major blockage between Europe and Asia.

So the guy’s in ignorance. But then, you know, by previous karma, he was smart enough to turn misfortune into fortune.

He could have come back and said, no, I ran into some land there that wasn’t India.

You know, so it’s like Shri Pallad has on his website, you know, when life gives you lemons, make lemon juice.

So when life gives you America, make capitalism.

You know, he did it. Yes? I heard from my literature teacher that he’s saying that Columbus met a tribe named cannibals. And he thought they ate people. That’s why they’re called cannibals. Cannibals. But they were vegetarian. Okay. This nation is cannibals.

Okay.

So, okay. So it means cannibals are vegetarian, but someone could Okay. How would you say that?

It’s like a non-poisonous snake, right? He gets beaten like a poisonous snake. They all get blamed. The Shastra mentions one, I think it’s in Mahabharata.

I forget what it was. I think he’s like a grandson, a great -grandson of Brihaspati. So his wife got bit by a snake. And so, so any snake he saw, he would beat. And one day he’s beating a, you know, a non-poisonous snake. And the snake starts talking to him. He just says, you know, he says, you know, this is our karma. He says, we’re not poisonous, but we still get beaten like poisonous snakes. And we didn’t do anything. So.

You gave the example if somebody uses his free will and steps out onto the road when the truck is coming, then the fact that he gets run over by the truck, that the truck comes, that’s predestined. So, if he exercises his free will more carefully, will that predestiny of being run over still happen to him somewhere along the line? What does that matter? Yeah. It will. But see, the thing is, what do you want to get out of?

Think about the question. Being run over by a truck. Okay. But what’s the problem with being run over by a truck? Not remembering Krishna. Not remembering Krishna. That’s the real problem with getting run over by a truck. Because the point is, you get run over by a truck, you’ll get a new body. You know, it’s just like you go out and buy the ice cream, the kid, you know, drops the ice cream, then the mother will buy him a new ice cream. You know what I’m saying?

You know what I’m saying? So the real problem is not remembering Krishna.

Yeah. It’s a quick ticket. You know, not necessarily an ideal ticket. You know, generally most think of some nice, you know, more peaceful, you know, devotees, kirtan, you know, that kind of a more environment. I don’t think, many think about trucks.

Does that make sense? Yeah. So the point is this, why are we worried? Because we want to, things will go nicely in the material world. But the point is, the material world is not nice.

You know what I’m saying? You have nice and not nice. It’s just like, let’s say, you’re part of a gang. Okay? The gang’s not nice. But let’s say today the gang leader, you know, is not, you know, punting you around the block. So today he’s nice. You know what I’m saying? That’s all. You know, you said something stupid and he didn’t throw you into the, what do you call it? Elevator shaft with the crocodiles. You know what I’m saying? So, that’s nice.

You know what I’m saying? So, that’s the whole point is it’s simply a material comparison.

You know? In other words, you know, they think it’s modern the idea of the curve. You know, in grading, in school. You know, everybody basically failed so you draw a line over those who really failed and those who, you know, just failed. And the guys who just failed got an A and the guys who really failed then they got the D or the F. You know what I’m saying? So, it’s just in comparison.

That we say it’s like this but the actual point of what gives the results is because Krishna said what’s good and bad. So, you get proper results or not proper results because, Krishna, there is an absolute truth of what’s right and wrong. Right? But, us thinking the material world is a nice place, that’s just comparing, you know, less nice to more nice. You know? You know what I’m saying? You know, our, you know, how you say, how you say, non-organic building of just, you know, bricks or, you know, glass and this and that, you know, is nice because it’s in an area that’s not spray-painted with graffiti. You know? Well, you know, and we have a tree. There is a tree on the sidewalk. You know? Like that, while you go to another borough, you know, and then, it’s not so nice. Also, our windows aren’t boarded up while theirs are. But, it’s still bad. It’s still just, you know, cement.

You know what I’m saying? But we’ll say, this cement’s good and that cement’s bad.

You understand? You know, or a person says, you know, yes, you know, yes, you know, I die in my sleep or something like that, you know, so then they’ll think, that’s good.

You know? But the point is, you are still dying. So that part gets left out.

You understand? So you have to be very careful as that, oh, if I did this, would it change? No, the point is, even if you change, it’s still the material world. So unless it’s connected to Krishna, then there’s no problem.

You know what I’m saying? In other words, when it’s connected to Krishna, the real problem is gone. And then according to our conditioning, then Krishna will arrange the situation, you know, for whatever reason.

Does that make sense?

Like that, because then we forget. Because sometimes if Krishna makes it nicer, we’ll remember Krishna. Oh, Krishna is so kind and all that. And sometimes when we’re not remembering Krishna, then by it not being nice, then we remember Krishna.

So whatever is going to make, whatever is going to be favorable for remembering Krishna, that’s what we’re going to get.

You know, so it’s like, why does Krishna make it this way? You know, it’s so bad. But the point is, it’s only bad because we’re attached. We’re not attached. It’s not so bad.

You know what I’m saying? So because we’re attached, that’s why it’s there, just to show that it’s not, there’s no value to it. If we’re not attached, what’s the need?

So the point is this, in any case, is to focus on Krishna consciousness, not on how to remove the material problems. No, you focus on Krishna consciousness, whatever material problems will go away, will go away. And whatever won’t, won’t.

Does that make sense?

We’re removing the material problems. Krishna is the problem. Yeah, it’s not ours. Ours is to follow Krishna’s direction for his pleasure. We do that, then everything will be at its best.

So what I just want to say is, at every moment, analyze what Krishna is trying to do, to improve my relationship with him.

Yes, yes.

Yeah, what actually went wrong. You know? So the situation being bad, that’s not actually what went wrong. It’s how we responded in that situation. So we look at, well, what will improve the situation? All that will improve the situation is how we respond to the situation. So if we responded badly, it won’t improve the situation in the future, because one hasn’t learned. If one’s learned, see, on the material platform, justice is justice. You’ve done the work, you get the result, right? Because I did my work, I get my good result. I did my work, I’ll get my bad result. So whether you have reformed or not, it doesn’t matter. You get the result.

Does that make sense? You go to the restaurant, you order something, and then in the meantime, a friend comes in and says, hey, I got this, you want it like this, and you eat that, and then you’re not hungry, and then when the waiter shows up, oh, I’m not hungry now, it’s okay. You’re still going to get it.

Does that make sense? So the point is, but it’s only for the devotees practicing devotional service that it may not happen or not. Because if it’s necessary, it will. If it’s not necessary, it won’t. So if it happened, it was necessary.

And then seeing that there’s something necessary and looking for spiritual aid in that situation. Yeah. Yeah.

So in other words, it’s obvious you can see it or with some contemplation you can see it. Great. If you can’t see it, then still understand it’s Krishna’s arrangement. You bring it back to Krishna. Because the point is to remember Krishna. And what I should have done, what I should have done, still has to be connected to Krishna.

Does that make sense?

Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and not a Hindu god. In the same way, Krishna’s social system, Varanashram, is not limited in India, but has universal meaning and application. Śrīla Prabhupāda writes in Renunciation Through Wisdom, Doctors are available in every country and society. Similarly, the four classes of men are also present in every country and society. The scriptures describe in detail the divisions of society with their inherent characteristics. Therefore, we commit a serious mistake when we regard the different classes of men as belonging to particular countries or races. By the propagation of brahminical culture, the world would have greatly prospered. Instead, the Vedic culture has been seriously maimed by the imposition of the hereditary caste system. This has had grievous adverse effects on the world. Supreme Lord in His Incarnation as Lord Caitanya has opened many avenues to peaceful living by propagating the brahminical culture, which He calls the religion of the soul. Those who are fortunate can emulate His life, follow His divine teachings, and perfect their lives. So, the Vedic culture, another place probably mentions, it’s varnāśrama, but it’s not scientific, because scientific means you know what is the system, know who you are, know who others are, what’s the relationship, what are your duties. So, in the non-Vedic forms, then they don’t necessarily know their duty. The hospital is full of doctors. Doctors are considered what varna? Brahmins. Who owns the hospital?

Vaishyas. What is the policies by which the doctors work?

They’re given by the Vaishyas. Of course, certain medical things that the doctors say, but that’s still in the environment of business. So, in other words, a Brahminical occupation has been turned into a business by the Vaishyas. You understand? Same with law. Same with teaching.

You understand? So, this is where it’s not scientific.

That’s their… Yeah. So, therefore, it’s better a doctor, it would be more proper that he runs his own clinic, doesn’t make so much money, right, but is able to follow his varna properly than this other because he makes lots of money, but at the same time, I’m sure he doesn’t feel that great about it, right, because here’s someone who needs some special surgery, but he doesn’t have the money or the insurance to cover it, so he doesn’t get, you know, and unless the hospital is able to pull this and that, then, you know, he could do it, what’s that word, de bono or something? Pro bono. Pro bono, you know, like that, but that’s only his work, but there’s everything else, and then there’s the hospital, and this and that, so someone else has to, you know, and so that’s… So, if it’s his own, he can do stuff like that. So, he’s going to… he loses something because it’s not scientific, so that’s why the Vedic thing is there is because then everybody acts according to their nature, and then there’s no problem for them. There’s no problem.

Does that make sense? So, Prabhupada is saying by the hereditary caste system they’ve ruined it, and so that means, you know, various parts of the world aren’t following anymore, because at one time the whole world followed Vedic culture, right, you know, depending on their level of, I’d say, you know, consciousness and that, but otherwise that’s… The one thing you can do, it’s like if you go back in history, you can see all basically religions that are, that means, yeah, you could say separate from the, how do you say, you know, Judaic, Christian, Islam kind of tradition. What do you call it? Abrahamic religions. Then, then the cultures and philosophies of the world are basically the same. Slightly higher or lower modes, you know, like that. So, similar things in all the different arts and sciences.

So then, but, so at some point because of castes, then all these places it gets lost, that connection is lost. Right? The rest of the world doesn’t benefit. Otherwise, then they already have the culture. All they have to be shown is how to follow that connected to the Supreme Lord and those elements that are, you know, more impassioned ignorance then slowly they convert them into goodness because there’s always a form of goodness.

Does that make sense?

You know, so they could have sat on top of their ziggurats there and offered lamps to the sun, you know, instead of somebody’s heart, you know. Would have worked. Would have worked.

Does that make some sense? So that’s the thing, this, this system is, is, is a problem. So, Lord Chaitanya has given something that goes beyond the mundane and how all living entities, so Krishna consciousness is actually the universal religion. We’re not just saying it, it actually is because it deals with the soul. The other religious systems don’t deal with the soul.

Right? You understand? Abrahamic, the body is the soul or maybe, maybe a little bit the mind. They don’t, they don’t know. You know, Buddhist, there is no soul. You know, like that. Mayavadis, there’s no soul. The other philosophies, they don’t even get, even deal with the idea most of them. Yes? Is Buddhism a religion at all? Um, religion means it’s where you define basically a philosophy and live by that. You know, there’s inherent religion and then there’s created. So, basically, all conditioned religions are created because religion comes from God. So, what is the truth in any religion is that aspect which is from the Lord and that which is not is the part that’s not. You know what I’m saying? So, Buddhism being peaceful, being compassionate, being that, that’s what’s come from God. You know, but that there’s no soul and everything’s void, that’s the part that they made up.

You understand?

So, so, this is, this is the difficulty is that depending upon the modes of nature, then they’ll make up their religion. You know what I’m saying? Being a motorcycle gang, it’s a religion. You have a nature. You have what you do. You have duties. Right? They have to be selfless duties. You know? You’re, you’re, you’re at the end of the street. Everybody else is going in and, you know, bashing the place up or stealing everything. And it’s your business to ride them out of town because you know the roads. So, it’s your duty when they go into town, you’re supposed to figure out the roads and what’s the easiest, quickest way out. That’s your duty and you do it for the good of the gang. You know what I’m saying? Somebody else is big, so he’s the guy who goes up to them and says, you know, hey, you know, like this. So, everybody’s got their duties and it’s part of the thing. Right? There’s a head, there’s authority, there’s discipline, there’s a dress code, you know, they have eating habits, you know, like that. You know, so they have all these different things. They have their, you know, how do you say, their, you know, codes of honor. Everything is there. So, technically, it’s a religion. The scientists, it’s a religion. The academics, it’s a religion.

You understand? It’s all a religion. The businessmen, it’s a religion.

Because it’s the inherent nature of that thing.

But they, but people only take religion on this particular external, like we were saying, culture. So, culture simply means, you know, going to the opera or, you know, behaving a little bit better when your mother-in-law comes over or something like that. You know, that’s it. But no, it’s, culture is everything you do. It’s, it’s your lifestyle. You know, like that. Your activities and the mentality that goes with it. Because an activity means the mind has accepted it. So, what’s the nature of the mind? What’s the nature of the intelligence? What’s the nature of the engagement of the senses? Right? What’s the consciousness?

Like that. So, religion means what’s the inherent nature? You can’t change.

You know what I’m saying? Just like this. Could a hell’s angel ride in, into the group on a bicycle?

No. You know, could he be driving a Honda? No. So, there is an inherent nature.

It has to be a motorcycle. It has to be a Harley. Right? So, there’s an inherent nature. You can’t change that. As soon as you change it, then you’re not a, you know, how do you say, a bike-ee or a biker.

You know what I’m saying? There’s a difference. Bike-ees have the choppers. The bikers have the, you know, these other kind of road bikes.

He understands that it’s inherent.

Can’t wear those. Yeah. It wouldn’t work. Maybe if it was denim, you might be able to get away with it. Okay? I’m not going to try. Not going to try. Okay.

Does that make sense?

Okay.

So, this is the religion of the soul. So, what we’re giving is the science of the soul. Then there’s so many details how you could apply that science. You understand? The other is, there’s something there, but they don’t know how it came about. Right? How did the motorcycle game come about that they can’t really explain? It means there’s people who do, you know, PhDs studying it. You know what I’m saying? But, the point is, they can’t really explain it. So, all it is is a ritual. It’s a form. And then that becomes identified as this religion. You know what I’m saying? It’s like someone’s telling me that in America there’s 2,000 denominations of Christians. You know? So, how do you get… So, they adjusted their ritual a little bit, this and that. But the point is, is they’re all except Jesus. You know? Does that make sense? The ritual is different. So, they’ll think they’re different religions.

Right? So, that’s the point. So, the Vedic is there’s principles. Those principles are universal. Then, to apply it, the situations are different. So, the detail will be different in how you… in what you’re applying the principle through. But the principle will never change. So, that’s the whole idea is here. We’re trying to… This is one of the major things of this study, is how to tell the difference between a principle that always applies and a detail. Because the detail is what people argue over. You know what I’m saying? You like to say, be nice. Everybody will agree with that. But what nice means, that’ll create argument. You know?

Does that make sense?

Right.

That’s it. That’s complete. It’s the principle. And if you read Lila Amrita, those, you know, bearded, long-haired hippies that hate Ashbery, when Prabhupada arrived, knew that philosophy.

They knew the essence of Krishna. If you ask them, what’s Krishna concept? They would say these three things.

You know what I’m saying? So, that’s the thing. And then, from there, it expands. So, that’s why in this study, we’re sticking to that as a basis.

You understand these? Then, within that, how that principle applies is so many details. You know, contradictory. Like, the other day, we were discussing how you take one thing, and it’s the masculine principle. But if you adjust the situation, that becomes the feminine principle. And then, the masculine is something within that. And then, you take that essence within that. It’s the masculine. You look at that, and then find the two. Right? Because Krishna is unlimited. So, I guess you end up down to the, you know, the Paramatma within the Paramanu. You know? And then, there, there’s him, and there’s Lakshmi on his chest. You know? So, there’s a, there’s a, there’s a, there’s a… You know what I’m saying? He’s always going to do… So, in other words, we’re learning the perspectives by which we can view things and see its application in our life. So, it’s Krishna consciousness. This answers, this answers your question from before. Right? Your question from before is, as long as someone’s wrapped in, you know, what Prabhupada says, but the point is, is unless they can see the perspective on which that point that Prabhupada’s being made applies, they’re not wrapped.

That, that’s, that’s the point. It’s what’s the actual perspective that Prabhupada’s talking about.

So, that’s the thing that it needs to be seen, is what is the perspective? Because that’s, that creates the time, place, circumstance, and everything like that. But the point being made is an eternal principle. But the example he gives may be just explaining that principle or may be applying to a detail. That’s where Prabhupada says the books are always taken as laws. The letters, you have to be careful in application. Because someone’s asked a question, and for that person in that situation, he’s applying the eternal principles into a particular situation. And so he may give examples to say things that in another letter may be contradictory.

That’s another discussion. This is not the forum. Like that, I think.

Very soon, the BBT is having meetings in Vrindavan. You can always…

You know what I’m saying? So, point is, it’s there, because the point, what’s the problem with the letter? When you get many things, what’s missing in the letters?

You don’t know what was written in the Prabhupada. You had that, and you had this, and you can see when Vrindavan says this and this. So, that you get in, let’s say, the… What do you call it? Dialectic… Yeah, conversations. You get that. So, that’ll be more clear. You know? Like that. So, that’s much more of a clear… So, you see the situation. Yes?

That’s also… You don’t have the intonation. You don’t have that. You don’t… Yeah. You don’t get that. And so… So, therefore, looking at the conversations, looking at the letters, they have to be brought back to the points made in the book. Then it’s strong. If it matches what’s in the book, then nice. If it contradicts the book, then it’s got a problem. I have an experience of reading something from Prabhupāda, which was an attachment, and I was struggling with it. But, with the same distraction, I saw it on a video. I just looked at it, because all the memories of the book were coming. And then, the same thing. And I was missing that when I read it. Yeah, yeah. That’s… No, no. That helps a lot. Yeah.

That’s the… That’s… important.

Okay. So, then, today is Thursday, right? So, tomorrow we’ll continue with verses 16 to 24.

Lecture Notes

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

  • Kṛṣṇa reciprocates as we surrender – both in the material and in the spiritual world.
  • Friendship in another person comes from Kṛṣṇa, if we deal properly with a friend, we receive a nice response – that means, Kṛṣṇa reciprocates.
  • People are getting little bits of pleasure in the material world, because in some way they dealt properly with Kṛṣṇa’s energies, Kṛṣṇa felt a little pleasure, and He reciprocated. But approaching Him as a person the pleasure is so much more.
  • Bhakti is the whole thing together, it’s one thing, but people who only focus on separate aspects call it karma, jñāna, yoga etc.
  • There has to be balance between knowledge and sentiment, those are defined by God.
  • Compassion means fulfilling a need. Devotees need to interact with Kṛṣṇa, so Him fulfilling that is His compassion.
  • With spiritual intelligence, one can overcome material emotions
  • 33:00 to 45:00 WHY DISCOURAGE PIETY? AND VEDĀNTA IN OUR DAILY LIFE
  • 50:20 Lord responds to the conditioned jīva’s karmas, but He has no need for it
  • 56:00 Our conditioned nature manifests according to our mood and desires, and Kṛṣṇa reciprocates, in the spiritual world it is nurtured by love for Kṛṣṇa, in the material world – by lust
  • 59:00 If we think Kṛṣṇa is entangled, we will be entangled
  • 69:00 to 81:30 FREE WILL, DESTINY AND KRISHNA-KARMA
  • Discussion on Columbus discovering America.
  • 83:00 Varnāśrama is already there, but in the non-Vedic forms is non-scientific
  • Brahminical occupations are turned into business by the vaishyas.
  • Everyone and everything has their religion depending upon the inherent nature, even, for example, motorcycle gang.
  • The essence of study is to see difference between principle and detail.
  • Prabhupāda’s books are principles, his letters are sometimes details.

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