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Prapancikataya buddhyaHari-sambandhi-vastunah Mumuksubhih parityago Vairagyam phalgu kathyate Quot;One who rejects anything without knowledge of its relationship to Krsna is incomplete in his renunciation." (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.2.256) Although Mayavadi philosophers say that the material creation is false, actually it is not false; it is factual, but the idea that everything belongs to human society is false. Everything belongs to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for everything is created by Him. SB 7.14.7 P Ideal Family Life
We should not think that we are independent; rather,we should understand that we are allotted a certain portion of the total property of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This understanding will lead to perfect communism. Communists think in terms of their own nations, but the spiritual communism instructed here is not only nationwide but universal. Nothing belongs to any nation or any individual person; everything belongs to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.That is the meaning of this verse. Atmavasyam idam visvam: whatever exists within this universe is the property of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The modern communistic theory, and also the idea of the United Nations, can be reformed--indeed, rectified--by the understanding that everything belongs to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord is not a creation of our intelligence; rather, He has created us. Atmavasyam idam visvam. Isavasyam idam sarvam. This universal communism can solve all the problems of the world. SB 8.1.10 P The Manus, Administrators of the Universe The false prestige of thinking "I am very rich, and I possess such vast property" is another side of material life. Everything belongs to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and no one else possesses anything. This is the real fact. Isavasyam idam samam yat kinca jagatyam jagat. Bali Maharaja was undoubtedly the most exalted devotee, whereas previously he had maintained a misunderstanding due to false prestige. By the supreme will of the Lord, he now had to go to the hellish planets, but because he went there by the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he lived there more opulently than one could expect to live in the planets of heaven. A devotee always lives with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, engaging in His service, and therefore he is always transcendental to hellish or heavenly residences. SB 8.21.34 P Bali Maharaja Arrested by the Lord
"The maha-bhagavata,the advanced devotee,certainly sees everything mobile and immobile,but he does not exactly see their forms. Rather, everywhere he immediately sees manifest the form of the Supreme Lord." Although a devotee is within the material world, he has no connection with it. Nirbandhah krsna-sambandhe. He accepts this material world in relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A devotee may be engaged in earning money, but he uses that money for propagating the Krsna consciousness movement by constructing large temples and establishing worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Khatvanga Maharaja, therefore, was not a materialist. A materialist is always attached to wife, children, home, property and many other things for sense gratification, but, as stated above, Khatvanga Maharaja was not attached to such things, nor could he think of anything existing without the purpose of the Supreme Lord. Isavasyam idam sarvam: everything is related to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Of course, this consciousness is not for the ordinary person, but if one takes to the path of devotional service, as prescribed in The Nectar of Devotion, he can be trained in this consciousness and attain perfect understanding. For a Krsna conscious person, nothing is palatable without a relationship with Krsna. SB 9.9.44 P ,The Dynasty of Amsuman
The wealth of the world should be used for the welfare of all living entities, for that is the plan of Mother Nature. Everyone has the right to live by utilizing the wealth of the Lord. When people learn the art of scientifically utilizing the Lord's property, they will no longer encroach upon one another's rights. Then an ideal society can be formed. The basic principle for such a spiritual society is stated in the first mantra of Sri Isopanisad:
isavasyam idam sarvam yat kinca jagatyam jagat tena tyaktena bhunjitha ma grdhah kasya svid dhanam
"Everything animate or inanimate that is within the universe is controlled and owned by the Lord. One should therefore accept only those things necessary for himself, which are set aside as his quota, and should not accept other things, knowing well to whom they belong." Krsna conscious devotees know very well that this material world is designed by the complete arrangement of the Lord to fulfill all the necessities of life for all living beings, without their having to encroach upon the life or rights of one another. This complete arrangement affords the proper quota of wealth for everyone according to his real needs, and thus everyone may live peacefully according to the principle of plain living and high thinking. (NoI 2)
The Krsna consciousness movement preaches that everything belongs to Krsna and that everything should be utilized for Krsna's benefit. He is the beneficiary of everything, and it is to our benefit that we come to this knowledge. Isavasyam idam sarvam. If one realizes that everything belongs to Krsna, one becomes the greatest mahatma. Being a mahatma does not mean that one wears a big beard and a particular type of dress. No, this awareness must be there. Whatever we have should be offered to Krsna. If we have first-class food, we should offer it to Him. If we have nothing, we can offer Him a leaf, a flower, a little water or fruit. This can he collected by anyone anywhere without having to pay money. (TLK, 11 ,Devahuti Desires Transcendental Knowledge)
A mahatma cannot be manufactured. He is under the daivi prakrti, the divine nature. There are two kinds of prakrti--para prakrti and apara prakrti. Apara prakrti is the material world, and daivi prakrti is the spiritual world. As soon as one understands that he is uselessly serving maya in the material world in the form of society, friends, country and so forth, one reaches the stage called jnana, knowledge. As soon as one attains this knowledge, he reaches the brahma-bhuta stage, Brahman realization, and he becomes prasannatma, happy. One may ask, "Why should I serve Krsna?" We have already explained that being a part means serving the whole. The whole is Krsna, and the individuals are meant for Krsna's satisfaction. Isavasyam idam sarvam.There are many isvaras, controllers, but the supreme isvara is Krsna. As soon as one attains this realization, he has attained perfect knowledge, and he renders service in bhakti-yoga. (TLK, 18,Spiritual Attachment and Material Detachment)
However, if we become bhaktas, we will find intelligence behind everything in the creation. If we take a flower and see its constitution, how it is made and how its colors are displayed and how it comes into existence, we can see Krsna. We can see how Krsna has created such a beautiful thing so intelligently. We should not consider like rascals that such a thing has come into being automatically. Fools cannot see, but those who are intelligent can see that the hand of the Supreme Lord is in everything within the creation. Isavasyam idam sarvam. (TLK,25-26,Association with the Supreme Lord Through Hearing)
The king's duty is to act as the representative of Krsna, or God. Otherwise what right does he have to take so much honor from the citizens? Monarchy was formerly present in every country, but because the kings rebelled against God and violated His laws, because they tried to usurp the power of God and did not act as His representatives, the monarchies of the world have nearly all disappeared. The kings thought that their kingdoms were their personal property. "I have so much property, such a big kingdom," they thought. "I am God. I am the lord of all I survey." But that is not actually the fact. That fact is that everything belongs to God (isavasyam idam sarvam). Therefore the representative of God must be very obedient to God, and then his position will be legitimate. (TQK,26,Enchantment by Krsna' s Glories)
Srila Prabhupada: What is your definition of crime? Lieutenant Mozee: Any trampling on the rights of one person by another person. Srila Prabhupada: Yes. Our definition is the same. In the Upanisads it is said, isavasyam idam sarvam: " Everything belongs to God." So, everyone has the right to utilize whatever is allotted to him by God, but one may not encroach upon others' property. if one does so, he becomes a criminal. Actually the first crime is that you Americans are thinking this land of America is yours. Although two hundred years ago it was not yours, you have come from other parts of the world and claimed it as your land. Actually it is God's land, and therefore it belongs to everyone, since everyone is a child of God. But the vast majority of people have no conception of God. Practically speaking, everyone is godless. Therefore they should be educated to love God. In America, your government has a slogan: "in God we trust." Is that correct? Lieutenant Mozee: Yes. Srila Prabhupada: But where is the education about God? To trust is very good, but simple trust will not endure unless it is backed up with scientific knowledge of God. One may know that he has a father, but unless he knows who his father is, his knowledge is imperfect. And that education in the science of God is lacking. (SSR,6,Finding Spiritual Solutions to Material Problems)
If we think that we can use whatever wealth we have amassed for our own sense gratification, we are acting out of kama, lust. But if we come to understand that everything we have belongs to Krsna, we are liberated. We may have the same money in our hands, but as soon as we think that we are the proprietor, we are under the influence of maya. One who is situated in the consciousness that everything belongs to Krsna is an actual learned man. (OWK,3,Seeing Krsna Everywhere and Always)
Here Krsna proclaims that He is the enjoyer of all activities and the proprietor of all planets (sarva-loka-mahesvaram). An individual may possess a large tract of land, and he may be proud of his ownership, but Krsna claims to possess all planetary systems. Krsna also claims to be the friend of all living entities (suhrdam sarva-bhutanam). When a person understands that God is the proprietor of everything, the friend of everyone and the enjoyer of all, he becomes very peaceful. This is the actual peace formula. No one can have peace as long as he thinks, "I am the proprietor." Who is capable of claiming proprietorship? Only a few hundred years ago the red Indians were considered to be the proprietors of America. Today we in our turn are claiming that proprietorship, but in four hundred or a thousand years perhaps someone else will come to claim the same. The land is here, and we come here and falsely claim ourselves to be proprietors of it. This philosophy of false proprietorship is not in line with Vedic injunctions. Sri Isopanisad states that "everything animate or inanimate that is within the universe is controlled and owned by the Lord (isavasyam idam sarvam)." (RV,1,Raja-Vidya: The King of Knowledge)
Krsna is not in want of money, for He is the original proprietor of everything (Isavasyam idam sarvam). But still He asks us for charity. For example, Krsna, in the guise of Vamana, a dwarf brahmana, went to beg from Bali Maharaja. Even though He is sarva-loka-mahesvaram, the proprietor of all the planets, He nonetheless says, "Please give in charity to Me." Why? It is for our interest, for the sooner we return Krsna's money to Krsna, the better situated we will be. Of course this may not be very pleasant to hear, but actually we are all thieves, for we have stolen God's property. If one who has something is not God conscious, it is to be understood that he has stolen God's property. That is the nature of material life. (MG,4,Learning Tapasya,Self-Control)
Since everything is the property of the Supreme Lord, one can only enjoy what is allotted to him by the Lord, and one cannot touch another's property. According to Vedic life and according to all Vedic scriptures, a man should live on fruits and vegetables, for his teeth are made in such a way that these can be very easily eaten and digested. Although it is nature's law that one has to live by eating other living entities (jivo jivasya jivanam), one must use discretion. Fruits, flowers, vegetables, rice, grain and milk are made for human beings. Milk, for example, is an animal product, the blood of an animal transformed, but the cow delivers more milk than is needed by her calf because milk is intended for man. Man should simply take the milk and let the cows live, and thus following nature's law, man will be happy. Tena tyaktena bhunjitha: one should take whatever God allots to him and thus live comfortably. (MG,4,Learning Tapasya, Self-Control)
Karmis, fruitive workers, try to enjoy this world and reap the fruits of it. Consequently, they are constantly traveling on expressways all day and night to engage in material enjoyment. On the other hand, there are others, predominantly the discontented youth, who don't want any part of this. Thus the world contains those engaged in bhoga and those engaged in tyaga. However, we will not be happy by following either of these paths because it is not our proper position to either enjoy or renounce. Since everything belongs to Krsna and nothing belongs to anyone else, whatever we possess is actually Krsna's property (isavasyam idam sarvam). (MG,5,Learning Steadiness in Krsna Consciousness)
Our bhagavata philosophy, our God conscious philosophy, is also a kind of spiritual communism, because we regard Krsna as the supreme father and all living entities as sons of Krsna. And Krsna says, sarva-loka-mahesvaram: He is the proprietor of all planets. Therefore whatever there is, either in the sky or in the water or on the land, it is all Krsna's property. And because we are all sons of Krsna, every one of us has the right to use our father's property. But we should not encroach upon others. This is the formula for peace. Isavasyam idam sarvam... ma grdhah kasya svid dhanam: "Everything belongs to God, and since you are sons of God, you have the right to use your father's property. But do not take more than you need. This is punishable." (Isopanisad 1) If anyone takes more than he needs, then he's a thief. (JSD,2.4,Who Is Krsna?)
Just like we are sitting in this house. Somebody has given us. Similarly, everything belongs to God. This is self-realization. My body belongs to God, my mind belongs to God, my intelligence belongs to God, I am spirit soul, I am part and parcel of God. Therefore everything belongs to...Isavasyam idam sarvam. Everything belongs to God. So if you don't use it for God, that is called demonism. And if you use it for God, that is devotion. That's all. (BG.,LON,Lectures)
Hrsikena, by your senses, when you serve the Hrsikesa, the master of the senses, that is called bhakti. This is the definition of bhakti. Hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate. Narada-pancaratra. So that is our business. We should under... That is self-realization. Isavasyam idam sarvam. Everything belongs to God; nothing belongs to us. This is Bhagavata communism. As the communists, they say, "Everything belongs to the state," we say "Everything belongs to God." We never say that anything belongs to anyone. No. This is Bhagavata communism. So everything belongs to God. So one can utilize God's property as much as he requires, not more than that. Then he will be thief, he will be punishable. Just like father's property. Each and every son has got the right to live at the father's protection. Ma grdhah kasya svid dhanam. That is spiritual communism. Whatever wealth is there within this universe, all belong to God, and we are, as sons of God, we have got right to take advantage of this wealth, but not more than what I require. That's all. This is spiritual communism. If you take more, then you become punishable. This is the law of nature.
So this bhakti, devotional path, is meant for satisfying the master of the senses. Hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate. Hrsikena, by your senses, when you serve the Hrsikesa, the master of the senses, that is called bhakti. This is the definition of bhakti. Hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate. Narada-pancaratra. So that is our business. We should under... That is self-realization. Isavasyam idam sarvam. Everything belongs to God; nothing belongs to us. This is Bhagavata communism. As the communists, they say, "Everything belongs to the state," we say "Everything belongs to God." We never say that anything belongs to anyone. No. This is Bhagavata communism. So everything belongs to God. So one can utilize God's property as much as he requires, not more than that. Then he will be thief, he will be punishable. Just like father's property. Each and every son has got the right to live at the father's protection. Ma grdhah kasya svid dhanam. That is spiritual communism. Whatever wealth is there within this universe, all belong to God, and we are, as sons of God, we have got right to take advantage of this wealth, but not more than what I require. That's all. This is spiritual communism. If you take more, then you become punishable. This is the law of nature. (BG.,LON,Lectures)
So Krsna has got enemies also, what to speak of ourself. This material world is so made, that you must have some enemies. Matsarata. Matsarata means enviousness, jealousy. This material world is like that. So there are jealous enemies of God also. They are called demons. Ordinary jealousy or enemy, that is natural. But even to God. Just (like) yesterday night, evening, somebody came to see me. He was arguing that "Why Krsna should be accepted as God?" That was his argument. So Krsna has enemies. Therefore Krsna... Not only He, but everyone who is in the material world is enemy of Krsna. Everyone. Because they want to be competitor of Krsna. Krsna says that bhoktaram: "I am the supreme enjoyer." Sarva-loka-mahesvaram: "I am the Supreme proprietor." And the Vedas also confirm, isavasyam idam sarvam. "Everything is the property of the Supreme Lord." Sarvam khalv idam brahma. These are Vedic injunctions. Yato va imani bhutani jayante: "From whom everything has come." Janmady asya yatah. These are Vedic versions. But still, we, because we are enemies, "No, why Krsna shall be the proprietor? I am the proprietor. Why Krsna shall be God only. I have got another God. Here is another God." (BG.,LON,Lectures)
Now, if I am the proprietor of this tape recorder, then it should be utilized for my purpose. Anything which I own, that should be utilized for my purpose. Your things should be utilized for your purpose. So if God is the proprietor of our senses, then these senses must be used for God's purpose. That is the constitutional position. That is the constitutional position. Now, when these senses are used for other than God's purpose, that is bondage, conditioned life. When the senses are purified and it is used for God's purpose, that is natural life. That is natural life. So whole trouble is that although our senses and everything, whatever we have got... There is Isopanisad, a part of Vedas. It is stated there that isavasyam idam sarvam: "Everything, whatever you see, that belongs to God." (BG.,NY,Lectures)
Difference between Communism and Spiritual Communism: Srila Prabhupada: The other day I was reading the paper, Moscow News. There was a Communist congress, and the President declared, "We are ready to take others' experience to improve." So I think the Vedic concept of socialism or communism will much improve the idea of communism. For example, in a socialistic state the idea is that no one should starve; everyone must have his food. Similarly, in the Vedic concept of grhastha [householder] life it is recommended that a householder see that even a lizard or a snake living in his house should not starve. Even these lower creatures should be given food, and certainly all humans should. It is recommended that the grhastha, before taking his lunch, stand on the road and declare, "If anyone is still hungry, please come! Food is ready!" If there is no response, then the proprietor of the household takes his lunch. Modern society takes the people as a whole as the proprietor of a certain state, but the Vedic conception is isavasyam idam sarvam--everything is owned by isa, the supreme controller. Tena tyaktena bhunjithah--you may enjoy what is allotted to you by Him. Ma grdhah kasya svid dhanam: but do not encroach upon others' property. This is the Isopanisad--Veda. The same idea is explained in the different Puranas. There are many good concepts in the Vedic literature about communism. So I thought that these ideas should be distributed to your most thoughtful men. Therefore I was anxious to speak. (SSR 6 Finding Spiritual Solutions to Material Problems Conversation with Professor Kotovsky)
Mantra 2 Çrémad-Bhägavatam 5.5.1 Los Angeles, January 20, 19 Therefore in the Vedic literature sometimes these planets are called dvépa. Dvépa means island. Çvetadvépa. This planet is called Jambüdvépa. Just like in the ocean, there are many hundreds of small, big island. Similarly, the ocean of air or outer space, there are so many planets. They are called dvépas. So éçäväsyam... So all this belongs to God. And we, we are, because we are His sons, we have got the right to use our father's property, but not illegally. What is allotted to us by our father we can accept, that's all. One who lives... That is stated in the Éçopaniñad, that kurvann eveha karmäëi jijéviñec chataà samäù. If you accept this principle, then you can live for hundreds of years without any sin. Otherwise you become complicated in the laws of material nature. And so long we are complicated, entangled by the laws of material nature, then we shall have to transmigrate from this one kind of body to another kind of body, and our material existence will be prolonged. Room Conversation — October 9, 1977, Våndävana Gurukåpä: kurvann eveha karmäëi jijéviñec chataà samäù evaà tvayi nänyatheto 'sti na karma lipyate nare Prabhupäda: How many things we have to do for preaching, for teaching. And live hundreds of years. That is jijéviño çataà yaù?
Mantra 3
SB 10.87.17 Purport Life is without purpose for one who remains ignorant of his most well-wishing benefactor and thus fails to worship Him. Such a person's breathing is no better than the breathing of a blacksmith's bellows. The gift of human life is a fortunate opportunity for the conditioned soul, but by turning away from his Lord, the living being commits spiritual suicide. In the words of Çré Éçopaniñad (3), asuryä näma te lokä andhena tamasävåtäù täàs te pretyäbhigacchanti ye ke cätma-hano janäù
"The killer of the soul, whoever he may be, must enter into the planets known as the worlds of the faithless, full of darkness and ignorance." Asuryäù means "to be obtained by demons," and demons are persons who have no devotion for the Supreme Lord, Viñëu. This definition is stated in the Agni Puräëa:
SB 10.87.22 PURPORT One's material body is destined to remain intact for only a short time, and so it is called kuläyam, subject to "dissolving into the earth" (kau léyate). Nonetheless, if properly utilized it can be one's best friend. When one is immersed in material consciousness, however, the body becomes a false friend, distracting the bewildered living entity from his true self-interest. Persons too much infatuated with their own bodies and those of their spouses, children, pets and so on are in fact misdirecting their devotion to the worship of illusion, asad-upäsanä. In this way, as the çrutis state here, such people commit spiritual suicide, insuring future punishment for failing to carry out the higher responsibilities of human existence. As the Éçopaniñad (3) declares, asuryä näma te lokä andhena tamasävåtäù täàs te pretyäbhigacchanti ye ke cätma-hano janäù "The killer of the soul, whoever he may be, must enter into the planets known as the worlds of the faithless, full of darkness and ignorance." Those who are overly attached to sense gratification, or who worship the impermanent in the form of false, materialistic scriptures and philosophies, maintain desires that carry them into more degraded bodies in each successive life. Since they are entrapped in the perpetually rotating cycle of saàsära, their only hope for salvation is getting a chance to hear the merciful instructions spoken by the Supreme Lord's devotees.
Morning Walk March 14, 1976, Mäyäpur Mahäàça: Yesterday you said that one cheater takes from the other cheater; so he is a cheater, he is taking from other cheaters. Gurukåpä: You mentioned in the Çrémad-Bhägavatam that one cheater takes the money, another cheater takes it... Prabhupäda: No, no, his business is cheating. His business is cheating. He said, "These rascals want to be cheated, so why not cheat?" Madhudviña: So we shouldn't be so angry at him. Some people are serving coffee because people want coffee. Some people are selling béòés because people want béòés. So if some people want to be cheated, so he is simply performing a function of society. Prabhupäda: That is the world. Therefore the whole world is the society of cheater and cheated. That is the version of my Guru Mahäräja. The whole so-called human society means a bunch of cheaters and cheated. That's all. Païca-draviòa: Éçopaniñad says, asuryä näma te lokäù. He is going to hell even though he knows that he is cheating. He is also going to hell even if he is consciously cheating. Prabhupäda: So don't be cheater; don't be cheated. That is intelligence.
New Vrndavana My Dear Yamunacarya, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated nil. You write to say how you were saved from a commitment of suicide. So you have seen the mantra in Isopanisad:
ye ke catma-hano janah
So not only you, but almost all the conditioned souls within this material world, practically 99% of the whole population is committing suicide. As it is natural for a gentleman to try to stop a person committing suicide when it so happens just in one's presence, similarly when we see that so many men and women are simply committing suicide as described in the Isopanisad ye ke catma-hano janah, let us try to save them through this Krsna Consciousness Movement. I am very glad that you are going with Kirtanananda Maharaja to colleges. So try to understand the philosophy* nicely and spread it to your best capacity so that these suiciding men can be saved as far as possible. It is not, however, possible to check the suiciding policy of the modern society, but my Guru Maharaja used to say that if he could save one person then He would consider His mission successful. Similarly, if we individually could save at least one person, many of the suiciding men can be saved. So do your best and Krsna will give you necessary intelligence and help, and try to push on this Movement as far as possible. Hope this will meet you in good health.
Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
* Read 'Nectar of Devotion' repeatedly.
Mantra 4 SB 8.5.26 PURPORT The living entities are innumerable, but the Lord is one. No one is greater than Him, and no one is equal to Him. Thus the Lord is the supreme worshipable object, as understood from the Vedic mantras (na tat-samaç cäbhyadhikaç ca dåçyate). The Lord is supreme because no one can evaluate Him by mental speculation or jugglery of words. The Lord can travel more quickly than the mind. In the çruti-mantras of Éçopaniñad it is said: anejad ekaà manaso javéyo nainad devä äpnuvan pürvam arñat tad dhävato 'nyän atyeti tiñöhat tasminn apo mätariçvä dadhäti "Although fixed in His abode, the Personality of Godhead is swifter than the mind and can overcome all others running. The powerful demigods cannot approach Him. Although in one place, He controls those who supply the air and rain. He surpasses all in excellence." (Éçopaniñad 4) Thus the Supreme is never to be equaled by the subordinate living entities.
SB 10.87.24 PURPORT "Those who, even while remaining situated in their established social positions, throw away the process of speculative knowledge and with their body, words and mind offer all respects to descriptions of Your personality and activities, dedicating their lives to these narrations, which are vibrated by You personally and by Your pure devotees, certainly conquer Your Lordship, although You are otherwise unconquerable by anyone within the three worlds." (SB 10.14.3) In this regard, the Taittiréya Upaniñad (2.4.1) refers to the Supreme as yato väco nivartante apräpya manasä saha, "where words cease, and where the mind cannot reach. " The Éçopaniñad (4) states, anejad ekaà manaso javéyo naitad devä äpnuvan pürvam arçat tad dhävato 'nyän atyeti tiñöhat tasmin apo mätariçvä dadhäti "Although fixed in His abode, the Personality of Godhead is more swift than the mind and can overcome all others running. The powerful demigods cannot approach Him. Although in one place, He controls those who supply the air and rain. He surpasses all in excellence."
ELEVATION TO KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS When we understand Kåñëa in perfection, we can understand that there is in actuality no inferior or material energy, but that everything is spiritual. We can understand that on the higher platform whatever we are experiencing are the actions and reactions of the different energies of the Supreme Lord. When we understand Kåñëa perfectly, then these distinctions of superior and inferior energies will disappear. Whatever is engaged in the service of Kåñëa is superior energy. In the higher sense, everything is serving Kåñëa, and those who are highly elevated understand this. That the Lord has various energies is confirmed in Vedic literatures. Yet the Supreme Lord personally has nothing to do. How is this? He has not to strive for wealth, for all wealth is His; nor for knowledge, for all knowledge is His; nor for power, for all power is His; nor for beauty, fame or renunciation, for they are all His in full. Nor does He directly manage universal affairs, for He has many assistants who can conduct affairs while He remains in His abode. This is confirmed in Çré Éçopaniñad: anejad ekaà manaso javéyo nainad devä äpnuvan pürvam arñat tad dhävato 'nyän atyeti tiñöhat tasminn apo mätariçvä dadhäti "The Personality of Godhead, although fixed in His abode, is more swift than the mind, and can overcome all others running. The powerful demigods cannot approach Him. Although in one place, He has control over those who supply the air and rain. He surpasses all in excellence." (Çré Éçopaniñad, Mantra 4)
Mantra 5 Regarding your question--What does it mean: "We are all originally Krsna conscious entities."--We are always with Krsna. Where is not Krsna present? So how you can say that we were before? You are always with Krsna and when we forget this fact we are far, far away from Him. In the Isopanisad it is clearly stated that tad dure tad vantike "He is very away, but He is very near as well." (Iso. mantra 5). So this forgetfulness is our falldown. It can take place at any moment, and we can counteract this forgetfulness immediately rising to the platform of Krsna consciousness. (70-07-15.Upe Letter: Upendra)
Ganesa: Srila Prabhupada, in the Sri Isopanisad it is said that one must learn the process of nescience alongside with the process of self-realization. Prabhupada: Hmm? Ganesa: In the Isopanisad, pravrtti with nivrtti. How is that? Prabhupada: What is that pravrtti and nivrtti? Amogha: He says that in the Isopanisad it says that you should learn the process of self-realization side by side with the process of nescience. Prabhupada: Nescience, yes. That is pravrtti and nivrtti. Pravrtti means sense enjoyment. And nivrtti means self-negation. So when we say that "You shall not have illicit sex," and their inclination is illicit sex, so therefore it is revolutionary. They are materialistic persons. They want sex enjoyment to the best capacity--homosex, this sex, that sex, naked dance, all sexually inclined, pravrtti. And we say, "Stop this," nivrtti. They do not like it because asura. Pravrtti jagat. They do not know this is essential. They do not know it. This is essential. Tapasa brahmacaryena. Tapasya means brahmacarya. The so-called swamis, they are coming for this so-called yoga practice and..., but they are themself victim of sex. This is going on. Actually, it is a bluff--they have become swami and teaching some yoga system--because they do not know that one has to stop this first of all. Brahmacaryena. So this bluffing is going on all over the world, and we are speaking just against them. Murkhayopadeso hi prakopaya na santaye. If you give instruction to the rascals, he will simply be angry. He will not take advantage of it. This is our position. All the so-called professors, philosophers, they are all in the pravrtti-marga. Therefore they are bringing somebody, "Our interpretation is like this." Pravrtti-marga. Because if they can find out some support from the sastra, then they think, "We are secure." This is going on. Pravrttim ca nivrttim jana na vidur asurah. The whole world is full of asuras, descendant of Hiranyakasipu, and it is very difficult. But if we give them chance to chant Hare Krsna mantra, gradually they will understand. (pause) Our difficulty: the so-called swamis, priests, popes, they are also in the pravrtti-marga. All these, priests, and they have illicit sex. Pravrtti-marga. So they are passing, "Yes, you can have homosex with man." They are getting man-to-man marriage. You know? They are performing the marriage ceremony between man to man in the open church. What class of men they are? And they are priest. Just see. Such degraded persons, drinking... They have got hospital for curing their drinking disease. Five thousand patients in a hospital in America, all drunkards, and they are priest. Just see. Simply by dressing long, what is called, overcoat? Srutakirti: Cloak. Amogha: Habit? Prabhupada: Cloak and cross, they have become. In India also, simply having a thread, a brahmana. Two-paisa thread. That's all. Paramahamsa: Even the coolies at the train station. Prabhupada: And by simply one danda, one is sannyasi. This is all over the world. Mussulman, having a long beard, he is Mussulman. Mussuleh iman.(?) Musseleh means complete, and iman means honest. That is the meaning of Mussulman. Completely honest, completely devoted. Mussuleh iman. (long pause) We are not saying just "No sex." We don't say that. We simply say, "No illicit sex," and they do not like it. We don't say "No sex," but simply by saying, "No illicit sex," they don't like. Why? There is a Bengali song, "cakse yadi lage bhala kena dadimali" (?) "If I want to see something beautiful, why shall I not see?" That is pravrtti. "I want to do it. I like to do it. Why should you say, 'No'?" This is the position. "I like to do it. I must do it." This is called pravrtti (long pause) "I like to interpret Bhagavad-gita in this way. Why should you say no?" This is going on. (break) The school students, college students, "I like to copy. Why shall I repress(?) ?" This is education. Here also they copy? (750513mw.per Conversations)
Mantra 7 RTW- The Highest use of intelligence Once one is fixed in transcendental realization, all distress, lamentation, illusion, fear, and so on, are immediately eradicated. The soul is assailed by these miseries as long as he harbors the delusion that something exists outside of Kåñëa. Therefore when one is situated in transcendence, one feels happiness even in this world. The mundane conception of life is a product of the three modes of material nature, which affect the mind and senses. But when one's vision is transformed through buddhi-yoga, one sees everything as having a direct link with Kåñëa. The material elements, such as fire, water, ether, and mind, along with the directions, the soul, and time—everything material and spiritual, personal and impersonal—all reflect Kåñëa, the Supreme Being. When one reaches this state of realization, the dualities and illusion of sin and piety, happiness and distress, are dissolved by the ecstatic harmony of transcendence. In one Upaniñad there is a statement that once a person experiences the happiness derived from Brahman realization, he no longer has anything to fear. A verse from the Éçopaniñad (Éço. 7) conveys a similar mood: yasmin sarväëi bhütäny ätmaiväbhüd vijänataù tatra ko mohaù kaù çoka ekatvam anupaçyataù One who always sees all living entities as spiritual sparks, in quality one with the Lord, becomes a true knower of things. What, then, can be illusion or anxiety for Him? Self-realization leads to the understanding that everything is situated in the Supreme Lord. At that time there is no more illusion or lamentation, and everything is wonderfully harmonized. One sees the whole material universe as a manifestation of unity in diversity. On this platform everything is full of happiness, knowledge, and eternity. This is the platform of Brahman realization. Mantra 11 Regarding the next verse, in which it is mentioned that jïäna-yajïena... yajanto mäm, the object of worship is Kåñëa, as indicated by mäm ["Me"]. The process is described in the Éçopaniñad, mantra 11: vidyäà cävidyäà ca yas tad vedobhayaà saha avidyayä måtyuà tértvä vidyayämåtam açnute "Only one who can learn the process of nescience and that of transcendental knowledge side by side can transcend the influence of repeated birth and death and enjoy the full blessings of immortality." The culture of vidyä, or transcendental knowledge, is essential for the human being, otherwise the culture of avidyä, or nescience, binds him to conditional existence on the material platform. Materialistic existence means the pursuit or culture of sense gratification, and this kind of knowledge of sense gratification (avidyä) means advancement of repeated birth and death. Those who are absorbed in such knowledge cannot learn any lesson from the laws of nature, and they do the same things over repeatedly, being enamored of the beauty of illusory things. Vidyä, or factual knowledge, on the other hand, means to know thoroughly the process of nescient activities while at the same time culturing transcendental science and thereby undeviatingly following the path of liberation. Liberation is the enjoyment of the full blessings of immortality. This immortality is enjoyed in the eternal kingdom of God (sambhüty-amåtam açnute), the region of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and is the result obtained by worshiping the Supreme Lord, the cause of all causes, sambhavät. So in this way real knowledge, vidyä, means to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kåñëa; that is jïäna-yajïena, the worship of knowledge.
This jïäna-yajïena... yajanto mäm is the perfection of knowledge, as stated in the Bhagavad-gétä (7.19): bahünäà janmanäm ante jïänavän mäà prapadyate väsudevaù sarvam iti sa mahätmä sudurlabhaù "After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me [Kåñëa], knowing Me to be the cause of all causes, and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare." If one has not yet come to this conclusion of knowledge and simply indulges in dry speculation without Kåñëa, then his hard speculative labor is something like beating empty husks of grain. The unhulled rice and the empty husks of rice look very much the same. One who knows how to get the grain out of the unhulled rice is wise, but one who beats on the empty husk, thinking to get some result, is simply wasting his labor uselessly. Similarly, if one studies the Vedas without finding the goal of the Vedas, Kåñëa, he simply wastes his valuable time. So to cultivate knowledge for worshiping Kåñëa culminates after many, many births and deaths when one actually becomes wise. When one becomes wise in this way, he surrenders to Kåñëa, recognizing Him at last to be the cause of all causes and all that is. That sort of great soul is very rare. So those who have surrendered to Kåñëa life and soul are rare sudurlabha mahätmäs. They are not ordinary mahätmäs. (The Exchange Between Çréla Prabhupäda and Dr. Staal[SSR]
Mantra 12
SB 3.9.10 Purport The principles of religion are not open to any ordinary living entity. They are just to bring the human being onto the platform of morality. Nonviolence, etc., are necessary for misguided persons because unless one is moral and nonviolent one cannot understand the principles of religion. To understand what is actually religion is very difficult even if one is situated in the principles of morality and nonviolence. It is very confidential because as soon as one is conversant with the real principles of religion, he is at once liberated to the eternal life of bliss and knowledge. Therefore, one who is not situated in the principles of devotional service to the Lord should not pose himself as a religious leader of the innocent public. The Éçopaniñad emphatically forbids this nonsense in the following mantra: andhaà tamaù praviçanti ye 'sambhütim upäsate tato bhüya iva te tamo ya u sambhütyäà ratäù (Éçopaniñad 12) A person in ignorance of the principles of religion who therefore does nothing in the matter of religion is far better than a person who misguides others in the name of religion without reference to the factual religious principles of devotional service. Such so-called leaders of religion are sure to be condemned by Brahmä and other great authorities.
Room Conversation December 21, 1970, Surat Devotee (2): In this mantra of Çré Upaniñad, Mantra Twelve, andhaà tamaù praviçanti ye 'sambhütim upäsate tato bhüya iva te tamo ya u sambhütyäà ratäù It says, "Those engaged in worship of the demigods enter the darkest region of ignorance, and still more do the worshipers of the Absolute." But this means that the impersonalists, "those who are worshiping Absolute"? Prabhupäda: Yes. Devotee (2): Then why is it seen that they are making spiritual advancement? Prabhupäda: No, they don't make any spiritual advancement. They come down. Don't you see this impersonalist, Vivekananda? He took sannyäsa; he came to hospital-making, came back. They are not advancing. They are coming back, falling down. While they have no engagement in devotional service, they say, "Oh, why you are finding God anywhere? Here is God, daridra-näräyaëa, these poor men." That's it. That is not advancement. They are coming down. Now, they come down and they defame Näräyaëa, that "Näräyaëa has become daridra." He has found Näräyaëa is daridra. Revatinandana: What is that word? Prabhupäda: Daridra. Daridra means poor, poor. Daridra-näräyaëa. This is manufactured word by Vivekananda. They are so proud that "When a beggar comes at your door, you should treat him as Näräyaëa, daridra." These are simply high-sounding words. What they are doing actually for the daridras? Revatinandana: So that is service in the mode of ignorance. Prabhupäda: Huh? Revatinandana: That is service in the mode of ignorance? Prabhupäda: Yes. Yes. They cannot serve. All these welfare activities of the world, what they are serving? That I explained this morning. They are trying to give help to the poor, but the number of poor is increasing. They are trying to give medicine or relief to the suffering patients. The patients are increasing. Hospitals are increasing. But if our number of temples, Kåñëa temples is increase, that is something sound. But they are increasing hospitals. What do you think? If we increase number of hospitals, does it mean that we are making progress? But they think that they are making progress. Just like in your country there is welfare department? The expenditure increasing.
Prabhupada: That is the world. Therefore the whole world is the society of cheater and cheated. That is the version of my Guru Maharaja. The whole so-called human society means a bunch of cheaters and cheated. That's all. Panca-dravida: Isopanisad says, asurya nama te lokah. He is going to hell even though he knows that he is cheating. He is also going to hell even if he is consciously cheating. Prabhupada: So don't be cheater; don't be cheated. That is intelligence. Panca-dravida: Srila Prabhupada, what is our fortune that we've come in contact with a qualified guru? What have we done to qualify to come in contact with you? Revatinandana: In other words, why do some come and others not come? Prabhupada: It is the ajnata-sukrti, say. Ajnata-sukrti. You might have done something, very pious activities, which you do not know, but on the effect of... (760314mw.may Conversations)
Mantra 14 In this mantra, Sri Isopanisad teaches that one must perfectly know both sambhuti (the Personality of Godhead) and vinasa (the temporary material manifestation), side by side. By knowing the material manifestation alone, one cannot be saved, for in the course of nature there is devastation at every moment (ahany ahani bhutani gacchantiha yama-layam). (Iso 14)
Mantra 15
In the prayers of Kunti in the Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.8.19) it is said that the Lord is covered by the curtain of yoga-maya and thus ordinary people cannot understand Him. This yoga-maya curtain is also confirmed in the Isopanisad (mantra 15), in which the devotee prays: "O my Lord, You are the maintainer of the entire universe, and devotional service to You is the highest religious principle. Therefore, I pray that You will also maintain me. Your transcendental form is covered by the yoga-maya. The brahmajyoti is the covering of the internal potency. May You kindly remove this glowing effulgence that impedes my seeing Your sac-cid-ananda-vigraha, Your eternal form of bliss and knowledge." (Bg 7.25 P Knowledge of the Absolute)
Regarding your second question, in reference to Isopanisad mantra 15, should a devotee ask the Lord to reveal Himself the answer is yes. Unless the Lord reveals Himself, the devotee cannot see Him, He reserves the right of being exposed or not being exposed. The yoga maya curtain is always covering the Lord, and in the Bhagavad-gita the Lord says, "I am not visible to everyone." Even in the material world, a man in the position of Presidentship is not visible to everyone. So one has to qualify himself by devotional service, then God will reveal Himself. So this Isopanisad mantra is an appeal by the devotee to move the veil of yoga maya or the glaring effulgence of Brahma so that the devotee can see Him face to face. The idea is one has to transcend the material conditions as well as the Brahma effulgence, then one can see the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Here the word "face" means the Absolute Truth is a Person. That is the most important point, that God is ultimately a Person. (70-04-28.Cit Letter: Citsukhananda)
Acyutananda: So that principle, which makes things grow, the Isopanisad says, so 'ham asmi: "I am that principle." Prabhupada: Hm? Acyutananda: The Isopanisad says in the ultimate sloka, so 'ham asmi: "I am that." Prabhupada: Asmi means "It is my energy. It is my energy." Acyutananda: No, it says... Prabhupada: If I say that "I am ISKCON," what is the wrong there? Because I have created this; therefore I say, "ISKCON means I. I am ISKCON." So what is the wrong there? It is like that. By energy of Krsna, everything has come out. Therefore says, "I am this, I am this, I am this, I am this." Vibhuti-bhinnam. Because everything.... Janmady asya yatah. Everything has come from Krsna. Acyutananda: No, the Isopanisad says that you are that principle. Isopanisad says the principle which is lighting the sun... Prabhupada: Yes, a devotee accepts.... That we accept. Acyutananda: ...that "I am that principle. The being that is lighting the sun, I am that." Prabhupada: I do not follow you. Acyutananda: So 'ham asmi. That sixteenth... Harikesa: "Like unto the sun, as am I." Prabhupada: Oh. Yes, so 'ham asmi--because I am part and parcel. Acyutananda: No, but it says "I am that, " not that "I am part of that." Prabhupada: No. Acyutananda: "I am that." "Like unto..." Prabhupada: If it is said, it can be accepted, because I am qualitatively the same. Kesavalal Trivedi: Quantity, much difference. Prabhupada: Yes. Acyutananda: No, but the direct statement... Prabhupada: I am.... If I say, "I am Indian," what is the wrong there, if I say, "I am Indian"? Acyutananda: That is something else. Prabhupada: Yes. Not something else. Acyutananda: But to directly accept the sruti, it says you are that same principle. Prabhupada: And therefore you have to learn from the guru. And if you directly take, then you remain a fool. Therefore you require a guru. That is the instruction of sruti. Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet. You have to learn sruti. You have to come to a guru. Acyutananda: No, but this is after that. The ultimate conclusion of that Upanisad, sruti, the authority, is that you are that same principle. Prabhupada: Yes, I am the same principle. Nityo nityanam. Acyutananda: Well, nothing can be more eternal than another eternal. Prabhupada: Everyone is eternal. Acyutananda: It is contradictory then. Nityo nityananam. You cannot say that one thing is more eternal than another thing. Prabhupada: No, no. That is not the point. Everyone is eternal. Acyutananda: So how can one be more eternal than... Prabhupada: As God is eternal, so you are also eternal. Acyutananda: Then why the distinction...? Prabhupada: But because you have accepted this material body, you are foolishly thinking that you are not eternal. Otherwise, as God is eternal, you are also eternal. Acyutananda: Then why should one be distinguished from another if they are both eternal? Prabhupada: Distin.... Just like the sun distinguished from the sunshine, but qualitatively heat and light is there. But because sunshine is there, you cannot say sun is there. That you cannot say. Mat-sthani sarva-bhutani naham tesv avasthitah. Clearly said. Kesavalal Trivedi: I think, Swamiji, you explained this, and I could draw rationality from it, that "I am isa, but not I am sarvesa. I am atman but not Paramatman." Prabhupada: Yes. Kesavalal Trivedi: "I am amsa but not Paramamsa." Prabhupada: That is explained in other.... You have to take reference. Isvarah paramah krsnah. I am also isvarah. That I explained so many times. But that does not mean I am paramesvara. Paramesvara is Krsna. (760103mw.nel Conversations)
Date: 2016-03-03; view: 880 |