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Prabhupāda:  
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<div class="lec_verse">
brahmārpaṇaṁ brahma havir<br />
brahmāgnau brahmaṇā hutam<br />
brahmaiva tena gantavyaṁ<br />
brahma-karma-samādhinā<br />
[[BG 4.24]] </div>


<div class="code">660812BG.NY - August 12, 1966</div>


This verse we have been discussing in our last meeting about the sacrifice. And there are different types of sacrifice recommended according to the different classes of men. There are generally three classes of human beings: those who are under the influence of the modes of goodness, and those who are under the modes of passion, and those who are under the modes of ignorance. The whole Vedic scriptures, they are also divided into three divisions according to these modes of material nature. There are eighteen Purāṇas. Purāṇas means supplementary to the Vedas. The Vedas, they are written in very difficult language, but in order to explain them to the ordinary person there are Purāṇas, Mahābhārata, Rāmāyaṇa.


(coughing) (aside:) It is disturbing to me. (pause)
<mp3player>https://s3.amazonaws.com/vanipedia/full/1966/660812BG-NEW_YORK.mp3</mp3player>


The Vedic principle is described... According to these modes of material nature, there are eighteen Purāṇas. Out of that, six Purāṇas are in the modes of goodness, and six Purāṇas are in the modes of passion, and six Purāṇas are in the modes of goodness [ignorance]. So there are different varieties of sacrifices according to the different class of men. The whole idea of Vedic literature is to give chance to every human being to develop spiritual consciousness under certain rules and regulations. So what is applicable to the persons who are in the modes of ignorance, they are not applicable to the persons who are in the modes of goodness, or those who are in the modes of passion, they are not applicable to the modes of goodness. The gradual process of evolution.


Now, just like there are recommendations of animal sacrifice. There are many different types of sacrifice. There is recommendation of animal sacrifice also in the Vedic literatures. And what is that? That is a sort of restriction to the animal-eaters. Indirectly it is restriction, but it is sanctioned also by sacrifice in the Vedas. Just like the Vedic principle says that if you want to eat flesh, don't eat flesh which is not offered in the sacrifice, which is not offered in the sacrifice.
'''Prabhupāda:'''


Now, those who have been in India, perhaps you have seen the goddess Kālī. The goddess Kālī, before the goddess Kālī a goat sacrifice is offered. But the Vedic principle says that if you want to take flesh, then you must sacrifice the goat before the goddess Kālī and then you can take. And that prescription is also very difficult because on the dark moon night the goat has to be sacrifice and there are so many paraphernalia and the mantra, the hymns chanted there... The goat is, I mean to, whispered within the ear that "The man who is sacrificing you, he will be responsible for your life, and for yourself, you are going to get the next life as human being without waiting for the evolutionary process." The animals... There is an evolutionary process.
:''tad viddhi praṇipātena''
:''paripraśnena sevayā''
:''upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ''
:''jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ''
:([[BG 4.34 (1972)|BG 4.34]])


That is accepted in Darwin's theory also, anthropomorphism. What is that? Anthropology, yes. Not anthropomorphism. Anthropology. Anthropology, there is evolutionary process. So that is accepted in the Vedic literature also.
Now, this verse we are discussing in our last meeting. Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, has concluded that all kinds of sacrifices that we can expected . . . we are expected to do, the best sacrifice is to acquire knowledge. Acquire knowledge. Because whole our this material conditioned life is due to ignorance. Therefore the purpose of sacrifice, penance, ''yoga'' and philosophical discussion—everything—the ultimate aim is to acquire knowledge.


So the animal which is sacrificed, he gets immediately his evolutionary process developed and promoted from animal life to human life. But the man who is offering that sacrifice, he becomes responsible. These are therefore so many hymns in the Vedic literature. So whole idea is that by offering such sacrifices man is restricted from flesh-eating.
And even in that knowledge field also . . . of course, transcendental knowledge, as we have discussed already, they are viewed in different . . . three different angles of vision—the knowledge of Brahmavāda, or impersonal, impersonal Absolute Truth; and the knowledge of Paramātmā, the localized Supersoul; and the knowledge of Bhagavān, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There are different stages of development of knowledge. But the first beginning knowledge is that we must understand that, "I am not this body, I am spirit soul. And my aim of life should be how to get out of this material entanglement." That is knowledge. That is the beginning of knowledge.


Similarly, there are many kinds of sacrifices they are described here. I think those descriptions may not be very elaborately described, but I will give you the idea.
And that knowledge, when developed gradually . . . the first, first stage of knowledge is impersonal Brahman realization, and the next stage is the Supersoul realization, and the last stage is realization of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the ''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'' we have got this information, that the ''tattva'', that the Absolute Truth, is realized in three visions: ''brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate'' ([[SB 1.2.11]]).


<div class="lec_verse">
Brahman means impersonal Absolute Truth, and Paramātmā means Supersoul, and Bhagavān means the Supreme Personality of God. That Supreme Personality of Godhead is Kṛṣṇa. You'll find in the ''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'', ''kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam'' ([[SB 1.3.28]]).
daivam evāpare yajñaṁ<br />
yoginaḥ paryupāsate<br />
brahmāgnāv apare yajñaṁ<br />
yajñenaivopajuhvati</div>


There are description of different manifestation of Viṣṇu, or God, because God expands Himself in various ways. We are also expansion of God. So similarly, there are degrees of expansion, and the central point, or the primeval Lord, is Śrī Kṛṣṇa. We have got evidences from various Vedic literature that Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.


<div class="lec_verse">
The ''Bhāgavata'' confirms, ''ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam'', that . . . there is a list of incarnation of Godhead. There are many thousands and thousands of incarnation, and there is a list. Especially in ''Caitanya-caritāmṛta'' there is a specific list. Now, after giving that list, the conclusion is made that ''ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam''.
śrotrādīnīndriyāṇy anye<br />
saṁyamāgniṣu juhvati<br />
śabdādīn viṣayān anya<br />
indriyāgniṣu juhvati</div>


Now, we have given the list, the author of the ''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'', but all these incarnation of Godhead, they are either plenary manifestation or manifestation of the plenary manifestation, like that. ''Ete cāṁśa''. ''Aṁśa'' means plenary manifestation, and ''kalāḥ'' means manifestation of the plenary manifestation. So the conclusion in the ''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'' is that "This name 'Kṛṣṇa,' which is given here . . . because Kṛṣṇa also appeared, and He proclaimed Himself that ''yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham'' ([[BG 4.7 (1972)|BG 4.7]]).


Yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-karma. Yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-karma na tyājyaṁ kāryam eva tat. This is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā that yajña, sacrifice, charity, dāna. Yajña, dāna and tapaḥ, tapaḥ. Tapaḥ means penance.
So He is accepted as the original Supreme Personality of God. Similarly, in the ''Brahma-saṁhitā'', another Vedic literature, that is also confirmed that:


Now, there are four divisions of human society according to Vedic literature: the brahmacārī, the gṛhastha, the vānaprastha and the sannyāsa. The brahmacārī means the student life, more or less, student life. And gṛhastha means those who are leading family life, after the student life. And vānaprastha means retired life. And the sannyāsa means renounced order. They have no connection with worldly activities. So these are four different stages of human social order. Now, the brahmacārī, they are meant for sacrifice, the students. The students are recommended to sacrifice, especially to sacrifice sense gratification.
:''īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ''
:''sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ''
:''anādir ādir govindaḥ''
:''sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam''
:(Bs 5.1)


The students are... Formerly, they were in the guru-gṛha, spiritual master's place, and they had to undergo severe types of regulation. So a brahmacārī is expected to go to every householder and beg. There was no system of schooling, there was no system for payment. The spiritual master, the teacher, he did not accept any payment in pound shilling pence. That was not accepted because mostly brāhmaṇas, they used to become the teachers. So they were not accepting any salary. The brāhmaṇas are forbidden to accept any service.
There are many gods. Many gods means that in one sense we are also god. God means controller, that's all. God, the literary meaning of god, this word, is controller, ''īśvara''. So every one of us has some controlling capacity. Everyone. Either we control the family, or control the office, we control the state, we control the municipality or so on, so on, everyone is a controller. But nobody is the supreme controller.


So the education was free. So every student, education was free. And village to village education was... So in former days—even fifty years before I have seen in villages—there was some small school, and all the villages boys, they were coming and taking education. So education was very much widespread because education was free in this way. So students were meant to go for begging alms for the teachers. These are some of the regulative principles.
Similarly, if you go on, make your progress, then you come to the Brahmā. Brahmā is the controller of this whole universe. And there are many, innumerable universes and innumerable Brahmās also. And their controller is the Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. And the Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu is controlled by Mahā-Viṣṇu, and Mahā-Viṣṇu is controlled by Saṅkarṣaṇa, and Saṅkarṣaṇa is controlled by Nārāyaṇa. And Nārāyaṇa is controlled by Vāsudeva, and Vāsudeva is controlled by Baladeva, and Baladeva is controlled by Kṛṣṇa. Therefore you'll find in the ''Bhagavad-gītā'' that Kṛṣṇa says, ''mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat asti kiñcid dhanañjaya'' ([[BG 7.7 (1972)|BG 7.7]]):


Now, that is sacrifice. They sacrificed their labor for the spiritual master, for the teacher, and whatever they got, they surrendered to the teacher. And it is said that after cooking, if the teacher asked the student, "My dear boy, you come and take your meals," then he will take. Otherwise, if the teacher forgets to call him one day for his meals, then he should not go and ask the teacher that "Sir, I have not taken my food. Give me my food." Rather, he should starve. So much penances, so much regulative[?] was there. These are called sacrifice.
"My dear Arjuna, there is no . . . nobody greater than Me." And Arjuna also accepted that "You are ''asamordhva'': nobody is equal to You, and nobody is greater than You."


So student life is meant for sacrifice. They should undergo training under serious regulations and penances so that life may be built up for future hope and future spiritual realization. But the sacrifice is meant for the student life.
And our Gosvāmīs in Vṛndāvana . . . there were six Gosvāmīs. They were very good scholars, especially Jīva Gosvāmī. They have analyzed the characteristics of the Absolute Truth, Personality of Godhead, and they have established that Kṛṣṇa has got the all the transcendental qualities of Godhead in Kṛṣṇa. And in Nārāyaṇa there are sixty-four . . . er, ninety-four percent of the transcendental qualities of the Absolute Truth. Similarly, in Lord Śiva there is eighty-four percent of all the transcendental qualities of the Absolute Truth. And in living being, as we are, we have got seventy-eight percent of the transcendental qualities. That is also in fraction, not in full. So there are some scholars, analytical study like this.


Similarly, the family life, those who are... Yajña-dāna. Dāna means charity. A gṛhastha, those who are living in family life with wife and children, they are expected to give in charity as much as possible. That is also service.
Now, the point is that Kṛṣṇa says that "All kinds of sacrifices, whatever sacrifice you can undertake . . . there are different kinds of, mentioned: ''dravya-yajña, jñāna-yajña, yoga-yajña'', so many there are different types of ''yajña''. But here Kṛṣṇa concludes, "All the different types of ''yajña''," ''sarvaṁ karmākhilaṁ pārtha jñāne parisamāpyate'' ([[BG 4.33 (1972)|BG 4.33]]).


Suppose you are earning $1,000 in a month. So according to Vedic instruction, you should give in charity fifty percent of your income. Five hundred dollars you should give in charity. And twenty-five percent you should spend for your family and twenty-five percent, as you are a family man, you may have it as bank balance so that in case of emergency you may require it. This is the prescription. Suppose you are earning $1,000 a month. You should give in charity for God's service fifty percent, and twenty-five percent you should spend for your family, dependents, and twenty-five percent you may have in a bank balance so that... This is the point.
"Whatever ''yajña'' you can perform, that's all right. But that is the different steps, different steps to come to the point of real knowledge."


So yajña-dāna, this is also sacrifice, sacrifice. So yajña-dāna and tapaḥ. Tapaḥ means penance. So the students are meant for sacrifice, and the gṛhasthas, the householders, are meant for giving in charity, and so far we are concerned, just like sannyāsīs, we are meant for tapasya, penance. We should undergo all kinds of difficulties for spreading the knowledge that we have acquired. That is the proper sannyāsī. A sannyāsī, a renounced order of, I mean to say, man who is in the renounced order of life, his business is that his acquired knowledge, his experienced knowledge, should be distributed to the public. So according to the varṇāśrama-dharma, the brahmacārīs and the vānaprastha and the sannyāsīs...  
Just like you have got your Empire State Building here, hundred-and-two–story building. So you go on, you go to the twenty-fifth floor, you can go to the fiftieth floor, you go to the seventieth, seventy-five, eighty—in this way, unless you reach that hundred-and-second story, that is not the perfect progress. That is also progress. Suppose if you have gone to the eighty-fifth story, that is also progress from the downwards. That's all right. But the highest, highest perfection of knowledge is, so far we study from the ''Bhagavad-gītā'', it is said, ''bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate'' ([[BG 7.19 (1972)|BG 7.19]]).


Now, suppose if there are hundred person in a society, twenty-five percent students, twenty-five percent retired life, and twenty-five percent sannyāsa, renounced order of life. Now, out of 100 persons, seventy-five percent, they are engaged in the service of the Supreme Lord. The rest twenty-five percent who are gṛhasthas, they are meant for sacrificing fifty percent of their income for this seventy-five percent. That is the whole program of varṇāśrama-dharma. That is a kind of spiritual communism. Spiritual communism. For spiritual advancement of a society, the whole social order is so arranged that seventy-five percent of the people, they are engaged in the matter of spiritual advancement of knowledge and twenty-five percent of the population, those who are earning, those who in family life, those who have got factories, business and so many things, they should sacrifices fifty percent of their income for these seventy-five percent persons who are engaged in spiritual emancipation. So that is the whole program. (aside:) Oh, I am very glad to see you. (laughs)
''Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante''. ''Bahūnām'' means after many, many births of culturing knowledge, when he comes to the real knowledge, real, I mean to say, summit knowledge. ''Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān''. Not the fools, but ''jñānavān''. He especially mentions ''jñānavān''. ''Jñānavān māṁ prapadyate''. ''Jñānavān'', the sign is that ''jñānavān'' surrenders unto the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa. That is the highest stage of knowledge.


That is the whole program of varṇāśrama-dharma, varṇa and āśrama. Varṇa means that... You have perhaps heard, the caste system in India. That is called varṇa. The caste system which is now going on, that is a vitiated form of caste system. You have heard in the Bhagavad-gītā that cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [[BG 4.13]] . This varṇa and āśrama is also creation of the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa. That is not man-made. That is not man-made. So how that varṇāśrama is created?
Either you take it, grant it . . . just like Arjuna was advised by Kṛṣṇa, ''sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja'' ([[BG 18.66 (1972)|BG 18.66]]):


Now, guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ. The guṇa... As I have already told you, that we are being controlled in three qualities or three modes of nature, so anyone, he must be either under the spell of these three qualities. So according to the quality and according to the karma, the varṇas are there. I have several times explained to you. So the varṇa and the āśrama. Āśrama means the brahmacārī-āśrama, the gṛhastha-āśrama, the vānaprastha-āśrama and the sannyāsa-āśrama.  
"You give up. Because you are My very confidential friend, therefore I say unto you that you don't bother with anything else. Just surrender unto Me." This is the most confidential. So in all points of view, if you make an analytical study of the Vedic literature, the ultimate summit knowledge is to surrender unto Kṛṣṇa.


Āśrama, this very word, indicates that it is spiritual. And perhaps most of you know that āśrama means... Āśrama, this very word, means that this place... Just like temple or church. There are so many buildings on this Second Avenue. And when you see a church or a temple, you at once understand that "This building is meant for spiritual understanding." Similarly, when we call āśrama, āśrama means that that, I mean to say, function is meant for spiritual realization. So all the four classes of social order—the brahmacārī, the gṛhastha, and the vānaprastha and the sannyāsa— they are called āśrama. Āśrama means they are meant for spiritual emancipation. The student is also given instruction so that before entering family life, he gets complete instruction of spiritual life so that when he enters into family life, he is not just like a cat and dog, so-called sense gratification. They are meant for... Although they live with wife and children, they are meant for spiritual emancipation. This is called āśrama, gṛhastha-āśrama.  
:''bahūnāṁ janmanām ante''
:''jñānavān māṁ prapadyate''
:''vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti''
:''sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ''
:([[BG 7.19 (1972)|BG 7.19]])


So that was the idea. The whole program was aiming at spiritual emancipation. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum.  
And what kind of surrender? The surrender means full knowledge. After scrutinizingly studying all the process of self-realization or transcendental realization, when one comes to the perfectional point, he understands that vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti: "Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, is everything." As it is confirmed in the ''Brahma-saṁhitā'' that:


<div class="lec_verse">
:''īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ''
na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ<br />
:''sac-cid-ānanda-vigraḥaḥ''
durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ<br />
:''anādir ādir govindaḥ''
andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās<br />
:''sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam''
te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ<br />
:(Bs 5.1)
[[SB 7.5.31]] </div>


''Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam'' means the cause of all causes. Just like my existence. I have got this body. The cause was my father. And the father, his father was cause. You go on searching, father, father's father, his father, grandfather, great-grandfather . . . go on searching, searching, searching. Don't think that because you cannot see just now your great-grandfather, oh, there was no father of the grandfather. Don't think like that. There was. Although he is . . . don't think that "Anything which is out of my sight, because I cannot see, so there is no existence." No. This conclusion is not good. This is not very intelligent conclusion. Because I cannot see what is happening beyond this wall, oh, that does not mean there is nothing beyond this wall.


It is a verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that Prahlāda Mahārāja... That is a statement of Prahlāda Mahārāja before his father. His father was very much materialistic, so he was explaining to his father, "My dear father," na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum, "general people..." Because he was in the materialistic family, his father was a great materialistic, so he is explaining... He was a great devotee. The son was a great devotee, and the father was a great materialist, and there was a quarrel between father and son. So father questioned, "Where you have got all this nonsense knowledge or spiritual knowledge?" So he was explaining, na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ: [[SB 7.5.31]] "My dear father, these people, these materialistic people—that means men of your nature—they do not know what is their self-interest."
So everyone wants to see God immediately. God you can see when you are perfectly qualified. When you are in perfect knowledge, you can see God eye to eye, just like you are seeing me, I am seeing you. But that requires qualification. You have to wait. That qualification is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That qualification means Kṛṣṇa consciousness.


Everyone is very busy for fulfilling his self-interest, but actually he does not know what is his self-interest. Na te viduḥ. The self-interest is Viṣṇu, to go back to Godhead. That is self-interest. Self-realization, self-interest, and so many things—everything is meant for going back to Godhead. That is self-interest.
This Kṛṣṇa consciousness begins with ''śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam'' ([[SB 7.5.23-24|SB 7.5.23]]).


So Prahlāda Mahārāja said that "Because people are very much illusioned by this external energy..." The material energy is called external energy. "Because people are deluded by this external, by the glimmer of this external energy, they have forgotten that their self-interest is Viṣṇu, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And they are conducting their life, general process of life in a manner..."
''Śravaṇam'', hearing. We have to hear about Kṛṣṇa. Just like the ''Śrīmad-Bhagavad-gītā'' is the preliminary study of understanding or hearing about Kṛṣṇa. Hearing about Kṛṣṇa.


How? Now, andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ: "Just like one blind man is leading several other blind men." That's all. He is the leader. A blind man has become the leader of several other blind man. So what benefit is there? If the man is blind, how can he... Because blind... Why blind? Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ [[SB 7.5.31]] . Īśa-tantra, īśa-tantra means by the laws of God or by the laws of nature, they are bound up tight, hands and feet, and they are trying to get free from the control of the nature.
Just like suppose I came to your country, United States of America. Oh, in my childhood I heard of it in school when I was reading geometry or something like, history or geography. I heard first of all. I did not come first of all. So hearing, hearing, when I understood, "Oh, that's a very wonderful country, and it is far away, and if I go there . . . similarly, as you think also about going to India, so first of all hearing. Hearing. Not immediately seeing what is America or what is India. First of all hearing. So similarly, if we want to see God, then we have to hear. That is the process. Kṛṣṇa consciousness process is first is hearing. ''Śravaṇam''. ''Śravaṇam'' means hearing.


So this struggle for existence is going on because they do not know that their self-interest lies in the understanding of his relationship with the Supreme Lord. And that is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate: [[BG 7.19]] "After many, many births, when a man is actually in full knowledge, he surrenders unto Me," the Lord says. That is the ultimate interest. That is the ultimate knowledge, that one should understand his relationship with Viṣṇu and surrender there. That is... Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante: [[BG 7.19]] "After many, many births," jñānavān, "who has actually acquired knowledge, he surrenders unto Me," the Lord says.
Then ''kīrtanam''. ''Kīrtanam'' means to chant about the glories, about the holy name, about the form, about the quality. Then this is association with Kṛṣṇa. Because Kṛṣṇa, or God, is absolute. He is not different from His name, from His quality, from His form, from His pastimes. He is not different. So hearing and chanting of the quality or form or name of the Supreme, of the Absolute, means our association with Him. Association. Direct association, in transcendental quality. So as we go on making association, then Kṛṣṇa helps us to understand Him.


But sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ: "But such a great soul is very rare." The surrendered soul, a man in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, a man surrendered to the control of the Supreme Lord, is very rare. These are instructions we get from Vedic literature. And to come to this point, this surrendering process, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ [[BG 7.19]] , to understand that the Supreme Lord is everything. Whatever is manifested before us they are different varieties of energies of the Supreme Lord...
''Śṛṇvatām'' . . . it is in ''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'', there is a verse:


That is also stated in Viṣṇu Purāṇa.  
:''śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ''
:''puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ''
:''hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi''
:''vidhunoti suhṛt satām''
:([[SB 1.2.17]])


<div class="lec_verse">
''Suhṛt satām''. Kṛṣṇa is sitting within your heart. Kṛṣṇa is the . . . is acting as your spiritual master, ''caitya-guru''. ''Caitya-guru''. ''Caitya-guru'' means the ''guru'', or the spiritual master, who is sitting in my heart, ''citta''. So ''śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ''.
eka-deśa-sthitasyāgner<br />
jyotsnā vistāriṇī yathā<br />
parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktis<br />
tathedam akhilaṁ jagat</div>


When you begin to hear about Kṛṣṇa, then the hearing of ''kṛṣṇa-kathā'', the topics about Kṛṣṇa, is ''puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ''. It is, even if you do not understand, it will increase your virtue. ''Puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi''. We have accumulated so much dust by our material contact. By so many years' association with the matter, we have accumulated so much dirty things within our heart. That becomes gradually cleansed. ''Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ, hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi''. ''Hṛdy antaḥ-stho'' means the dirty things which we have accumulated within our heart, that becomes cleared.


The Viṣṇu Purāṇa says that "Just like fire is situated in one place and distributes its heat and light and illumination from that place, similarly, whatever we are experiencing in this manifested world, they are different energies of the Brahman, parasya brahmaṇaḥ." Parambrahman, that means Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Parambrahman.
That . . . how it is cleared? ''Hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi vidhunoti suhṛt satām''. Śrī Kṛṣṇa is friend of everyone, but He's a special friend to the devotee. That you will find in ''Bhagavad-gītā''. ''Samo 'haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu na me dveṣyo 'sti na priyaḥ'' ([[BG 9.29 (1972)|BG 9.29]]):


So whole process is, sacrifice means that we have to reach to that point. The whole process of sacrifice, either by yoga system or by jñāna system or by observing the rules and regulation of the social system, everything is meant for reaching to that point. What is that? Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān mām [[BG 7.19]] . To surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
"I am friend of everyone. Nobody is My enemy and nobody is My friend. But I am equal to everyone." ''Sama, sama'' means equal. ''Ye tu bhajanti māṁ bhaktyā teṣu te mayi'' ([[BG 9.29 (1972)|BG 9.29]]): "But a person who is devoted to Me and is engaged in devotional service with Me, I have got special attention for him."


So we, if we are intelligent enough, then we should consider that "If I have to do this job after many, many births—I am getting myself to very much experience—and Lord Kṛṣṇa says that this is the last point of knowledge, why not accept it immediately? Why not accept immediately? If I have to come to Kṛṣṇa at the last stage of mature knowledge and I surrender unto Him, then why should I wait for many births? Why should I wait for many births? Let me surrender unto me [Him]."
Therefore Kṛṣṇa's another name is ''suhṛt satām''. ''Satām''. ''Satām'' means those who are trying for having eternal life. Because in this material world we don't get anything eternal. All, everything, temporary. Therefore it is called ''asat''. ''Asato mā sad gama''. The Vedic injunction is, "Don't try to remain in this temporary world." ''Sad gama'': "Just try to go to the eternal world." ''Tamaso mā jyotir gama'': "Don't try to remain in this darkness. You go to the kingdom of light." These are Vedic injunctions.


Just yesterday night one of our friends inquired that "How long it takes time to have complete Kṛṣṇa consciousness?" So I replied that the Kṛṣṇa consciousness can take place in a second, and it may not take in thousands of years. Because the point is here, that after all, we have to come to this point, that surrender unto Kṛṣṇa, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti [[BG 7.19]] — Vāsudeva means Kṛṣṇa—"Kṛṣṇa is everything, and therefore I surrender unto Him." Sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. That person, great soul, is very rare to be found. Therefore why not become that great soul immediately by surrender unto Kṛṣṇa? This is the point. By sacrifice. Sacrifice means we have to come to that point.
So Kṛṣṇa, He is within our heart. ''Hṛdy antaḥ-sthaḥ''. Therefore, as soon as we become a little inclined towards Kṛṣṇa, then from within our heart He gives us the, I mean to say, favorable instruction so that we can gradually make progress. Gradually.


Now, if that is the point to be achieved at the end, why not become immediately jñānavān and surrender unto Kṛṣṇa? That is my suggestion.
Kṛṣṇa is the first spiritual master, and when we become more interested, then we have to go to a physical spiritual master. That is enjoined in the next verse:


<div class="lec_verse">
:''tad viddhi praṇipātena''
sarvāṇīndriya-karmāṇi<br />
:''paripraśnena sevayā''
prāṇa-karmāṇi cāpare<br />
:''upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ''
ātma-saṁyama-yogāgnau<br />
:''jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ''
juhvati jñāna-dīpite<br />
:([[BG 4.34 (1972)|BG 4.34]])
[[BG 4.27]] </div>


Now, Kṛṣṇa advises that, "If you want to know that transcendental science, then you just try to approach somebody." ''Praṇipātena''. ''Praṇipātena'', ''paripraśnena'' and ''sevayā''. What is ''praṇipāta''? ''Praṇipāta'' means surrender. Surrender. You must select a person where you can surrender yourself, because nobody likes to surrender to anyone.


Ātma-saṁyama. There are different kinds of penances. That is called ātma-saṁyama. The yogic principle is also another sort of ātma-saṁyama.  
We have got . . . everyone, we are puffed up with our whatever knowledge we have got. Everyone is puffed up: "Oh, who can give me knowledge?" There is regular propaganda that "For spiritual realization there is no need of spiritual master." But so far Vedic literature is concerned, so far ''Bhagavad-gītā'' is concerned, so far ''Bhāgavata'' is concerned, so far the ''Upaniṣads'' and Vedic literatures are concerned, they do not say. They say that there is need of a spiritual master.


<div class="lec_verse">
Take for example the ''Upaniṣads'', the Vedic Upaniṣads. In the Vedic Upaniṣads it is said, ''tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet, śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham''. (Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 1.2.12)
dravya-yajñās tapo-yajñā<br />
yoga-yajñās tathāpare<br />
svādhyāya-jñāna-yajñāś ca<br />
yatayaḥ saṁśita-vratāḥ</div>


This ''mantra'', that: "If you want to learn that transcendental subject, then . . . first word is that if you are eager to learn that subject.


There are dravyamaya-yajñas. Dravyamaya-yajñas means giving in charity. That is called dravyamaya-yajña. Jñānamaya-yajña means to engage oneself into the studies of the Vedas very critically, nicely. That is called jñānamaya-yajña.  
In the material world also, suppose if I want to learn the art of music. Then I have to find out somebody who is a musician. Without having the association of a musician, nobody can learn the art of music. Or any art. Suppose if you want to become an engineer. So you have to enter yourself in an engineering college or technical college and learn there. Nobody can become a medical practitioner simply by purchasing book from the market and reading at home. That is not possible. You have to admit yourself in a medical college and undergo training and practical examination, so many things. Simply by purchasing book, it is not possible.


And those who are controlling the senses, that is called yogamaya-yajña. So there are different kinds of yajñas, and according to different kinds of yajñas, there are different kinds of yogis also. Each one of them is called yogi. So according to the type of yajña, there are different kinds of yogis. Just like we are. We are trying in the process of transcendental loving service, so we are bhakti-yogīs. We are called yogi in the devotional service. Of course, we'll find in the Sixth Chapter that bhakti-yogī is the topmost yogi.
Similarly, if you want to learn ''Bhagavad-gītā'' or any transcendental subject matter, here is the instruction by Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself. Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself, because He is the speaker of this ''Bhagavad-gītā'', He says that ''tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā'' ([[BG 4.34 (1972)|BG 4.34]]):


<div class="lec_verse">
You must go to a person where you can surrender yourself. That means you have to check, "Who is the real person who can give me instruction on ''Bhagavad-gītā'' or any Vedic literature, or any scripture, right?" And not that to search out a person as a, whimsically. No. You have to search out a person very serious, that who is actually in the knowledge of the thing. Otherwise why you shall surrender? No. There is no necessity of surrender.
yoginām api sarveṣāṁ<br />
mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā<br />
śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ<br />
sa me yuktatamo mataḥ<br />
[[BG 6.47]] </div>


But here it is said clearly that, "You have to surrender to a person." That means you have to find out such a person where you can voluntarily surrender. Without finding, your mission will not be fulfilled. Because very word, first thing, is . . . just like Arjuna in the beginning. We have discussed that point. Arjuna was talking with Kṛṣṇa in friendly terms, just like friend. He was . . . Kṛṣṇa was saying something, "Oh, you cannot . . . you are a ''kṣatriya''. You are a military man. How can you give up the fighting?" Just like friendly talks. But when Arjuna saw it, that "Our friendly talk will not make a solution," so he surrendered unto Kṛṣṇa that, "I'll . . . ''siṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam'' ([[BG 2.7 (1972)|BG 2.7]]):


And that is stated by the Lord that "There are different kinds of yogis, but the person who is always under the contemplation of Me, he is the highest yogi."
"I just become surrendered disciple unto You. Please instruct me what is my duty." So this is the process. Here also, Kṛṣṇa advises that "If you have to learn," say, for ''Bhagavad-gītā'', "then you have to go to a person where you can surrender." Not only surrender—not blindly surrender—you must be able to enquire. ''Paripraśna''. The next qualification is ''paripraśna''. ''Paripraśna'' means enquiry. Without enquiry, you cannot make advance. Just like a student in the school who enquires from the teacher, he's very intelligent. Even a boy, a child, if he enquires from the father, "Oh, father, what is this? What is this?" that child is very intelligent. Very intelligent.


Therefore devotional service, loving devotional service of the Supreme Lord, that is the topmost kind of yogi. That is we find in everywhere, in every chapter, in every verse of this Bhagavad-gītā, that Kṛṣṇa consciousness, which we are trying to culture, that is the highest type of yoga.
So enquiry is required, so not only ''praṇipāta'' . . . "Oh, I have found out a very good spiritual master, very learned and very good, soul. All right. I have surrendered. Then all my business finished." No. That is not . . . you may have a very good spiritual master, but if you have no power to enquire, then you cannot make progress. Enquiries must be there. But enquiry, how enquiry? Not to challenge. Enquiry, not that "Oh, I shall see what kind of spiritual master he is. Let me challenge him and put some irrelevant question and talk nonsensically, this way and that way." Oh, that will not make . . . enquiry on the point. ''Paripraśna'' means enquiry on the point, and that enquiry should be ''sevā''.


<div class="lec_verse">
''Sevā'' means service. Not that: "Oh, I have enquired so many things from such-and-such person. Oh, I have not rendered any payment or any service, so I have gained." No. Without service, your enquiry will be futile. So three things here: ''praṇipāta'', ''paripraśna'' and ''sevā''. ''Praṇipāta''. ''Praṇipāta'' means you must have the qualification to, at least, to find out a person who is actually qualified to give you real instruction. That you have to do. That remains on you.
apāne juhvati prāṇaṁ<br />
prāṇe 'pānaṁ tathāpare<br />
prāṇāpāna-gatī ruddhvā<br />
prāṇāyāma-parāyaṇāḥ<br />
apare niyatāhārāḥ<br />
prāṇān prāṇeṣu juhvati</div>


Suppose you have to purchase some gold or jewelry, and if you do not know where to purchase, if you go to a grocer shop to purchase a jewel, oh, then you'll be cheated. If he says . . . go to a grocer shop and ask, "Oh, can you give me diamond?" he will understand that "Here is a fool. So let him . . . give him something: This is diamond." "Oh. What is the price?" He can charge anything, and when you come home, your relatives say, "What you have brought?" "This is diamond. I went to the grocer shop." So that kind of finding spiritual master will not do. You have to become a little intelligent. Because without being intelligent nobody can make any spiritual progress.


These prāṇa, apāna... There are breathing control. There are different kinds of air passing within the body, and the yoga system, the controlling, that is also another kind of sacrifice.
''Athāto brahma'' . . . in the ''Brahma-sūtra'', in the ''Vedānta-sūtra'', it is stated, ''athāto brahma jijñāsā''. ''Brahma-jijñāsā''. ''Brahma-jijñāsā'' means to enquire, enquire about the supreme subject matter, Brahman. That requires a qualification. ''Atha''. ''Atha'' means those who have become experienced of this miserable life of this material world. They can enquire. They can enquire what is Absolute Truth, what is spiritual life. ''Athāto brahma jijñāsā''.


<div class="lec_verse">
Similarly, in the ''Bhāgavata'' also it is stated, ''tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam'' ([[SB 11.3.21]]).
sarve 'py ete yajña-vido<br />
yajña-kṣapita-kalmaṣāḥ<br />
yajña-śiṣṭāmṛta-bhujo<br />
yānti brahma sanātanam</div>


''Śreya uttamam''. ''Uttamam means the udgata-tamam''. That is transcendental. ''Tama'' means darkness. Anything of this material world, that is in darkness, because this material world is dark. You know that the whole world, whole universe, is dark. Therefore there is requisition of the sunlight, moonlight, electricity. It is dark. So ''uttamam'' means which is beyond this darkness. Beyond this darkness. That means transcendental subject, spiritual subject. In the spiritual world there is no darkness.


Now, what is the purpose of this sacrifice? Now, it is concluded here that sarve 'py ete yajña-vidaḥ. All these different kinds of yajña, they are meant for diminishing our sinful reaction, our sinful reaction. Because we are accumulating many sinful reaction in different births. So if we perform sacrifice, if we perform yoga, that process helps us in diminishing our accumulated, I mean to say, sinful reaction. But so far this harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam [[CC Adi 17.21]] , oh, this is the easiest and the most, I mean to say, supreme process. As we have discussed many times, the Lord Caitanya recommends that ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam [[CC Adi 17.21]] . By this, paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam, by the performance of saṅkīrtana —
So if anyone is desirous of inquiring about the spiritual world, then he requires to find out a spiritual master. Otherwise there is no necessity. For a man who wants to remain in this darkness, for material benefit . . . suppose I want some spiritual master or I want to study ''Bhagavad-gītā'' or ''Vedānta-sūtra'' so that I may make some material improvement. Oh, that is not required. For material improvement you can work, just so many people are working—they are making, trying industry or something like . . . that is prescribed. But if you are at all interested about the Brahman subject, the spiritual subject, then you require a spiritual master.


<div class="lec_verse">
That is clearly stated. ''Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta'' ([[SB 11.3.21]]). ''Tasmāt'' means "Therefore one has to surrender unto the spiritual master." Who? Who is ''jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam'': "Who is very much eager to understand about the transcendental subject." So any Vedic literature the same instruction you'll find, as it is stated in the ''Bhagavad-gītā'':
Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare<br />
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare</div>


:''tad viddhi praṇipātena''
:''paripraśnena sevayā''
:''upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ''
:''jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ''
:([[BG 4.34 (1972)|BG 4.34]])


—immediately the dust from the mind is clear. That is recommended.
''Jñāninaḥ'' means ''jñānī'', or a man who is in perfect knowledge. Perfect knowledge means one who has perfect vision of the perfect—not theoretical, but actual vision of the spiritual subject matter. He is called ''jñānī''. ''Jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ''. ''Tattva'', ''tattva'' means the Absolute Truth. Now, so far ''tattva'' is concerned, you'll find in the ''Bhagavad-gītā'' that Kṛṣṇa is the supreme ''tattva'', Absolute Truth.


So in spite of it is very easy process, it is the supreme process. It surpasses all kinds of other yajñas and yoga systems.
Now, He explains that ''manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye'' ([[BG 7.3 (1972)|BG 7.3]]): "Out of many, many thousands of people, a few people may try how to get spiritual salvation." Not all. Everyone is not expected to hanker after spiritual salvation. That requires also many, many years' qualification. So ''manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu''. After many . . . out of many, many thousands of people, one is very much anxious for spiritual realization. And then Lord Kṛṣṇa says, ''yatatām api siddhānām'' ([[BG 7.3 (1972)|BG 7.3]]):


<div class="lec_verse">
And out of many perfected spiritualist, some may know what is Kṛṣṇa. Just try to understand. First of all, out of many, many, many thousands of people who wants to have perfection in spiritual life, then those persons who have attained such perfection, out of them, one or two may understand what is Kṛṣṇa.
nāyaṁ loko 'sty ayajñasya<br />
kuto 'nyaḥ kuru-sattama</div>


So the subject matter of Kṛṣṇa is not so easy. It is very difficult also. But one can understand very easily. That process is also prescribed in the ''Bhagavad-gītā'':


The Lord says that "Those who are not performing yajña, they cannot be happy even in this world, in this life, and what to speak of next life." This is the con... Therefore we have to perform sacrifice. Nāyaṁ lokaḥ, ayaṁ lokaḥ.  
:''bhaktyā mām abhijānāti''
:''yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ''
:''tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā''
:''viśate tad-anantaram''
:([[BG 18.55 (1972)|BG 18.55]])


Ayam, in this world, in which we are at present, that is also becoming more miserable. At the present moment people are feeling so much painful in the modern existence because this process of yajña has been... Completely, people are engaged, "Work hard, earn money and be engaged in sense gratification." That's all. This is the whole program, at the present moment is going on. That cannot bring any peace and prosperity to the society. We have to perform yajñas. That is the natural law.
''Bhakti'', devotional service. That devotional service if you accept, you can understand that difficult subject matter of Kṛṣṇa very easily. ''Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti''. ''Abhijānāti'' means perfectly you can understand. ''Yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ''. ''Tattvataḥ'' means the Absolute Truth as it is, you can understand. And ''tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā'': and after understanding the Kṛṣṇa science very perfectly, he becomes eligible to enter into that spiritual kingdom. These things are stated. So here, we are discussing this point that:


The Lord says, nāyaṁ loko 'sty ayajñasya: "Those who are not performing, for them, there is no happiness even in this world, even in this life." And kuto anyaḥ kuru-sattama: "My dear Arjuna, then what to speak of the next life. Oh, next life is still more miserable."
:''tad viddhi praṇipātena''
:''paripraśnena sevayā''
:''upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ''
:''jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ''
:([[BG 4.34 (1972)|BG 4.34]])


<div class="lec_verse">
So if we actually want to reach that point of perfectional knowledge where we can fully surrender . . . now, the intelligent person . . . according to my opinion—I have several times discussed this point—that if it is a point that after many, many births, when I am fully perfect in knowledge, I have to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, then why not immediately surrender to Him? Why shall I wait for many, many births? Oh, that is very intelligent proposal. If that is the end of perfection, then why not accept the perfection immediately? But people are doubtful.
evaṁ bahu-vidhā yajñā<br />
vitatā brahmaṇo mukhe<br />
karma-jān viddhi tān sarvān<br />
evaṁ jñātvā vimokṣyase</div>


Somebody asked me . . . that, I think, Mr. Moscowitz asked me this question; I answered this point. His enquiry was, "How long it will take to be perfect in Kṛṣṇa consciousness?" So I replied that Kṛṣṇa consciousness can be had in one second, and it cannot be had in thousands of birth and death. So why? But if we understand this principle that after attainment of full knowledge, I have to ultimately surrender to ''vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti'', I have to become the, I mean to say, ''sa mahātmā'', a great soul like that, why not immediately surrender to Kṛṣṇa? Why not become immediately the supreme, I mean to say, great soul, ''sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ''? That is a process.


<div class="lec_verse">
But we are, some of us, or most of us, we are not prepared to accept immediately Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme, or we have got many doubts. Therefore, in order to drive away, dissipate all your doubtful ideas, the ''śāstras'', the scriptures, the ''Bhagavad-gītā'' and ''Śrīmad-Bhāgavata'', are there, and if we make scrutinizingly study of these two books, we can understand the Kṛṣṇa science very nicely, and our progress in the matter of Kṛṣṇa consciousness will be definite.
śreyān dravyamayād yajñāj<br />
jñāna-yajñaḥ parantapa<br />
sarvaṁ karmākhilaṁ pārtha<br />
jñāne parisamāpyate</div>


Thank you very much. If there is any question, you can ask. (break)


Now, Kṛṣṇa is concluding these different types of yajña. He says that śreyān dravyamayād yajñāj jñāna-yajñaḥ parantapa. Jñāna-yajña, jñāna-yajña means... This is jñāna-yajña, which we are doing here. We are discussing Bhagavad-gītā very scrutinizingly and trying to understand every verse with reference to the Vedic reference and as far as our logic and argument goes. So this is called jñāna-yajña.  
Brahman and Supersoul, we have been discussing this morning. Perhaps just we began the verse and you have forgot. Just like myself, I am soul, the spiritual soul. My place is within this heart. Now, in the medical science, they have found it that the heart is the center of all vitality of this body. The, I mean, modern materialistic science, they have found that whatever we are eating, it is going to the stomach and it is being transformed into various types of secretions, and the important secretion is coming to the heart and it is becoming red by coming to the heart. Then again from the heart there are many veins; it is being distributed to different parts of the body. So . . . but they could not found that where is the point where from this vitality is coming. Where from this vitality is coming, they could not find it. They have localized that "Here is the source of all energy."


And dravyamaya-yajña means, just like yesterday, day before yesterdays, discussed that in the altar of fire we have to sacrifice clarified butter, grains, or sometimes animal sacrifice. They are called dravyamaya-yajña. So Kṛṣṇa says, śreyān dravyamayād yajñāt. That dravyamaya, that sacrificing goods or other things in the yajña, from that type of yajña, śreyān dravyamayād yajñāj jñāna-yajñaḥ parantapa. Jñāna-yajña, this philosophical discussion, logical discussion of the aim of life from authorized books like Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, if we have discussion, this is called jñānamaya-yajña, with knowledge, jñānamaya-yajña.  
Now, in the ''Bhagavad-gītā'' you will find that Kṛṣṇa says, ''mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate . . . ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate'' ([[BG 10.8 (1972)|BG 10.8]]):


So why jñānamaya-yajña is preferred? Sarvaṁ karmākhilaṁ pārtha jñāne parisamāpyate. Because after all, we have to acquire that knowledge which will make me a surrendered soul to the Supreme. That's it. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate [[BG 7.19]] . So jñāna also means that to understand our position, to understand what is God, to understand what is our relationship with God, to understand why we are in this material world and what is our next life, wherefrom we have come, where we have the right knowledge, you can understand all these things. And when you understand everything, the path is clear, you can clearly understand that "I am the part and parcel of the Supreme; therefore my duty is to render transcendental service to the Supreme." That is the highest yajña, highest jñāna, knowledge, knowledge, yajña. So Kṛṣṇa advises that jñānamaya-yajña, sacrifice... Sacrifice.
"I am the origin, fountainhead of everything, and everything what is being produced, it is from Me." Similarly, the soul is a fragmental, fractional portion of Kṛṣṇa. So now the modern scientist, they have localized the point wherefrom the energies are coming. Now that point is there. That fragmental portion of Kṛṣṇa is there in the heart. That is Brahman.


Now, to understand these things you have to sacrifice some time, you have to sacrifice some labor, some attention. So these sacrifices are counted more than when we offer sacrificial goods in the fire. That is clearly stated here.
And . . . but that is fragmental portion. So Brahman means this fragmental portion. And the Supreme Brahman . . . what was that question? Brahman? Supersoul. Supersoul is Kṛṣṇa. Supersoul is Kṛṣṇa, and we . . . I am, you are, you are soul, we are jīva, and the Supreme Soul is Kṛṣṇa. This verse the next morning we shall discuss. We came this morning just up to that point. We've come up to anyam, that verse.


Now what is the process of this knowledge? That is also stated by the Lord.
So Supersoul, Supersoul is the Supreme Lord. Supersoul is also there. They are situated together. From the Vedic Upaniṣads we get this information that two birds are sitting on one tree. The one bird is eating the fruits, and the other bird is simply witness. So witnessing bird is the Supersoul, and the bird which is enjoying and suffering of this material contamination, or attachment, that is soul. Is it clear?


<div class="lec_verse">
'''Devotee (1):''' You mean actually Kṛṣṇa is in here?
tad viddhi praṇipātena<br />
paripraśnena sevayā<br />
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ<br />
jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ<br />
[[BG 4.34]] </div>


'''Prabhupāda:''' Kṛṣṇa . . . yes. He is in the still more higher position. You are very intelligent. This Supersoul is also partial representation of Kṛṣṇa. Just like the sun, the real sun, and the reflection of sun. If you have got thousands of pots in your presence, you will find the reflection of the sun in thousands of the pots, but the real sun is one. Similarly, this Supersoul is the reflection of the reality, partial reflection of the Supreme. Is it clear?


Now, if you have to acquire knowledge, then first of all, you have to find out a person who has already seen the light. Tattva-darśinaḥ. Tattva... Tattva means... In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, tattva is described, the English translation is "Absolute Truth." That is called tattva. Now,
Just like you are standing here, and at noon the sun is on your head. And five thousand miles away you enquire from somebody, "Where is sun?" he will say: "Oh, it is on my head." Five thousand miles this way or that way, any way you enquire, many, many people, many thousands of people you enquire, they will say, everyone will say that, "The sun is on my head." Similarly, although the sun is one, as he is perceived that he is present on everyone's head, similarly, although Kṛṣṇa is one without a second, by inconceivable transcendental power He can be present in everyone's heart. ''Akhilātma-bhūtaḥ. Goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūtaḥ'' (Bs 5.37).


<div class="lec_verse">
That is the power of Kṛṣṇa. That is the power of Supersoul. We cannot. Suppose I am sitting here, you are sitting here. You are not at your home. I am not in India, I am sitting here. I cannot sit simultaneously in India and America. That is not possible for me, because I am not Supersoul. But the Supersoul can be present everywhere. You will find this explanation in the Thirteenth Chapter of the ''Bhagavad-gītā''. Now we are discussing the Fourth Chapter. When we go to the Thirteenth Chapter, this point will be more clearly explained.
vadanti tat tattva-vidas<br />
tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam<br />
brahmeti paramātmeti<br />
bhagavān iti śabdyate<br />
[[SB 1.2.11]] </div>


'''Devotee:''' (indistinct) . . . [break)


"Now, that Absolute Truth is known in three different phases." What is that? "Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān." So a person, we have to... If we really seeking knowledge, then we have to find out a person who is tattva-darśī, who has understood the Absolute Truth. Now, the Absolute Truth is realized in three phases: Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān.
'''Prabhupāda:''' . . . about the spiritual master. So your question should have been on the matter of spiritual master, because we invite questions on the subject which we discuss in this point. This is also relevant question, because we will read from the ''Bhagavad-gītā''. Now we have discussed about the position of the spiritual master. Now, if you have got any question about that, the relationship between the spiritual master and the disciple, if you have got any doubts, if you have any questions, that you ask.


There are certain tattva-vit, or the knower of the Absolute Truth, who understands that Absolute Truth as impersonal Brahman. And there are others, knower of the Absolute Truth, who understands the Absolute Truth as the localized Supersoul. These are called yogis. And the first-mentioned persons, they are called jñānīs. And there are other tattva-vit, or knower of the Absolute Truth, who knows the Absolute Truth as Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So either Brahman or Paramātmā or Kṛṣṇa the Supreme Personality of, there is no difference. The same thing, but according to the capacity of the knower, they are manifested into different phases.
'''Devotee (2):''' If one surrenders to a spiritual master, what then is their relationship to Kṛṣṇa?


We have several times discussed this point. Just like to understand the sun, somebody is studying the sun rays. He is also studying the sun and somebody is studying what is the sun disc. So he is also studying sun and somebody is trying to enter into the sun planet to see who is there. Everything is the sun. But the persons who are studying the sunshine, their grade is lower than the person who is trying to understand the sun disc. And their position is lower grade than the person who wants to enter into the sun. So the bhaktas, they are trying to see the sun-god within the sun. Just like they want to see Kṛṣṇa. In the Upaniṣad we'll find... There is a prayer that the Brahman is said, "Will You kindly push off Your glaring, dazzling glare so that I can really see You." So within the Brahmajyoti there is Kṛṣṇa. So we have to see that.
'''Prabhupāda:''' Oh. Spiritual master is the representative of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, surrendering to the spiritual master means surrendering to Kṛṣṇa. He is the bona fide. Spiritual master is just like, as just I explained the ''śloka'', ''hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi vidhunoti suhṛt satām'' ([[SB 1.2.17]])


So anyway, either the Brahmavādī or Paramātmavādī or the bhakta, they are all tattva-vit. They are all transcendentalists. There is no difference. But as there are three classes in every sphere, so there are three classes in the transcendental field also. So here Bhagavad-gītā, the Lord recommends that jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ [[BG 4.34]] . You have to find out a person who is tattva-darśī, who has realized the Absolute Truth, either in Brahman conception or in Paramātmā conception or in Personality of Godhead conception because we have got different tastes. So the Paramātmā or the Supreme Absolute Truth is also manifested in three phases: Brahman, Paramātmā, Bhagavān. So anyway, either you select the impersonal Brahman conception of the Absolute Truth, either you select the localized supreme soul, Supersoul conception of the Absolute Truth, or you accept the highest, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya [[BG 4.34]] . The Lord says that "This is the last phase of Absolute Truth, what I am, Kṛṣṇa."
I'll try to relate one nice story in this connection, the story of Dhruva Mahārāja. Dhruva Mahārāja was a child, and he was insulted by his stepmother. So he went to his own mother and he prayed, "My dear mother"—he was five years old only—"my stepmother has insulted me in this way. I was sitting on the lap of my father, and he (she) dragged me out. She told me that 'You cannot sit on the lap on your father.' " So he was the son of king, so he felt insulted and he went to his mother and cried. Then he asked his mother, "What is the remedy?" Because he was a son of a ''kṣatriya'', he was resentful.


So anyway, we have to, if we want jñāna —because the jñānamaya-yajña is recommended the highest yajña —so if we actually want jñāna, then we have to first of all find out a person who is tattva-darśī. Just like if you have to purchase gold, you must know where gold is available. If you go for purchasing gold to a grocer shop then it is hopeless. You see? It is not possible. Then you will be cheated. So at least you have to find out the person who has... That can be found. Just like by culture. That is called sacrifice, jñāna.  
So his mother directed, "My dear son, your father do not care for me, so he will not hear whatever I say. So if God can help you, then you can get revenge." Then—he was child—he said: "Oh, where is God?" Then mother replied, "Oh, we understand that God is in the forest. Somebody goes to the forest and realizes God. So you cannot go, my dear son." "No, I shall go."


If you are actually in search of knowledge, Kṛṣṇa will help you, because He is helping you in every way. Īśvara. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ [[BG 15.15]] . This we have discussed this morning. He is always with you; so He understands what kind of knowledge you are in search after. So we must be sincere, that we want to know that Absolute Truth. Then you will find out; Kṛṣṇa will help you. If you want a Brahmavādī, He will help you. If you want a Paramātmavādī, then He will help you. And if you want a devotee, that also help. So tad viddhi. You have to first of all search out a person. So Kṛṣṇa recommends that if you want knowledge then first of all... That is the process, the whole Vedic process.
So he went to the forest. He went to the forest, and he was asking the tiger, "Oh, you are God?" The elephant, "You are God?" Just like a child. Then when he was so serious, then, because God is within himself, then he was . . . Nārada was sent to him that, "You go to the boy. How he is anxious that what is the actual point, you just try to help him."


In the Kaṭhopaniṣad also it is said that tad-vijñānārthaṁ gurum eva abhigacchet: "If you want to understand the transcendental science, then you have to approach to a spiritual master." And who is spiritual master? Oh, nowadays everyone wants to be spiritual master. Oh, that is also mentioned, who is spiritual master. Samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham: [MU 1.2.12] "You have to approach a spiritual master who is śrotriyam and brahma-niṣṭham." Śrotriyam means who has come down from the disciplic succession, or from the Supreme. Just like we have understood in the Fourth Chapter, in the beginning of the Fourth Chapter, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ [[BG 4.2]] . There is a paramparā; there is disciplic succession. So one who is coming into that disciplic succession and by coming from that disciplic succession, he is firmly convinced in the Absolute, he is firmly conversant in the Absolute Truth, he is guru. Two qualifications. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena [[BG 4.2]] .  
So this is the process. When we are seriously anxious about understanding the science of God, then God is within you—He will make your relationship with such a spiritual master who will enlighten you further and further. So practically, the spiritual master is the representative of Kṛṣṇa. Now, it depends on me. ''Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham'' ([[BG 4.11 (1972)|BG 4.11]]).


In Kaṭha Upaniṣad it is said tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet [MU 1.2.12] . Abhigacchet. This is a Sanskrit grammatical injunction. Where there is the question if imperative, "you must," there vidhilin, this form of verb, is used, gacchet, gacchet. Gacchet means "You must go." You don't think that without going to a qualified, bona fide spiritual master you can have. No. That is not possible. Here also, Lord Kṛṣṇa also recommends, tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā: [[BG 4.34]] "If you want to learn that transcendental science, then you have to find out a transcendentalist first of all." That is also recommended in Kaṭhopaniṣad.  
The degree of my serious thought, if I am seriously about actually perception of the Supreme Lord, then I will get such a spiritual master who can give me information of the Supreme Lord. But if I want something else, then Kṛṣṇa will help you in that way also, you will get something else.


In Bhāgavata also, it is said, tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam: [[SB 11.3.21]] "One who is hankering after the highest type of question..." We have got so many questions. We can question the whole day and night "What is the rate of this commodity? What is happening in the political field? What is going on in China?" These questions are not... Not these question. Śreya uttamam. One who has become inquisitive in the uttamam. Uttamam means udgata-tama, not any question of pertaining to the material world. One who is eager to question about the Absolute Truth or the spiritual world, he requires a spiritual master. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta [[SB 11.3.21]] . The first injunction is that tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta: "You must submit to a spiritual master."
So ye ''yathā māṁ prapadyante''. The spiritual master is the representative of Kṛṣṇa, and He, Kṛṣṇa, is sitting within your heart. And as you are anxious, your degree of anxiety will be helped by Kṛṣṇa by sending similar quality of spiritual master.


Who? Who is recommended to find out a spiritual master? Tasmād gurum...jijñāsuḥ. Jijñāsuḥ means who is inquisitive. What kind of inquisitive? Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam: "What is the ultimate goal of my life?" If you have no such view to inquire what is the ultimate goal of your, you need not require to search out a spiritual master. Spiritual master is not a show bottle. Just like, "Oh, so many people, they have got a spiritual master. Let me have also some spiritual master." It is not like that. It is only jijñāsuḥ, one must be very much inquisitive of the transcendental subject matter. He requires a spiritual master. So here also, the Lord says that tad viddhi: "If you want to understand that transcendental subject matter, then you must approach a person, a bona fide spiritual master."
Let us have ''kirtan''. (end)
 
And the process is praṇipāta, praṇipātena. Praṇipāta means full surrender. Pra means prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa, fully, and nipāta means completely becoming a blank slate. Blank slate. Nobody should approach a bona fide spiritual master just to argue with him and just to, with a desire that "I shall see what kind of spiritual master." No. This is useless. You have to select a spiritual master...
 
My Guru Mahārāja, my spiritual master, used to say that you have to select a spiritual master not by seeing but by your ear, but by hearing. And you don't select a spiritual master who has got a very good hair or beard or some very beautiful feature, "Oh, he is a very good, nice looking." No. You must hear. Tad viddhi praṇipātena [[BG 4.34]] . Śruti. The whole process is śruti. The Vedas are called śruti. The ear has to aural reception.
 
So here also the same thing recommended by Lord Kṛṣṇa, that praṇipāta. First of all, you have to find out a bona fide spiritual master, and then you should surrender unto him. This is the first process. Praṇipātena paripraśnena. Paripraśnena means by sincere inquiries. Not only surrender, you must be intelligent enough to inquire. Not that when something is heard, and there is no question. No. There must be some question. Paripraśnena and sevayā. So surrender, inquiry, and sevā, service.
 
We sing this song every day,
 
<div class="lec_verse">
yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo<br />
yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto 'pi<br />
dhyāyan stuvaṁs tasya yaśas tri-sandhyaṁ<br />
vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam ** </div>
 
 
Yasya, if we actually find a spiritual master, bona fide spiritual master, and if we can make him satisfied by my service, then my path for realization of God is guaranteed. This is the thing. Here it is. First of all we have to find out a bona fide spiritual master. Then by my service, by my surrender, by my questions, if we utilize, then my path for back to Godhead, back to home, is guaranteed. That is the... It is very important verse. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā, upadekṣyanti te jñānam [[BG 4.34]] . That knowledge by which you can go to the point of your self-interest, Viṣṇu, that knowledge you can realize.
 
Thank you very much. If there is any question. [break]
 
Questioner: ...that exist between jñānīs and yogis.
 
Prabhupāda: Oh, the yogis, they are searching after the Supersoul within himself, and jñānī is understanding the impersonal feature of the Absolute Truth.
 
Questioner: The jñānī is also seeker?
 
Prabhupāda: He is also seeker. You did not hear. The Absolute Truth is being manifested in three phases—as Paramātmā, as Bhagavān and as Brahman. Those who are after Brahman, they are called jñānīs; those who are after Paramātmā, they are called yogi; and those who are after the Personality of Godhead, they are called bhaktas. And all of them are seeking the Absolute Truth but in different phases. You understand? They are not differentiated. They are not in the material field. Either the seeker of the Brahman, either the seeker of the supreme soul, Supersoul, or the seeker of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they are all transcendentalists. They are not in the material world. They are tattva-vit. Tattva-vit means they are in the field of transcendental transaction. But there are degrees.
 
Just like I have given this example already—you did not hear attentively—that the sunshine, the sun disc, and within the sun. The subject matter is same, but still, the subject matter of studying sunshine and subject matter of studying the sun disc and subject matter of studying what is within the sun, there are differences, although the whole subject matter is the sun. The Absolute Truth is also, in the same way, manifested in three phases: Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān. So either of these three, we have to find out; then gradually we make further promotion.
 
Those who are in the Brahman conception... Just like Śukadeva Gosvāmī. He was in the Brahman conception, but by his further development, he became a devotee. He became a devotee. There are many instances. The Sanaka-Sanātana sages, they were in Brahman conception. So to... As it is stated in totee(?). There are many instances. The Sanaka-Sanātana sages, they were in Brahman conception. So to... As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, that bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate... [[BG 7.19]]. This mām means the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So anyone who comes to that Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is in the highest perfection of knowledge. [break]
 
Indian: ...a man has plenty of spiritual knowledge and Vedic religion or a man has plenty of faith in heart.
 
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is...
 
Indian: I mean, in other words, if bhakta were ajñānī.
 
Prabhupāda: No. It is just like... In the Bhagavad-gītā it is clearly stated that bhakto 'si me priyo 'si: [[BG 4.3]] "Because you are My devotee, you are My most dear friend."
 
Indian: Why it is?
 
Prabhupāda: That is His option. That you ask Kṛṣṇa. He says.
 
Indian: But why it is?
 
Prabhupāda: Why? Kṛṣṇa says. You cannot say...
 
Indian: Because if we go wholeheartedly to God without proper understanding, there is also a flaw.
 
Prabhupāda: No. There is no question of understanding. Suppose this process... Just like Kṛṣṇa says, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate: [[BG 7.19]] "After many, many births of culture of knowledge, the person who has come to the highest point of knowledge, he surrenders unto Me." So similarly, if any person without any knowledge, if he surrenders only to Kṛṣṇa, he acquires all the knowledge. He has surpassed all stages. He has surpassed all stages. And that is also confirmed. If you say, "How he has gone, surpassed all stage?" That answer in Bhagavad-gītā you find,
 
<div class="lec_verse">
teṣām evānukampārtham<br />
aham ajñāna-jaṁ tamaḥ<br />
nāśayāmy ātma-bhāva-stho<br />
jñāna-dīpena bhāsvatā<br />
[[BG 10.11]] </div>
 
 
Teṣām: "Because he is a devotee, just to give, just to show him a special favor," teṣām evānukampārtham, "simply for showing a special favor, I Myself, from within, I light up the knowledge, I mean to say, searchlight, and he becomes..."
 
And you will be surprised that my Guru Mahārāja's spiritual master was Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja. He was completely illiterate. He did not know how to sign, and my spiritual master was the most learned man of his age. He accepted that guru who was completely illiterate. But when he would speak, that Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, he would speak with all Vedic references. And you will find in the Veda that
 
<div class="lec_verse">
yasya deve parā bhaktir<br />
yathā deve tathā gurau<br />
tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ<br />
prakāśante mahātmanaḥ<br />
[ŚU 6.23] </div>
 
 
So the spiritual knowledge becomes revealed. It is not subjected to any material acquisition. It is not subjected to any material acquisition of knowledge. It becomes revealed. How? Yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau. One who has a staunch faith in the Supreme Lord and staunch faith in the personality of his spiritual master, bona fide, then he gets all the things revealed in himself. Spiritual things are not just like material things.
 
So according to Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-guhyatamam, the Lord says that "The most confidential part of knowledge I am speaking to you, my dear Arjuna, because you are My very dear friend, that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja [[BG 18.66]] ." So one who has the conception of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and has surrendered unto Him, he is considered to be highest, topmost spiritualist.
 
Indian: What is the importance of prasādam? Importance of prasādam?
 
Prabhupāda: Prasāda? Prasāda means mercy. Mercy. Prasāda means prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa sīdati. That is prasāda means completely satisfied.
 
Indian: At the end of this, you will give us some prasāda. What is the importance of that prasāda?
 
Prabhupāda: Oh, that. Yes. Prasāda. Very good. That prasāda is Kṛṣṇa's favor. Kṛṣṇa's special favor. That is prasāda. Prasāde sarva-duḥkhānāṁ hānir asyopajāyate. If we simply eat Kṛṣṇa prasāda, without any culture, we can get spiritual knowledge. All right. Let us have saṅkīrtana. (end)
 
 
 
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Latest revision as of 23:42, 5 November 2023

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada



 Listen to a 'Nectar Drop' created from this lecture


660812BG.NY - August 12, 1966



Prabhupāda:

tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ
jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ
(BG 4.34)

Now, this verse we are discussing in our last meeting. Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, has concluded that all kinds of sacrifices that we can expected . . . we are expected to do, the best sacrifice is to acquire knowledge. Acquire knowledge. Because whole our this material conditioned life is due to ignorance. Therefore the purpose of sacrifice, penance, yoga and philosophical discussion—everything—the ultimate aim is to acquire knowledge.

And even in that knowledge field also . . . of course, transcendental knowledge, as we have discussed already, they are viewed in different . . . three different angles of vision—the knowledge of Brahmavāda, or impersonal, impersonal Absolute Truth; and the knowledge of Paramātmā, the localized Supersoul; and the knowledge of Bhagavān, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There are different stages of development of knowledge. But the first beginning knowledge is that we must understand that, "I am not this body, I am spirit soul. And my aim of life should be how to get out of this material entanglement." That is knowledge. That is the beginning of knowledge.

And that knowledge, when developed gradually . . . the first, first stage of knowledge is impersonal Brahman realization, and the next stage is the Supersoul realization, and the last stage is realization of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam we have got this information, that the tattva, that the Absolute Truth, is realized in three visions: brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11).

Brahman means impersonal Absolute Truth, and Paramātmā means Supersoul, and Bhagavān means the Supreme Personality of God. That Supreme Personality of Godhead is Kṛṣṇa. You'll find in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28).

There are description of different manifestation of Viṣṇu, or God, because God expands Himself in various ways. We are also expansion of God. So similarly, there are degrees of expansion, and the central point, or the primeval Lord, is Śrī Kṛṣṇa. We have got evidences from various Vedic literature that Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

The Bhāgavata confirms, ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam, that . . . there is a list of incarnation of Godhead. There are many thousands and thousands of incarnation, and there is a list. Especially in Caitanya-caritāmṛta there is a specific list. Now, after giving that list, the conclusion is made that ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam.

Now, we have given the list, the author of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, but all these incarnation of Godhead, they are either plenary manifestation or manifestation of the plenary manifestation, like that. Ete cāṁśa. Aṁśa means plenary manifestation, and kalāḥ means manifestation of the plenary manifestation. So the conclusion in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is that "This name 'Kṛṣṇa,' which is given here . . . because Kṛṣṇa also appeared, and He proclaimed Himself that yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7).

So He is accepted as the original Supreme Personality of God. Similarly, in the Brahma-saṁhitā, another Vedic literature, that is also confirmed that:

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ
sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam
(Bs 5.1)

There are many gods. Many gods means that in one sense we are also god. God means controller, that's all. God, the literary meaning of god, this word, is controller, īśvara. So every one of us has some controlling capacity. Everyone. Either we control the family, or control the office, we control the state, we control the municipality or so on, so on, everyone is a controller. But nobody is the supreme controller.

Similarly, if you go on, make your progress, then you come to the Brahmā. Brahmā is the controller of this whole universe. And there are many, innumerable universes and innumerable Brahmās also. And their controller is the Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. And the Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu is controlled by Mahā-Viṣṇu, and Mahā-Viṣṇu is controlled by Saṅkarṣaṇa, and Saṅkarṣaṇa is controlled by Nārāyaṇa. And Nārāyaṇa is controlled by Vāsudeva, and Vāsudeva is controlled by Baladeva, and Baladeva is controlled by Kṛṣṇa. Therefore you'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā that Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat asti kiñcid dhanañjaya (BG 7.7):

"My dear Arjuna, there is no . . . nobody greater than Me." And Arjuna also accepted that "You are asamordhva: nobody is equal to You, and nobody is greater than You."

And our Gosvāmīs in Vṛndāvana . . . there were six Gosvāmīs. They were very good scholars, especially Jīva Gosvāmī. They have analyzed the characteristics of the Absolute Truth, Personality of Godhead, and they have established that Kṛṣṇa has got the all the transcendental qualities of Godhead in Kṛṣṇa. And in Nārāyaṇa there are sixty-four . . . er, ninety-four percent of the transcendental qualities of the Absolute Truth. Similarly, in Lord Śiva there is eighty-four percent of all the transcendental qualities of the Absolute Truth. And in living being, as we are, we have got seventy-eight percent of the transcendental qualities. That is also in fraction, not in full. So there are some scholars, analytical study like this.

Now, the point is that Kṛṣṇa says that "All kinds of sacrifices, whatever sacrifice you can undertake . . . there are different kinds of, mentioned: dravya-yajña, jñāna-yajña, yoga-yajña, so many there are different types of yajña. But here Kṛṣṇa concludes, "All the different types of yajña," sarvaṁ karmākhilaṁ pārtha jñāne parisamāpyate (BG 4.33).

"Whatever yajña you can perform, that's all right. But that is the different steps, different steps to come to the point of real knowledge."

Just like you have got your Empire State Building here, hundred-and-two–story building. So you go on, you go to the twenty-fifth floor, you can go to the fiftieth floor, you go to the seventieth, seventy-five, eighty—in this way, unless you reach that hundred-and-second story, that is not the perfect progress. That is also progress. Suppose if you have gone to the eighty-fifth story, that is also progress from the downwards. That's all right. But the highest, highest perfection of knowledge is, so far we study from the Bhagavad-gītā, it is said, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19).

Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante. Bahūnām means after many, many births of culturing knowledge, when he comes to the real knowledge, real, I mean to say, summit knowledge. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān. Not the fools, but jñānavān. He especially mentions jñānavān. Jñānavān māṁ prapadyate. Jñānavān, the sign is that jñānavān surrenders unto the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa. That is the highest stage of knowledge.

Either you take it, grant it . . . just like Arjuna was advised by Kṛṣṇa, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66):

"You give up. Because you are My very confidential friend, therefore I say unto you that you don't bother with anything else. Just surrender unto Me." This is the most confidential. So in all points of view, if you make an analytical study of the Vedic literature, the ultimate summit knowledge is to surrender unto Kṛṣṇa.

bahūnāṁ janmanām ante
jñānavān māṁ prapadyate
vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti
sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ
(BG 7.19)

And what kind of surrender? The surrender means full knowledge. After scrutinizingly studying all the process of self-realization or transcendental realization, when one comes to the perfectional point, he understands that vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti: "Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, is everything." As it is confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā that:

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
sac-cid-ānanda-vigraḥaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ
sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam
(Bs 5.1)

Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam means the cause of all causes. Just like my existence. I have got this body. The cause was my father. And the father, his father was cause. You go on searching, father, father's father, his father, grandfather, great-grandfather . . . go on searching, searching, searching. Don't think that because you cannot see just now your great-grandfather, oh, there was no father of the grandfather. Don't think like that. There was. Although he is . . . don't think that "Anything which is out of my sight, because I cannot see, so there is no existence." No. This conclusion is not good. This is not very intelligent conclusion. Because I cannot see what is happening beyond this wall, oh, that does not mean there is nothing beyond this wall.

So everyone wants to see God immediately. God you can see when you are perfectly qualified. When you are in perfect knowledge, you can see God eye to eye, just like you are seeing me, I am seeing you. But that requires qualification. You have to wait. That qualification is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That qualification means Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

This Kṛṣṇa consciousness begins with śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam (SB 7.5.23).

Śravaṇam, hearing. We have to hear about Kṛṣṇa. Just like the Śrīmad-Bhagavad-gītā is the preliminary study of understanding or hearing about Kṛṣṇa. Hearing about Kṛṣṇa.

Just like suppose I came to your country, United States of America. Oh, in my childhood I heard of it in school when I was reading geometry or something like, history or geography. I heard first of all. I did not come first of all. So hearing, hearing, when I understood, "Oh, that's a very wonderful country, and it is far away, and if I go there . . . similarly, as you think also about going to India, so first of all hearing. Hearing. Not immediately seeing what is America or what is India. First of all hearing. So similarly, if we want to see God, then we have to hear. That is the process. Kṛṣṇa consciousness process is first is hearing. Śravaṇam. Śravaṇam means hearing.

Then kīrtanam. Kīrtanam means to chant about the glories, about the holy name, about the form, about the quality. Then this is association with Kṛṣṇa. Because Kṛṣṇa, or God, is absolute. He is not different from His name, from His quality, from His form, from His pastimes. He is not different. So hearing and chanting of the quality or form or name of the Supreme, of the Absolute, means our association with Him. Association. Direct association, in transcendental quality. So as we go on making association, then Kṛṣṇa helps us to understand Him.

Śṛṇvatām . . . it is in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, there is a verse:

śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ
hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi
vidhunoti suhṛt satām
(SB 1.2.17)

Suhṛt satām. Kṛṣṇa is sitting within your heart. Kṛṣṇa is the . . . is acting as your spiritual master, caitya-guru. Caitya-guru. Caitya-guru means the guru, or the spiritual master, who is sitting in my heart, citta. So śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ.

When you begin to hear about Kṛṣṇa, then the hearing of kṛṣṇa-kathā, the topics about Kṛṣṇa, is puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ. It is, even if you do not understand, it will increase your virtue. Puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi. We have accumulated so much dust by our material contact. By so many years' association with the matter, we have accumulated so much dirty things within our heart. That becomes gradually cleansed. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ, hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi. Hṛdy antaḥ-stho means the dirty things which we have accumulated within our heart, that becomes cleared.

That . . . how it is cleared? Hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi vidhunoti suhṛt satām. Śrī Kṛṣṇa is friend of everyone, but He's a special friend to the devotee. That you will find in Bhagavad-gītā. Samo 'haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu na me dveṣyo 'sti na priyaḥ (BG 9.29):

"I am friend of everyone. Nobody is My enemy and nobody is My friend. But I am equal to everyone." Sama, sama means equal. Ye tu bhajanti māṁ bhaktyā teṣu te mayi (BG 9.29): "But a person who is devoted to Me and is engaged in devotional service with Me, I have got special attention for him."

Therefore Kṛṣṇa's another name is suhṛt satām. Satām. Satām means those who are trying for having eternal life. Because in this material world we don't get anything eternal. All, everything, temporary. Therefore it is called asat. Asato mā sad gama. The Vedic injunction is, "Don't try to remain in this temporary world." Sad gama: "Just try to go to the eternal world." Tamaso mā jyotir gama: "Don't try to remain in this darkness. You go to the kingdom of light." These are Vedic injunctions.

So Kṛṣṇa, He is within our heart. Hṛdy antaḥ-sthaḥ. Therefore, as soon as we become a little inclined towards Kṛṣṇa, then from within our heart He gives us the, I mean to say, favorable instruction so that we can gradually make progress. Gradually.

Kṛṣṇa is the first spiritual master, and when we become more interested, then we have to go to a physical spiritual master. That is enjoined in the next verse:

tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ
jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ
(BG 4.34)

Now, Kṛṣṇa advises that, "If you want to know that transcendental science, then you just try to approach somebody." Praṇipātena. Praṇipātena, paripraśnena and sevayā. What is praṇipāta? Praṇipāta means surrender. Surrender. You must select a person where you can surrender yourself, because nobody likes to surrender to anyone.

We have got . . . everyone, we are puffed up with our whatever knowledge we have got. Everyone is puffed up: "Oh, who can give me knowledge?" There is regular propaganda that "For spiritual realization there is no need of spiritual master." But so far Vedic literature is concerned, so far Bhagavad-gītā is concerned, so far Bhāgavata is concerned, so far the Upaniṣads and Vedic literatures are concerned, they do not say. They say that there is need of a spiritual master.

Take for example the Upaniṣads, the Vedic Upaniṣads. In the Vedic Upaniṣads it is said, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet, śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham. (Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 1.2.12)

This mantra, that: "If you want to learn that transcendental subject, then . . . first word is that if you are eager to learn that subject.

In the material world also, suppose if I want to learn the art of music. Then I have to find out somebody who is a musician. Without having the association of a musician, nobody can learn the art of music. Or any art. Suppose if you want to become an engineer. So you have to enter yourself in an engineering college or technical college and learn there. Nobody can become a medical practitioner simply by purchasing book from the market and reading at home. That is not possible. You have to admit yourself in a medical college and undergo training and practical examination, so many things. Simply by purchasing book, it is not possible.

Similarly, if you want to learn Bhagavad-gītā or any transcendental subject matter, here is the instruction by Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself. Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself, because He is the speaker of this Bhagavad-gītā, He says that tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34):

You must go to a person where you can surrender yourself. That means you have to check, "Who is the real person who can give me instruction on Bhagavad-gītā or any Vedic literature, or any scripture, right?" And not that to search out a person as a, whimsically. No. You have to search out a person very serious, that who is actually in the knowledge of the thing. Otherwise why you shall surrender? No. There is no necessity of surrender.

But here it is said clearly that, "You have to surrender to a person." That means you have to find out such a person where you can voluntarily surrender. Without finding, your mission will not be fulfilled. Because very word, first thing, is . . . just like Arjuna in the beginning. We have discussed that point. Arjuna was talking with Kṛṣṇa in friendly terms, just like friend. He was . . . Kṛṣṇa was saying something, "Oh, you cannot . . . you are a kṣatriya. You are a military man. How can you give up the fighting?" Just like friendly talks. But when Arjuna saw it, that "Our friendly talk will not make a solution," so he surrendered unto Kṛṣṇa that, "I'll . . . siṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam (BG 2.7):

"I just become surrendered disciple unto You. Please instruct me what is my duty." So this is the process. Here also, Kṛṣṇa advises that "If you have to learn," say, for Bhagavad-gītā, "then you have to go to a person where you can surrender." Not only surrender—not blindly surrender—you must be able to enquire. Paripraśna. The next qualification is paripraśna. Paripraśna means enquiry. Without enquiry, you cannot make advance. Just like a student in the school who enquires from the teacher, he's very intelligent. Even a boy, a child, if he enquires from the father, "Oh, father, what is this? What is this?" that child is very intelligent. Very intelligent.

So enquiry is required, so not only praṇipāta . . . "Oh, I have found out a very good spiritual master, very learned and very good, soul. All right. I have surrendered. Then all my business finished." No. That is not . . . you may have a very good spiritual master, but if you have no power to enquire, then you cannot make progress. Enquiries must be there. But enquiry, how enquiry? Not to challenge. Enquiry, not that "Oh, I shall see what kind of spiritual master he is. Let me challenge him and put some irrelevant question and talk nonsensically, this way and that way." Oh, that will not make . . . enquiry on the point. Paripraśna means enquiry on the point, and that enquiry should be sevā.

Sevā means service. Not that: "Oh, I have enquired so many things from such-and-such person. Oh, I have not rendered any payment or any service, so I have gained." No. Without service, your enquiry will be futile. So three things here: praṇipāta, paripraśna and sevā. Praṇipāta. Praṇipāta means you must have the qualification to, at least, to find out a person who is actually qualified to give you real instruction. That you have to do. That remains on you.

Suppose you have to purchase some gold or jewelry, and if you do not know where to purchase, if you go to a grocer shop to purchase a jewel, oh, then you'll be cheated. If he says . . . go to a grocer shop and ask, "Oh, can you give me diamond?" he will understand that "Here is a fool. So let him . . . give him something: This is diamond." "Oh. What is the price?" He can charge anything, and when you come home, your relatives say, "What you have brought?" "This is diamond. I went to the grocer shop." So that kind of finding spiritual master will not do. You have to become a little intelligent. Because without being intelligent nobody can make any spiritual progress.

Athāto brahma . . . in the Brahma-sūtra, in the Vedānta-sūtra, it is stated, athāto brahma jijñāsā. Brahma-jijñāsā. Brahma-jijñāsā means to enquire, enquire about the supreme subject matter, Brahman. That requires a qualification. Atha. Atha means those who have become experienced of this miserable life of this material world. They can enquire. They can enquire what is Absolute Truth, what is spiritual life. Athāto brahma jijñāsā.

Similarly, in the Bhāgavata also it is stated, tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21).

Śreya uttamam. Uttamam means the udgata-tamam. That is transcendental. Tama means darkness. Anything of this material world, that is in darkness, because this material world is dark. You know that the whole world, whole universe, is dark. Therefore there is requisition of the sunlight, moonlight, electricity. It is dark. So uttamam means which is beyond this darkness. Beyond this darkness. That means transcendental subject, spiritual subject. In the spiritual world there is no darkness.

So if anyone is desirous of inquiring about the spiritual world, then he requires to find out a spiritual master. Otherwise there is no necessity. For a man who wants to remain in this darkness, for material benefit . . . suppose I want some spiritual master or I want to study Bhagavad-gītā or Vedānta-sūtra so that I may make some material improvement. Oh, that is not required. For material improvement you can work, just so many people are working—they are making, trying industry or something like . . . that is prescribed. But if you are at all interested about the Brahman subject, the spiritual subject, then you require a spiritual master.

That is clearly stated. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta (SB 11.3.21). Tasmāt means "Therefore one has to surrender unto the spiritual master." Who? Who is jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam: "Who is very much eager to understand about the transcendental subject." So any Vedic literature the same instruction you'll find, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā:

tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ
jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ
(BG 4.34)

Jñāninaḥ means jñānī, or a man who is in perfect knowledge. Perfect knowledge means one who has perfect vision of the perfect—not theoretical, but actual vision of the spiritual subject matter. He is called jñānī. Jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ. Tattva, tattva means the Absolute Truth. Now, so far tattva is concerned, you'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā that Kṛṣṇa is the supreme tattva, Absolute Truth.

Now, He explains that manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3): "Out of many, many thousands of people, a few people may try how to get spiritual salvation." Not all. Everyone is not expected to hanker after spiritual salvation. That requires also many, many years' qualification. So manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu. After many . . . out of many, many thousands of people, one is very much anxious for spiritual realization. And then Lord Kṛṣṇa says, yatatām api siddhānām (BG 7.3):

And out of many perfected spiritualist, some may know what is Kṛṣṇa. Just try to understand. First of all, out of many, many, many thousands of people who wants to have perfection in spiritual life, then those persons who have attained such perfection, out of them, one or two may understand what is Kṛṣṇa.

So the subject matter of Kṛṣṇa is not so easy. It is very difficult also. But one can understand very easily. That process is also prescribed in the Bhagavad-gītā:

bhaktyā mām abhijānāti
yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ
tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā
viśate tad-anantaram
(BG 18.55)

Bhakti, devotional service. That devotional service if you accept, you can understand that difficult subject matter of Kṛṣṇa very easily. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti. Abhijānāti means perfectly you can understand. Yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ. Tattvataḥ means the Absolute Truth as it is, you can understand. And tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā: and after understanding the Kṛṣṇa science very perfectly, he becomes eligible to enter into that spiritual kingdom. These things are stated. So here, we are discussing this point that:

tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ
jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ
(BG 4.34)

So if we actually want to reach that point of perfectional knowledge where we can fully surrender . . . now, the intelligent person . . . according to my opinion—I have several times discussed this point—that if it is a point that after many, many births, when I am fully perfect in knowledge, I have to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, then why not immediately surrender to Him? Why shall I wait for many, many births? Oh, that is very intelligent proposal. If that is the end of perfection, then why not accept the perfection immediately? But people are doubtful.

Somebody asked me . . . that, I think, Mr. Moscowitz asked me this question; I answered this point. His enquiry was, "How long it will take to be perfect in Kṛṣṇa consciousness?" So I replied that Kṛṣṇa consciousness can be had in one second, and it cannot be had in thousands of birth and death. So why? But if we understand this principle that after attainment of full knowledge, I have to ultimately surrender to vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti, I have to become the, I mean to say, sa mahātmā, a great soul like that, why not immediately surrender to Kṛṣṇa? Why not become immediately the supreme, I mean to say, great soul, sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ? That is a process.

But we are, some of us, or most of us, we are not prepared to accept immediately Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme, or we have got many doubts. Therefore, in order to drive away, dissipate all your doubtful ideas, the śāstras, the scriptures, the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavata, are there, and if we make scrutinizingly study of these two books, we can understand the Kṛṣṇa science very nicely, and our progress in the matter of Kṛṣṇa consciousness will be definite.

Thank you very much. If there is any question, you can ask. (break)

Brahman and Supersoul, we have been discussing this morning. Perhaps just we began the verse and you have forgot. Just like myself, I am soul, the spiritual soul. My place is within this heart. Now, in the medical science, they have found it that the heart is the center of all vitality of this body. The, I mean, modern materialistic science, they have found that whatever we are eating, it is going to the stomach and it is being transformed into various types of secretions, and the important secretion is coming to the heart and it is becoming red by coming to the heart. Then again from the heart there are many veins; it is being distributed to different parts of the body. So . . . but they could not found that where is the point where from this vitality is coming. Where from this vitality is coming, they could not find it. They have localized that "Here is the source of all energy."

Now, in the Bhagavad-gītā you will find that Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate . . . ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8):

"I am the origin, fountainhead of everything, and everything what is being produced, it is from Me." Similarly, the soul is a fragmental, fractional portion of Kṛṣṇa. So now the modern scientist, they have localized the point wherefrom the energies are coming. Now that point is there. That fragmental portion of Kṛṣṇa is there in the heart. That is Brahman.

And . . . but that is fragmental portion. So Brahman means this fragmental portion. And the Supreme Brahman . . . what was that question? Brahman? Supersoul. Supersoul is Kṛṣṇa. Supersoul is Kṛṣṇa, and we . . . I am, you are, you are soul, we are jīva, and the Supreme Soul is Kṛṣṇa. This verse the next morning we shall discuss. We came this morning just up to that point. We've come up to anyam, that verse.

So Supersoul, Supersoul is the Supreme Lord. Supersoul is also there. They are situated together. From the Vedic Upaniṣads we get this information that two birds are sitting on one tree. The one bird is eating the fruits, and the other bird is simply witness. So witnessing bird is the Supersoul, and the bird which is enjoying and suffering of this material contamination, or attachment, that is soul. Is it clear?

Devotee (1): You mean actually Kṛṣṇa is in here?

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa . . . yes. He is in the still more higher position. You are very intelligent. This Supersoul is also partial representation of Kṛṣṇa. Just like the sun, the real sun, and the reflection of sun. If you have got thousands of pots in your presence, you will find the reflection of the sun in thousands of the pots, but the real sun is one. Similarly, this Supersoul is the reflection of the reality, partial reflection of the Supreme. Is it clear?

Just like you are standing here, and at noon the sun is on your head. And five thousand miles away you enquire from somebody, "Where is sun?" he will say: "Oh, it is on my head." Five thousand miles this way or that way, any way you enquire, many, many people, many thousands of people you enquire, they will say, everyone will say that, "The sun is on my head." Similarly, although the sun is one, as he is perceived that he is present on everyone's head, similarly, although Kṛṣṇa is one without a second, by inconceivable transcendental power He can be present in everyone's heart. Akhilātma-bhūtaḥ. Goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūtaḥ (Bs 5.37).

That is the power of Kṛṣṇa. That is the power of Supersoul. We cannot. Suppose I am sitting here, you are sitting here. You are not at your home. I am not in India, I am sitting here. I cannot sit simultaneously in India and America. That is not possible for me, because I am not Supersoul. But the Supersoul can be present everywhere. You will find this explanation in the Thirteenth Chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā. Now we are discussing the Fourth Chapter. When we go to the Thirteenth Chapter, this point will be more clearly explained.

Devotee: (indistinct) . . . [break)

Prabhupāda: . . . about the spiritual master. So your question should have been on the matter of spiritual master, because we invite questions on the subject which we discuss in this point. This is also relevant question, because we will read from the Bhagavad-gītā. Now we have discussed about the position of the spiritual master. Now, if you have got any question about that, the relationship between the spiritual master and the disciple, if you have got any doubts, if you have any questions, that you ask.

Devotee (2): If one surrenders to a spiritual master, what then is their relationship to Kṛṣṇa?

Prabhupāda: Oh. Spiritual master is the representative of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, surrendering to the spiritual master means surrendering to Kṛṣṇa. He is the bona fide. Spiritual master is just like, as just I explained the śloka, hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi vidhunoti suhṛt satām (SB 1.2.17)

I'll try to relate one nice story in this connection, the story of Dhruva Mahārāja. Dhruva Mahārāja was a child, and he was insulted by his stepmother. So he went to his own mother and he prayed, "My dear mother"—he was five years old only—"my stepmother has insulted me in this way. I was sitting on the lap of my father, and he (she) dragged me out. She told me that 'You cannot sit on the lap on your father.' " So he was the son of king, so he felt insulted and he went to his mother and cried. Then he asked his mother, "What is the remedy?" Because he was a son of a kṣatriya, he was resentful.

So his mother directed, "My dear son, your father do not care for me, so he will not hear whatever I say. So if God can help you, then you can get revenge." Then—he was child—he said: "Oh, where is God?" Then mother replied, "Oh, we understand that God is in the forest. Somebody goes to the forest and realizes God. So you cannot go, my dear son." "No, I shall go."

So he went to the forest. He went to the forest, and he was asking the tiger, "Oh, you are God?" The elephant, "You are God?" Just like a child. Then when he was so serious, then, because God is within himself, then he was . . . Nārada was sent to him that, "You go to the boy. How he is anxious that what is the actual point, you just try to help him."

So this is the process. When we are seriously anxious about understanding the science of God, then God is within you—He will make your relationship with such a spiritual master who will enlighten you further and further. So practically, the spiritual master is the representative of Kṛṣṇa. Now, it depends on me. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham (BG 4.11).

The degree of my serious thought, if I am seriously about actually perception of the Supreme Lord, then I will get such a spiritual master who can give me information of the Supreme Lord. But if I want something else, then Kṛṣṇa will help you in that way also, you will get something else.

So ye yathā māṁ prapadyante. The spiritual master is the representative of Kṛṣṇa, and He, Kṛṣṇa, is sitting within your heart. And as you are anxious, your degree of anxiety will be helped by Kṛṣṇa by sending similar quality of spiritual master.

Let us have kirtan. (end)

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