jïänaà te ‘haà sa-vijïänam
idaà vakñyämy açeñataù
yaj jïätvä neha bhüyo ‘nyaj
jïätavyam avaçiñyate
(BG 7.2)
Translation
I shall now declare unto you in full this knowledge both phenomenal and nominal, by knowing which there should remain nothing further to be known.
Purport
Complete knowledge includes knowledge of the phenomenal world, the spirit behind it, and the source of both of them. This is transcendental knowledge. The Lord wants to explain the above-mentioned system of knowledge because Arjuna is Kåñëa’s confidential devotee and friend. In the beginning of the Fourth Chapter this explanation was given by the Lord, and it is again ,vv, confirmed here: complete knowledge can be achieved only by the devotee of the Lord in disciplic succession directly from the Lord. Therefore one should be intelligent enough to know the source of all knowledge, who is the cause of all causes and the only object for meditation in all types of yoga practice. When the cause of all causes becomes known, then everything knowable becomes known, and nothing remains unknown. The Vedas (Muëòaka Upaniñad 1.3) say, kasminn u bhagavo vijïäte sarvam idaà vijïätaà bhavati.
We are reading this evening from Sri Bhagavad Gita 7th chapter which is entitled “Knowledge of the Absolute”. Here, Krishna is making a profound and absolute claim that the teachings of Bhagavad Gita explain everything both eternal and temporary. Whatever is to be known within this universe and beyond is being taught by Supreme Lord himself in these most sacred pages of Bhagavad Gita.
Krishna explains the most confidential knowledge
Krishna explains,
räja-vidyä räja-guhyaà
pavitram idam uttamam
pratyakñävagamaà dharmyaà
su-sukhaà kartum avyayam
(BG 9.2)
That this knowledge, it is the king of education; it is the most confidential wisdom. Why? Because by understanding these teachings, we can have direct perception of the self and attain eternal joy. There are so many forms of education in this world. We send our children to elementary school, then to high school, then to college, university and they get more and more degrees, more and more titles after their names. But Krishna explains that this information of the Gita is the king of knowledge because it describes the truth. In our material educational systems, they are explaining to us so many various ways by which through our mind and through our bodies we can manipulate this material energy, by which we can earn more money, by which we can become more prestigious and famous by our work. But none of these things can bring about an understanding of the truth, nor can they give one real happiness. Why? Because we must understand what is happiness? In order to understand what is happiness, we must understand who we are? This is the first basic teaching of Gita; that we are not this body.
Who are we? The body or the soul?
We are not of this material nature. We are living within this body. But who are we? Just as when you are driving in a car, an automobile, the automobile is serving a particular purpose. Perhaps it is a very important purpose and you supply the automobile its needs by giving it petrol and oil. But what are the needs of the driver of the automobile? Not petrol, not oil, If you drink petrol you will die, or at the least you will become terribly sick. In the same way, by trying to give pleasure to our true selves by giving enjoyment to this body and this mind, it is like giving petrol to the driver of the automobile; because we are not these bodies.
dehino ‘smin yathä dehe
kaumäraà yauvanaà jarä
tathä dehäntara-präptir
dhéras tatra na muhyati
(BG 2.13)
väsäàsi jérëäni yathä vihäya
naväni gåhëäti naro ‘paräëi
tathä çaréräëi vihäya jérëäny
anyäni saàyäti naväni dehé
(BG 2.22)
That the eternal soul, the atma, which is the true person of our own existence, is travelling through various stages of this body’s development. As a witness we watch how our body is born and then the soul moves through this body as it is passing through childhood, and then youth, and then middle age, old age, and what happens at the time of death? Krishna says, just like you take off your clothes to change into another set of clothes, this is what takes place at death. The eternal soul changes bodies.
na jäyate mriyate vä kadäcin
näyaà bhütvä bhavitä vä na bhüyaù
ajo nityaù çäçvato ‘yaà puräëo
na hanyate hanyamäne çarére
(BG 2.20)
But Krishna declares, for soul there is no such thing as birth, nor is there death. The soul is eternal, it is transcendental. It is part of God. Part, the atma, is the part and parcel of Paramatma. And therefore, Gita declares, that the greatest ignorance is to think yourself the enjoyer of this body.
ye hi saàsparça-jä bhogä
duùkha-yonaya eva te
ädy-antavantaù kaunteya
na teñu ramate budhaù
(BG 5.22)
Krishna says that the non-permanent pleasures that come to this body are the sources of all misery because they have a beginning and an end. They give no pleasure to the soul. This most fundamental essential teaching is the basis of all spiritual development. Unless we realize that we are not this body and stop trying to enjoy through this body and learn to give enjoyment to the soul, then there is no question of understanding any higher realms of spiritual philosophy. It is all an illusion. An illusion in the sense that we cannot understand it.
Maharaj Chitraketu’s misery
There is a beautiful story in Srimad Bhagvatam which illustrates so perfectly what Krishna is telling Arjuna in the Gita. There was a great king, his name was Chitraketu. And Maharaj Chitraketu, he had everything a person could want in life. He was young, he was healthy, he was fantastically handsome. He was the king, he lived in a beautiful beautiful royal palace. He had hundreds and thousands of servants and maidservants willing to give their life for him. He had millions of soldiers in his armies, willing to do whatever he so instructed them. And all of the citizens respected him and loved him. And he had many many beautiful wives, each one had lovely complexion, lotus like eyes and were very charming in every respect and massive massive gold and various forms of wealth. No one in this world today could have what Maharaj Chitraketu had, but he was completely miserable, he was suffering terribly. It is the nature of this material world that how much you acquire, if one thing in your life goes wrong, everything is miserable. No matter what you have, it doesn’t matter.
Threefold miseries
There are three types of miseries that can come upon this body and mind at any moment; adhyatmika, adhybautika, adhydaivika. Adhyatmika means miseries cause by one’s own body and mind. I remember when I was young one of the wealthiest billionaires in all the world. He had so much power, so much prestige, so much money; they don’t know what to do with it all. He was in an interview and he was explaining how miserable he was. Why? Because he had some health problem and every time he passed urine, it was so painful that he wished he would die. And he would have to pass urine, all day long. Such a great soul, he is miserable!! So what is the use of all my wealth, all my big jet airplanes, all my millions of employees? When all day long I am fearing the next time I have to pass water. The miseries of the body and the miseries of the mind.
Another great rich man, one of the rockerfellers, his son died. He was eaten alive by cannibals, while he was doing a sociological study to get his Ph.d in New Guinea; one island somewhere. He said whatever I have in this world, whatever my forefathers have given me can give me no pleasure, because my son is dead. This is called adhyatmika.; that whoever you are, whatever you have accomplished in life; at any moment the miseries of the body and the mind can spoil everything.
And then there is adhybautika; miseries caused by other living beings. Sometimes they cause physical harm to us, sometimes they insult us. It’s so painful. For one who has been honored, dishonor is worse than death. Whose that one famous musician that was suppose to come to Delhi and sing and dance from America? He was very famous, he has millions upon millions, perhaps billions of dollars. God knows. And wherever he goes, people crowd by the tens and thousands, hundreds of thousands to see him. But some little boy discredited him, spoke some bad things against him and now he is mentally completely miserable. His life is ruined. This is the nature of material existence; adhybautika and at any moment someone can come into your life and create terrible suffering.
And then there is adhydaivika. Just like tonite, the people arranging this program, they had everything nicely set up outside and then it started to rain. Haribol! And they were in too much anxiety because did not expect rain, monsoon rainstorm in middle of January. But these powers which are beyond human ability to control are always upon us. Sometimes there is floods, sometimes there is earthquakes. Last year, in La toire Kilari, these people just people like you and me, ordinary common people; they perform their work during the day. The husbands came home from their work like any day. The mothers greeted and finished all their household duties. The children came home from school and they went to sleep like any day; taking it for granted that they will wake up tomorrow and continue pursuing their dreams in life. But beyond anyone’s control, Maharaj makes a growling sound; there was earthquake. And over ten thousand of them, they never woke up. What to speak of those who survived, who had lost their mothers, their fathers, their beloved children, their friends. How much suffering? How much misery? Krishna explains in Gita
mäm upetya punar janma
duùkhälayam açäçvatam
näpnuvanti mahätmänaù
saàsiddhià paramäà gatäù
(BG 8.15)
That don’t try to make this material world a place for your happiness, because it’s a place where misery can strike in anytime. Realize the eternal self; impart eternal joy to those you love. This is human existence. There are earthquakes, volcanoes, excessive heat, excessive cold, droughts. In this way, every conditioned being is subjected to these threefold miseries and they are all utterly beyond our control.
Maharaj Chitraketu’s greatest desire fulfilled
Maharaj Chitraketu, he had everything, but he was miserable. So one day a great sadhu, Angira rishi came to his palace and Maharaj Chitraketu being a cultured and religious man, immediately understood that being a wordly king is not a very high position; but being a soul who has realized God is the highest position. Angira Muni, he had no material wealth, he had no home, he would just wander about sleeping in a different place every night begging for food; just wearing the simple cloth of a sadhu. But Maharaj Chitraketu greeted him by placing him on his own throne, washing his feet and sitting at his lotus feet and with great humility he bowed his head to the ground. And Angira Muni, he inquired from Maharaj Chitraketu: Is there something wrong? You look so sad! You have everything, but still you look so sad! What is it; please tell me? And Maharaj Chitraketu said, I have everything, but I do not have a son. I have so many wives but none of them will grant me a son and I have tried so hard. He said, he used the example; that just as a person who is starving from hunger and thirst; if you give him a nice garland of flowers and put sandalwood on his head. Will he find any satisfaction? He needs food; in the same way I have everything. But without a son, I am miserable. Angira Muni: You think this is the reason you’re miserable? Alright! By my powers, I will arrange for you to have a son; and Angira Muni performed a yagna, sacrifice. And from the sacrifice there was some prasad, some sacred food. He said you give this to your favourite wife. And he did. And soon after that she became pregnant and a child was born. A beautiful child. And Angira Muni said you should name this child; Harshashoka. Harsha means joy and shoka means lamentation. Because this child will give you joy and lamentation. Infact, everything in this world will give you joy and lamentation. So when this son was born, Chitraketu was so happy, he was rejoicing, he had wonderful festival. The whole kingdom was singing and dancing; The king has a son! A new prince has been born. Hari bol! Devotees chant: Hari bol! He began to give so much charity and his eyes were just filled with tears of joy upon looking at this beautiful child and the mother of this child became so infatuated with attachment. They were so happy; but you know the nature of this world is: One man’s food is another man’s poison. What brings you happiness, may bring sorrow to another. So Chitraketu and the whole kingdom and especially his wife, his principal queen were very very happy. Intoxicated with bliss! But, the other wives they began to burn with envy.
Envy and hatred; the true nature of material life
This is the conclusion of material life; the more you have, the more people will envy you and hate you. And why do we have so much? Because we want to impress those people. If you notice very wealthy people, they don’t need all the things they have. They want to impress people. A few years ago I was in France, Paris; there is a place called “The Louvre” which is big big museum. Originally, this museum was a magnificent, gigantic, opulent palace for a king. With incredible guardees, and fountains and statues; this place has so many rooms and so much opulence that probably he never even saw everything he had. So why does he have it? Even his family, there is no way they can go all the….It would take a whole lifetime to go from room to room and enjoy what’s in it. And then other palaces and other places. It was only for one reason; to impress people. So that people will think he is great! But did he impress people? Externally Yes! Externally everyone says; Oh! You are so great. Why do they say that? Because they want to take something from you. But internally they are envious. Why him? Why not me? I should be enjoying these luxuries. You buy a new car to impress your friends and outwardly they will say Oh! Such a wonderful car; I am so happy for you! But internally they are saying; that rascal! I should have this car! Why him? Why not me? There is no love in this world on the basis of material acquisition.
Demoniac act by the other queens of Maharaj Chitraketu
So although the queens were celebrating Oh! Our Chitraketu has such a wonderful child and they were throwing flowers on the child and they were celebrating and singing and dancing. In their hearts, they were so envious that they conspired together to kill the child with poison. In the same way, that king in France, the same people telling how nice he was; they ended up chopping off his head and taking the powers for themselves. Haribol! Devotees chant: Haribol! This is material life! It is a fact, it is history. So the queens gave poison to the child and he died. A little baby! How cruel! And these were pious people. Try to understand these were not demons, they were pious, faithful, chaste, highly cultured ladies. But when envy bruise within the heart, it becomes like a fire and that fire consumes all your good intelligence and all your good qualities and you become demoniac. We see in our own lives, even brothers, when they become envious of one another, they become enemies. Even fathers and sons, due to envy they become enemies. Husbands and wives due to envy they become enemies. So the child appeared to be in very deep sleep and the nurse was told by the mother; My child is sleeping so nicely, please wake him up. Harshashoka! Harshashoka please wake up! Wakeup! He didn’t wake up. Then she realized his eyes were rolled into his head and they was no signs of life. She fell unconscious and began to weep as soon she again came into the external consciousness. When the queen heard what had happened and saw her dead baby, she began to wail, and scream and cry and fall unconscious. And when the news came to King Chitraketu, he was delirious in pain and misery. He was walking and falling and walking and falling and when he finally came to his son and saw him dead; all he could do is cry. His heart was broken, his life was destroyed. He could no longer take the position of a king or anything. All he could do is lament.
Real problems common to all
So Angira Muni, he came back to the kingdom along with Sri Narada Muni. So now your son is dead, they began preaching to him that you do not understand the nature of this world. Like two grains of sand come together in the river and then are separated. This is the nature of our relationship with everyone whether they be our husbands, our wives, our children, our friends, our countrymen. Do you not understand the eternal nature of the soul? This understanding is the only refuge from suffering. We can make so many arrangements individually, collectively, nationally, internationally to solve the problems of the world, but there is no solution to birth, old age, disease and death. Janma mrtyu jara vyadhi, duhkha doshanudarsanam (BG 13.9) Krishna says these are the real problems; birth, old age, disease and death and no matter how many hospitals you construct, and no matter how much medical technology and no matter how many armies, and no matter how many nations join the United Nations, and no matter how many bombs we build to protect ourselves, still everyone is destined to grow old, get diseased and die. These are the real problems. You can shoot rocket shifts to the moon, to Mars, to Venus; but still the same problems remain right at home birth, old age, disease and death. What is the solution? Hospitals, medical technology, politicians, armies all these things; they are useful to create some temporary arrangement of peace in this world. But ultimately death is violent! To transcend death to spiritual knowledge and realization is the only solution to the problems of this world. In so many ways, they explain this to Maharaj Chitraketu. To the degree you’re attached to anything in this world, to that degree you will suffer when it’s taken away. And it will be taken away, one way or other.
Harshashoka reveals his true identity
Maharaj Chitraketu with great thankfulness in his heart, he said everything you say is true. Please instruct me how I can realize these teachings and Narada Muni told him a particular mantra which he should chant, which is comprised of the holy names of God; Vasudev. And he told him, you chant this mantra sincerely and you will realize the highest truth. And then Narada Muni brought the son back to life. He said Harshashoka, do not! Do not you see that you left your father weeping, lamenting so terribly? Come back, explain to us. So the son stood up and began to speak. He said I am not Harshashoka, I am the jivatma. I am the eternal soul, and who is my mother? Who is my father? I have transmigrated through 8,400,000 species of life. I have had mothers and fathers, as fish, as trees and plants. At one time, I was insect, reptile, I went through all the various species of beasts and animals and birds. And in this humans, so many human forms I have had. Which father and mother do you want me to be attached to? By your Supreme will, by the Supreme will of the Lord, we all are destined to live in a particular place for sometime and then we must go.
Universal Laws of Karma
Krishna explains in the Gita, the nature of Karma. This material creation is consisting of the three modes of material nature; Rajo guna, tama guna and sattva guna and according to our actions; sinful or pious we must accept a particular reaction. This is called Karma. It is an undeniable, irrefutable law that no one can escape. Karma is a law of nature! There is a law of nature called Gravity. Simple! What goes up must come down. Anything you throw up will come down. This……A child can understand; what goes up must come down; because it is the law of the world. You can send….. what happened recently, Indian Airlines, they sent one airplane up and it ran out of fuel so it had to come down; couldn’t stay up very long; landed in some; somebody’s rice field. When it’s time to come down, you go down. The law of Karma is for every action there is an equal corresponding reaction. You cause harm to another, that harm must come upon you. You act sinfully; you must get an equal corresponding misery in your own life. And if you act pious, whatever good you have done, pleasure will come to you. But today even in our own schools and colleges and even in our own homes; people are not educated to understand the laws of nature. You kill an animal to eat it, but you do not know that in killing that animal and causing it pain; whether you kill it yourself or whether your part of conspiracy by paying for the death of that animal; you must suffer the same pain that that animal has suffered. You may say I don’t believe it, you may as well not believe that what goes up, must come down. For every action, there is an equal corresponding reaction. You cause pain to another, you suffer. Today in the name of family planning, there is abortion and all politicians are arguing over whether it should be legal, illegal. But it doesn’t matter what they decide because the laws of nature remain the same. If the politicians decide that what goes up does not come down, still it’s going to come down. This watch is not going to last very long in my hands! Similarly, you kill a child according to manu-smrti, you will have to be killed within the womb of your mother time and time again as a reaction. This is the laws of nature. You cheat someone, you will be cheated; either in this life or in the future. But, some people they think, How is this possible? I know people who are so crooked and so lying and so cheating and they are very happy and prosperous. And I know nice, pious, honest, religious people who are suffering. Doesn’t make sense! But this is a limited vision. You must know that there is a saying in English that “The mills of God, they grind slow but exceedingly fine.” It’s just a matter of time! Just like an example, If you have a container holding rice and you take out from the bottom of the container and put it through the top. If you put good rice in it in the beginning, then you’re getting nice rice. But if you put stale rice in, it’s just a matter of time till that stale rice comes out. Similarly, some people they have performed great pious, virtuous, religious activities and they are enjoying but now because of their pride; they just see how pious and successful I am, they become sinful. But after all their piety wears out, what awaits them all the miseries and sufferings of their irreligious activities. Cannot escape! And some people have been sinful in the past; but, now they are living very wholly pure lives. So, let whatever residue of remaining Karma come out and then all of the good pleasures of this world will come upon them. This is the laws of Karma.
Devotee of Lord is beyond good and bad Karma
But, Krishna explains in Gita
trai-guëya-viñayä vedä
nistrai-guëyo bhavärjuna
nirdvandvo nitya-sattva-stho
niryoga-kñema ätmavän
(BG 2.45)
that good karma and bad karma; it is all ultimately material and it is all ultimately going to end in death. So, therefore we must learn to live for the truth. We must be educated to understand what is really the goal of life. Maharaj Chitraketu upon hearing his son speak, upon hearing his son explain that I am simply acting according to the ultimate will of the Lord; he became enlightened. And his son laid down and again died and Maharaj Chitraketu surrendered to the instructions of his Gurudev, chanted the holy name of God become a completely purified self-realized soul experiencing the immortal bliss of Krishna. The Vedanta Sutra explains, Athato-Brhama jignasa. This human life is exclusively meant for realizing that Absolute Truth.
Prabhupada establishes supremacy of Krishna
Srila Prabhupada, our Guru Maharaj use to say that whatever we learn, whatever we do in this world is like so many zeroes. However much education, however much money, however much power; it’s all like so many zeroes because at the time of death you have nothing and death can come at any moment. Krishna is like the ONE, anything that follows that ONE only increases the value of your life. It is not that education is wrong; education is good provided we understand how to use it according to our constitutional position. This is the basic principle of Gita. Krishna spoke this knowledge to Arjuna. Arjuna was not a Sannyasi, he was a householder. He had several wives. He was not a Brahmana, he was a warrior and he went to the ashram of Dronacharya which was like a university and he learnt so many subjects from him. Duryodhana learned the same thing that Arjuna did at the same college. But what was the difference between Duryodhana and Arjuna? Arjuna did it for Krishna and Duryodhana did it for his own selfish purposes. And what was the result? One suffered a terrible death and one attained eternal love and eternal life. To utilize whatever this world has to give us according to our true eternal position is knowledge. This is the teachings of Gita.
Krishna instructs keep “me” in the center of all the activities
Krishna says in Gita yaj juhoñi dadäsi yat, yat tapasyasi kaunteya,tat kuruñva mad-arpaëam. (BG9.27) whatever you eat, whatever you offer and give away, do it as an offering of love to me. This is our nature. We are eternally part of Krishna. We are the eternal servants of Krishna. Whether we are businessman, or whether we are mothers, or whether we are doctors or lawyers or farmers or teachers or students; if we learn how to perform our occupation in consciousness of Krishna, in the service of Krishna; our life is perfect.
sarva-dharmän parityajya
mäm ekaà çaraëaà vraja
ahaà tväà sarva-päpebhyo
mokñayiñyämi mä çucaù
(BG 18.66)
Krishna says you abandon all varieties of religious principles and surrender to me. What does it mean to surrender to Krishna?
man-manä bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yäjé mäà namaskuru
mäm evaiñyasi satyaà te
pratijäne priyo ‘si me
(BG 18.65)
Always think of me; Krishna says. Become my devotee, worship me, offer your homage to me. Arjuna’s qualification for understanding the Gita was he was Krishna’s devotee; willing to surrender his life and everything within his life for the pleasure of Krishna.
Unalloyed Devotional Service attracts Krishna
Bhakto ‘si me sakhä ceti, rahasyaà hy etad uttamam. (BG 4.3) Gita teaches that it is only through devotion that he can be understood as he is. The Supreme Absolute Truth does not require our high education. He does not require our money.
vedähaà samatétäni
vartamänäni cärjuna
bhaviñyäëi ca bhütäni
mäà tu veda na kaçcana
(BG 7.26)
Krishna says I know everything happening in the past, everything that will happen in the future; I know every living being. Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyo. (BG 15.15) He is the compiler of all the Vedas. He is the knower of the Vedas. He is the goal of the Vedanta. Do you think by learning hundreds and thousands of shlokas, you can impress Krishna? Do you think by being a great stalward philospher you can impress Krishna? No! He doesn’t need your knowledge. He is the source of all knowledge. Do you think by giving some donation of money or building a temple; you will please Krishna? He is Laxmipati! He is the Lord and the husband of Laxmidevi. What does he need your money? What does he need your donation? Do you think he needs your influence or your prestige? By his glance he can create or destroy the entire cosmic manifestation. Krishna is Atmaram! He requires nothing from anyone. But, he is bhakta-vatsal! He is always hungry to taste the sweetness of the love of his devotees. Mother Yasoda, she was a gopi, she was not a big scholar. She lived in the simple village of Vrajabhumi. She would churn the butter and she would clean the pots. She was a mother but such a nice mother and she loved Krishna. And because of that love; Krishna became like a dancing puppet in her hands. When she would become angry with Krishna out of her love, Krishna would run away in fear. That same Krishna whose mere partial expansion was Lord Narsingha Dev, who fearlessly ripped apart the greatest of all demons; Hiranyakashipu; who Brahma, Shiva, Indra, Vayu; they were afraid to even approach. He was so big, terrible and ferocious. The Supreme source of Lord Narsingha Dev is trembling with tears in his eyes out of fear of Mother Yasoda because he had just stolen butter. What was Mother Yasoda’s power to make the Supreme Godhead sub-ordinate? Her love! Her bhakti! Her devotion! Sridham, one of the cowherd friends; he would wrestle with Krishna and he would defeat Krishna each and every time. How is it that a little cowherd boy defeats the Supreme Personality of Godhead? Because Krishna is all-powerful. Do you think Krishna is going to take pleasure in beating up Subhal or Sridama? Just like a father. When a father plays with his little son, the son is 5 years old. The father is 45. Do you think it will give the father pleasure that to beat up his son? But when he lets the son beat him up, it gives great pleasure. YES! YES! YES! I am defeated. The son! YES!, YES!, YES! I have beat up my father. This is pleasurable! Krishna allows himself to be defeated by the love of his devotees. This is the essence of Gita. Bhaktyä mäm abhijänäti, yävän yaç cäsmi tattvataù (BG 18.55) Krishna says it is only through pure unalloyed devotion that I can be known as I am; that I can be realized as I am. And how to awaken that devotion which is the eternal natural quality of our own soul; of our jivatma? Krishna explains by always thinking of him, by offering whatever we do in his loving service. It is so simple! Krishna appeared in this age of Kali-yuga in order to teach by his own example; how to live and perfect the realization of the Gita. He appeared as the yuga-avatar; Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Lord Sri Chaitanya; he taught Prema Pumartha Mahan! That there are so many goals of life that people are striving for; but there was one Supreme goal; to love Krishna. It is the only goal that will completely satisfy all your hearts’ desires forever.
All living entities are devotees of the Lord
nitya-siddha krsna-prema sadhya kabhu naya
sravanvadi-suddha-citte karaye udaya
(CC Madhya 22.107)
And that love of Krishna is dormant. It is within the heart of every living being. How to awaken that inherent love? How to awaken the original consciousness within us which is Sac-cid-Ananda; eternal, Full of knowledge, and full of bliss? All of the scriptures declare the simple process by associating with saintly persons; Sadhu Sanga. Without Sadhu Sanga there is no possibility of anyone making any true spiritual progress. sravanvadi-suddha-citte karaye udaya (CC Madhya 22.107) And what is the most wonderful, relishable activity that takes place amongst devotees of the Lord when they come together? They hear the glories of the Lord and they chant his holy names. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. In this age of Kali-yuga there is no more effective process of remembering Krishna and reviving our original spiritual consciousness than chanting the names of God in the association of his devotees. It is so simple and so wonderful.
kaler doña-nidhe räjann
asti hy eko mahän guëaù
kértanäd eva kåñëasya
mukta-saìgaù paraà vrajet
(SB 12.3.51)
That this age of Kali-yuga which we are living in; it is an ocean of faults. Look around you! See the Corruption! See the Suffering! See the Filthiness! Everywhere it is an ocean of faults. The scriptures say there is only one blessing in this age of Kali-yuga that anyone if they simply take shelter of name of Krishna, they can attain the supreme perfection of liberation. And this Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has come to practically demonstrate. There are many names of God in the various religions of the world. God is called upon by his devotees and they are all pure and they can all revive that original natural consciousness within us. But in the Vedic literatures of all mantras, of all God’s names; Lord Chaitanya taught that the most effective is the maha-mantra. It is the mantra which is especially given by Bhagavan in this age of Kali to bring about the perfection of our life. Pure unmotivated, uninterrupted love for the Supreme Lord. And there is no greater gift of charity that we can give to anyone than to give them the opportunity to once and for all transcend all the limitations and miseries of this existence and attain pure love; Prema. Prema is beyond liberation, beyond mukti and it is all available to all of us throgh simply chanting the holy names.
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.
Very loudly please; Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.
Imbibing Krishna Consciousness in our daily lives
So my humble request to all of you this evening is do not take this lecture or for that matter any spiritual function as simply a form of entertainment or an opportunity to become a little more pious. But we must imbibe what we hear into our life. We must understand that every moment we are one day closer to death. And there is no greater loss than to waste time within our life. If we know what’s right, we must pursue it. We must dedicate our lives to that. Why should we waste our time? You cannot buy back a lost moment for all the wealth in the world. Every moment, every second, every minute, every hour is infinitely precious; opportunity to come closer to the true perfection of life. We must regularly hear from Gita; we must regularly associate with pure sincere devotees who are genuinely aspiring to dedicate their lives in the service of Krishna. And most of all we must regularly in our own homes, as well as in the assembly of Vaishnavas; we must learn how to find the supreme ecstasy of Krishna within our own hearts by chanting his holy names and when we chant loudly amongst other devotees; that vibration travels through the entire atmosphere and cleanses not only our own hearts but the hearts of fortunate souls who hear the transcendental sound of Krishna’s names. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.
Thank you very much.
Hari bol.
