TO WHOM IS THE VEDIC KNOWLEDGE REVEALED?

By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Just like in our Vedic system, first of all brahmacārī. That brahmacārī system is very nice. Even Kṛṣṇa, God Himself, He has nothing to learn. He is abhijñā. In the Vedas He is described as abhijñā: He knows everything. But just to teach us, He also became a brahmacārī in the Gurukula. Lord Rāmacandra, He also accepted a guru, Vasiṣṭha.

So that is our Vedic system. Anybody may be anything, but the process is tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12): in order to learn the value of life, spiritual value of life, one must go to a guru. Tad vijñānārtham. In order to understand the spiritual value of life one must go to a guru. Gurum evābhigacchet. What is that guru? Śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham: “He is well learned in Vedic literature,” and brahma-niṣṭham, “and firm faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”

These are the two qualification of guru. He must know all the Vedic conclusion, śrotriyam; not that he has to read, but he must hear from the authoritative sources. Just like Arjuna is hearing from Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the most authoritative personality. So similarly, everyone has to hear either from Kṛṣṇa or from His bona fide representative. That is śrotriyam. And the result will be that after becoming student of such bona fide guru, one will be firmly fixed up in God consciousness. That is the result, firmly fixed up.

Now, these boys from foreign countries . . . according to our geographical arrangement, they are foreigners. But we don’t see anything foreign. We see every land belongs to Kṛṣṇa and everyone is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. So we have no such distinction. But still, from materialistic point of view, these boys and girls, they, three or four years ago they did not know what is this word Kṛṣṇa.

DOES THE BHAGAVAD GITA MENTION ABOUT THE SUPERSOUL’S EXISTENCE IN THE HEART?

READER’S QUESTION:

Hare Krishna Prabhuji,

After reading Chapter 2 of Bhagavad Gita, I have two queries out of curiosity:

1. In Text-17 of Chapter 2 of the Bhagavad Gita, the soul is said to pervade the whole body but Purport says it is located in the heart.

2. Besides, I cannot find Bhagavad Gita saying that there is a Supersoul besides the soul. But in the Purport it is said that both, the soul and the Supersoul are present in each heart giving reference of Katha and Mundaka Upanishad. Why Bhagavad Gita does not give indication of presence of both soul and Supersoul but says only soul. Or am I in ignorance?

Can you please quell my queries!!!

Thank you.
Rajeev Gupta

EDITOR’S ANSWER

Query No. 1: In Text-17 of Chapter 2 of the Bhagavad Gita, the soul is said to pervade the whole body but Purport says it is located in the heart.

Answer: The soul is situated in the region of the heart but its consciousness pervades the entire body. Just as the sun is located at one place but its sunshine pervades the entire universe or the lamp is situated in one corner of the room but its light pervades the entire room.

Since the consciousness is pervading throughout the body, we feel pain and pleasure. When somebody pinches us, we feel pain and when someone caresses we feel pleasure. Such feelings are due to the presence of the soul.

KRISHNA CANNOT BE COMPARED WITH ANYONE ELSE – HE IS THE SUPREME LORD

By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord. That is the verdict of the śāstra. In the Brahma-saṁhitā it is said. In the Bhāgavata also it is said:

ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ

kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam

indrāri-vyākulaṁ lokaṁ

mṛḍayanti yuge yuge

(SB 1.3.28)

So try to understand. And Kṛṣṇa said, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7): “No more superior.” You don’t misunderstand that there is something superior to Kṛṣṇa. That is rascaldom. So long we shall remain such rascal we shall not surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said, Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). Prapadyante. Who does not surrender to Kṛṣṇa? He’ll say that, “There are so many big, big person, and they do not surrender to Kṛṣṇa. So they are all mūḍhas?” Yes, they are all mūḍhas. That is the verdict of the śāstra. We cannot make any compromise. That is not possible, against the principle of the śāstra. If we keep one competitor of Kṛṣṇa, then we are mūḍha. Here it is said, advitīya. Not that there is another Kṛṣṇa, dini Kṛṣṇa, no. There is no . . . there cannot be any competitor of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat: “There is no more anyone, bigger authority than Me.” And here is also, Caitanya-caritāmṛta kār, Kavirāja Gosvāmī, says, advitīya: no competitor, sir.

Here we are all Gods, the rascaldom that, “Everyone is God.” But there is competition of Gods. But in case of Kṛṣṇa there is no such possibility, no competition. Nobody can compete with Kṛṣṇa. When Kṛṣṇa was present He showed it by practical example. Nobody could compete Him in either knowledge, either strength or love affairs or any field of activities. There was no competition. Now, Kṛṣṇa, when He was present, He married sixteen thousand wives. Where is competition? One cannot marry even sixteen wives—and he becomes God. Just see the foolishness. Even from materialistic view, who is that God who can marry sixteen thousand wives? Is there any God, so-called rascal God? Is there any possibility? Kṛṣṇa showed, yes.

GOD AND THE LIVING ENTITIES ARE DIFFERENT INDIVIDUAL PERSONS

By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, vedāhaṁ samatītāni (BG 7.26). He knows past, present and future. He says, therefore, that “All these, My dear Arjuna—yourself, Myself and all the soldiers and kings who have assembled here—it is not that we were not existing before. We are existing at the present moment also, and in future also we shall continue to exist.” And how we shall exist? Individually. Otherwise Kṛṣṇa would have said that in future, when we become liberated, then we shall become one. No. He says: “Even in future also, we shall continue to exist like this. You are individual. You are Arjuna. I am Kṛṣṇa. And all other living entities . . .” That is real understanding.

Copyright The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International Inc – www.krishna.com

Every one of us living entities, we are all individual person, and Kṛṣṇa is also individual person. This is knowledge. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). Kṛṣṇa, or God, He’s also nitya, eternal. We are also nitya, eternal. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). We do not die. That is the preliminary knowledge of spiritual understanding, that “I am not this body; I am spirit soul, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, but I am individual.” Nityo nityānām. Kṛṣṇa is individual person; I am also individual person. When Kṛṣṇa says that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), it does not mean that I become one with Kṛṣṇa or merge into the existence of Kṛṣṇa. I keep my individuality, Kṛṣṇa keeps His individuality, but I agree to abide by His order.

I AM TRYING TO TEACH WHAT YOU HAVE FORGOTTEN

His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krṣṇa Consciousness

Reporter: What do you try and teach, sir?

Prabhupāda: I am trying to teach what you have forgotten.

Devotees: Haribol! Hare Kṛṣṇa! (laughter)

Reporter: Which is what?

ONE WHO TAKES BIRTH IN INDIA, GETS FULL FACILITY TO DEVELOP THE HUMAN FORM OF LIFE

By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktvedanta Swami Prabhupada

The tract of land south of the Himalaya Mountains is the land of India, which was known as Bhārata-varṣa. When a living entity takes birth in Bhārata-varṣa he is considered to be most fortunate. Indeed, Caitanya Mahāprabhu has stated:

bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra

janma sārthaka kari’ kara para-upakāra

(CC Adi 9.41)

Thus whoever takes birth in the land of Bhārata-varṣa attains all the facilities of life. He may take advantage of all these facilities for both material and spiritual advancement and thus make his life successful. After attaining the goal of life, one may distribute his knowledge and experience all over the world for humanitarian purposes. In other words, one who takes birth in the land of Bhārata-varṣa by virtue of his past pious activities gets full facility to develop the human form of life. In India, the climatic condition is such that one can live very peacefully without being disturbed by material conditions. Indeed, during the time of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira or Lord Rāmacandra, people were free from all anxieties. There was not even extreme cold or extreme heat. The three kinds of miserable conditions-adhyātmika, adhibhautika and adhidaivika (miseries inflicted by the body and mind itself, those inflicted by other living entities, and natural disturbances)—were all absent during the reign of Lord Rāmacandra or Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. But at present, compared to other countries on earth, India is artificially disturbed. Despite these material disturbances, however, the country’s culture is such that one can easily attain the goal of life—namely salvation, or liberation from material bondage. Thus in order to take birth in India one must have performed many pious activities in a past life.

The Knot of Karma can be cut by the sword of Krishna-Kathā

By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Karma means fruitive activities. I am doing something now, so I am creating another body. If I am acting like a dog, then I am creating another body, dog’s body, hog’s body, tree’s body, or even demigod’s body. If you act piously, then you create demigod’s body. Janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrī (SB 1.8.26). But that is also knot; that is not freedom. Just like you are American boys and girls. You are supposed to be born of rich nation, rich father, than us Indians. We are born of poor father. So… But that does not mean that you are free from this knot. That is there.

People are trying that “We shall be happy by becoming materially advanced.” That is called durāśayā. That is hope against hope. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). They do not know that destination of life is to attain Kṛṣṇa consciousness. No. They do not know. They think, “By increasing motorcars, we shall be happy.” This is called māyā. That will not help. This motorcar civilization will be finished within another hundred years. It has begun, say, for the last hundred years, and after a hundred years, when… The scientists say the petroleum will be finished within fifty years or like that, so, say hundred years, this motorcar will be finished.

So anything we manufacture, the so-called empire, so-called material civilization; it is finished, it will be finished. That is another knot only, that we become captivated. So “What is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement? We must have three dozen motorcar and three dozen wine bottles and this…” This is their civilization. So this is karma-bandhana. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura sings therefore,

sat-saṅga chāḍi’ kainu asate vilāsa

te-kāraṇe lāgila ye karma-bandha-phāṅsa

(Prārthanā)

This knot, karma-bandha-phāṅsa. Sat-saṅga: This is sat-saṅga – You are hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in the front of Kṛṣṇa and practicing how to become pure. This is called sat-saṅga. And asat-saṅga means this intoxication, illicit sex and drinking, so many things, asat-saṅga. The advertisement, “Come on, here is cigarette, ‘Kool,’ make your brain cool.” (laughter) “By smoking?” (laughter) Rascal. They think that “I am smoking…” How it can be cool? But they purchase Kool. This is called māyā. (chuckles) He’s smoking fire, and he’s becoming cool! (laughter) And the advertisement is going on, and the rascals are captivated by these advertisement, and they smoke, “become cool.” Yes.

So this is called knot. In so many ways, they are tied up. So actually, if anyone is kovida… Kovida, here it is used. What is the meaning of kovida?

Devotee: Intelligent.

Prabhupāda: “Intelligent.” Kovida means intelligent. So intelligent persons should see to it. Just like it is a little…, little intelligent. Just like we can see when the advertisement, we can immediately understand, “What is this nonsense advertisement? He’s smoking, and it is cool?” So contradiction. You’ll find contradiction everywhere. Because they are not intelligent, they are thinking intelligent. But anyone who is intelligent, they can understand what is the trick.

So when actually one becomes intelligent, then the enquiry is, “Why? Why I am put into this miserable condition of life? I do not want this, and it is forced upon me. I do not want to die; death is there. I do not want disease; the disease is there. I do not want this; it is forced upon me. I don’t want war, but they, the draft board drags me to the war. Why these are?” This “why” question must be there. That is intelligence. That is Kenopaniṣad, Kena.

There is Upaniṣad, Kena. And Sanātana Gosvāmī, when he approached Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he also inquired this “Why?” Ke āmi, kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya (CC Madhya 20.102). “Who am I? Why I am put into this miserable condition of life?” That is intelligence. He was minister. He could understand that “I am minister. People adore me as very learned man.”

He said that to Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Grāmya-vyavahāre paṇḍita, satya kari māni: “My dear Lord, these common people, my neighbors, because I am minister and I’m supposed to be educated, I know little Sanskrit, I know little Arabian language, they call me paṇḍita, learned man, very scholar and versed. I, to tell You frankly, I do not know what I am. So what is the value of my education? I do not know.” Ke āmi, kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya. “What I am.”

AIM OF RELIGION IS ATTAINMENT OF LIBERATION VIS-A-VIS TEMPORARY MATERIAL BENEFITS

By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Religiosity means how to get out of this material conditional life, apavarga. Pavarga means hard work – pa. Pha – and so much hard work that there is foam in the mouth – phena. Pa, pha, ba – and vyarthatā – in spite of working so hard, we are confused, baffled. Pa, pha, ba, bha: and still there is bhaya, fearfulness, “Whether it is done, or whether I shall get tomorrow any food?” Bha. In this way, at the end, ma – mṛtyu. This is called pa, pha, ba, bha, ma—pavarga.

So to take to religiosity means to get out of this pavarga. Dharmasya hy āpavargyasya. Not pavargyasya. We go to temple or church or mosque to get some material benefit: “O God, give us our daily bread.” The Christians pray like that. And the Hindus, they also pray, go to some demigod, or Kṛṣṇa. Mostly they go to demigod, especially to Lord Śiva, because Lord Śiva’s name is Āśutoṣa. If you please Lord Śiva, it is very easy. He’s very easily satisfied. And whatever you want, he gives you: “All right, take it.”

Therefore, generally people become devotee of Lord Śiva, because (he is) easily pliable. Viṣṇu is not so easily pliable. Devī is easily pliable. Say, a meat-eater, he goes to Devī: “My dear goddess, I want to eat meat,” Devī will allow: “All right. Bring a goat and sacrifice it before me, and you eat.” But if you go to Viṣṇu, “Sir, I want to eat meat,” He’ll not allow. Therefore they are very much devotees of Goddess Kālī. Purpose is to eat meat. He’s not a devotee.

Actually, devotion cannot be applied except to Viṣṇu. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā says, kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ yajante anya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20). These rascals who have lost of their intelligence, they go to other demigods to pray for some temporary benefit. Antavat tu phalaṁ teṣāṁ tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām (BG 7.23). Now suppose if I go to Goddess Kālī to get facility of eating flesh. Then antavat: You eat flesh and acquire so much sinful result… Because you have killed one animal, he has to kill you. You take so much responsibility. Still, your pleasure by eating flesh is finished very quickly.

But if you worship Viṣṇu, even one percent you have… Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt (BG 2.40). Worshiping the other demigods, it will be finished as soon as… I mean, suppose you go to heavenly planet. Everything will be finished, because this material world is temporary. So the benediction which you achieved from a demigod, the demigod, the benediction and yourself—everything will be finished. Therefore it is said, antavat tu phalaṁ teṣāṁ tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām (BG 7.23). Real problem is apavarga, how to get out of this entanglement of hard labor and fearfulness. That can be given by Viṣṇu (hariṁ vinā na mṛtiṁ taranti).

Without Kṛṣṇa, nobody can save you. Other demigods… Just like Rāvaṇa. Rāvaṇa was a great devotee of Lord Śiva. But when Lord Rāmacandra wanted to kill him, Lord Śiva’s father could not even protect him. That is not possible. Mare kṛṣṇa rākhe ke. If Kṛṣṇa kills you, nobody can protect you, and if Kṛṣṇa protects you, nobody can kill you. Rākhe kṛṣṇa mare ke, mare kṛṣṇa rākhe ke. This is the formula.

His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the author of this article

So here it is said that dharmasya. If you want to take to religiosity… Practically dharma, I have several times explained that dharma means “to become religious,” the purpose is to go up to the point of mukti (liberation). Dharma artha kāma mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, CC Adi 1.90), gradually. Gradually, step by step. But generally, people stuck up for some material gain. Ārtaḥ arthārthī jñānī jijñāsuḥ: Four kinds of people approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead for evolution, but the…, those who are going to the Supreme Person for some material gain, as soon as their material gain is finished, they also finish worship. “Now I have got the money. There is no need of worshiping.”

WE ARE CONSTITUTIONALLY MEANT TO RENDER SERVICE

By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

This very important Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant to save human society from spiritual death. At present human society is being misled by leaders who are blind, for they do not know the aim and objective of human life, which is self-realization and the reestablishment of our lost relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the missing point. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to enlighten human society in this important matter.

According to Vedic civilization, the perfection of life is to realize one’s relationship with Kṛṣṇa, or God. In the Bhagavad-gītā, which is accepted by all authorities in transcendental science as the basis of all Vedic knowledge, we understand that not only human beings but all living entities are parts and parcels of God. The parts are meant for serving the whole, just as the legs, hands, fingers, and ears are meant for serving the total body. We living entities, being parts and parcels of God, are duty-bound to serve Him.

DO ANIMALS HAVE A SOUL OR NOT?

In Conversation with His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Śrīla Prabhupāda: Most religious people say, “We believe…” But what is the value of this belief? You may believe something which is not actually correct. For instance, some of the Christian people say, “We believe that animals have no soul.” That is not correct. They believe animals have no soul because they want to eat the animals, but actually animals do have a soul.

Mike Robinson: How do you know that the animal has a soul?

Śrīla Prabhupāda: You can know, also. Here is the scientific proof: the animal eats, you eat; the animal sleeps, you sleep; the animal has sex, you have sex; the animal also defends, you also defend. Then what is the difference between you and the animal? How can you say that you have a soul but the animal doesn’t?

Mike Robinson: I can see that completely. But the Christian scriptures say…

Śrīla Prabhupāda: Don’t bring in any scriptures; this is a commonsense topic. Try to understand. The animal is eating, you are eating; the animal is sleeping, you are sleeping; the animal is defending, you are defending; the animal is having sex, you are having sex; the animals have children, you have children; they have a living place, you have a living place. If the animal’s body is cut, there is blood; if your body is cut, there is blood. So, all these similarities are there. Now, why do you deny this one similarity, the presence of the soul? This is not logical. You have studied logic? In logic there is something called analogy. Analogy means drawing a conclusion by finding many points of similarity. If there are so many points of similarity between human beings and animals, why deny one similarity? That is not logic. That is not science.

Mike Robinson: But if you take that argument and use it the other way…

Śrīla Prabhupāda: There is no other way. If you are not arguing on the basis of logic, then you are not rational.

Mike Robinson: Yes, OK, but let’s start from another hypothesis. Suppose we assume that a human being has no soul…