Causelessmercy - Ebook - Bhagavad Gita As It Is - 15.1

Bhagavad-gita As It Is
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Bg15.11

TEXT 11

yatanto yoginas cainam

pasyanty atmany avasthitam

yatanto ’py akrtatmano

nainam pasyanty acetasah

yatantah—endeavoring; yoginah—transcendentalists; ca—also; enam—this; pasyanti—can see; atmani—in the self; avasthitam—situated; yatantah—although endeavoring; api—although; akrta-atmanah—without self-realization; na—does not; enam—this; pasyanti—can see; acetasah—undeveloped mind.

TRANSLATION

The endeavoring transcendentalist, who is situated in self-realization, can see all this clearly. But those who are not situated in self-realization cannot see what is taking place, though they may try to.

PURPORT

There are many transcendentalists in the path of spiritual self-realization, but one who is not situated in self-realization cannot see how things are changing in the body of the living entity. The word yoginah is significant in this connection. In the present day there are many so-called yogis, and there are many so-called associations of yogis, but they are actually blind in the matter of self-realization. They are simply addicted to some sort of gymnastic exercise and are satisfied if the body is well-built and healthy. They have no other information. They are called yatanto ’py akrtatmanah. Even though they are endeavoring in a so-called yoga system, they are not self-realized. Such people cannot understand the process of the transmigration of the soul. Only those who are actually in the yoga system and have realized the self, the world, and the Supreme Lord, in other words, the bhakti-yogis, those engaged in pure devotional service in Krsna consciousness, can understand how things are taking place.

yad aditya-gatam tejo

jagad bhasayate ’khilam

yac candramasi yac cagnau

tat tejo viddhi mamakam

yat—that which; aditya-gatam—in the sunshine; tejah—splendor; jagat—the whole world; bhasayate—illuminates; akhilam—entirely; yat—that which; candramasi—in the moon; yat—that which; ca—also; agnau—in the fire; tat—that; tejah—splendor; viddhi—understand; mamakam—from Me.

The splendor of the sun, which dissipates the darkness of this whole world, comes from Me. And the splendor of the moon and the splendor of fire are also from Me.

The unintelligent cannot understand how things are taking place. The beginning of knowledge can be established by understanding what the Lord explains here. Everyone sees the sun, moon, fire and electricity. One should simply try to understand that the splendor of the sun, the splendor of the moon, and the splendor of electricity or fire are coming from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In such a conception of life, the beginning of Krsna consciousness, lies a great deal of advancement for the conditioned soul in this material world. The living entities are essentially the parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord, and He is giving herewith the hint how they can come back to Godhead, back to home. From this verse we can understand that the sun is illuminating the whole solar system. There are different universes and solar systems, and there are different suns, moons and planets also. Sunlight is due to the spiritual effulgence in the spiritual sky of the Supreme Lord. With the rise of the sun, the activities of human beings are set up. They set fire to prepare their foodstuff; they set fire to start the factories, etc. So many things are done with the help of fire. Therefore sunrise, fire and moonlight are so pleasing to the living entities. Without their help no living entity can live. So if one can understand that the light and splendor of the sun, moon and fire are emanating from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, then one’s Krsna consciousness will begin. By the moonshine, all the vegetables are nourished. The moonshine is so pleasing that people can easily understand that they are living by the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krsna. Without His mercy there cannot be sun, without His mercy there cannot be moon, and without His mercy there cannot be fire, and without the help of sun, moon and fire, no one can live. These are some thoughts to provoke Krsna consciousness in the conditioned soul.

gam avisya ca bhutani

dharayamy aham ojasa

pusnami causadhih sarvah

somo bhutva rasatmakah

gam—the planets; avisya—entering; ca—also; bhutani—living entities; dharayami—sustaining; aham—I; ojasa—by My energy; pusnami—nourishing; ca—and; ausadhih—all vegetables; sarvah—all; somah—the moon; bhutva—becoming; rasa-atmakah—supplying the juice.

I enter into each planet, and by My energy they stay in orbit. I become the moon and thereby supply the juice of life to all vegetables.

It is understood that all the planets are floating in the air only by the energy of the Lord. The Lord enters into every atom, every planet, and every living being. That is discussed in the Brahma-samhita. It is said there that one plenary portion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Paramatma, enters into the planets, the universe, the living entity, and even into the atom. So due to His entrance, everything is appropriately manifested. When the spirit soul is there, a living man can float on the water, but when the living spark is out of the body and the body is dead, it sinks. Of course when it is decomposed it floats just like straw and other things, but as soon as the man is dead, he at once sinks in the water. Similarly, all these planets are floating in space, and this is due to the entrance of the supreme energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. His energy is sustaining each planet, just like a handful of dust. If someone holds a handful of dust, there is no possibility of the dust falling, but if one throws it in the air, it will fall down. Similarly, these planets, which are floating in air, are actually held in the fist of the universal form of the Supreme Lord. By His strength and energy, all moving and unmoving things stay in their place. It is said that because of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the sun is shining and the planets are steadily moving. Were it not for Him, all the planets would scatter, like dust in air, and perish. Similarly, it is due to the Supreme Personality of Godhead that the moon nourishes all vegetables. Due to the moon’s influence, the vegetables become delicious. Without the moonshine, the vegetables can neither grow nor taste succulent. Human society is working, living comfortably and enjoying food due to the supply from the Supreme Lord. Otherwise, mankind could not survive. The word rasatmakah is very significant. Everything becomes palatable by the agency of the Supreme Lord through the influence of the moon.

aham vaisvanaro bhutva

praninam deham asritah

pranapana-samayuktah

pacamy annam catur-vidham

aham—I; vaisvanarah—by My plenary portion as the digesting fire; bhutva—becoming; praninam—of all living entities; deham—body; asritah—situated; prana—outgoing air; apana—downgoing air; samayuktah—keep balance; pacami—digest; annam—foodstuff; catur-vidham—four kinds of.

I am the fire of digestion in every living body, and I am the air of life, outgoing and incoming, by which I digest the four kinds of foodstuff.

According to Ayur-vedic sastra, we understand that there is a fire in the stomach which digests all food sent there. When the fire is not blazing, there is no hunger, and when the fire is in order, we become hungry. Sometimes when the fire is not going nicely, treatment is required. In any case, this fire is representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Vedic mantras also confirm that the Supreme Lord or Brahman is situated in the form of fire within the stomach and is digesting all kinds of foodstuff. Therefore since He is helping the digestion of all kinds of foodstuff, the living entity is not independant in the eating process. Unless the Supreme Lord helps him in digesting, there is no possibility of eating. He thus produces and digests foodstuff, and, by His grace, we are enjoying life. In the Vedanta-sutra this is also confirmed: sabdadibhyo ’ntah pratisthanac ca. The Lord is situated within sound and within the body, within the air and even within the stomach as the digestive force. There are four kinds of foodstuff: some are swallowed, some are chewed, some are licked up, and some are sucked, and He is the digestive force for all of them.

sarvasya caham hrdi sannivisto

mattah smrtir jnanam apohanam ca

vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyo

vedanta-krd veda-vid eva caham

sarvasya—of all living beings; ca—and; aham—I; hrdi—in the heart; sannivistah—being situated; mattah—from Me; smrtih—remembrance; jnanam—knowledge; apohanam ca—and forgetfulness; vedaih—by the Vedas; ca—also; sarvaih—all; aham—I am; eva—certainly; vedyah—knowable; vedanta-krt—the compiler of the Vedanta; veda-vit—the knower of the Vedas; eva—certainly; ca—and; aham—I.

I am seated in everyone’s heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. By all the Vedas am I to be known; indeed I am the compiler of Vedanta, and I am the knower of the Vedas.

The Supreme Lord is situated as Paramatma in everyone’s heart, and it is from Him that all activities are initiated. The living entity forgets everything of his past life, but he has to act according to the direction of the Supreme Lord, who is witness to all his work. Therefore he begins his work according to his past deeds. Required knowledge is supplied to him, and remembrance is given to him, and he forgets, also, about his past life. Thus, the Lord is not only all-pervading; He is also localized in every individual heart. He awards the different fruitive results. He is not only worshipable as the impersonal Brahman, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the localized Paramatma, but as the form of the incarnation of the Vedas as well. The Vedas give the right direction to the people so that they can properly mold their lives and come back to Godhead, back to home. The Vedas offer knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, and Krsna in His incarnation as Vyasadeva is the compiler of the Vedanta-sutra. The commentation on the Vedanta-sutra by Vyasadeva in the Srimad-Bhagavatam gives the real understanding of Vedanta-sutra. The Supreme Lord is so full that for the deliverance of the conditioned soul He is the supplier and digester of foodstuff, the witness of his activity, the giver of knowledge in the form of Vedas and as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, the teacher of the Bhagavad-gita. He is worshipable by the conditioned soul. Thus God is all-good; God is all-merciful.

Antahpravistah sasta jananam. The living entity forgets as soon as he quits his present body, but he begins his work again, initiated by the Supreme Lord. Although he forgets, the Lord gives him the intelligence to renew his work where he ended his last life. So not only does a living entity enjoy or suffer in this world according to the dictation from the Supreme Lord situated locally in the heart, but he receives the opportunity to understand Vedas from Him. If one is serious to understand the Vedic knowledge, then Krsna gives the required intelligence. Why does He present the Vedic knowledge for understanding? Because a living entity individually needs to understand Krsna. Vedic literature confirms this: yo ’sau sarvair vedair giyate. In all Vedic literature, beginning from the four Vedas, Vedanta-sutra and the Upanisads and Puranas, the glories of the Supreme Lord are celebrated. By performing Vedic rituals, discussing the Vedic philosophy and worshiping the Lord in devotional service, He is attained. Therefore the purpose of the Vedas is to understand Krsna. The Vedas give us direction to understand Krsna and the process of understanding. The ultimate goal is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Vedanta-sutra confirms this in the following words: tat tu samanvayat. One can attain perfection by understanding Vedic literature, and one can understand his relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead by performing the different processes. Thus one can approach Him and at the end attain the supreme goal, who is no other than the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In this verse, however, the purpose of the Vedas, the understanding of the Vedas and the goal of Vedas are clearly defined.

dvav imau purusau loke

ksaras caksara eva ca

ksarah sarvani bhutani

kuta-stho ’ksara ucyate

dvau—two; imau—in this (world); purusau—living entities; loke—in the world; ksarah—fallible; ca—and; aksarah—infallible; eva—certainly; ca—and; ksarah—the fallible; sarvani—all; bhutani—living entities; kutasthah—in oneness; aksarah—infallible; ucyate—is said.

There are two classes of beings, the fallible and the infallible. In the material world every entity is fallible, and in the spiritual world every entity is called infallible.

As already explained, the Lord in His incarnation as Vyasadeva compiled the Vedanta-sutra. Here the Lord is giving, in summary, the contents of the Vedanta-sutra: He says that the living entities, who are innumerable, can be divided into two classes—the fallible and the infallible. The living entities are eternally separated parts and parcels of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When they are in contact with the material world, they are called jiva-bhutah, and the Sanskrit words given here, sarvani bhutani mean that they are fallible. Those who are in oneness with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, however, are called infallible. Oneness does not mean that they have no individuality, but that there is no disunity. They are all agreeable to the purpose of the creation. Of course, in the spiritual world, there is no such thing as creation, but since the Supreme Personality of Godhead has stated in the Vedanta-sutra that He is the source of all emanations, that conception is explained.

According to the statement of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krsna, there are two classes of men. The Vedas give evidence of this, so there is no doubt about it. The living entities, who are struggling in this world with the mind and five senses, have their material bodies which are changing as long as the living entities are conditioned. One’s body changes due to contact with matter; matter is changing, so the living entity appears to be changing. But in the spiritual world the body is not made of matter; therefore there is no change. In the material world the living entity undergoes six changes—birth, growth, duration, reproduction, then dwindling and vanishing. These are the changes of the material body. But in the spiritual world the body does not change; there is no old age, there is no birth, there is no death. There all exists in oneness. It is more clearly explained as sarvani bhutani: any living entity who has come in contact with matter, beginning from the first created being, Brahma, down to a small ant, is changing its body; therefore they are all fallible. In the spiritual world, however, they are always liberated in oneness.

uttamah purusas tv anyah

paramatmety udahrtah

yo loka-trayam avisya

bibharty avyaya isvarah

uttamah—the best; purusah—personality; tu—but; anyah—another; param—the Supreme; atma—Self; iti—thus; udahrtah—said; yah—one who; loka—of the universe; trayam—the three divisions; avisya—entering; bibharti—maintaining; avyayah—inexhaustible; isvarah—the Lord.

Besides these two, there is the greatest living personality, the Lord Himself, who has entered into these worlds and is maintaining them.

This verse is very nicely expressed in the Katha Upanisad and Svetasvatara Upanisad. It is clearly stated there that above the innumerable living entities, some of whom are conditioned and some of whom are liberated, there is the Supreme Personality who is Paramatma. The Upanisadic verse runs as follows: nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam. The purport is that amongst all the living entities, both conditioned and liberated, there is one supreme living personality, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who maintains them and gives them all the facility of enjoyment according to different work. That Supreme Personality of Godhead is situated in everyone’s heart as Paramatma. A wise man who can understand Him is eligible to attain the perfect peace, not others.

It is incorrect to think of the Supreme Lord and the living entities as being on the same level or equal in all respects. There is always the question of superiority and inferiority in their personalities. This particular word uttama is very significant. No one can surpass the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Loke is also significant because in the Paurusa, a Vedic literature, it is stated: lokyate vedartho ’nena. This Supreme Lord in His localized aspect as Paramatma explains the purpose of the Vedas. The following verse also appears in the Vedas:

tavad esa samprasado ’smac
charirat samutthaya param
jyoti-rupam sampadya svena
rupenabhinispadyate sa uttamah purusah

“The Supersoul coming out of the body enters the impersonal brahmajyoti; then in His form He remains in His spiritual identity. That Supreme is called the Supreme Personality.” This means that the Supreme Personality is exhibiting and diffusing His spiritual effulgence, which is the ultimate illumination. That Supreme Personality also has a localized aspect as Paramatma. By incarnating Himself as the son of Satyavati and Parasara, He explains the Vedic knowledge as Vyasadeva.

yasmat ksaram atito ’ham

aksarad api cottamah

ato ’smi loke vede ca

prathitah purusottamah

yasmat—because; ksaram—the fallible; atitah—transcendental; aham—I; aksarat—from the infallible; api—better than that; ca—and; uttamah—the best; atah—therefore; asmi—I am; loke—in the world; vede—in the Vedic literature; ca—and; prathitah—celebrated; purusottamah—as the Supreme Personality.

Because I am transcendental, beyond both the fallible and the infallible, and because I am the greatest, I am celebrated both in the world and in the Vedas as that Supreme Person.

No one can surpass the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna—neither the conditioned soul nor the liberated soul. He is, therefore, the greatest of personalities. Now it is clear here that the living entities and the Supreme Personality of Godhead are individuals. The difference is that the living entities, either in the conditioned state or in the liberated state, cannot surpass in quantity the inconceivable potencies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

yo mam evam asammudho

janati purusottamam

sa sarva-vid bhajati mam

sarva-bhavena bharata

yah—anyone; mam—unto Me; evam—certainly; asammudhah—without a doubt; janati—knows; purusottamam—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sah—he; sarva-vit—knower of everything; bhajati—renders devotional service; mam—unto Me; sarva-bhavena—in all respects; bharata—O son of Bharata.

Whoever knows Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, without doubting, is to be understood as the knower of everything, and he therefore engages himself in full devotional service, O son of Bharata

There are many philosophical speculations about the constitutional position of the living entities and the Supreme Absolute Truth. Now in this verse the Supreme Personality of Godhead clearly explains that anyone who knows Lord Krsna as the Supreme Person is actually the knower of everything. The imperfect knower goes on simply speculating about the Absolute Truth, but the perfect knower, without wasting his valuable time, engages directly in Krsna consciousness, the devotional service of the Supreme Lord. Throughout the whole of Bhagavad-gita, this fact is being stressed at every step. And still there are so many stubborn commentators on Bhagavad-gita who consider the Supreme Absolute Truth and the living entities to be one and the same.

Vedic knowledge is called sruti learning by aural reception. One should actually receive the Vedic message from authorities like Krsna and His representatives. Here Krsna distinguishes everything very nicely, and one should hear from this source. Simply to hear like the hogs is not sufficient; one must be able to understand from the authorities. It is not that one should simply speculate academically. One should submissively hear from Bhagavad-gita that these living entities are always subordinate to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Anyone who is able to understand this, according to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, knows the purpose of the Vedas; no one else knows the purpose of the Vedas.

The word bhajate is very significant. In many places the word bhajate is expressed in relationship with the service of the Supreme Lord. If a person is engaged in full Krsna consciousness in devotional service of the Lord, it is to be understood that he has understood all the Vedic knowledge. In the Vaisnava parampara it is said that if one is engaged in the devotional service of Krsna, then there is no need for a spiritual process to understand the Supreme Absolute Truth. He has already come to the post because he is engaged in the devotional service of the Lord. He has ended all preliminary processes of understanding; similarly, if anyone, after speculating for hundreds of thousands of lives, does not come to the point that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and that one has to surrender there, all his speculation for so many years and lives is a useless waste of time.

iti guhyatamam sastram

idam uktam mayanagha

etad buddhva buddhiman syat

krta-krtyas ca bharata

iti—thus; guhyatamam—the most confidential; sastram—revealed scriptures; idam—this; uktam—disclosed; maya—by Me; anagha—O sinless one; etat—this; buddhva—understanding; buddhiman—intelligent; syat—one becomes; krta-krtyah—the most perfect; ca—and; bharata—O son of Bharata.

This is the most confidential part of the Vedic scriptures, O sinless one, and it is disclosed now by Me. Whoever understands this will become wise, and his endeavors will know perfection.

The Lord clearly explains here that this is the substance of all revealed scriptures. And one should understand this as it is given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus one will become intelligent and perfect in transcendental knowledge. In other words, by understanding this philosophy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and engaging in His transcendental service, everyone can become freed from all contaminations of the modes of material nature. Devotional service is a process of spiritual understanding. Wherever devotional service exists, the material contamination cannot coexist. Devotional service to the Lord and the Lord Himself are one and the same because they are spiritual—the internal energy of the Supreme Lord. The Lord is said to be the sun, and ignorance is called darkness. Where the sun is present, there is no question of darkness. Therefore, whenever devotional service is present under the proper guidance of a bona fide spiritual master, there is no question of ignorance.

Everyone must take to this consciousness of Krsna and engage in devotional service to become intelligent and purified. Unless one comes to this position of understanding Krsna and engages in devotional service, however intelligent he may be in the estimation of some common man, he is not perfectly intelligent.

The word anagha, by which Arjuna is addressed, is significant. Anagha, O sinless one, means that unless one is free from all sinful reactions, it is very difficult to understand Krsna. One has to become free from all contamination, all sinful activities; then he can understand. But devotional service is so pure and potent that once one is engaged in devotional service he automatically comes to the stage of sinlessness.

While performing devotional service in the association of pure devotees in full Krsna consciousness, there are certain things which require to be vanquished altogether. The most important thing one has to surmount is weakness of the heart. The first falldown is caused by the desire to lord it over material nature. Thus one gives up the transcendental loving service of the Supreme Lord. The second weakness of the heart is that as one increases the propensity of lording it over material nature, he becomes attached to matter and the possession of matter. The problems of material existence are due to these weaknesses of the heart.

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Fifteenth Chapter of the Srimad-Bhagavad-gita in the matter of Purusottama-yoga, the Yoga of the Supreme Person.

Next chapter (Bg 16)