0 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:01,409 Bg 13-22 BOM 1973-10-20 Through the Modes of Nature 1 00:00:01,410 --> 00:00:05,870 ANNOUNCER: Next is a class on the Bhagavad-gītā As It Is 2 00:00:05,871 --> 00:00:09,219 13th chapter, text number 22, 3 00:00:09,220 --> 00:00:15,199 given by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, 4 00:00:15,200 --> 00:00:22,929 recorded on October 20th, 1973, in Bombay, India. 5 00:00:22,930 --> 00:00:28,079 PRABHUPĀDA: “The living entity in material nature thus follows the ways of life, 6 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:31,659 enjoying the three modes of nature. 7 00:00:31,660 --> 00:00:38,199 This is due to the, to his association with that material nature. 8 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:49,189 Thus he meets with good and evil amongst various species of life.” 9 00:00:49,190 --> 00:00:51,010 Puruṣa. 10 00:00:51,011 --> 00:00:59,540 Puruṣa means enjoyer, the living entity. 11 00:00:59,541 --> 00:01:04,220 So that day I have already explained puruṣa. 12 00:01:04,221 --> 00:01:10,520 Puruṣa means the enjoyer. 13 00:01:10,521 --> 00:01:16,600 And prakṛti means enjoyed. 14 00:01:16,601 --> 00:01:20,640 So puruṣaḥ prakṛti-sthaḥ. 15 00:01:20,641 --> 00:01:33,390 The living entity, although… 16 00:01:33,391 --> 00:01:38,590 Prakṛti-sthaḥ means this material world. 17 00:01:38,591 --> 00:01:43,760 The living entity, although part and parcel of God, 18 00:01:43,761 --> 00:01:55,640 spiritual entity, but he has come to this material world to enjoy. 19 00:01:55,641 --> 00:01:59,040 Anyone who is in this material world, 20 00:01:59,041 --> 00:02:06,310 his original cause of coming down from the spiritual platform 21 00:02:06,311 --> 00:02:11,880 to this material platform means he wanted to enjoy. 22 00:02:11,881 --> 00:02:18,260 In the spiritual world the only enjoyer is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. 23 00:02:18,261 --> 00:02:21,740 All others are enjoyed. 24 00:02:21,741 --> 00:02:28,910 But here in this material world everyone is trying to become the Supreme, 25 00:02:28,911 --> 00:02:32,420 and others, to be enjoyed. 26 00:02:32,421 --> 00:02:35,480 Everyone is trying to become God, 27 00:02:35,481 --> 00:02:45,051 and the last snare of māyā is that one is claiming that “I am God.” 28 00:02:45,052 --> 00:02:52,601 When he tries to become big businessman, big zamindar, big minister, big president, 29 00:02:52,602 --> 00:02:57,781 or in the society, big rich man, big, big always. 30 00:02:57,782 --> 00:03:05,371 And when he fails to become all kinds of “bigs,” he wants to become one with God. 31 00:03:05,372 --> 00:03:09,831 By mixing, by merging into God, he will be the biggest. 32 00:03:09,832 --> 00:03:12,791 That is the philosophy. 33 00:03:12,792 --> 00:03:18,131 So basic principle is how to become big. 34 00:03:18,132 --> 00:03:26,401 Otherwise… Because unless I become very big, I cannot enjoy. 35 00:03:26,402 --> 00:03:31,941 So what is the field of these enjoying activities? 36 00:03:31,942 --> 00:03:33,511 This body. 37 00:03:33,512 --> 00:03:38,861 That we have discussed. 38 00:03:38,862 --> 00:03:41,071 Kṣetra-kṣetra-jña. 39 00:03:41,072 --> 00:03:44,521 idaṁ śarīraṁ kṣetram ity abhidhīyate: [Bg. 13.2] 40 00:03:44,522 --> 00:03:47,431 “This body is the field of activities.” 41 00:03:47,432 --> 00:03:56,021 So puruṣa, the living entities, has been entrapped by this material energy. 42 00:03:56,022 --> 00:03:59,641 That is called puruṣaḥ prakṛti-sthaḥ. 43 00:03:59,642 --> 00:04:05,391 He is not required to stay in this material world, 44 00:04:05,392 --> 00:04:11,791 but he has decided to enjoy this material world. 45 00:04:11,792 --> 00:04:13,472 Therefore he is here. 46 00:04:13,473 --> 00:04:15,662 But he can, he can give up. 47 00:04:15,663 --> 00:04:18,572 That is called liberty; that is called salvation. 48 00:04:18,573 --> 00:04:20,042 He can give up. 49 00:04:20,043 --> 00:04:21,202 Mukti. 50 00:04:21,203 --> 00:04:23,592 Mukti means… 51 00:04:23,593 --> 00:04:27,382 That is also described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. 52 00:04:27,383 --> 00:04:32,342 …hitvā anyathā-rūpaṁ sva-rūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ [SB 2.10.6] 53 00:04:32,343 --> 00:04:33,672 That is called mukti. 54 00:04:33,673 --> 00:04:36,522 muktir hitvā anyathā-rūpam [SB 2.10.6] 55 00:04:36,523 --> 00:04:42,882 Here every living entity is situated anyathā-rūpam. 56 00:04:42,883 --> 00:04:47,532 Anyathā-rūpam means otherwise, which is not his nature. 57 00:04:47,533 --> 00:05:02,042 His nature is to serve, but he is staying here not as servant but as master. 58 00:05:02,043 --> 00:05:03,262 [indistinct] So, 59 00:05:03,263 --> 00:05:08,952 puruṣaḥ prakṛti-stho hi bhuṅkte [Bg. 13.22] 60 00:05:08,953 --> 00:05:13,012 Bhuṅkte means “enjoys.” 61 00:05:13,013 --> 00:05:16,343 prakṛti-jān guṇān [Bg. 13.22] 62 00:05:16,344 --> 00:05:23,063 Prakṛti… He, he has come here to enjoy, but he is enjoying not the prakṛti, 63 00:05:23,064 --> 00:05:28,193 but prakṛti-jān guṇān, means the qualities of the prakṛti. 64 00:05:28,194 --> 00:05:36,773 There are three qualities of the prakṛti: goodness, passion and ignorance. 65 00:05:36,774 --> 00:05:38,193 Prakṛti-jān guṇān. 66 00:05:38,194 --> 00:05:43,873 These, these are products of material world. 67 00:05:43,874 --> 00:05:49,993 It is therefore described in another place, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī [Bg. 7.14] 68 00:05:49,994 --> 00:05:54,533 …guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā [Bg. 7.14] 69 00:05:54,534 --> 00:06:01,433 This illusory energy is… There are three qualities, qualitative. 70 00:06:01,434 --> 00:06:08,123 Some of them… Therefore we find different types of species of life. 71 00:06:08,124 --> 00:06:14,713 Every living entity has associated with a particular type of guṇa. 72 00:06:14,714 --> 00:06:20,503 There are three guṇas, namely, goodness, passion, and ignorance, 73 00:06:20,504 --> 00:06:26,713 and if you mix them up, then it becomes nine; three into three equal to nine. 74 00:06:26,714 --> 00:06:32,153 And again if you mix up, nine into nine, then it becomes eighty-one. 75 00:06:32,154 --> 00:06:36,513 Therefore there are eight million four hundred thousand species of life. 76 00:06:36,514 --> 00:06:39,713 jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati [Padma Purāṇa] 77 00:06:39,714 --> 00:06:44,063 Nine hundred thousand species in the water. 78 00:06:44,064 --> 00:06:48,603 Similarly, birds, beasts, trees, insects, animals. 79 00:06:48,604 --> 00:06:52,633 Then we come to the human form of life. 80 00:06:52,634 --> 00:06:56,224 These different types of bodies are meant for enjoying 81 00:06:56,225 --> 00:06:59,804 in a different spirit; everyone is trying to enjoy. 82 00:06:59,805 --> 00:07:04,294 But he is enjoying… He is not enjoying the prakṛti, but he is enjoying 83 00:07:04,295 --> 00:07:07,094 the association of the guṇa. 84 00:07:07,095 --> 00:07:14,004 puruṣaḥ prakṛti-stho hi bhuṅkte prakṛti-jān guṇān [Bg. 13.22] 85 00:07:14,005 --> 00:07:15,914 kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo ’sya [Bg. 13.22] 86 00:07:15,915 --> 00:07:20,594 So every living entity is suffering or enjoying. 87 00:07:20,595 --> 00:07:26,304 There is no enjoyment; everyone is suffering, but he… That is called māyā. 88 00:07:26,305 --> 00:07:30,454 He is suffering but he takes it as enjoying. 89 00:07:30,455 --> 00:07:42,654 Even the hog, the pig, he is eating stool, but he is thinking that he is enjoying. 90 00:07:42,655 --> 00:07:43,734 He is enjoying. 91 00:07:43,735 --> 00:07:52,044 He enjoys a certain type of food according to his quality. 92 00:07:52,045 --> 00:07:58,484 Nowadays, because people are becoming more and more in the modes of darkness, 93 00:07:58,485 --> 00:08:02,554 they are eating so many abominable things. 94 00:08:02,555 --> 00:08:11,304 And prakṛti also, I mean to say, minimizing the supply of sāttvika food. 95 00:08:11,305 --> 00:08:19,834 Just like nowadays it has become scarcity of grains, of milk, of sugar. 96 00:08:19,835 --> 00:08:21,694 It is practical experience. 97 00:08:21,695 --> 00:08:27,335 Because people are becoming more and more in the modes of ignorance, 98 00:08:27,336 --> 00:08:33,315 therefore the foodstuffs… These foodstuffs are in the modes of goodness. 99 00:08:33,316 --> 00:08:34,535 Just like Kṛṣṇa wants, 100 00:08:34,536 --> 00:08:38,575 patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati [Bg. 9.26] 101 00:08:38,576 --> 00:08:42,655 Kṛṣṇa does not say, “Give me meat and drinking wine.” 102 00:08:42,656 --> 00:08:46,045 Kṛṣṇa can eat everything; He is omnipotent. 103 00:08:46,046 --> 00:08:50,015 But He does not say that “You give me anything and everything.” 104 00:08:50,016 --> 00:08:50,815 No. 105 00:08:50,816 --> 00:08:52,675 He specifically mentions, 106 00:08:52,676 --> 00:08:56,805 patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati [Bg. 9.26] 107 00:08:56,806 --> 00:09:06,375 These things are the foodstuffs in goodness: rice, ḍāl, wheat, 108 00:09:06,376 --> 00:09:08,715 that means grains. 109 00:09:08,716 --> 00:09:13,755 Then sugar, fruits, vegetables, milk products. 110 00:09:13,756 --> 00:09:16,955 These foods are in the goodness. 111 00:09:16,956 --> 00:09:25,355 Similarly there are foods, very chili, very hot, these are in the passion. 112 00:09:25,356 --> 00:09:34,015 And similarly in ignorance also, there are many foods, stale food, meat, 113 00:09:34,016 --> 00:09:36,975 these are in the ignorance. 114 00:09:36,976 --> 00:09:42,355 So our business is, this human form of life, 115 00:09:42,356 --> 00:09:50,585 to get out of this cycle of birth and death and wandering in different species of life. 116 00:09:50,586 --> 00:09:53,285 This is the mission of human life. 117 00:09:53,286 --> 00:09:56,496 Human life, advanced consciousness, 118 00:09:56,497 --> 00:10:01,676 it is meant for getting out of the cycle of birth and death. 119 00:10:01,677 --> 00:10:05,566 And wandering in different species of life. 120 00:10:05,567 --> 00:10:08,316 Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, 121 00:10:08,317 --> 00:10:16,466 ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja [Cc. Madhya 19.151] 122 00:10:16,467 --> 00:10:21,786 In this way the living entities, puruṣaḥ prakṛti-sthaḥ, 123 00:10:21,787 --> 00:10:26,946 within this material world, he is wandering in different species of life, 124 00:10:26,947 --> 00:10:28,816 in different planets. 125 00:10:28,817 --> 00:10:32,376 But the disease is birth and death. 126 00:10:32,377 --> 00:10:37,906 Even if you take birth in the Brahmaloka, Kṛṣṇa says, 127 00:10:37,907 --> 00:10:42,266 ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino ’rjuna [Bg. 8.16] 128 00:10:42,267 --> 00:10:47,796 Even if you promoted to the Brahmaloka, the highest planet, there is also death. 129 00:10:47,797 --> 00:10:49,026 You cannot avoid. 130 00:10:49,027 --> 00:10:52,206 janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi- duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam [Bg. 13.9] 131 00:10:52,207 --> 00:10:59,556 That is real knowledge, that “I don’t want to die, but I am forced to die. 132 00:10:59,557 --> 00:11:04,826 I don’t want to become old man, but I am forced to become old man. 133 00:11:04,827 --> 00:11:08,796 I don’t want any disease, but disease is forced upon me.” 134 00:11:08,797 --> 00:11:11,847 So these are the real problems. 135 00:11:11,848 --> 00:11:14,687 So Kṛṣṇa says that 136 00:11:14,688 --> 00:11:21,017 ābrahma lo… If… You may get very long duration of life, very comfortable life, 137 00:11:21,018 --> 00:11:23,547 in higher planetary system. 138 00:11:23,548 --> 00:11:30,627 Just like people are engaged in doing, I mean to, pious activities. 139 00:11:30,628 --> 00:11:36,507 The result of pious activities is that you get your birth in a very good family, 140 00:11:36,508 --> 00:11:40,737 in a rich family, you get beauty, you become educated, 141 00:11:40,738 --> 00:11:43,447 janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrībhiḥ [SB 1.8.26] 142 00:11:43,448 --> 00:11:47,417 Janma means birth, high-class birth. 143 00:11:47,418 --> 00:11:51,117 And aiśvarya means opulence, riches. 144 00:11:51,118 --> 00:11:55,327 And śruta means education, and śrī means beauty. 145 00:11:55,328 --> 00:11:58,737 So by pious activities you can get all these things. 146 00:11:58,738 --> 00:12:04,637 And impious activities, the opposite number: in a family, abominable, 147 00:12:04,638 --> 00:12:10,767 pāpa-yoni, lower-grade family, not very beautiful, not educated, 148 00:12:10,768 --> 00:12:12,687 suffering in so many ways. 149 00:12:12,688 --> 00:12:19,147 So either you get this life or that life, the janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi [Bg. 13.9] is there. 150 00:12:19,148 --> 00:12:23,187 It is not that because you have got very beautiful body 151 00:12:23,188 --> 00:12:27,387 and born in very high-class family and highly educated, 152 00:12:27,388 --> 00:12:31,718 you will avoid janma-mṛtyu-jarā- vyādhi [Bg. 13.9]; that is not possible. 153 00:12:31,719 --> 00:12:37,058 The real problem is janma- mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi. [Bg. 13.9] 154 00:12:37,059 --> 00:12:41,958 So kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo ’sya sad-asad…, sad-yoni [Bg. 13.22] 155 00:12:41,959 --> 00:12:47,548 high-class life, and asad-yoni, pāpa-yoni… 156 00:12:47,549 --> 00:12:51,448 So why one is born in lower grade family? 157 00:12:51,449 --> 00:12:54,348 Why one is born in high-grade family? 158 00:12:54,349 --> 00:12:56,298 kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo ’sya [Bg. 13.22] 159 00:12:56,299 --> 00:13:04,678 The cause is as he has associated with different types of qualities. 160 00:13:04,679 --> 00:13:12,268 So unfortunately, this science, that there is birth after death, and there is, 161 00:13:12,269 --> 00:13:17,078 actually, we are experience, we are seeing, but they do not inquire. 162 00:13:17,079 --> 00:13:21,788 They think that one can improve. 163 00:13:21,789 --> 00:13:23,128 That is not possible. 164 00:13:23,129 --> 00:13:28,358 Unless he changes the quality, he cannot improve. 165 00:13:28,359 --> 00:13:29,538 That is not possible. 166 00:13:29,539 --> 00:13:30,888 They do not know it. 167 00:13:30,889 --> 00:13:34,198 They are falsely trying to improve the position. 168 00:13:34,199 --> 00:13:36,148 Nobody is trying to become poor. 169 00:13:36,149 --> 00:13:38,539 Everyone is trying to become rich. 170 00:13:38,540 --> 00:13:39,949 But it is not possible. 171 00:13:39,950 --> 00:13:47,549 Because he has got a particular type of body, and that body is already destined, 172 00:13:47,550 --> 00:13:55,379 and he has to achieve happiness or suffer distresses according to the body. 173 00:13:55,380 --> 00:13:57,099 Therefore śāstra says, 174 00:13:57,100 --> 00:14:02,689 tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ: [SB 1.15.18] 175 00:14:02,690 --> 00:14:10,319 “You should try for that thing which you did not receive in your past lives.” 176 00:14:10,320 --> 00:14:13,989 Past life, by our pious activities or impious activities, 177 00:14:13,990 --> 00:14:19,419 we have got a different type of body, here or in higher planetary system. 178 00:14:19,420 --> 00:14:20,549 That’s all right. 179 00:14:20,550 --> 00:14:24,559 But that is not solution of my problem; the real problem is 180 00:14:24,560 --> 00:14:27,279 janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi [Bg. 13.9] 181 00:14:27,280 --> 00:14:32,309 So we should try, we should save time and utilize it, 182 00:14:32,310 --> 00:14:35,559 how to get out of this janma- mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi [Bg. 13.9] 183 00:14:35,560 --> 00:14:38,879 That is the whole Vedic civilization. 184 00:14:38,880 --> 00:14:40,579 Therefore it is said, 185 00:14:40,580 --> 00:14:42,890 tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovidaḥ [SB 1.5.18] 186 00:14:42,891 --> 00:14:45,830 If you are intelligent, then you should try, 187 00:14:45,831 --> 00:14:55,450 you should engage your life, how to get out of this cycle of birth and death. 188 00:14:55,451 --> 00:15:00,180 tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvam [SB 5.5.1] 189 00:15:00,181 --> 00:15:07,160 We have to purify our existence so that we can revive our original position 190 00:15:07,161 --> 00:15:12,130 of eternal life, blissful life, full of knowledge. 191 00:15:12,131 --> 00:15:13,810 That is our requirement. 192 00:15:13,811 --> 00:15:17,840 So modern civilization, they have no such information. 193 00:15:17,841 --> 00:15:21,960 Everyone is trying to improve his condition according to the quality; 194 00:15:21,961 --> 00:15:23,770 but that is not improvement. 195 00:15:23,771 --> 00:15:29,990 Real improvement is how to get out of this cycle of birth and death. 196 00:15:29,991 --> 00:15:31,340 That is real improvement. 197 00:15:31,341 --> 00:15:34,570 janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi- duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam [Bg. 13.9] 198 00:15:34,571 --> 00:15:35,810 Thank you very much. 199 00:15:35,811 --> 00:15:42,866 So I will have to go with Mr. Ganatra. 200 00:15:42,867 --> 00:15:42,868 Subtitles by Gopī Kāntā Dāsa, Causelessmercy.com