Bhagavad-gita 6.30-34 Devotee: Verse thirty: “For one who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, I am never lost, nor is he ever lost to Me.” Prabhupada: That’s all. How you can (laughs) be lost of Krsna? That is sada tad-bhava-bhavitah [Bg. 8.6]. So if you practice your life in this way, never lost to Krsna, so at the time of death you are sure to go to Krsna. Where you are going? You are not lost to Krsna. Kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati. And Krsna promises, “My dear Arjuna, My pure devotee is never lost to Me.” Don’t be lost to Krsna. That is perfection of life. That is perfection of life. Simply don’t be lost to Krsna. You can forget all things, but don’t forget Krsna. Then you are richest. People may see you are very poor man, just like Gosvamis. They adopted very poor life, mendicant. They were ministers, very opulent. Very honorable gentlemen, Rupa Gosvami, Sanatana Gosvami, learned scholars, rich men, ministers, in every respect their social position so high. But they accepted this mendicant: tyaktva turnam asesa-mandala-pati-srenim. That Gosvami prayer you’ll find. Tyaktva turnam asesa-mandala-pati-srenim sada tuccha-vat. Just like most insignificant, they gave up everything. Bhutva dina-ganesakau karunaya kaupina-kanthasritau. Kaupina-kanthasritau—just one underwear and loin cloth, that’s all. They became accepted the purest way of life. But how they could live? If a very rich man accepts such poor condition of life, he cannot live. I have seen it. If one is habituated to high standard of life, if you immediately lower his standard of life, he cannot live. But they lived very happily. How? That is stated. Gopi-bhava-rasamrtabdhi-lahari-kallola-magnau muhur vande rupa-sanatanau raghu-yugau sri-jiva-gopalakau. They are richest, by dipping themselves in the ocean of loving affairs of the gopis. So is you simply think of the loving affairs of the gopis for Krsna, then you are not lost. There are so many ways. Don’t be lost to Krsna. Then you are successful. Then Krsna will also not be lost and he’ll be not lost. Go on. Devotee: Purport. “The person in Krsna consciousness certainly sees Lord Krsna everywhere and he sees everything in Krsna. Such a person may appear to see all separate manifestations within the material nature. But in each and every instance, he is conscious of Krsna, knowing that everything is the manifestation of Krsna’s energy.” Prabhupada: “Energy.” Now, one who sees a tree, he’s philosopher, Krsna conscious person is philosopher. If he studies, “What is this tree?” He sees the tree has got a material body just like I have got this material body, but he’s a living entity, due to his past misdeeds he has got such abominable body that he cannot move even. But his body is material and material means the material energy and material energy, who’s energy? Krsna’s energy. Therefore the tree has got Krsna connection. And the tree, as living entity is part and parcel of Krsna. So in that way if you discuss philosophy, Krsna consciousness, you see, don’t see the tree, you see Krsna there. That is Krsna consciousness. You don’t see tree. You see Krsna. That is Krsna consciousness. So you have to practice like that. That is yoga practice. That is samadhi. Yes, go on. Devotee: “Nothing can exist without Krsna and Krsna is the Lord of everything. This is the basic principle of Krsna consciousness. Krsna consciousness is the development of love of Krsna. A position transcendental even to material liberation.” Prabhupada: Yes. This consciousness, this studying of the tree as Krsna’s energy, as part and parcel of Krsna. Why you take account of the tree so nicely? Because you have love for Krsna. Just like you love your child and your child is away from your side. You find the shoes of your child. “Oh, this is the shoe of my child.” Do you love the shoe? No, you love the child. Similarly as soon as see the energy of Krsna manifested in a different way, that means you love that entity because you love Krsna. Therefore, if you love Krsna, then your universal love is counted. Otherwise it is nonsense. You cannot love. That is not possible. If you love Krsna, then the word love, universal love, so many things as it is very much advertised. And if you don’t love Krsna, then you see “Here is my American brother, and the cow is my food.” Because you do not love the cow. The cow is American and my brother is American. My brother is good, and the cow is food. This is my universal love. Why? But a Krsna conscious person, he sees, “Oh, here is a cow. Here is a dog. He’s a part and parcel of Krsna. By someway or other he has got a different body than me. That does not mean he’s not my brother. So how can I kill my brother?” That is Krsna’s love, due to Krsna’s love. So Krsna love is so nice. All perfection. If there is no Krsna love, there is no question love, it is all nonsense. There cannot be any love without Krsna consciousness. Yes. Devotee: “It is the stage after self-realization in which the devotee becomes one with Krsna in the sense that Krsna becomes everything for the devotee, and the devotee becomes full in loving Krsna. An intimate relationship between the Lord and the devotee then exists. In that stage there is no chance that the living entity will be annihilated nor is the Personality of Godhead ever out of sight of the devotee.” Prabhupada: How He can become out of sight? He sees everything in Krsna and Krsna in everything. Everything in Krsna and Krsna in everything. Then how can he lose sight of Krsna? Yes. Devotee: “To merge in Krsna is spiritual annihilation. The devotee takes no such risk. It is stated in the Brahma-samhita: ‘I worship the primeval Lord, Govinda, who is always seen by the devotee whose eyes are anointed with the pulp of love. He is seen in His eternal form of Syamasundara situated within the heart of the devotee.’ ” Prabhupada: Syamasundara, this is Syamasundara, that Kartamasana. premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santah sadaiva hrdayesu vilokayanti yam syamasundaram acintya-guna-svarupam govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami. [Bs. 5.38] So one who has developed this love of Krsna, he sees Syamasundara, the Kartamasana, always within his heart. That is perfection of yoga, Kartamasana, I have given that name, of course, He is Syamasundara, yes. All right, then? Next paragraph. Devotee: “At this stage, Lord Krsna never disappears from the sight of the devotee, nor does the devotee ever lose sight of the Lord. In the case of a yogi who sees the Lord as Paramatma within the heart, the same applies. Such a yogi turns into a pure devotee and cannot bear to live for a moment without seeing the Lord within himself.” Prabhupada: That’s all. This is the process of seeing God. (laughs) Otherwise, God is not my order supplier, “Please come and see.” You have to qualify yourself how to see God every moment, everywhere. And this qualification is simple. That’s not very difficult. Devotee: “The yogi who knows that I and the Supersoul within all creatures are one worships Me and remains always in Me in all circumstances.” Prabhupada: Hmm. The purpose is there, go on. Devotee: Purport. “A yogi who is practicing meditation on the Supersoul within himself sees the plenary portion of Krsna as Visnu—with four hands, holding conchshell, wheel, club and lotus flower.” Prabhupada: This picture, Visnu picture. That is the objective of concentration for the yogi. That is real yoga. And this Visnu manifestation is Krsna’s plenary portion. In the Brahma-samhita it is said: yah karanarnava-jale bhajati sma yoga-nidram ananta-jagad-anda-saroma-kupah and visnur mahan sa iha yasya kala-viseso govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami ** [Bs. 5.47] “I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord.” Govindam adi-purusam. Purusam means the Lord is male, enjoyer, adi, the original. Govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami **. And who is that Govinda? Whose only one plenary portion is Maha-Visnu. And what is the function of Maha-Visnu? Yasyaika-nisvasita-kalam athavalambya jivanti loma-vilaja jagad-anda-nathah [Bs. 5.48] In every universe there is a chief living entity who is known as Brahma. Brahma is the original person in each universe. So the life of Brahma or the life of a universe is existing only on the breathing period of Maha-Visnu. Maha-Visnu is lying on the Causal Ocean and while He is exhaling, millions of universes are coming as bubbles and they are developing again. And when He is inhaling, millions of universes are going within Him. So that is the position of this material world. It is coming out and again going. Bhutva bhutva praliyate. In the Bhagavad-gita also it is said that these material universes are being created at a certain period and again become annihilated. Now this creation and annihilation is depending on the exhaling and inhaling of Maha-Visnu. Just imagine what is the caliber of that Maha-Visnu. That Maha-Visnu, is said here: yasyaika-nisvasita-kalam athavalambya jivanti loma-vilaja jagad-anda-nathah visnur mahan sa iha yasya kala-visesah [Bs. 5.48]. This Maha-Visnu is plenary portion of the plenary portion of Krsna. Krsna is the original. Govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami **. So this Maha-Visnu again enters into each universe as Garbhodakasayi Visnu. And from Garbhodakasayi Visnu there is Ksirodakasayi Visnu. That Ksirodakasayi Visnu is entering in the heart of every living entity. In this way the Visnu manifestation is all over the creation. So the yogi’s concentration of mind on this Visnu form, that is explained here. That Visnu, who is all-pervading. Who is isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese ’rjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. In the Bhagavad-gita you’ll find, that Maha-Visnu, that Ksirodakasayi Visnu is sitting in everyone’s heart. Now yogi has to find out where He is sitting and concentrate this mind there. That is the yoga process. Go on. “The yogi should know,” go on. Devotee: “The yogi should know that Visnu is not different from Krsna.” Prabhupada: Yes. Devotee: “Krsna in this form of Supersoul is situated in everyone’s heart. Furthermore there is no difference between the innumerable Supersouls present in the innumerable hearts of living entities.” Prabhupada: The example, just like there is one sun in the sky. But if you keep on the earth millions of waterpot, you’ll find in each waterpot the reflection of the sun. Or another example, at noontime you just inquire from your friend, ten thousand miles away, “Where is the sun?” He’ll say, “On my head.” So millions and trillions of people will see sun on his head. But the sun is one. And another example, the waterpot. The sun is one, but if there are millions of waterpots you’ll find in each pot the sun is reflected. Similarly there may be innumerable living entities. There is no count. Jivasya asankhya. In the Vedic language it is said that living entities, there is no count. Innumerable. So similarly Visnu is, if a material thing like sun can be reflected in each and every waterpot, so why not the Supreme Personality of Godhead Visnu live in each and everyone’s heart. It is not difficult to understand. He’s living. That is stated. And the yogi has to concentrate his mind on that Visnu form. So this Visnu form is plenary portion of Krsna. So one who is engaged in Krsna consciousness, he’s already a perfect yogi. That will be explained. He’s a perfect yogi. That we’ll explain in the last verse of this chapter. Go on. Devotee: “Nor is there a difference between a Krsna conscious person always engaged in the transcendental loving service of Krsna, and a perfect yogi engaged in meditation on the Supersoul.” Prabhupada: There is no difference. A yogi is in samadhi, trance, with the Visnu form, and a Krsna conscious person, there is no difference. Go on. Devotee: “The yogi in Krsna consciousness, even though he may be engaged in various activities while in material existence, remains always situated in Krsna. A devotee of the Lord always acting in Krsna consciousness is automatically liberated.” Prabhupada: That we’ll find in this Bhagavad-gita in the Twelfth Chapter, that one who is: mam ca yo ’vyabhicarena bhakti-yogena sevate sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate [Bg. 14.26] It is said that one who is engaged in unalloyed devotional service unto Me, he has already transcended the material modes of nature. Brahma-bhuyaya kalpate. He’s on the Brahman platform, that means liberated. To become liberated means to be situated on the Brahman platform. There are three platforms. The bodily platform or sensual platform, then mental platform, then spiritual platform. That spiritual platform is called Brahman platform. So to become liberated means to stand on the Brahman platform. Conditioned soul, we are at the present moment we are on the platform of this bodily concept of life or sensual platform. Those who are a little above, they are on the mental platform, speculating, philosophers. And above this platform there is Brahman platform. So you’ll find in the Bhagavad-gita Twelfth Chapter or Fourteenth Chapter I think, that one who is in Krsna consciousness, he’s already on the Brahman platform. That means liberated. Go on. Devotee: “In the Narada Pancaratra this is confirmed in this way: ‘By concentrating one’s attention on the transcendental form of Krsna, who is all-pervading and beyond time and space, one becomes absorbed in thinking of Krsna and then attains the happy state of transcendental association with Him.’ Krsna consciousness is the highest stage of trance in yoga practice. This very understanding that Krsna is present as Paramatma in everyone’s heart makes the yogi faultless. The Vedas confirm this inconceivable potency of the Lord as follows: ‘Visnu is one and yet He is certainly all-pervading. By His inconceivable potency, in spite of His one form, He is present everywhere. As the sun, He appears in many places at once.’ ” Prabhupada: Yes, that example I have already given. As the sun can be present in many places simultaneously, similarly, Visnu form or Krsna can be present in everyone’s heart, He is actually present: isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese ’rjuna [Bg. 18.61]—He’s sitting. The localization is also stated. Hrd-dese. Hrd-dese means in the heart. So concentration of yoga means to find out from the heart where Visnu is sitting. There is. Go on. Devotee: Verse thirty-two: “He is a perfect yogi, who, knowing that the self dwells in all, sees the true equality of all living entities, both in their happiness and distress, O Arjuna.” Prabhupada: This is universal vision. Not that God is sitting in your heart and not in the cat’s heart or dog’s heart or cow’s heart. He’s sitting everyone’s heart. It is said sarva-bhutanam. Sarva-bhuta means all living entities. He’s sitting in human heart, He’s sitting in the ant’s heart. He is sitting in the dog’s heart, he is sitting everyone’s heart. But the cats and dogs, they cannot realize. That is the difference. But a human being, if he tries, if he follows the yoga system sankhya-yoga system, bhakti-yoga system, then he is able to find out. That is the prerogative of this human form of life. And if we miss this opportunity, if we don’t find out, if we don’t identify our existence with the Lord, then we are missing this opportunity. This, after the evolutionary process, coming through 8,400,000 species of life, when we get this human form of life, if we miss this opportunity, then how much loss we suffer you do not know. So we should be conscious about that. We should not miss this opportunity. You have got very nice body, human form of body, intelligence, and civilized life. We are not like animals. We can think peacefully, we have no so hard struggle for life as the animals. So we should utilize. That is the instruction in the Bhagavad-gita. Don’t lose this opportunity. Utilize it properly. Go on. Devotee: Verse thirty-three: “O Madhusudana, the system of yoga which You have summarized, appears impractical and unendurable to me, for the mind is restless and unsteady.” Prabhupada: Now, there is the crucial test of yoga system. If you can concentrate your mind on the form of Visnu, the process has been described previously that you have to sit like this, you have to look like this, you have to live like this, so many things we have already discussed. But Arjuna said that “It is very difficult for me.” We have to understand this point. He says, “O Madhusudana, the system of yoga which You have summarized,” this system is called astanga-yoga. Astanga-yoga, eight different parts. Yama, niyama. First of all controlling the senses, following the rules and regulation, then practicing the sitting posture. Then exercising the breathing process. Then concentrate your mind. Then be absorbed in the form. There are eight processes, astanga-yoga. So Arjuna said, “This astanga-yoga system is very difficult.” He says, that, “Impractical.” Appears not impractical. For him. Just like, it is not impractical. If it is impractical then Krsna would not have described and taken so much trouble. It is not impractical, but appears. What one thing may be impractical for me but practical for you, that is a different thing. But generally this system is impractical for ordinary common man. Arjuna is representing himself as a common man in the sense that he was not a mendicant or he has renounced his family life or he has no connection with his bread problem. Because he was on the warfield to fight for the kingdom. So he’s supposed to be an ordinary man. So for ordinary men who are engaged in these worldly activities for earning livelihood, family life, children, wife, so many problems, it is not practical. That is the point here. It is practical for one who has already renounced everything completely. In a secluded sacred place, just like in the hill or in the cave of the hill, alone, no public disturbance. So where is the opportunity for ordinary man, for us, especially in this age? Therefore this yoga system is not practical. It is admitted by Arjuna, who was a great warrior. And he was so advanced, he belonged to the royal family and very expert in so many things. He said that it is impractical. Just try to understand. And what we are in comparison to Arjuna? If we try this system, it is not possible. Failure is sure. Go on reading the purport. Devotee: “The system of mysticism described by Lord Krsna to Arjuna is here being rejected by Arjuna.” Prabhupada: Yes, rejected, Arjuna, yes. Devotee: “…out of a feeling of inability. It is not possible for an ordinary man to leave home and go to a secluded place in the mountains or jungles to practice yoga in this age of Kali. The present age is characterized by a bitter struggle for a life of short duration.” Prabhupada: Yes. First of all our duration life is very short. If you study the statistics you can see your forefathers who lived for hundred years or eighty years, ninety years. Now sixty years, seventy years people are dying. Gradually it will decrease. In this age the memory, the duration of life, mercifulness, so many things will decrease. That is the symptom of this age. Go on. Devotee: “People are not serious about self-realization even by simple practical means, what to speak of this difficult yoga system which regulates the mode of living, the manner of sitting, selection of place and detachment of the mind from material engagements. As a practical man, Arjuna thought it was impossible to follow this system of yoga.” Prabhupada: Yes. He was not prepared to become a pseudoyogi, false, simply by practicing some gymnastic. He was not a pretender. He said that, “I am a family man, I am a soldier, so it is not possible for me.” He frankly admits. He does not … something which is impossible. That is simply a useless waste of time. Why should one do that? Go on. Devotee: “Even though he was favorably endowed in many ways, He belonged to the royal family and was highly elevated in terms of numerous qualities: he was a great warrior, he had great longevity.” Prabhupada: Yes. One thing is the age. Five thousand years ago when Arjuna was living, the longevity was very very long. At that time people used to live up to one thousand years. Just like in the present age the limit is one hundred years, similarly in the Dvapara- yuga, the age limit was one thousand years. And before that in the Treta-yuga and age limit was ten thousand years. And before that in the Satya-yuga, the age limit was one hundred thousand years. So the age limit is decreasing. So even though Arjuna was at a time when people could live for one thousand years, still he thought that it is impossible. Go on. Devotee: “And above all, he was the most intimate friend of Lord Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Five thousand years ago Arjuna had much better facilities than we do. Yet he refused this system of yoga.” Prabhupada: This system of yoga, this astanga-yoga. Yes. Devotee: “In fact, we do not find any record in history of his practicing it at any time. Therefore this system must be considered impossible, especially in this age of Kali. Of course it may be possible for some very few, rare men, but for the people in general it is an impossible proposal. If this was so five thousand years ago, then what to speak of the present day? Those who are imitating this yoga system in different so-called schools and societies, although complacent, are certainly wasting their time. They are completely in ignorance of the desired goal.” Prabhupada: Yes. So this astanga-yoga is not possible. Therefore this yoga system, bhakti-yoga system, is applicable to anyone. You have seen when this chanting, bhakti-yoga system goes on, even a small child, he also begins to clap. You see? Without any training, without any education, automatically he takes part. So therefore Lord Caitanya has said that this is the only system in this age: harer nama harer nama harer nama eva kevalam [Adi 17.21] Simply chanting Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna. Kalau, in this age of Kali. Kalau nasty eva, nasty eva. Nasty eva: there is no other alternative, no other alternative, no other alternative. If you adopt this system, this bhakti-yoga system, very simple, simply chanting. You’ll find immediately result. Pratyaksavagamam dharmyam. Any other yoga system, if you practice, you are in the darkness. You do not know how far you are making progress. But this system, you will understand, “Yes, I’m making such and such progress.” This is the only yoga system, bhakti-yoga system, that one can practice for quick result and self-realization and liberation even in this life. He hasn’t got to wait for another life. It is so nice, Krsna consciousness. Go on. Devotee: Verse thirty-four: “For the mind is restless, turbulent, obstinate and very strong, O Krsna. And to subdue it, it seems to me, more difficult than controlling the wind.” Prabhupada: Yes. Even if you can control the wind, that is not possible. Nobody can control the wind. But even it is theoretically accepting that you can control the wind, but it is not possible to control the mind. It is very difficult. Mind is so flickering and so turbulent. Go on. Devotee: Purport: “Mind is so strong and obstinate, that sometimes it overcomes the intelligence. For a man in the practical world who has to fight so many opposing elements, it is certainly very difficult to control the mind. Artificially, one may establish a mental equilibrium toward both friend and enemy, but ultimately no worldly man can do so, for this is more difficult than controlling the raging wind. In the Vedic literatures it is said: ‘The individual is the passenger in the car of the material body and intelligence is the driver. Mind is the driving instrument and the senses are the horses. The self is thus the enjoyer or sufferer in the association of the body and senses. So it is understood by great thinkers.’ Intelligence is supposed to direct the mind. But the mind is so strong and obstinate that it surpasses even one’s own intelligence as an acute infection may surpass the efficacy of medicine. Such a strong mind is supposed to be controlled by the practice of yoga. But such practice is never practical for a worldly person like Arjuna. And what can we say of modern man? The difficulty is neatly expressed: ‘One cannot capture the blowing wind.’ And it is even more difficult to capture the agitated mind.” Prabhupada: Therefore this process, chanting Hare Krsna, it captures the mind immediately. Simply if you chant, “Krsna” and if you hear, automatically your mind is fixed up in Krsna. That means the yoga system is immediately attained. Because the whole yoga system is to concentrate your mind on the form of Visnu. And Krsna is the original personality of expansion of Visnu forms. Krsna is just like here is a lamp. Now, from this lamp, from this candle, you can bring another candle, you can kindle it. Then, another, another, another, thousands of candle you can expand. In each candle is as powerful as this candle. There is no doubt about it. But one has to take this candle as the original candle. Similarly, Krsna is expanding in millions of Visnu forms. Each Visnu form is as good as Krsna, but Krsna is the original candle because from Krsna everything expands. So one who has concentrated his mind, someway or other in Krsna, he has already attained the perfection of yoga. This is the substance of Krsna consciousness movement. Go on. (end)
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Los Angeles, February 19, 1969