Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 20.111 Pradyumna: (chants verse, etc.) “Translation: Lord Krsna naturally has three energetic transformations, and these are known as the spiritual potency, the living entity potency and the illusory potency.” Prabhupada: krsnera svabhavika tina-sakti-parinati cic-chakti jiva-sakti ara maya-sakti In the previous verse we have discussed that fire is situated in one place, but it is expanding heat and light. We should always remember this comparison, that the sun is there, localized, and from millions and millions of years it is distributing heat and light. Take for… That is not yet reduced. The same transformation is going on. Similarly, we can understand very easily that God may be far away from us. He’s not far away; He is within us, but we think like that: “God is far away.” Simply we have no knowledge to understand. Just like in the morning, as soon as there is daylight we can immediately understand, “Now the darkness is finished; the sunlight is there.” Gradually the sun comes out, and the whole day becomes very brilliant and warm. Immediately things are changed. Similarly, when we see that the nature’s way… That is the heat and light of the sun, material world. So if everything is going on nicely, so how you can say that God is dead? Things are going on. Just like the heat and light is there; therefore, even though you are within the room, you can understand the sun is there. Or even there is cloud covering the sun, that does not mean the sun is not there. So it is simply foolishness. We say sometimes that “There is no God. Can you show me? I have not seen God.” These are all rascals’ propositions. When we see… Any foreign country, you see that a city is maintained very nicely, the police is there, the light is there, the green light, the red light is there—we can immediately understand that there is government. Any sane man, how he can say that government is dead? This is foolishness. There cannot be any question of “God is dead.” If you say “I cannot see Him,” so you cannot see even the government head man. Can you see the President always? But you have to accept that there is a system of government; therefore the head of the government is there. So actually God is there, and His system is going on in three potencies. In the Vedas we learn, parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate svabhaviki jnana-bala-kriya ca. Para, the Supreme Absolute Truth, has many potencies, and all the potencies have been summarized into three. That is stated here: cic-chakti, jiva-sakti and maya-sakti. Cic-chakti means spiritual potency, and jiva-sakti, living entities. We are also sakti, prakrti; we are not purusa. Purusa means enjoyer, and prakrti means enjoyed. We cannot be the enjoyer; that is not possible. So sakti… In the Bhagavad-gita also it is confirmed, apareyam itas tv prakrtim viddhi me param. When Krsna described about the material energy, bhumir apo ’nalo vayuh, earth, water, air, fire… These are material energies, gross. And there are subtle material energies, mind, intelligence and egotism. Beyond that, apareyam… These are inferior energies. Beyond that, there is spiritual energy. What is that spiritual energy? Jiva-bhutah. That you know. (?) That is spiritual energy. That spiritual energy is always different from the material energy. Unfortunately the so-called scientists, they have no sufficient intelligence. On account of poor fund of knowledge, they are mixing up. They are thinking that there is no spiritual energy separately, but by combination of matter, chemicals, the spiritual energy comes into existence. That is wrong; that is not fact. Spiritual energy is completely different from the material energy. That is energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but spiritual energy is direct, and material energy is indirect. Both of them are energies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and when there is question of energy, sakti, some energy, so we have to accept the source of energy. Just like electric energy. We see there is electric energy, but there is source of electricity, the powerhouse. How can you deny it? Those who are foolish persons, they think that a childish, that this bulb is giving light automatically. No. That is not fact. The fact is, the electric energy is coming from the background, the powerhouse, then about the bulb is giving light. So whatever intelligence we have got, that is not our intelligence; that is God’s intelligence. Mattah smrtir jnanam apohanam ca [Bg. 15.15]. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said. That intelligence is coming, but the intelligence, why you’ll find different? So just like the bulb. There are fifteen-candle-power, there is fifty-candle-power, hundred-candle-power—according to the bulb, the energy is exhibited. Similarly, according to our power of reception, we can exhibit our intelligence, merit. But actually it is coming from God. Anything… The same principle. Janmady asya yatah [Bhag. 1.1.1], the Vedanta philosophy, “Absolute Truth means the original source of everything.” Everything may be of different varieties, but the original source is Krsna. aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate iti matva bhajante mam budha bhava-samanvitah [Bg. 10.8] The devotee, he can understand. By the grace of God he can understand wherefrom the energy is coming, how it is acting. Iti. aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate iti matva… budha-bhava-samanvitah [Bg. 10.8] Iti matva bhajante mam budha bhava-samanvitah. Bhajante mam. This thing can be understood by the budha. Budha means one who is very intelligent, one who is in awareness of everything. He is called budha. Bhava-samanvitah: “Oh, it is coming from Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” Then they become more and more a devotee. That is stated in the Caitanya-caritamrta: siddhanta baliya citte na kara alasa iha ha-ite krsne lage sudrdha manasa Sentiment is no… Sentiment is bhava, but that is after full knowledge. When you can understand Krsna is so great, so powerful, then your devotion increases immediately. Therefore we have to study sastras for understanding His position, and if we understand Krsna, then we become liberated person immediately. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti. Janma karma ca me divyam [Bg. 4.9] So those who are in Krsna consciousness movement, they should study Krsna scientifically, not by sentiment. After full knowledge of Krsna, when you become absorbed in Krsna’s form, that is called bhava. Budha bhava-samanvitah. So that bhava stage does not come immediately. You have to practice gradually. adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sango ’tha bhajana-kriya tato ’nartha-nivrttih syat tato nistha rucis tatah athasaktis tato bhavah There are stages. So, this is the beginning. Adau sraddha. Just like yesterday you made. They very much appreciated this Ratha-yatra ceremony, and they wrote very frankly, “Here is the point of meeting East and West.” The newspapers, they have written like that. It is actually the fact. We cannot become united nations of united dogs. (laughter) It is not possible. Everyone is barking. And if you practice to bark, then simply some different types of dog, some bulldogs, some greyhounds, some this, some that. (laughter) So how they will be united? No. That is not possible. Here is unity, when you accept Jagannatha. There is unity. So actually, if we take Krsna consciousness movement very seriously, scientifically, then there is unity. vidya-vinaya-sampanne brahmane gavi hastini suni caiva sva-pake ca panditah sama-darsinah [Bg. 5.18] Panditah means learned. He is sama-darsinah. brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na kanksati samah sarvesu bhutesu mad-bhaktim labhate param [Bg. 18.54] Actually this is the platform where we can unite. And by practical example you have shown. Everyone was engaged in dancing and chanting, never mind whether Indian, American, black, white, children, or old like me. This is wanted. This is wanted. And when we thoroughly understand what is the basic principle of Krsna consciousness and we understand, “Vasudeva, Krsna, is the central point of attraction,” then our life is successful. Vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhah [Bg. 7.19]. Mahatma means great soul. So great soul, one who has understood that Krsna is the source of all energies, just like the sun is the source of all material energy… So then we can become perfect. Vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhah [Bg. 7.19] I request you that each and every one of you just become mahatma, not crippled-minded, but broad-minded. So that is possible when we understand Krsna is the source of all energy. Thank you very much. (end)
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
New York, July 19, 1976