0 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:15,979 Iso 00 LA 1970-05-02 Matter Has No Power 1 00:00:15,980 --> 00:00:19,119 ANNOUNCER: The following is a class on the Śrī Īśopaniṣad, 2 00:00:19,120 --> 00:00:24,959 given by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, 3 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:43,549 recorded on the 2nd of May 1970, in Los Angeles, California. 4 00:00:43,550 --> 00:00:47,799 PRABHUPĀDA and devotees: 5 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:58,299 oṁ pūrṇam adaḥ pūrṇam idaṁ pūrṇāt pūrṇam udacyate [Īśo Invocation] 6 00:00:58,300 --> 00:01:07,099 pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate [Īśo Invocation] 7 00:01:07,100 --> 00:01:15,359 īśāvāsyam idam sarvaṁ yat kiṣca jagatyāṁ jagat [Īśo mantra 1] 8 00:01:15,360 --> 00:01:23,509 tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā mā gṛdhaḥ kasya svid dhanam [Īśo mantra 1] 9 00:01:23,510 --> 00:01:31,569 kurvann eveha karmāṇi jijīviṣec chataṁ samāḥ [Īśo mantra 2] 10 00:01:31,570 --> 00:01:39,869 evaṁ tvayi nānyatheto 'sti na karma lipyate nare [Īśo mantra 2] 11 00:01:39,870 --> 00:01:47,890 asuryā nāma te lokā andhena tamasāvṛtāḥ [Īśo mantra 3] 12 00:01:47,891 --> 00:01:55,780 tāṁs te pretyābhigacchanti ye ke cātma-hano janāḥ [Īśo mantra 3] 13 00:01:55,781 --> 00:02:04,860 anejad ekaṁ manaso javīyo nainad devā āpnuvan pūrvam arṣat [Īśo mantra 4] 14 00:02:04,861 --> 00:02:14,040 tad dhāvato 'nyān atyeti tiṣṭhat tasminn apo mātariśvā dadhāti [Īśo mantra 4] 15 00:02:14,041 --> 00:02:20,690 tad ejati tan naijati tad dūre tad v antike [Īśo mantra 5] 16 00:02:20,691 --> 00:02:28,810 tad antar asya sarvasya tad u sarvasyāsya bāhyataḥ [Īśo mantra 5] 17 00:02:28,811 --> 00:02:36,120 yas tu sarvāṇi bhūtāny ātmany evānupaśyati [Īśo mantra 6] 18 00:02:36,121 --> 00:02:43,100 sarva-bhūteṣu cātmānaṁ tato na vijugupsate [Īśo mantra 6] 19 00:02:43,101 --> 00:02:50,580 yasmin sarvāṇi bhūtāny ātmaivābhūd vijānataḥ [Īśo mantra 7] 20 00:02:50,581 --> 00:02:58,620 tatra ko mohaḥ kaḥ śoka ekatvam anupaśyataḥ [Īśo mantra 7] 21 00:02:58,621 --> 00:03:07,600 sa paryagāc chukram akāyam avraṇam asnāviram śuddham apāpa-viddham [Īśo mantra 8] 22 00:03:07,601 --> 00:03:19,000 kavir manīṣī paribhūḥ svayambhūr yāthātathyato 'rthān vyadadhāc chāśvatībhyaḥ samābhyaḥ [Īśo mantra 8] 23 00:03:19,001 --> 00:03:25,360 andhaṁ tamaḥ praviśanti ye 'vidyām upāsate [Īśo mantra 9] 24 00:03:25,361 --> 00:03:32,700 tato bhūya iva te tamo ya u vidyāyām ratāḥ [Īśo mantra 9] 25 00:03:32,701 --> 00:03:40,100 anyad evāhur vidyayā- nyad āhur avidyayā [Īśo mantra 10] 26 00:03:40,101 --> 00:03:48,520 iti śuśruma dhīrāṇāṁ ye nas tad vicacakṣire [Īśo mantra 10] 27 00:03:48,521 --> 00:03:55,500 vidyāṁ cāvidyāṁ ca yas tad vedobhayaṁ saha [Īśo mantra 11] 28 00:03:55,501 --> 00:04:03,500 avidyayā mṛtyuṁ tīrtvā vidyayāmṛtam aśnute [Īśo mantra 11] 29 00:04:03,501 --> 00:04:10,550 andhaṁ tamaḥ praviśanti ye 'sambhūtim upāsate [Īśo mantra 12] 30 00:04:10,551 --> 00:04:18,650 tato bhūya iva te tamo ya u sambhūtyām ratāḥ [splice] [Īśo mantra 12] 31 00:04:18,651 --> 00:04:21,571 PRABHUPĀDA: Hare Kṛṣṇa. 32 00:04:21,572 --> 00:04:23,741 Read. 33 00:04:23,742 --> 00:04:25,511 GARGAMUNI: Fourteen. 34 00:04:25,512 --> 00:04:28,201 - PRABHUPĀDA: Yes. - On the last sentence. 35 00:04:28,202 --> 00:04:33,511 “This point is confirmed by the Bhagavad-gītā in the Seventh Chapter, 36 00:04:33,512 --> 00:04:38,171 where parā and aparā prakṛti are discussed. 37 00:04:38,172 --> 00:04:46,201 The elements of nature—earth, fire, water, air, sky, mind, intelligence and ego— 38 00:04:46,202 --> 00:04:49,181 all belong to the inferior, or material, 39 00:04:49,182 --> 00:04:51,911 energy of the Lord, whereas the living being, 40 00:04:51,912 --> 00:04:57,621 the organic energy, is the superior energy, the parā prakṛti of the Lord. 41 00:04:57,622 --> 00:05:02,011 Both the prakṛtis, or energies, are emanations from the Lord, 42 00:05:02,012 --> 00:05:06,031 and ultimately He is the controller of everything that exists. 43 00:05:06,032 --> 00:05:09,719 There is nothing in the universe which does not belong either to the 44 00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:15,701 parā or aparā prakṛti, and therefore everything is under the…” 45 00:05:15,702 --> 00:05:19,911 “…proprietary right of the Supreme Being.” 46 00:05:19,912 --> 00:05:26,931 So here, in the Īśopaniṣad also, 47 00:05:26,932 --> 00:05:32,721 the same thing is explained, that īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam [Īśo Invocation] 48 00:05:32,722 --> 00:05:38,492 Whatever we are seeing, animate or inanimate, 49 00:05:38,493 --> 00:05:44,372 there is control of the Supreme Lord. 50 00:05:44,373 --> 00:05:48,022 The same thing is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, 51 00:05:48,023 --> 00:05:53,282 that His energies are working. 52 00:05:53,283 --> 00:05:57,482 In the Viṣṇu Purāṇa it is said, 53 00:05:57,483 --> 00:06:07,162 just like fire staying in one place distributes its heat and light… 54 00:06:07,163 --> 00:06:12,592 eka-deśa-sthitasyāgner jyotsnā vistāriṇī yathā [Viṣṇu Purāṇa 1.22.56] 55 00:06:12,593 --> 00:06:15,252 Agni, agni means fire. 56 00:06:15,253 --> 00:06:18,852 Fire is… Just like the sun. 57 00:06:18,853 --> 00:06:25,672 Sun is also fire, very high temperature fire. 58 00:06:25,673 --> 00:06:28,342 So it is staying in one place, 59 00:06:28,343 --> 00:06:36,502 but it is distributing its light and heat all over the universe. 60 00:06:36,503 --> 00:06:43,192 eka-deśa-sthitasyāgner yathā jyotsnā vistāriṇī 61 00:06:43,193 --> 00:06:49,502 tathaiva… parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktiḥ [Viṣṇu Purāṇa (1.22.56)] 62 00:06:49,503 --> 00:06:57,472 Similarly, two energies from the Supreme Lord is being distributed 63 00:06:57,473 --> 00:07:00,892 all over the creation. 64 00:07:00,893 --> 00:07:05,552 One kind of energy is called material energy, 65 00:07:05,553 --> 00:07:12,092 and the other kind of energy is called the spiritual energy. 66 00:07:12,093 --> 00:07:18,212 So in this world, in this temporary material world, 67 00:07:18,213 --> 00:07:21,953 the spiritual energy is there; that is prominent. 68 00:07:21,954 --> 00:07:26,323 But it is covered by the material energy. 69 00:07:26,324 --> 00:07:32,923 Just like there is sunshine— sunshine; nobody can check— 70 00:07:32,924 --> 00:07:37,823 but it is sometimes covered by cloud. 71 00:07:37,824 --> 00:07:44,003 When it is covered by the cloud, the sunshine is dim. 72 00:07:44,004 --> 00:07:48,773 The more it is covered… Just like in the Western countries, 73 00:07:48,774 --> 00:07:52,653 in the northern countries, it is very much covered. 74 00:07:52,654 --> 00:07:55,820 Practically, there is no sunshine. 75 00:07:55,821 --> 00:08:02,120 In London I saw the sunshine is very rare. 76 00:08:02,121 --> 00:08:05,630 At ten o’clock it is early in the morning, 77 00:08:05,631 --> 00:08:08,980 and at half past three, again evening, 78 00:08:08,981 --> 00:08:10,900 so long I was there. 79 00:08:10,901 --> 00:08:17,110 So this covering of the sunshine is temporary. 80 00:08:17,111 --> 00:08:20,590 Actually, sunshine cannot be covered. 81 00:08:20,591 --> 00:08:24,270 The whole sunshine cannot be covered; that is not possible. 82 00:08:24,271 --> 00:08:27,930 An insignificant portion of the sunshine 83 00:08:27,931 --> 00:08:33,290 may be covered, or is covered sometimes by the cloud. 84 00:08:33,291 --> 00:08:42,951 Similarly, this material world is an insignificant portion of the spiritual world, 85 00:08:42,952 --> 00:08:47,191 covered by this material energy; that’s all. 86 00:08:47,192 --> 00:08:50,941 And what is the position of material energy? 87 00:08:50,942 --> 00:08:57,131 The material energy is also another form of the spiritual energy. 88 00:08:57,132 --> 00:09:01,241 That means absence of spiritual activity, that is material. 89 00:09:01,242 --> 00:09:02,981 That’s all. 90 00:09:02,982 --> 00:09:06,121 Just like what is this cloud? 91 00:09:06,122 --> 00:09:11,241 This cloud is another transformation of the sunshine. 92 00:09:11,242 --> 00:09:19,551 The sunshine evaporates water from the sea, and the cloud is formed. 93 00:09:19,552 --> 00:09:25,791 Therefore sunshine is the cause of the cloud. 94 00:09:25,792 --> 00:09:31,541 Similarly, this material energy is also caused by the Supreme Lord 95 00:09:31,542 --> 00:09:34,381 because it is His energy. 96 00:09:34,382 --> 00:09:38,811 So two energies are working in this material world: 97 00:09:38,812 --> 00:09:42,991 the spiritual energy and the material energy. 98 00:09:42,992 --> 00:09:48,091 The material energy means these eight kinds of material elements. 99 00:09:48,092 --> 00:09:49,891 bhūmir āpo ’nalo vāyuḥ: [Bg. 7.4] 100 00:09:49,892 --> 00:09:57,561 earth, water, fire, air, sky, mind, intelligence, and ego. 101 00:09:57,562 --> 00:09:59,321 These are all material. 102 00:09:59,322 --> 00:10:05,661 And similarly, finer, finer, finer, finer, and grosser, grosser, grosser. 103 00:10:05,662 --> 00:10:14,822 Just like water is finer than the earth, then fire is finer than the water, 104 00:10:14,823 --> 00:10:22,352 then air is finer than the fire, then sky, or ether, is finer than the air. 105 00:10:22,353 --> 00:10:29,282 Similarly, intelligence is finer than the ether, or mind is finer than the ether. 106 00:10:29,283 --> 00:10:35,802 The mind… You know, I have given several times example: the speed of mind. 107 00:10:35,803 --> 00:10:40,632 Many thousands of miles within a second you can go. 108 00:10:40,633 --> 00:10:46,142 So the finer it becomes, it is powerful. 109 00:10:46,143 --> 00:10:52,672 Similarly, ultimately, when you come to the spiritual part, finer, 110 00:10:52,673 --> 00:10:58,712 from which everything is emanating, oh, that is very powerful. 111 00:10:58,713 --> 00:11:01,522 That spiritual energy. 112 00:11:01,523 --> 00:11:05,652 That is given in the Bhagavad-gītā. 113 00:11:05,653 --> 00:11:08,362 What is that spiritual energy? 114 00:11:08,363 --> 00:11:13,022 That spiritual energy is this living entity. 115 00:11:13,023 --> 00:11:16,772 apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parā [Bg. 7.5] 116 00:11:16,773 --> 00:11:20,632 Kṛṣṇa says, “These are material energies. 117 00:11:20,633 --> 00:11:25,042 And beyond this there is another, spiritual energy.” 118 00:11:25,043 --> 00:11:29,072 apareyam; aparā means inferior. 119 00:11:29,073 --> 00:11:30,103 apareyam. 120 00:11:30,104 --> 00:11:36,083 “All these described material elements, they are inferior energy. 121 00:11:36,084 --> 00:11:40,653 And beyond this there is a superior energy, My dear Arjuna.” 122 00:11:40,654 --> 00:11:41,823 What is that? 123 00:11:41,824 --> 00:11:44,723 jīva-bhūta mahā-bāho: [Bg. 7.5] 124 00:11:44,724 --> 00:11:47,183 “These living entities.” 125 00:11:47,184 --> 00:11:48,723 They are also energy. 126 00:11:48,724 --> 00:11:54,223 We living entities, we are also energy, but superior energy. 127 00:11:54,224 --> 00:11:56,243 How superior? 128 00:11:56,244 --> 00:11:57,633 Because, 129 00:11:57,634 --> 00:12:00,123 yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat [Bg. 7.5] 130 00:12:00,124 --> 00:12:06,433 The superior energy is controlling the inferior energy. 131 00:12:06,434 --> 00:12:08,833 Matter has no power. 132 00:12:08,834 --> 00:12:16,873 The big airplane, nice machine, is flying in the sky, made of material things. 133 00:12:16,874 --> 00:12:23,773 But unless the spiritual energy, pilot, is there, it is useless. 134 00:12:23,774 --> 00:12:25,783 It is useless. 135 00:12:25,784 --> 00:12:30,843 Thousands of years the jet plane will stand on the airport; 136 00:12:30,844 --> 00:12:39,663 it will not be flying unless the small particle spiritual energy, that pilot, 137 00:12:39,664 --> 00:12:42,443 comes and touches it. 138 00:12:42,444 --> 00:12:47,224 So what is the difficulty to understand God? 139 00:12:47,225 --> 00:12:54,394 So plain thing, that if this huge machine… 140 00:12:54,395 --> 00:12:56,724 There are so many huge machineries, 141 00:12:56,725 --> 00:13:01,114 they cannot move without the touch of the spiritual energy, 142 00:13:01,115 --> 00:13:05,144 a human being or a living being. 143 00:13:05,145 --> 00:13:11,704 How can you expect that this whole material energy is working out of 144 00:13:11,705 --> 00:13:15,924 automatically or without any control? 145 00:13:15,925 --> 00:13:20,544 How you can put your arguments in that way? 146 00:13:20,545 --> 00:13:22,574 That is not possible. 147 00:13:22,575 --> 00:13:25,254 Therefore less intelligent class of men, 148 00:13:25,255 --> 00:13:29,004 they cannot understand how this material energy 149 00:13:29,005 --> 00:13:32,924 is being controlled by the Supreme Lord. 150 00:13:32,925 --> 00:13:35,354 The godless men, 151 00:13:35,355 --> 00:13:40,894 those who are of opinions that this material energy is working automatically, 152 00:13:40,895 --> 00:13:42,994 they are fools. 153 00:13:42,995 --> 00:13:46,494 That is the explanation of Īśopaniṣad. 154 00:13:46,495 --> 00:13:49,014 īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam [Īśo Invocation] 155 00:13:49,015 --> 00:13:55,024 Everything is being controlled by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. 156 00:13:55,025 --> 00:13:59,055 Therefore, because He is the supreme controller, 157 00:13:59,056 --> 00:14:02,385 therefore He is the supreme proprietor. 158 00:14:02,386 --> 00:14:05,125 We can see in our practical experience, 159 00:14:05,126 --> 00:14:08,475 the man who controls the whole establishment, 160 00:14:08,476 --> 00:14:11,925 he is proprietor, or the president. 161 00:14:11,926 --> 00:14:21,865 Similarly, if it is being controlled by some superior person, then He is God. 162 00:14:21,866 --> 00:14:24,355 That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā: 163 00:14:24,356 --> 00:14:28,065 mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram [Bg. 9.10] 164 00:14:28,066 --> 00:14:36,125 Kṛṣṇa says, “Under My superintendence, this material energy is working, 165 00:14:36,126 --> 00:14:42,835 and all these animate and inanimate objects are being produced.” 166 00:14:42,836 --> 00:14:47,055 mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram 167 00:14:47,056 --> 00:14:51,845 hetunanena kaunteya jagad viparivartate [Bg. 9.10] 168 00:14:51,846 --> 00:14:57,655 So unless there is some living force, energy, 169 00:14:57,656 --> 00:15:03,045 behind any material manifestation, it cannot work. 170 00:15:03,046 --> 00:15:06,305 If we simply understand this fact, 171 00:15:06,306 --> 00:15:11,605 that everywhere there is control of the Supreme Lord, 172 00:15:11,606 --> 00:15:14,085 that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. 173 00:15:14,086 --> 00:15:20,576 Kṛṣṇa consciousness means to understand things as it is; that’s all. 174 00:15:20,577 --> 00:15:29,178 Thank you very much. 175 00:15:29,179 --> 00:15:29,180 Subtitles by Gopī Kāntā Dāsa, Causelessmercy.com