Bhagavad-gita 4.20 Pradyumna: (leads chanting) Translation: “Abandoning all attachment to the results of his activities, ever satisfied and independent, he performs no fruitive action, although engaged in all kinds of undertakings.” Prabhupada: tyaktva karma-phalasangam nitya-trpto nirasrayah karmany abhipravrtto ’pi naiva kincit karoti sah First of all I shall translate this into Hindu. Then I shall speak in English. [Hindi] So tyaktva karma-phalasangam. This is very difficult task. Everyone is expected some result for his personal benefit. “How much I have gained by this business?” That is our disease. Everyone. Idam adya maya labdham imam prapsye punar dhanam. All the people of the world, they are struggling hard for existence, simply calculating that “This much I have achieved today, and this much I’ll achieve tomorrow. In this way my bank balance will be increased more and more.” That is very much explained in the Sixteenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita, asuri pravrttim ca nivrttim ca jana vidur asura-janah. Asura-janah. (aside:) Just find out the page, Sixteenth Chapter. Asura-janah. [Hindi] Oh, I will continue in English. Asuric means non-devotees. Atheist. Asuric. What is the page? Pradyumna: Pravrttim ca nivrttim ca jana na vidur asurah, na saucam… Prabhupada: What is the page number? Pradyumna: Seven-hundred-thirty-one. Prabhupada: So in the Sixteenth Chapter it has been explained that what is the difference between atheist and theist, or persons with God consciousness and persons without God consciousness. So it is said, dvau bhuta-sargau loke ’smin daiva asura eva ca daivo vistarasah prokta asuram partha me srnu Krsna is explaining that there are two classes of men, loke, in every place or every planet. Some planets are full of asuras. They are called asura-loka. And another place it is said that “Who are the asuras and who are the devas?” Visnu-bhakto bhaved daiva asuras tad-viparyayah. Even a… There are many demigods. The demigods worshiper are also demons. Only visnu-bhakto bhaved daivah. Visnu-bhakta, those who are devotee of the Supreme Lord Personality of Godhead, daiva. Visnu… Om tad visnoh paramam padam sada pasyanti surayah. This is Rg Veda mantra. Surayah and asurayah. Those who are suraya, deva, demigods, they are simply worshiping, tad visnoh paramam padam, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And asuras tad-viparyayah. And asura means just opposite number. Opposite number means those who are not interested in Visnu worship. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. They do not know that ultimate goal of life—to approach Visnu, Lord Visnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So asuras, they are engaged for fruitive result. They are working, but they are expecting that “I shall enjoy the result.” So that freedom is given to everyone, that “You can work at your responsibility and enjoy or suffer.” Just like state has given everyone individuality, everyone freedom, “You act as you like. But if you act criminally, then you will be punished.” That you cannot avoid. You have been given freedom, “You act whatever you like,” but if you violate the laws of the state, then you are to be punished, criminal. Similarly, the same thing is there in God’s kingdom, that we have been given freedom, we have got little freedom because we are part and parcel of God. Mamaivamso jiva-bhutah [Bg. 15.7]. Krsna says, “All these living entities, they are My minute particles, minute part of My body.” Just like father is the part of the body, er, son is the part of body of father, similarly, we are also part and parcel of the transcendental body of Krsna. That is our real identity, spiritual identity. So therefore Krsna has got freedom, full freedom. So we have got also freedom in minute quantity. That is our position. That freedom, if we use properly, then we are happy, and if we misuse improperly, then we are unhappy. But freedom is there. Krsna says that sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. He is requesting Arjuna that “You just surrender unto Me.” He is all- powerful. He can force anyone and everyone to be surrendered to Him, but that He does not do. That is not Krsna’s business. He gives freedom. Because Krsna has given you little freedom, so He does not want to interfere with your freedom. Then what is the meaning of giving freedom? That is Krsna’s business. Yathecchasi tatha kuru. Krsna says, Arjuna, “Now I have explained to you the whole Bhagavad-gita. Now what is your decision? You can do whatever you like.” Because Krsna, Arjuna’s decision was that “I shall not fight. I am not going to kill my brothers and nephews and teachers and grandfather. Krsna, excuse me. I will not fight.” So therefore Krsna instructed him the whole Bhagavad-gita science. Now, after hearing Bhagavad-gita, he asked, because he has got the freedom, “Now what is your decision?” Yathecchasi tatha kuru. “Whatever you like, you can do. You can reject My proposal or you can accept.” This is freedom. Then Krsna, Arjuna said, “Yes,” karisye vacanam tava [Bg. 18.73], “I shall accept Your proposal.” This is Krsna consciousness. Krsna is giving instruction to everyone. This is the way of life, to come gradually to Krsna consciousness. All these things are being explained by Krsna, how to work, how to gradually come to Krsna consciousness. Because Krsna consciousness is the original consciousness. Now it is polluted. Just like originally when the rain falls, it is pure distilled water. And as soon as touches the ground, it become polluted. Immediately dirty. Similarly, as spirit soul, we are pure. As Krsna is pure… Krsna has explained in the Tenth Chapter, param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan, purusam sasvatam divyam [Bg. 10.12]. So pavitram paramam bhavan. Krsna is param pavitram, complete pure. And we are part and parcel of Krsna; we are also pure. That is our real identity. We are pure, but we have been contaminated by the touch of this material world. The same example: The rainfall, it is pure distilled water, but when it touches the surface of the earth, it becomes dirty. Therefore we see the rivers are full of dirty water. That is not the water is dirty, but because it is mixed up with the dirty dirts of the surface of the globe… So we fall down when we deny to accept Krsna as the supreme or we try to imitate Krsna, “Why Krsna shall be enjoyer? We shall also enjoy. Why Krsna shall have rasa dance? We shall also [have] rasa dance. Why Krsna will marry sixteen thousand wives? We shall at least sixteen wives.” When this competition spirit comes, then we fall down. Fall down means Krsna gives the chance. “All right, you also go. You also dance in the hotel, ball dance, and he complicated[?].” Because he does not know what is rasa dance, he imitates ball dance. So everything, what is going on in this material world, it is imitation of Krsna’s activities. Janmady asya yatah [Bhag. 1.1.1]. The Vedanta-sutra says. Everything that is going on, it is simply generated from that original. So… But it is contaminated. Because in the in touch with the material three qualities. Some of them are goodness, some of them are passion and some of them are ignorance. The example is given: Just like fire, big fire, and the sparks are coming out from the fire. That is natural. Similarly, the big fire is Krsna, and we are small sparks. So the sparks sometimes fall down from the original fire, “phut! phut!” falls down. So falls down… When the fire sparks falls down on the dry grass, it creates fire. And if it is fallen down on the land, it keeps the fiery element for some time. But if it falls down on the water, immediately it is extinguished. Similarly, when we fall down from Krsna’s association, the fire, big fire and the sparks, if we be in touch with the modes of goodness, then we keep some Krsna consciousness. Just like the brahmanas. The quality of satyam samo damas titiksa. And if we fall down on the ground, then we keep sometimes the fiery quality. That is passion. Three qualities, goodness and passion. And if we fall down in the ignorance, just like the spark falls down on the water, then it is extinguished, no Krsna consciousness, finished. But it can be revived. That is explained in the Prema-vivarta, krsna-bahirmukha hana bhoga vancha kare nikata-stha maya tare japatiya dhare As soon as we want to imitate, even in the material world, those who are trying to go up again, back to home, back to Godhead…. There are different processes, karma, jnana, yoga. Krsna is explaining the karma. How to go back again to the original consciousness, that is being described, karma, how to work. So even those who are trying for that, because that original disease is there, therefore even one who has advanced spiritually, he also says, “I am God. I am God.” The same spirit, to make competition with Krsna. The maya is there. “Why you are going to worship Krsna? You are God.” “Oh, yes, I am God.” This is the last snare of maya. Therefore they are Mayavadis. Nobody can become Krsna. Krsna says, mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya [Bg. 7.7]. Nobody can be equal to Krsna; nobody can be greater than Krsna. Then what is the meaning of God? If there are so many rascal Gods, then what is the specific personality of God? So this is the last snare of maya, if one is trying to become God. That is not possible. That is asuric. Asuram bhavam asritah. They never will… Krsna’s desire is that you surrender. Sarva-dharman… You have manufactured so many things within this material world to become happy. This is all foolishness. You will never be happy. Therefore Krsna says, because Krsna loves, that you sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. But maya says, “No. Why? You become Krsna. You become God.” This is going on. This is asuric, asuram bhavam. So it is very difficult to give up the asuram bhavam. na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah mayayapahrta-jnana asuram bhavam asritah [Bg. 7.15] On the basis of asuram bhavam, one is always constantly engaged in duskrtina, I mean to say, sinful activities, and mudha, falsely thinking that he is God. Therefore he is a mudha. That is the sign. A big mudha. Small mudhas, they are working hard only to become happy, and the big mudha, he wants to become God. The small mudha wants to become a minister or a president, and the big mudha wants to become God. The disease is the same: “I shall become the most powerful.” But that is not possible. Therefore these big mudhas who simply falsely thinking that “I have become now liberated by meditation or by some jugglery of powers,” so they have been described in the Bhagavatam as vimukta-maninah. They are falsely thinking that they have become liberated, they have become Narayana. How you can become Narayana? The sastra says, yas tu narayanam devam brahma-rudradi-daivataih samatvenaiva vikseta sa pasandi bhaved dhruvam Narayanam devam. Even Sankaracarya, he says, narayanah avyaktat parah: “Narayana is transcendental. He has nothing to do with this material world.” So Vaisnavas also say, yas tu narayanam devam brahma-rudradi-daivataih. Brahma, Lord Brahma and Lord Siva, they are demigods of this material world. So if one puts Narayana even with the label of Brahma and Rudra, Lord Siva and Lord Brahma… They are very exalted, big demigods. Lord Siva is almost like Narayana. Narayana is ninety-five percent complete God, and Lord Siva is eighty-five percent and Krsna is cent percent. There is analysis. So yas tu narayanam devam brahma-rudradi-daivataih, samatvenaiva vikseta. Samatvena, equal “Well, whatever is Narayana, that is also Lord Siva, that is also Lord Brahma, that is also goddess Kali.” This is Mayavada. Because the Mayavada philosophy is that “The Absolute Truth is impersonal. That is the final understanding. So because we cannot think of impersonal, meditate upon that, let us imagine some form.” Sadhakanam hitvarthaya brahmano rupa-kalpanah.(?) The Mayavadi philosophers, they say that kalpana, “You just imagine any form.” Therefore they especially recommend the five forms, the five form: the Surya, sun-god, Ganesa and Durga, Visnu and Lord Siva. There is also Visnu. But this Visnu and the Vaisnava conception of Visnu is different. This Visnu is imagination, and Vaisnava conception of Visnu is reality. Krsna is reality. Avajananti mam mudha manusim tanum asritam [Bg. 9.11] Those are mudhas, the same mudhas, because He has come in the form of a human being, they say, “This is maya. This Krsna has come…. The impersonal Brahman has assumed a body, accepting this body given by maya.” This is the Mayavada philosophy. But actually Krsna does not come. Because Krsna says, daivi hy esa guna-mayi mama maya. Maya is controlled by Him. How He can accept subordinance of maya? No. So Vaisnava philosophy is very perfect philosophy according to the sastra and Vedas. All the acaryas confirm. So we have to follow this. Then our life will be successful. So Krsna is teaching how to work, how to work. Now, here He says that tyaktva karma-phala. Now, who will be ready to work? Suppose you are doing some business and there is expectation of profit, one lakh of rupees. Now profit comes. Then if I say, “Now here is, in Bhagavad-gita it is said, tyaktva karma-phala. You give it up,” are you ready? No. “I have with so much hard labor I have earned. Why shall I give it up?” But here it is said, tyaktva karma-phala. Then immediately his impetus to work will be finished, that these ordinary persons, those who are karmis, if I say that “Yes, you earn, I mean, lakhs of rupees, but you will not be allowed to take it…” Just like the communist country. The communist country, they are engaging people to work, but you cannot take the result. The government will take. And therefore they are not very enthusiastic. I have been in your communist country. They are not very enthusiastic. That is, unless one can enjoy personally, he is not interested in any business. “Why shall I work so hard?” This is natural. But here it is said, tyaktva karma-phala. What is the difference between the communist philosophy and Vaisnava philosophy? The communist also says that everyone should work without expecting the result. The result will go to the government. Similarly, where the result will go? It is communist proposal? No. That will be explained later on. Karisye… [break] …is it meaning that, tyaktva karma-phala. No. Tyaktva karma-phala means that you should give it to Krsna. That is tyaktva karma-phala. So those who are devotees, although tyaktva karma-phala, they are not touching the fruit, still, they are nitya-trptah, very satisfied. The karmis are dissatisfied, “So I worked so hard. Now I have to give up whatever I have earned?” He becomes very, very sorry. But who becomes nitya-trptah? Working like this, without taking the result, still nitya-trptah, very satisfied. That is devotion. That is devotee. You will see these boys, these American, European boys… Also some of them are Indian. They are working day and night. They are getting money also. They are getting money also. They are making life members. They are selling some books. There is no scarcity of money. But they do not touch even a single paise. It is for Krsna. And still, they are happy. This is tyaktva karma-phalasangam. Asanga means no attachment. They are bringing money and giving to me. I spend it like anything. So this is tyaktva karma-phala-asangam nitya-trptah, very much satisfied. “I have been able to collect so much and give it to Krsna.” This is their satisfaction. Tyaktva karma-phala-asangam nitya…, nirasrayah. Don’t expect any profit, no dividend. As soon as there is dividend, immediately it is material. Immediately he’ll be complicated. As so long there is no expectation of dividend, then he is pure devotee. This is the difference. Anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam [Bhakti-rasamrta- sindhu 1.1.11]. Jnana-karmady-anavrtam [Madhya 19.167]. This karma-phala… A devotee doesn’t want karma-phala. Therefore he is not implicated. He doesn’t want. Therefore it is said, karmany abhipravrtto ’pi. Although he is engaged in karma… Because superficially it looks like karma…. Karma and bhakti looks the same thing. But the difference is that the result is for Krsna and the karmi’s result is for “myself.” That is the difference. That is the difference. Karmany abhipravrtto ’pi naiva kincit karoti sah. This is the…. Although he is doing day and night, but he is still doing nothing. Doing nothing means doing, but he is not becoming entangled with the results. That is…. Because karma and karma-phala, one has to accept the karma-phala, but this man who is doing everything for Krsna, he is not becoming entangled. That is explained in the Second Chapter also. Yajnarthat karmano ’nyatra karma-bandhanah. If you don’t act for Krsna, then you will be entangled by the resultant action. But if you do it for Krsna, then you will not be entangled. Your everything will be taken as devotion. Everything. Everything will be taken on account of devotion. And devotion means you are making progress. mam ca yo ’vyabhicarena bhakti-yogena sevate sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate [Bg. 14.26] So activities on the platform of devotional service, without expecting any result for his personal satisfaction, means on the platform of liberation. Thank you very much. (end)
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Bombay, April 9, 1974