Bhagavad-gītā 6.30–34 [Sāṅkhya Yoga System]

Devotees: All glories to Śrī Guru and Gaurāṅga.

Prabhupāda: Then?

Viṣṅujana: Verse thirty: "For one who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, I am never lost, nor is he ever lost to Me." [Bg 6.30]

Prabhupāda: That's all. How you can [laughs] be lost of Kṛṣṅa? That is sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ [Bg 8.6].

[Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, that state he will attain without fail.]

So if you practice your life in this way, never lost to Kṛṣṅa, so at the time of death you are sure to go to Kṛṣṅa. Where you are going? You are not lost to Kṛṣṅa. Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṅaśyati [Bg 9.31].

[He quickly becomes righteous and attains lasting peace. O son of Kuntī, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes.]

And Kṛṣṅa promises, "My dear Arjuna, My pure devotee is never lost to Me." So don't be lost to Kṛṣṅa. That is perfection of life. That is perfection of life. Simply don't be lost to Kṛṣṅa. You can forget all things, but don't forget Kṛṣṅa. Then you are richest.

People may see you are very poor man. Just like Gosvāmīs: they adopted very poor life, mendicant. They were ministers, very opulent. Very honorable gentlemen, Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī, learned scholars, rich men, ministers, in every respect their social position so high. But they accepted this mendicant: tyaktvā tūrṅam aśeṣa-maṅḍala-pati-śreṅīm. That Gosvāmī prayer you'll find: tyaktvā tūrṅam aśeṣa-maṅḍala-pati-śreṅīṁ sadā tuccha-vat [Śrī Sad-gosvāmy-aṣṭaka 4].

[I offer my respectful obeisances unto the six Gosvāmīs, namely Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī, Śrī Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, Śrī Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī, and Śrī Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, who kicked off all association of aristocracy as insignificant. In order to deliver the poor conditioned souls, they accepted loincloths, treating themselves as mendicants, but they are always merged in the ecstatic ocean of the gopīs' love for Kṛṣṅa and bathe always and repeatedly in the waves of that ocean.]

Just like most insignificant, they gave up everything.

Bhūtvā dīna-gaṅeśakau karuṅayā kaupīna-kanthāśritau. Kaupīna-kanthāśritau—just one underwear and loincloth, that's all. They became..., accepted the poorest 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: gopī-bhāva-rasāmṛtābdhi-laharī-kallola-magnau muhur vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau. They were richest, by dipping themselves in the ocean of loving affairs of the gopīs. So if you simply think of the loving affairs of the gopīs for Kṛṣṅa, then you are not lost. There are so many ways. Don't be lost to Kṛṣṅa. Then you are successful. Then Kṛṣṅa will also not be lost and you'll be not lost.

Go on.

Viṣṅujana: Purport: "The person in Kṛṣṅa consciousness certainly sees Lord Kṛṣṅa everywhere and he sees everything in Kṛṣṅa. Such a person may appear to see all separate manifestations within the material nature, but in each and every instance he is conscious of Kṛṣṅa, knowing that everything is the manifestation of Kṛṣṅa's energy."

Prabhupāda: Energy. Now, one who sees a tree, he's philosopher..., Kṛṣṅa conscious person is philosopher if he studies, "What is this tree?" He sees, "The tree, it 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? Kṛṣṅa's energy. Therefore the tree has got Kṛṣṅa connection. And the tree, as living entity, is part and parcel of Kṛṣṅa. So in that way if you discuss philosophy, Kṛṣṅa consciousness, you see..., don't see the tree, you see Kṛṣṅa there. That is Kṛṣṅa consciousness. You don't see tree; you see Kṛṣṅa. That is Kṛṣṅa consciousness. So you have to practice like that. That is yoga practice. That is samādhi.

Yes. Go on.

Viṣṅujana: "Nothing can exist without Kṛṣṅa, and Kṛṣṅa is the Lord of everything. This is the basic principle of Kṛṣṅa consciousness. Kṛṣṅa consciousness is the development of love of Kṛṣṅa, a position transcendental even to material liberation."

Prabhupāda: Yes. This consciousness, this studying of the tree as Kṛṣṅa's energy, as part and parcel of Kṛṣṅa... Why you take account of the tree so nicely? Because you have love for Kṛṣṅa. 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 that shoe? No, you love that child. Similarly, as soon as see the energy of Kṛṣṅa manifested in a different way, that means you love that entity because you love Kṛṣṅa. Therefore, if you love Kṛṣṅa, then your universal love is counted. Otherwise it is nonsense.

You cannot love. That is not possible. If you love Kṛṣṅa, then the word love, universal love, so many things as it is very much advertised. And if you don't love Kṛṣṅa, then you'll 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 Kṛṣṅa conscious person, he sees, "Oh, here is a cow. Here is a dog. He's a part and parcel of Kṛṣṅa. By some way 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 Kṛṣṅa's love, due to Kṛṣṅa's love. So Kṛṣṅa love is so nice. All perfection. If there is no Kṛṣṅa love, there is no question love; it is all nonsense. There cannot be any love without Kṛṣṅa consciousness.

Yes.

Viṣṅujana: "It is the stage after self-realization in which the devotee becomes one with Kṛṣṅa in the sense that Kṛṣṅa becomes everything for the devotee, and the devotee becomes full in loving Kṛṣṅa. 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."

Prabhupāda: How He can become out of sight? He sees everything in Kṛṣṅa and Kṛṣṅa in everything. Everything in Kṛṣṅa and Kṛṣṅa in everything. Then how can he lost sight of Kṛṣṅa? Yes.

Viṣṅujana: "To merge in Kṛṣṅa is spiritual annihilation. A devotee takes no such risk. It is stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā: '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 Śyāmasundara, situated within the heart of the devotee.' "

Prabhupāda: Śyāmasundara..., this is Śyāmasundara, that Kartamasayi. Śyāmasundara.

premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti yaṁ śyāmasundaram acintya-guṅa-svarūpaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi [Bs 5.38]

[I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is Śyāmasundara, Kṛṣṅa Himself with inconceivable innumerable attributes, whom the pure devotees see in their heart of hearts with the eye of devotion tinged with the salve of love.]

So one who has developed this love of Kṛṣṅa, he sees Śyāmasundara, the Kartamasayi, always within his heart. That is perfection of yoga. Kartamasayi, I have given that name; of course, He is Śyāmasundara. Yes.

All right. Then? Next paragraph.

Viṣṅujana: "At this stage, Lord Kṛṣṅa never disappears from the sight of the devotee, nor does the devotee ever lose sight of the Lord. In the case of a yogī who sees the Lord as Paramātmā within the heart, the same applies. Such a yogī turns into a pure devotee and cannot bear to live for a moment without seeing the Lord within himself."

Prabhupāda: 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.

Revatīnandana: "The yogī who knows that I and the Supersoul within all creatures are one worships Me and remains always in Me in all circumstances."

[Interference]

Prabhupāda: Hmm. The purport is there. Go on.

Revatīnandana: Purport: "A yogī who is practicing meditation on the Supersoul within himself sees this plenary portion of Kṛṣṅa as Viṣṅu—with four hands, holding conchshell, wheel, club and lotus flower."

Prabhupāda: This picture, Viṣṅu picture, that is the objective of concentration for the yogī. That is real yoga. And this Viṣṅu manifestation is Kṛṣṅa's plenary portion. In the Brahma-saṁhitā it is said,

yaḥ kāraṅārṅava-jale bhajati sma yoga- nidrām ananta-jagad-aṅḍa-saroma-kūpaḥ sa viṣṅur mahān sa iha yasya kalā-viśeṣo govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi [Bs 5.47]

[I adore the primeval Lord Govinda who assuming His own great subjective form, who bears the name of Śeṣa, replete with the all-accommodating potency, and reposing in the Causal Ocean with the infinity of the world in the pores of His hair, enjoys creative sleep [yoga-nidrā]]

"I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord." Govindam ādi-puruṣam. Puruṣam means the Lord is male, enjoyer; ādi, the original. Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi. And who is that Govinda? Whose only one plenary portion is Mahā-Viṣṅu. And what is the function of Mahā-Viṣṅu? Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṅḍa-nāthāḥ [Bs 5.48].

[Brahmā and other lords of the mundane worlds, appearing from the pores of hair of Mahā-Viṣṅu, remain alive as long as the duration of one exhalation of the latter [Mahā-Viṣṅu]. I adore the primeval Lord Govinda of whose subjective personality Mahā-Viṣṅu is the portion of portion.]

In every universe there is a chief living entity who is known as Brahmā. Brahmā is the original person in each universe. So the life of Brahmā or the life of an universe is existing only on the breathing period of Mahā-Viṣṅu. Mahā-Viṣṅu 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. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate [Bg 8.19].

[Again and again the day comes, and this host of beings is active; and again the night falls, O Pārtha, and they are helplessly dissolved.]

In the Bhagavad-gītā 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 Mahā-Viṣṅu. Just imagine what is the caliber of that Mahā-Viṣṅu.

But that Mahā-Viṣṅu is said here: yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṅḍa-nāthāḥ viṣṅur mahān sa iha yasya kalā-viśeṣaḥ [Bs 5.48]. This Mahā-Viṣṅu is plenary portion of the plenary portion of Kṛṣṅa. Kṛṣṅa is the original, govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi. So this Mahā-Viṣṅu again enters into each universe as Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṅu. And from Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṅu there is Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṅu. That Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṅu is entering in the heart of every living entity. In this way, the Viṣṅu manifestation is all over the creation.

So the yogī's concentration of mind on this Viṣṅu form, that is explained here. That Viṣṅu, who is all-pervading, who is īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati [Bg 18.61].

[The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy.]

In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find that Mahā-Viṣṅu..., that Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṅu is sitting in everyone's heart. Now yogī has to find out where He is sitting and concentrate this mind there. That is the yoga process.

Go on. "The yogī should know..." Go on.

Revatīnandana: "The yogī should know that Viṣṅu is not different from Kṛṣṅa."

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Revatīnandana: "Kṛṣṅa 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, nor is there a difference..."

Prabhupāda: The example, just like there is one sun in the sky. But if you keep on the earth millions of water pot, you'll find in each water pot 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 the another example, the water pot: The sun is one, but if there are millions of water pots you'll find in each pot the sun is reflected. Similarly, there may be innumerable living entities. There is no count. Jīvasya asaṅkhya. In the Vedic language it is said that living entities, there is no count. Innumerable.

So similarly, Viṣṅu is... If a material thing like sun can be reflected in each and every waterpot, so why not the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṅu, live in each and everyone's heart? It is not difficult to understand. He's living. That is stated. And the yogī has to concentrate his mind on that Viṣṅu form. So this Viṣṅu form is plenary portion of Kṛṣṅa.

So one who is engaged in Kṛṣṅa consciousness, he's already a perfect yogī. That will be explained. He's a perfect yogī. That we'll explain in the last verse of this chapter.

Go on.

Revatīnandana: "Nor is there a difference between a Kṛṣṅa conscious person always engaged in the transcendental loving service of Kṛṣṅa and a perfect yogī engaged in meditation on the Supersoul."

Prabhupāda: There is no difference. A yogī who is in samādhi, trance, with the Viṣṅu form, and a Kṛṣṅa conscious person, there is no difference. Go on.

Revatīnandana: "The yogī in Kṛṣṅa consciousness, even though he may be engaged in various activities while in material existence, remains always situated in Kṛṣṅa. A devotee of the Lord always acting in Kṛṣṅa consciousness is automatically liberated."

Prabhupāda: That we'll find in this Bhagavad-gītā in the Twelfth Chapter, that one who is...

māṁ ca 'vyabhicāreṅa bhakti-yogena ya sevate sa guṅān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate [Bg 14.26]

[One who engages in full devotional service, who does not fall down in any circumstance, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman.]

It is said that "One who is engaged in unalloyed devotional service unto Me, he has already transcended the material modes of nature." Brahma-bhūyāya 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-gītā, Twelfth Chapter, or Fourteenth Chapter I think, that one who is in Kṛṣṅa consciousness, he's already on the Brahman platform. That means liberated.

Go on.

Revatīnandana: "In the Nārada Pañcarātra this is confirmed in this way: 'By concentrating one's attention on the transcendental form of Kṛṣṅa, who is all-pervading and beyond time and space, one becomes absorbed in thinking of Kṛṣṅa and then attains the happy state of transcendental association with Him.'

"Kṛṣṅa consciousness is the highest stage of trance in yoga practice. This very understanding that Kṛṣṅa is present as Paramātmā in everyone's heart makes the yogī faultless. The Vedas confirm this inconceivable potency of the Lord as follows: 'Viṣṅu 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.' "

Prabhupāda: Yes, that example I have already given. As the sun can be present in many places simultaneously, similarly, Viṣṅu form, or Kṛṣṅa, can be present in everyone's heart. He is actually present: īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna [Bg 18.61]—He's sitting.

[The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy.]

The localization is also stated: hṛd-deśe. Hṛd-deśe means in the heart. So concentration of yoga means to find out from the heart where Viṣṅu is sitting. There is.

Go on.

Revatīnandana: Verse thirty-two: "He is a perfect yogī who, knowing that the self dwells in all, sees the true equality of all living entities, both in their happiness and distress, O Arjuna."

Prabhupāda: 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-bhūtānām. Sarva-bhūta 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, sāṅkhya-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-gītā. Don't lose this opportunity. Utilize it properly.

Go on.

Revatīnandana: Verse thirty-three: "Arjuna said: O Madhusūdana, the system of yoga which You have summarized appears impractical and unendurable to me, for the mind is restless and unsteady."

Prabhupāda: Now, there is the crucial test of yoga system. If you can concentrate your mind on the form of Viṣṅu... 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 says that "It is very difficult for me." We have to understand this point. He says, "O Madhusūdana, the system of yoga which You have summarized..."

This system is called aṣṭāṅga-yoga. Aṣṭāṅga-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, aṣṭāṅga-yoga.

So Arjuna said, "This aṣṭāṅga-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 Kṛṣṅa 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, or 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 says 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.

Revatīnandana: "The system of mysticism described by Lord Kṛṣṅa to Arjuna is here being rejected by Arjuna..."

Prabhupāda: Yes, rejected, Arjuna. Yes.

Revatīnandana: "...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 life of short duration."

Prabhupāda: 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.

Revatīnandana: "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."

Prabhupāda: Yes. He was not prepared to become a pseudo yogī, false, simply by practicing some gymnastic. He was not a pretender. He says that "I am a family man, I am a soldier, so it is not possible for me." He frankly admits. He does not cast something which is impossible. That is simply a useless waste of time. Why should one do that?

Go on.

Revatīnandana: "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..."

Prabhupāda: 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 Dvāpara-yuga, the age limit was one thousand years.

And before that, in the Tretā-yuga, the age limit was ten thousand years. And before that, in the Satya-yuga, the age limit was one hundred thousands of years. So the age limit is decreasing. So even though Arjuna was at a time when people could live for one thousand of years, still he thought that it is impossible.

Go on.

Revatīnandana: "...and above all, he was the most intimate friend of Lord Kṛṣṅa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Five thousand years ago, Arjuna had much better facilities than we do. Yet he refused this system of yoga."

Prabhupāda: This system of yoga, this aṣṭāṅga-yoga. Yes.

Revatīnandana: "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."

Prabhupāda: Yes. So this aṣṭāṅga-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 nāma harer nāma harer nāma eva kevalam [Cc Ādi 17.21].

[In this Age of Kali there is no other means, no other means, no other means for self-realization than chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name of Lord Hari.]

Simply chanting Hare Kṛṣṅa, Hare Kṛṣṅa, kalau, in this Age of Kali, kalau nāsty eva, nāsty eva, nāsty 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. Pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyam [Bg 9.2].

[This knowledge is the king of education, the most secret of all secrets. It is the purest knowledge, and because it gives direct perception of the self by realization, it is the perfection of religion. It is everlasting, and it is joyfully performed.]

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, Kṛṣṅa consciousness.

Go on.

Revatīnandana: Verse thirty-four: "For the mind is restless, turbulent, obstinate and very strong, O Kṛṣṅa, and to subdue it, it seems to me, more difficult than controlling the wind."

Prabhupāda: 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.

Revatīnandana: 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 mind 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 agitating mind."

Prabhupāda: Therefore this process, chanting Hare Kṛṣṅa, it captures the mind immediately. Simply if you chant "Kṛṣṅa" and if you hear, automatically your mind is fixed up in Kṛṣṅa. That means the yoga system is immediately attained. Because the whole yoga system is to concentrate your mind on the form of Viṣṅu, and Kṛṣṅa is the original personality of expansion of Viṣṅu forms.

Kṛṣṅa 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, Kṛṣṅa is expanding in millions of Viṣṅu forms. Each Viṣṅu form is as good as Kṛṣṅa, but Kṛṣṅa is the original candle because from Kṛṣṅa everything expands.

So one who has concentrated his mind someway or other in Kṛṣṅa, he has already attained the perfection of yoga. This is the substance of Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement. Go on. [end]