Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.2.7

Pradyumna: [leads chanting of verse, etc.] [Prabhupāda and devotees repeat, etc]

vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam [SB 1.2.7]

[By rendering devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṅa, one immediately acquires causeless knowledge and detachment from the world.]

[break] [02:02]

Translation: "By rendering devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṅa, one immediately acquires causeless knowledge and detachment from the world."

Prabhupāda:

vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam [SB 1.2.7]

So the mission of human life is to acquire knowledge, jñānam, and vairāgyam, detachment. Jñānam means real identification, "What I am." In the conditioned stage of life we are passing on our days not in jñānam but ignorance, just like the animals. The animals, they have no jñānam. They are pulling on their life with the bodily concept of life. The dog is thinking, "I am dog. I am this body." He does not know whether he is dog or cat. These names we have given them. But he knows it well that "I am this body."

So this is not jñānam. This chance is available when we are no longer cats and dog but human being. Then we can understand that "I am not this body." This is the difference between cats and dogs and human being. The cats and dogs, they do not know that they are not the body; they are spirit soul. That they do not know. They know simply that "I am this body, and the necessities of body must be fulfilled somehow or other." That is their business. Whole day and night, they are working just to fulfill the necessities of the body, because there is no jñānam.

But in the human form of life, that is not the business. Therefore the Vedānta-sūtra says, athāto brahma jijñāsā: "This life, human form of life, which is achieved after evolution of 8,400,000's of forms of life..." It is called labdhvā sudurlabham idaṁ bahu-sambhavānte [SB 11.9.29].

[After many, many births and deaths one achieves the rare human form of life, which, although temporary, affords one the opportunity to attain the highest perfection. Thus a sober human being should quickly endeavor for the ultimate perfection of life as long as his body, which is always subject to death, has not fallen down and died. After all, sense gratification is available even in the most abominable species of life, whereas Kṛṣṅa consciousness is possible only for a human being.]

Idaṁ śarīram. This human form of body is achieved bahu-sambhavānte, after achieving many, many other lower forms of life. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṅi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati [Padma Purāṅa]. So many different forms of life we had to pass through to come to the standard of human life. Therefore this life is not meant for spoiling like cats and dogs. This is jñānam. The spoil the life like cats and dogs means āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithuna, eating, sleeping, defending and sexual intercourse. These are the bodily demands. Sāmānyam etat paśubhir narāṅām [Hitopadeśa 25].

[Both animals and men share the activities of eating, sleeping, mating and defending. But the special property of the humans is that they are able to engage in spiritual life. Therefore without spiritual life, humans are on the level of animals.]

These are common formulas for the cats and dogs and the human being. But what is the meaning of human being? The human being is eligible to understand what is the value of life, what is the problem of life, how to make the solution. That is human life. Not that simply passing our days like cats and dogs working very hard, kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye.

In the śāstras this is warned again and again. Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye [SB 5.5.1].

[Lord Ṛṣabhadeva told His sons: My dear boys, of all the living entities who have accepted material bodies in this world, one who has been awarded this human form should not work hard day and night simply for sense gratification, which is available even for dogs and hogs that eat stool. One should engage in penance and austerity to attain the divine position of devotional service. By such activity, one's heart is purified, and when one attains this position, he attains eternal, blissful life, which is transcendental to material happiness and which continues forever.]

This human form of life is not meant for satisfying the senses, kāmān, kaṣṭān, with great difficulty. Now, eating is necessary, but a hog, he eats the most abominable thing, stool, but whole day and night he is searching out, "Where is stool? Where is stool? Where is stool?" So similarly, if human civilization is so made that simply for eating one has to work so hard day and night, so it is as good as the hog's life; it is not human life. Human life should be peaceful. They should get their foodstuff very easily, eat very nicely, save time for Kṛṣṅa consciousness. That is human life, not like hogs and dogs, simply searching after... But if we create such civilization like cats and dogs and hogs, then Kṛṣṅa will give us the chance to work day and night simply for eating, sleeping, mating and defending. That is the position now. We wanted it.

In Bombay we have got now six buildings full of tenants. So they are little disturbed because now we have taken possession of the land. They are thinking that "Swāmījī will drive me..., drive us some way or other." I told them that "I have got no children with me; neither my former family is coming to live. If I, suppose, vacate these houses, then I will fill up with my devotees. So why don't you become devotee? I don't charge anything from you." But that they are not agreeable. This is the position. Even if we offer that "You come with us, live with us peacefully, take little prasādam and chant Hare Kṛṣṅa," they will not agree. We have got hundred branches all over the world. At least there are ten thousand men. Just as we do not work, we simply chant Hare Kṛṣṅa and get some prasādam... So there is no scarcity. There is no scarcity. Yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham [Bg 9.22].

[But those who worship Me with devotion, meditating on My transcendental form-to them I carry what they lack and preserve what they have.]

So actually, there is no scarcity of food. Kṛṣṅa is so kind. God is so kind. Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān [Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13]. He is feeding many, many millions and trillions of living entities. In Africa there are millions of elephants. Who is feeding them? Kṛṣṅa is feeding them. So these economic question, overpopulation question, these are not actually problem. Problem is scarcity of God consciousness. This is the problem. Therefore we are suffering. It is not my manufactured word. It was said by my Guru Mahārāja. He said that "I don't find any scarcity in the world except the scarcity of understanding Kṛṣṅa. That's all." So this jñānam... This is jñānam. Jñānam means that "I don't belong to this material world. This my body is material, but I am different from the body." This is jñānam. So the necessities of my body, it must be supplied. It should not be neglected. But we should not be busy simply for the necessities of the body. We are spirit soul. The spirit soul has got its necessity. We must fill up that. Then we will be happy.

So this can be done, as it is prescribed here, that,

vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam [SB 1.2.7]

[By rendering devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṅa, one immediately acquires causeless knowledge and detachment from the world.]

The first thing, jñānam and vairāgyam... This human form of life is meant for jñāna and vairāgya. Jñāna means vairāgya, and vairāgya cannot be achieved without jñāna. These two are relative terms. So jñānam means that "I am not this body, and my relationship with my body, they are also not my necessities." This is called jñāna. And as soon as we understand that the simply necessities of my body are not required, that is called detachment, or vairāgya. Without jñānam, we are simply thinking that we must satisfy the senses. Body means the senses. Indriyāṅi parāṅy āhur indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ [Bg 3.42].

[The working senses are superior to dull matter; mind is higher than the senses; intelligence is still higher than the mind; and he [the soul] is even higher than the intelligence.]

So in the bodily concept of life, or in ajñāna, in ignorance, our business is to satisfy the senses. That is called ajñānam, ahaṁ mameti [SB 5.5.8], sense gratification.

This whole world is going on on the basis of sense gratification. A man and a woman, or a male or female, they develop this idea of sense gratification. Therefore as soon as a girl is grown up and a boy is grown up, the father, mother get them married, because the sense of sense gratification is very strong. Therefore the system is, Vedic system is, or any..., this human civilization system is to get them married. So puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etam [SB 5.5.8]. So as soon as they are married, so tayor mitho hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ, that sense of sense gratification becomes too much tied up. Tayor mitho hṛdaya-granthim. We have got already attraction. A man has got attraction for woman; woman has got attraction for man. Now, as soon as they are united, that attraction becomes more and more strong. Tayor mitho hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ. Then ataḥ gṛha, as soon as they are married and united, they require one apartment, gṛha; ataḥ-gṛha-kṣetra, then land for cultivating for producing foodstuff. Ato gṛha-kṣetra-suta, children; āpta, friends. Ato gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittaiḥ, and money. Janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti [SB 5.5.8].

In this way the living entity becomes entangled, and his sense of aham, "It is my... It is..., I am this body and this property is mine," this sense increases, moha. It is called moha. Moha means actually nothing belongs to him. As soon as death will come, he has to change this body. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ [Bg 2.13].

[As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change.]

He has to change the body. As soon as he changes the body, then everything is finished. His property, his wife, his children, his country, his society—everything—mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś ca aham. Kṛṣṅa comes as mṛtyu. Kṛṣṅa comes as Śrī Kṛṣṅa, Śyāmasundara, dvi-bhuja Muralīdhara. He comes occasionally, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata [Bg 4.7], for the devotees. The devotees want to see Him; therefore He comes. But for the nondevotees, He also comes, but they cannot see. But Kṛṣṅa comes as death. Then they can see, "Here is Kṛṣṅa." Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham [Bg 10.34].

[I am all-devouring death, and I am the generator of all things yet to be. Among women I am fame, fortune, speech, memory, intelligence, faithfulness and patience.]

They're... Like Nṛsiṁhadeva. Nṛsiṁhadeva... God was challenged. Prahlāda Mahārāja was devotee. He was chanting Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra, and his father revolted: "Why you should chant Hare Kṛṣṅa? Where is Kṛṣṅa? Where is God?" This is the atheistic temperament. They'll simply defy God, or Kṛṣṅa.

So the atheistic and the theistic persons are always there. But the theistic person, they see always God. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti [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.]

That is the theistic. Santa, those who are theistic, advanced in devotional service, they are called santas, saintly person, premāñjana, because they have developed love of Godhead. In the previous verse it has been described, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje [SB 1.2.6].

[The supreme occupation [dharma] for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted to completely satisfy the self.]

That culture required. You may belong to any type of religion. It doesn't matter. You may become Hindu, Muslim, Christian, or brāhmaṅa, kṣatriya... Whatever you may be, it doesn't matter. But if you are a religious person, the test is how much you have developed love of Godhead. Then it is tested: "Yes, you are nice." Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ. That is the test. Otherwise it is useless. You may be Hindu, Muslim or..., whatever stamp you like, you can have it. But real test is whether you have developed love of Godhead. That is wanted.

So that requires by love of Godhead you can see God every moment. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva [Bs 5.38]. Sadaiva means twenty-four hours. People ask, "Whether you have seen God?" To see God is not difficult job. Simply you have to qualify yourself, love of Godhead. Then you can see. This is the formula. And if have not developed Kṛṣṅa consciousness, God consciousness, then also you can see God in your own way, as prescribed in the śāstras. Just like Kṛṣṅa says, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ [Bg 7.8].

[O son of Kuntī [Arjuna], I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and the moon, the syllable om in the Vedic mantras; I am the sound in ether and ability in man.]

Kṛṣṅa says, "I am the taste of the water." So you are drinking water, and as soon as you drink, if you think that "Here is the taste of water, here is Kṛṣṅa," is it very difficult? Not at all difficulty. Prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ. If you forget while drinking... Nobody can forget. But even intentionally you forget. So how you can check not seeing the sunshine and the moonshine? How it is possible? They say that "Have you seen God?" But why... You have seen also God, because Kṛṣṅa says, prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ: "I am the sunshine." So who has not seen sunshine? So you have to begin seeing like that. Then if you remember Kṛṣṅa, that is also seeing. Seeing, spiritual seeing, does not mean simply to see by the eyes. Spiritual seeing means by chanting you can see, by describing you can see. Because Kṛṣṅa is Absolute. Absolute. Śravaṅaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṅoḥ smaraṅaṁ pāda-sevanam [SB 7.5.23].

[Prahlāda Mahārāja said: Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of Lord Viṣṅu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one's best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with the body, mind and words)—these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service. One who has dedicated his life to the service of Kṛṣṅa through these nine methods should be understood to be the most learned person, for he has acquired complete knowledge.]

In either of these item, either you hear of Kṛṣṅa, then you are seeing Kṛṣṅa. When you chant about Kṛṣṅa, then you are seeing Kṛṣṅa. When you are thinking of Kṛṣṅa, you are seeing Kṛṣṅa. This is the process. This is called bhakti-yoga.

Therefore it is said, vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ [SB 1.2.7]. If you learn how to practice bhakti-yoga, and that is upon Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṅa... Vāsudeva... And bhakti-yoga therefore says, śravaṅaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṅoḥ. Not śravaṅaṁ kīrtanam of the politician. That will not help you. Śravaṅaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṅoḥ. If you hear about Kṛṣṅa, if you chant about Kṛṣṅa, if you think about Kṛṣṅa, if you offer worship to Kṛṣṅa, if you engage yourself with some service to Kṛṣṅa, if you offer everything for Kṛṣṅa, you'll see Kṛṣṅa always, twenty-four hours. This is the process. Vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ [SB 1.2.7]. This is bhakti-yoga.

Bhakti-yoga means always be engaged in Kṛṣṅa consciousness. Satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ [Bg 9.14].

[Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion.]

That is stated in the Bhagavad... Satataṁ kīrtayanto mām. These boys and girls who are in bhakti-yoga, they are satataṁ kīrtayanto Kṛṣṅa. They are going... Sometimes we go to make membership with these books. So we have to speak about Kṛṣṅa. Satataṁ kīrtayantaḥ. They are cooking for Kṛṣṅa. They are dancing for Kṛṣṅa. They are singing for Kṛṣṅa. They are talking for Kṛṣṅa. They are going round the world for Kṛṣṅa. Everything for Kṛṣṅa. This is Kṛṣṅa consciousness and bhakti-yoga. Everyone can adopt these principles. Where is the difficulty? Vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ [SB 1.2.7].

In this way, if you practice bhakti-yoga, or Kṛṣṅa consciousness, practice Kṛṣṅa consciousness, then the result will be janayaty āśu, very soon.

Because big, big jñānīs, yogīs, they are trying to become detached from the attachment of this material world. Yoga system means yoga indriya-saṁyamaḥ. Yoga. They are practicing yama niyama āsana dhyāna dhāraṅā prāṅāyāma, all these, pratyāhāra. This yogic system, mystic yogic system, what is the meaning? Meaning: detachment, not other. Nowadays it has been taken, yoga practice means to become healthy. But actually, yoga practice is not for that purpose. Yoga means to connect with the Supreme. That is yoga. So there are different types of yoga, but in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said,

yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ sa me yuktatamo mataḥ [Bg 6.47]

[And of all yogīs, he who always abides in Me with great faith, worshiping Me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all.]

The first-class yogī, who is? Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā: "Who is always thinking of Me, Hare Kṛṣṅa." Chant Hare Kṛṣṅa, and you always think of Kṛṣṅa. Smaraṅam. Śravaṅaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṅoḥ smaraṅam [SB 7.5.23].

This is bhakti-yoga, the simple practice, that if you chant Hare Kṛṣṅa, Hare Kṛṣṅa, Kṛṣṅa Kṛṣṅa, Hare Hare, tongue, your tongue is locked up and your hearing process is locked up. That is samādhi, immediately, absorbed in the thought of Kṛṣṅa. Samādhi.

Yoga practice means samādhi, comes to the samādhi point. This is samādhi. Bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānāṁ tayāpahṛta-cetasām, samādhau na vidhīyate [Bg 2.44].

[In the minds of those who are too attached to sense enjoyment and material opulence, and who are bewildered by such things, the resolute determination of devotional service to the Supreme Lord does not take place.]

But those who are too much materially attached, bhoga aiśvarya, material opulence... Bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānāṁ tayāpahṛta-cetasām. Apahṛta, bewildered. They are thinking by this material enjoyment, by material opulence, they will be happy. Therefore it is called apahṛta-cetasām. They cannot. But if you practice this bhakti-yoga, vāsudeve... The whole Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ [SB 1.2.7].

[By rendering devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṅa, one immediately acquires causeless knowledge and detachment from the world.]

That's all. Why? Now, jñānam and vairāgyam. Jñānam means we are misidentifying, that "I am this body, and the bodily emanations, my sons, my daughters... I have got bodily relation with my wife. Therefore my wife, and the production, the sons, then grandsons, then daughter-in-law, then son-in-law..." In this way, we are clustering round. So that should be not rejected at once, but it should be taken into Kṛṣṅa consciousness. Then even there is attachment, that is called yukta-vairāgya, yukta-vairāgya.

That is enunciated by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, that,

anāsaktasya viṣayān yathārham upayuñjataḥ nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṅa-sambandhe yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate [Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.255]

[When one is not attached to anything but at the same time accepts everything in relation to Kṛṣṅa, one is rightly situated above possessiveness. On the other hand, one who rejects everything without knowledge of its relationship to Kṛṣṅa is not as complete in his renunciation.]

This vairāgyam, if I cannot... But vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ. Then vairāgya will be there. In every family you can worship Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṅa. Where is the difficulty? Vāsudeva will not occupy a very spacious room. Here is Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṅa. Even a small place, you can install Deity, Vāsudeva, and offer. You are eating... Yajñārthe karmaṅo 'nyatra. Offer Kṛṣṅa yajña-śiṣṭāśinaḥ santo mucyante sarva-kilbiṣaiḥ [Bg 3.13].

[The devotees of the Lord are released from all kinds of sins because they eat food which is offered first for sacrifice. Others, who prepare food for personal sense enjoyment, verily eat only sin.]

After all, you have to cook. Nobody, no house is there, no man is there who is not cooking. Everyone is cooking. But cook it for Kṛṣṅa, all nice prasādam. This is bhakti-yoga. Install Deity. It is not that simply in the temple the Deity should be installed. Why not at your home? Everyone can do that. Kṛṣṅa can come within your room, a small Deity, although He is virāṭ-puruṣa. Aṅor aṅīyān mahato mahīyān. He can become greater than the greatest and the smaller than the smallest. That is His greatness.

So everyone can bhakti-yoga practice, simply under the guidance of proper spiritual master who knows the science of Kṛṣṅa. From him you take lesson. And it is not difficult, this bhakti-yoga practice. Actually, this was the practice in India in every home. There was Deity. At least, brāhmaṅa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, they had Deity, Rādhā-Kṛṣṅa, Sītā-Rāma or Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṅa or Nārāyaṅa śilā. Every house, it was being worshiped. But we have lost our culture. Vāsudeve bhakti-yogaḥ..., bhakti-prayojitaḥ. We have lost this culture. Revive it. Don't lose this opportunity of human life. Practice bhakti-yoga and be Kṛṣṅa conscious, and make your life successful. That is our mission. We are teaching. It is not a business, that "Give me some money; I will teach you." It is open. We are asking everyone, "Chant Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra." What is the difficulty? There is no loss. You haven't got to pay anything. Simply as these boys have learned to chant and dance, kṛṣṅotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau [Śrīnivāsa Ācārya].

[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 are always engaged in chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṅa and dancing. They are just like the ocean of love of God, and they are popular both with the gentle and with the ruffians, because they are not envious of anyone. Whatever they do, they are all-pleasing to everyone, and they are fully blessed by Lord Caitanya. Thus they are engaged in missionary activities meant to deliver all the conditioned souls in the material universe.]

This is the Gosvāmīs' teaching, "Chant Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra." And why should you go to see dancing elsewhere? Dance at home. Make family organization in that way. You will be happy. Then you will understand what is your position.

This is the main mission of human life, to understand his position. Sanātana Gosvāmī, the first disciple of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he, when approached Śrī Kṛṣṅa Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Benares, Vārāṅasī, Kāśī, so he was minister, prime minister of Nawab Hussain Shah, very great man. But when he met Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he decided to retire from the service and join Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement. So about them it is said, tyaktvā tūrṅam aśeṣa-maṅḍala-pati-śreṅīṁ sadā tuccha-vat [Śrī Śrī Ṣaḍ 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.]

They were very big, big leaders of the maṅḍala-pati. Maṅḍala-pati means big, big leaders of the society, because they were ministers, all zamindars. All big, big businessmen they used to see, they used to visit, because minister's business... So he was associating with highly aristocratic families and societies, but they gave it up. Tyaktvā tūrṅam aśeṣa-maṅḍala-pati..., sadā tuccha-vat. Tuccha-vat means very insignificant. We are seeking after aristocratic society's association, to become big man, but these Gosvāmīs, although they were ministers, they decided, tyaktvā tūrṅam aśeṣa-maṅḍala-pati sadā tuccha-vat. Then what did they become? Bhūtvā dīna-gaṅeśakau karuṅayā kaupīna-kanthāśritau: "For the benefit of the whole human society, they took the mendicant's dress." Just like in our political movement, Mahatma Gandhi also took the mendicant's dress, loincloth, these Gosvāmīs also. That is Indian culture.

So in a renounced... That is vairāgya, vairāgya. Political vairāgya is different. The political vairāgya is that "I don't want things, anything, anything for me, but for my son, for my grandson, for my countrymen, for my this, that." Not like that. This vairāgya means vāsudeve: "I don't want anything personally for me, but I want everything for Vāsudeva." This is the difference between political mendicant and the spiritual mendicant. So these Gosvāmīs were spiritual mendicant, vairāgya. That vairāgya... Tyaktvā tūrṅam aśeṣa-maṅḍala-pati-śreṅīṁ sadā tuccha-vat bhūtvā dīna-gaṅeśakau karuṅayā. Dīna. Dīna means this poor mass of people. They are very poor. Because they have no knowledge what is the aim of life, therefore poor in knowledge. Poor means one who is poor in knowledge. Material poverty, that is no consideration. That is coming and going. Tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata [Bg 2.14]. That has been advised, that if you are little... Nobody is actually happy, even if you have got enough money. But still, there is unhappiness. But that they cannot understand. But actually, poverty is want of knowledge. Therefore the acquiring knowledge, that is real richness. That is real richness. That is called brāhmaṅa. Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṅaḥ. Therefore brāhmaṅa is respected by even the king. That was the system in India. Because they were rich in knowledge.

So richness of knowledge is required, jñānam, and vairāgya. Vairāgya required, because we have been entangled in this materialistic way of life. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate [Bg 8.19]. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ [Bg 2.13].

Another life, another body. I do not know what kind of body. Then another chapter. In this way our life is going on. Therefore we must have detachment from this materialistic way of life, changing one body to... But people are so ignorant, they do not take it very seriously. They think, "Let us go on. Eh, we don't mind. Whatever happens, happens." That is not required. You must have knowledge. This knowledge is imparted from the very beginning of Bhagavad-gītā. Aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase [Bg 2.11]. People are talking very, very big, big talks, but all around this body. All around this body. Aśocyān. Gatāsūn agatāsūṁś ca nānuśocanti paṅḍitāḥ. About this body nobody is very serious if he is a paṅḍita. If he is a fool, rascal, then he is simply involved in the bodily problems. So that is called jñāna.

But this jñāna can be achieved very easily. How? How it is easily? That is also said in the Bhagavad-gītā. Teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānām... Ah, no...

teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ yena mām upayānti te [Bg 10.10]

[To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.]

If you engage yourself in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṅa, Vāsudeva, then Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṅa, is within you. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna 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.]

He is already there. Not that you have to find out Vāsudeva from anywhere. Vāsudeva is everywhere. He is also within. Aṅḍāntara-stha-paramāṅu-cayāntara-stham [Bs 5.35].

[He is an undifferentiated entity as there is no distinction between potency and the possessor thereof. In His work of creation of millions of worlds, His potency remains inseparable. All the universes exist in Him and He is present in His fullness in every one of the atoms that are scattered throughout the universe, at one and the same time. Such is the primeval Lord whom I adore.]

Vāsudeva is within this universe, within your heart, or even within the atom. So Vāsudeva is every... Simply you have to find out. So how you can find out? Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam [Bg 10.10].

[To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.]

As soon as you engage yourself in the service of Vāsudeva with love and faith—that is being taught in Kṛṣṅa consciousness: with love and faith—then Vāsudeva is already there. He knows what you are. You cannot cheat Him. When He understands that now you are serious about knowing, He says, dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ tam: "I supply buddhi-yoga." Buddhi-yoga, that is yoga. The yoga, buddhi-yoga, means bhakti-yoga. Because it is said, dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ yena mām upayānti te. This buddhi-yoga means "by which one can approach Me." And it is clearly explained in another..., Eighteenth Chapter, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti [Bg 18.55].

[One can understand the Supreme Personality as He is only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of the Supreme Lord by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God.]

Therefore buddhi-yoga means bhakti, or bhakti-yoga. Because without bhakti, you cannot understand Kṛṣṅa. And here Kṛṣṅa says, "I give him buddhi-yoga, intelligence, 'My dear devotee, you kindly do this. You will come to Me.' "

So you do not require... As soon as... Therefore it is called ahaitukī. A devotee is understanding everything without any cause. How it is? Because the Vāsudeva is giving intelligence. Teṣām evānukampārtham aham ajñāna-jaṁ tamaḥ, nāśayāmi [Bg 10.11].

[Out of compassion for them, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance.]

So a devotee, sincere devotee, do not think that he is not in knowledge. He is perfect in knowledge because the knowledge is being imparted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead from within. Tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye [SB 1.1.1]. As He did. He gave intelligence to Lord Brahmā how to create this universe. Similarly, He will give intelligence to you also if you become sincere in serving Vāsudeva. This is explained. Vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ, janayaty āśu [SB 1.2.7]. And as soon as you are getting knowledge, naturally you will be reluctant to this material sense enjoyment. Material world means sense enjoyment, and spiritual world means not sense enjoyment for personal sense enjoyment, but enjoyment of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the... We have to learn, one after another, what is difference between material and spiritual. That is explained in Caitanya-caritāmṛta very nicely in two lines, ātmendriya-tṛpti-vāñchā tāre bali kāma [Cc Ādi 4.165]. Lusty desires, or kāma, materialism, what is that? Now, ātmendriya-tṛpti-vāñchā, when one wants to fulfill his own desires of the own senses, that is called kāma. And kṛṣṅendriya-tṛpti vāñchā dhare prema nāma. The same thing, when you want to satisfy Kṛṣṅa, then you become devotee.

You see the behavior of Arjuna. He wanted to satisfy in the beginning his own senses. "My dear Kṛṣṅa, if I kill my grandfather, my teacher Droṅācārya, my grandfather... No, no, it is impossible. I cannot do that. My brothers are..." That means he wanted to satisfy his senses. But when Kṛṣṅa instructed him Bhagavad-gītā, He inquired from Arjuna, "Now what is your decision?" Yathecchasi tathā kuru [Bg 18.63]. Then he said that naṣṭo mohaḥ smṛtir labdhā tvat-prasādena: "By Your grace, now my all illusion is over. I have got my original Kṛṣṅa consciousness." What is that? "My business is to satisfy You, not my senses." Then he became devotee. This is the... Vāsudeve bhagavati. If you engage yourself in the service, regulative principles... In the beginning you must follow the regulative principles. Then spontaneous love, then you will get.

So these things should be arising.

nitya-siddha kṛṣṅa-bhakti sādhya' kabhu naya śravaṅādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya [Cc Madhya 22.107]

[Pure love for Kṛṣṅa is eternally established in the hearts of the living entities. It is not something to be gained from another source. When the heart is purified by hearing and chanting, this love naturally awakens.]

This is already there in you; simply you have to awaken it. This Kṛṣṅa consciousness is already there in everybody. It is not that it is an artificial thing. Love for God is there already, because we are part and parcel of Him. But it is now covered, covered by material association. Acchedita. Just like the mirror is covered by dust, you cannot see, but you polish it, you will see your face; similarly, this bhakti-yoga process is polishing the mirror of your heart, and when it is nicely polished, you will see what is your position, what you are, what is your business, how you shall be happy. Everything will come out.

Therefore our request is that you take this Kṛṣṅa conscious movement, Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement, very serious and try to apply yourself in the service of Vāsudeva. The very simple thing. If you cannot do anything, you follow the instruction of Kṛṣṅa. As Kṛṣṅa says, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya. You are drinking water. While drinking water, as soon as you taste the sweet taste, you simply remember, "This is Kṛṣṅa." Is it very difficult task? Not at all. Simply you have to agree. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ [Bg 7.8].

[O son of Kuntī [Arjuna], I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and the moon, the syllable om in the Vedic mantras; I am the sound in ether and ability in man.]

And as soon as in the morning you see the sunshine, "Oh, here is Kṛṣṅa." As soon as in the evening you see the moonshine, "Oh, here is Kṛṣṅa." And what to speak of when the Vedic reciters, brāhmaṅas, are chanting, oṁ tad viṣṅoḥ paramaṁ padam..., in the morning, "Oh, here is Kṛṣṅa. Here is oṁkāra." In this way you simply think of Kṛṣṅa. That is Kṛṣṅa consciousness, and your life will be successful.

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṅa.

Devotees: Haribol. [applause] [end]