Bhagavad-gītā As It Is

Bhagavad-gītā 7.1

Prabhupāda: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. [devotees chant responsively]

Hmm. Ladies and gentlemen, I am just going to speak before you about knowledge of the Absolute. It is from the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā.

This human form of life is obtained after many, many millions of years by evolutionary process: aquatics, then insects, reptiles, birds, beasts, uncivilized men, and then civilized form of human being. They are called the Āryans. So the human being, civilized human being, is the topmost of the creation, and the consciousness is developed than the lower animals. Therefore the Vedānta philosophy says that this human form of life is meant for understanding knowledge absolute, knowledge of the Absolute. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Brahman means the Absolute. Brahman is explained in the Vedānta-sūtra, janmādy asya yataḥ [SB 1.1.1]: "Brahman, or the Absolute Truth, is that from whom everything has emanated." There must be the original source of everything. So to understand that original source of everything is the knowledge of the Absolute.

So this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is teaching throughout the whole world about the knowledge of the Absolute. There is no question of religion or dogmatism. It is a question of cultural advancement in knowledge. Every human being has got right to understand the absolute knowledge. That is the only business of human being. There is no other business. Unfortunately, for want of training, we are wasting our advanced intelligence for the same business as the cats and dogs are engaged. That is the difficulty. Cats and dogs, they cannot understand what is absolute knowledge. They are busy where to find out food, where to find out shelter, where to find out facility for sexual intercourse, and where to find out shelter to avoid danger. Defense, in other words. Defense. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca [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.]

At the present moment the human society is busy where to find out food, where to find out shelter, how to have nice sexual intercourse, and how to defense from other nation or other enemy. This has become the business. This is always the business of the materialistic way of life. But this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is a different life. It is not materialistic way of life. It is the life of spiritual realization. It is little difficult, because people are accustomed to think everything in materialistic way. Just like peace. Peace cannot be possible in the animal or materialistic way of life. It is not possible. You cannot expect peace in the cats' and dogs' society. That is not possible. Peace is possible when human being is advanced in God consciousness, or Kṛṣṅa consciousness.

When we speak "Kṛṣṅa," please try to understand I am speaking of the Supreme Lord. Kṛṣṅa means "all-attract," Bhagavān. Here it is said in the Seventh Chapter, śrī-bhagavān uvāca. Bhaga. Bhaga means opulence. You use the word bhāgyavān, bhāgya. From this word, bhaga, it has come bhāgya. Bhāgya means fortune, opulence. So Bhagavān means all-fortunate, all-opulent. That is Bhagavān. That definition is given by Parāśara Muni. The wealthiest man, aiśvaryasya samagrasya [Viṣṅu Purāṅa 6.5.47].

[Full wealth, strength, fame, beauty, knowledge and renunciation—these are the six opulences of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.]

Aiśvarya means wealth, and samagra means all, complete. We may be very rich; you may be very rich. But nobody can claim that "All the riches belong to me." Nobody can say. Only Bhagavān can say. Just like Kṛṣṅa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram [Bg 5.29].

[The sages, knowing Me as the ultimate purpose of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attain peace from the pangs of material miseries.]

He says, "I am the enjoyer of all activities." Just like there are so many different types of activities, but the result of the activity is enjoyed by somebody. He is called bhoktā. Just like in a very big business establishment so many activities are going on, but the enjoyer of the result of the activities is the proprietor or the managing director, something like that. Similarly, Kṛṣṅa says, bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasām.

We are engaged in different types of austerities, penances and performing yajñas, but who is the bhoktā? Bhoktā, Kṛṣṅa says, "I am the bhoktā, I am the enjoyer." Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram: "And I am the proprietor of everything within this universe." Not only in this universe, there are many other millions of universes. Therefore says, sarva-loka-maheśvaram. There are different lokas in each and every universe. And maheśvaram, mahā īśvara, the supreme proprietor. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram, suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām [Bg 5.29]. Although He is so great, still, He is friend of all living entities. Sarva-loka-maheśvaram, suhṛdam..., jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati. This is the culture. If anyone can understand that God is the proprietor of everything, God is the enjoyer of all activities, the resultant action, God is the supreme friend of everyone—simply by understanding these three formulas, one attains real platform of peaceful life. That is peaceful life.

So bhagavān uvāca. We don't say anything which is not spoken by Bhagavān, the Supreme. We don't manufacture concocted ideas, dogmas. No, that is not our business. One should not do that. But if you speak what Bhagavān has said, what Kṛṣṅa has said, that is perfect. Bhagavān means the supreme complete, the possessor of all opulences. Aiśvarya means riches, strength, influence, beauty, knowledge, renunciation. These are called aiśvaryas. So you try to find out who is that person who possesses all these things, bhaga, in complete. If you are inquisitive, if you are actually philosopher, then you will find Kṛṣṅa, Kṛṣṅa is Bhagavān. Kṛṣṅas tu bhagavān svayam [SB 1.3.28].

[All of the above-mentioned incarnations are either plenary portions or portions of the plenary portions of the Lord, but Lord Śrī Kṛṣṅa is the original Personality of Godhead. All of them appear on planets whenever there is a disturbance created by the atheists. The Lord incarnates to protect the theists.]

That is the verdict of the Vedic śāstra. Kṛṣṅas tu... We are searching after Bhagavān, or God. We simply try to understand that God is very great. That's fact. But how great He is, that has to be known. That is called knowledge of God. Now we cannot think of that one person can become the proprietor of all the riches and wealth of the world. But unless we accept it, he is not God.

So this understanding of God requires a process, how to understand. The main process is that we cannot speculate about God. That is not possible. If we want to know God by speculation, there may be difference of opinion. I may say, "God is like this." You may say, "God is like this." Then difference of opinion. Therefore best thing is to know God from God. That is required. Let God speak Himself about Himself. That is perfect. If you simply conjecture, guess, that "Swāmījī may be like this," another may say, "Like this, like that." But if I say unto you, "I am like this," that is perfect. So here in the Bhagavad-gītā we have got this advantage, followers of Vedic literature, that the Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṅa, is speaking Himself about Himself. That is perfect knowledge. Therefore it is said, bhagavān uvāca. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is speaking Himself. So He was speaking to Arjuna. So He says the process, how to understand God. The process is, means:

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṅu [Bg 7.1]

Kṛṣṅa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, says that "If you want to know Me, then you have to increase your attachment for Me." This is the first condition. Mayy āsakta. Mayi āsakta-manāḥ. Our mind is attracted by so many things, especially in the material world. When yoga system was advised to Arjuna, that "You concentrate your mind upon Me," Arjuna flatly declined: "My dear Kṛṣṅa, I cannot concentrate my mind in any particular thing." But he said that "I have got my mind on You." That is different thing. "But if You ask me to concentrate, it is very difficult for me."

cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṅa pramāthi balavad dṛḍham tasyāhaṁ manye vāyor iva suduṣkaram [Bg 6.34]

Tasyāhaṁ nigrahaṁ manye vāyor iva suduṣkaram. The yogīs, generally, the yogīs, they are trying to concentrate the mind upon the Supreme Absolute Truth. That is the yogic practice. Yoga indriya-saṁyamaḥ. Yoga means to concentrate your mind to the Absolute Truth by controlling the senses. Because the senses are very restless, it will not allow you to concentrate your mind. Therefore yoga indriya-saṁyamaḥ. That is yoga.

So here the same yoga is advised: yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. This yoga has to be practiced under Kṛṣṅa. Mad-āśrayaḥ. Mat means "Me," and āśrayaḥ means taking shelter. Or mad-āśrayaḥ means to take shelter of Kṛṣṅa's devotee; one who has completely taken shelter of Kṛṣṅa, to take shelter of him. The same thing: one who is electrified, if you touch that man, you also become electrified. This is the process. Therefore this is stressed here that "You practice this yoga..." Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha, "My dear Pārtha..." Pārtha means the son of Pṛthā. Arjuna's mother's name was Kuntī, Pṛthā; therefore he is sometimes addressed by the Lord as Pārtha. Kṛṣṅa's another name is Pārtha-sārathi. Pārtha-sārathi because He accepted the post of chariot driver of Pārtha, therefore His name is Pārtha-sārathi. There is a very big temple in Madras of Pārtha-sārathi.

So somebody will fight that "God has no name." Yes, God has name, but the names are so many that you cannot understand which one is the chief name. Therefore the Vedāntist, those who are expert in Vedic knowledge—and the word is also there—they have selected the chief name of God as Kṛṣṅa. Kṛṣṅa means "all-attract." God has actually no name, but His name is designated according to His activities and action. Just like Pārtha-sārathi. Pārtha-sārathi, the name is given to Kṛṣṅa because He acted as the chariot driver of Pārtha. He is addressed as Devakī-nandana. So Devakī-nandana is not His name, but because He acted, He appeared as the son of Devakī, He is called Devakī-nandana. He is called Yaśodā-nandana. Similarly, all the names of God... Actually, what you say, that there is no name of God, no name, but He has His name, but the name is designated according to His activities. That means that God has His activities, and according to the different types of activities, He has got millions and trillions of name.

So our this propaganda, "Chant the holy name of God"... So somebody may decline, that "Why shall I chant the name of Kṛṣṅa? This is Hindu name," or "Indian name." But Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that if you decline to chant the particular name "Kṛṣṅa," then if you have got your name of God, you can chant that also. We are not dogmatic. If you have got actually the name of God, you chant that. That is His instruction.

nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktis tatrārpitā niyamitaḥ smaraṅe na kālaḥ etādṛśī tava kṛpā bhagavan mamāpi durdaivam īdṛśam ihājani nānurāgaḥ [Śikṣāṣṭaka 2]

Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that whatever name you select, God's name... In India we have got God's name in so many varieties—Kṛṣṅa, Govinda, Nārāyaṅa, Viṣṅu... [break] ...is our propaganda. We don't say that "You chant this particular name." Caitanya Mahāprabhu never says. But we selected to chant this Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra because Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the inaugurator of the saṅkīrtana movement, He personally chanted this Hare Kṛṣṅa, Hare Kṛṣṅa, Kṛṣṅa Kṛṣṅa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma... So we follow. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ [Cc Madhya 17.186].

[Dry arguments are inconclusive. A great personality whose opinion does not differ from others is not considered a great sage. Simply by studying the Vedas, which are variegated, one cannot come to the right path by which religious principles are understood. The solid truth of religious principles is hidden in the heart of an unadulterated self-realized person. Consequently, as the śāstras confirm, one should accept whatever progressive path the mahājanas advocate.]

We have to follow some authority.

So our request is to everyone—I think there should be any objection—that "You chant the holy name of God." This is Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement. If you have got your own name of God, you chant that. If not, what is the objection? Take this name, "Kṛṣṅa," and chant. Why there should be objection? This is not dogmatism. We give freedom. We do not give; Caitanya Mahāprabhu gives, that God has got many name. Why not? Just like one man in the family—somebody is calling him father; somebody calling him brother; somebody calling him by his name. There are so many ways to call the same man. Similarly, if you have got a name, holy name of the holy father, you chant that. This is our propaganda. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva 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.]

This is the recommendation in the Vedic literature, that in this age, this age of differentiation, this age of fight, quarreling, misunderstanding, if I say, "This is the name of God," and you say, "No, this is the name of God," then there will be fight. So better, Caitanya Mahāprabhu gives here, that whatever name you have got... But it must be God's name, harer nāma, not your manufactured name. It must be authorized God's name. You chant that.

This is Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement. And this is the basic principle of bhakti-yoga. Kṛṣṅa says here, yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. Yogam. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ. The business is that we have to increase our attachment for God. This is our main business. We are attached to so many things. That is material life. Everyone has got. Therefore we have got different types of body. Kāraṅaṁ guṅa-saṅgaḥ asya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu [Bg 13.22]. Why you have got different types of body? The kāraṅam, the reason, is that we are associating with particular type of infection in this material world, and we are getting particular type of body. I have explained it several times that there are three guṅas: sattva-guṅa, rajo-guṅa, tamo-guṅa. So in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, kāraṅaṁ guṅa-saṅgaḥ asya. As soon as we are in the material world, we are under the influence either of these three guṅas: sattva-guṅa, rajo-guṅa, tamo-guṅa. Those who are purely in association with the modes of goodness, sattva-guṅa, they are considered as brāhmaṅa. And those who are associated with the rajo-guṅa, passion, they are called kṣatriyas. And those who are associating with the tamo-guṅa, ignorance, they are called the śūdras. And the mixture of tamo-guṅa and rajo-guṅa is the position of the vaiśya. In this way, there are four divisions of men everywhere. Cātur-varṅyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṅa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg 4.13].

[According to the three modes of material nature and the work ascribed to them, the four divisions of human society were created by Me. And, although I am the creator of this system, you should know that I am yet the non-doer, being unchangeable.]

According to the association of particular type of modes of nature and working in that way, it makes a division of the human society. That is required.

For upkeep of the human society in order, according to the quality and work, there must be division. But that is not that division as we are thinking at the present moment in India—a man is born in the brāhmaṅa family, he is brāhmaṅa. No. He must have the brahminical qualification. That is first consideration. Śamo damaḥ satyaṁ śaucam ārjavaṁ titikṣā, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam [Bg 18.42].

[Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty, wisdom, knowledge, and religiousness—these are the qualities by which the brāhmaṅas work.]

That is the verdict of the śāstra. Not by birth. Birth is a facility. If you have the opportunity to take birth in a brāhmaṅa family, then you have got the best opportunity to acquire the brahminical qualification. Just like a person born as the son of a medical man, from the childhood he is learning all the medical terms and how his father is treating patient. So before entering medical college he is half medical man. That is the facility. But if we don't take the facility, we go astray... They are called brahma-bandhu. And if we have acquired the qualification of a śūdra, then, even though one is born in the brāhmaṅa family, he should be accepted as śūdra. Similarly, if a person is born in a śūdra family, but he has acquired these qualities, śamo damaḥ satyaṁ śaucam, he should be designated as brāhmaṅa. That is the injunction of the śāstras in many places. So if by force I want to assume myself as a brāhmaṅa or kṣatriya without qualification, that is the cause of India's cultural ruination. Such a high Vedic culture of India is now ruined because we have misused the terms. That is the cause.

Now we are interested... But this culture, this Vedic culture, is not for..., not meant for India. It is meant for all living entities. Sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayo yāḥ [Bg 14.4].

[It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kuntī, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father.]

Kṛṣṅa never claims that "I am the God of the Hindus" or "I am Indian" or "I am for the brāhmaṅas" or this or that. No. He says that "I am the seed-giving father of everyone." That is God. That is God. That means God. He never claims. Sarva-yoniṣu. There are 8,400,000 species of life, and Kṛṣṅa claims to be the father, seed-giving father of all of them. So Kṛṣṅa is for everyone. Don't take Kṛṣṅa as sectarian. No. Kṛṣṅa is God; He is for everyone.

So if you want to know Kṛṣṅa, then Kṛṣṅa gives the formula. And if you want to know God, then you follow God's formula. What is that? Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. First of all, first business is that you have to increase your attachment for God, or Kṛṣṅa. We are increasing our attachment for the dog, and where is the attachment for God? People are becoming... Now it has become a fashion to keep dogs and increase attachment for dog. They are ready to kill cows but give protection to the dog. So our advancement of civilization is going in that way. Anyway, this attachment or that attachment, every particular man has got attachment for something, phobia. But that attachment should be turned for Kṛṣṅa. This yoga has to be practiced. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ.

Then what will be the result? Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṅu [Bg 7.1]. Asaṁśayam. We have got vague idea of God. We do not know actually what is God. There is saṁśaya, doubts. Somebody is impersonalist. Somebody is localized. Somebody is personalist. But actually, if we ask every man, "What is your conception of God?" I think hardly anyone will be able to explain what is the meaning of God. They have no clear idea. Is it not a fact? Can any one of you give me a clear idea what do you mean by God? No. Therefore if you want clear idea of God without any doubt, asaṁśayam, and samagram... Samagram means full, not partially. The spiritual understanding is partial in this way, brahmeti paramātmā iti bhagavān iti śabdyate. The Absolute Truth is realized in three features: Brahman, beginning from Brahman; then Paramātmā, Supersoul—I think in Christian world they call Holy Ghost—anyway, Paramātmā, the Supersoul; and ultimately the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṅa. That is the statement of the śāstra. Kṛṣṅas tu bhagavān svayam [SB 1.3.28].

If you want to know, here is Bhagavān. In many other places,

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṅaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ anādir ādir govindaḥ sarva-kāraṅa-kāraṅam [Bs 5.1]

[Kṛṣṅa who is known as Govinda is the Supreme Godhead. He has an eternal blissful spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin and He is the prime cause of all causes.]

Sarva-kāraṅa-kāraṅam. There is nothing accidental. Everything is there as cause and effect. That is clear idea.

So there are so many causes. I am caused by my father, my father is caused by his father, his father is caused by his father, you go on, go on. Then you come to the supreme father. He is the cause of all causes. That is Kṛṣṅa. The supreme father is the cause of all subordinate fathers. That is the definition of God, another definition. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṅaḥ. Īśvaraḥ, īśvaraḥ means controller. So controller, you are also controller. You control over your family, over your son, over your wife. And if you go to the office you become controlled by your boss. So here the controller is relative. Both I am controller and controlled. But when you find somebody else—he is simply controller, not controlled—that is God. This is simple definition of God. You will find everyone relatively controller and controlled. But go on searching out where is that person that He is controller but not controlled, that is īśvaraḥ. That is īśvaraḥ paramaḥ, the supreme īśvara. And who is that? Kṛṣṅa.

When Kṛṣṅa was present He was not controlled by anyone. He was only controller. If you study the life of Kṛṣṅa, you will find He is always controller, never controlled by anyone. Therefore the śāstra says, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṅaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ. And about His form? His form is sat-cit-ānanda. How it is? Now, you can distinguish. Your form, this body, is asat; it will not stay. But Kṛṣṅa's form is sat, just the opposite. And your form or my form is full of ignorance, not cit. But Kṛṣṅa's form is full of knowledge, just opposite. And ānanda. My form is so full of miserable condition of life that I have no ānanda, blissfulness. But Kṛṣṅa's form is blissfulness. You will find Kṛṣṅa's picture always smiling and playing on His flute with His cowherd boyfriends or the gopīs or His mother, Yaśodā, always jolly. Ānanda. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt [Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12].

[By nature, the Supreme Lord is blissful.]

That is, the Vedānta-sūtra says, "The Absolute Truth by nature is ānandamaya, always jolly." So if we become in touch with that ānandamaya, that is called self-realization. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā [Bg 18.54].

[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.]

You get the same qualification. Just like if you touch yourself with fire, you get the quality of fire—you become warm. In any way you come to the fire, you become warm. Similarly, some way or other, you come to Kṛṣṅa. That is called mayy āsakta-manāḥ. Some way or other, you become attached to Kṛṣṅa. This yoga has to be practiced. That is called bhakti-yoga. Yena tena prakāreṅa manaḥ kṛṣṅe niveśayet. This is the injunction given by the Gosvāmīs. "Somehow or other." Kāmāt krodhāt bhayāt. There are so many ways. One is attached to Kṛṣṅa by lusty desire. Just like the gopīs. The gopīs saw Kṛṣṅa very young boy, very beautiful. Naturally, young girls become attached to beautiful boy. So they became attached. The attachment is there. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ. Kaṁsa, out of fearfulness, because he heard that Kṛṣṅa will kill him, so he was always thinking of Kṛṣṅa, "Whether Kṛṣṅa is coming to kill me? Whether Kṛṣṅa is coming to kill me?" So he also became attached, bhayāt. Kāmād bhayāt krodhāt, there are so many examples. So these are indirect attachment. And direct attachment, just think of what is the result of direct attachment. If by indirect attachment they became so exalted, when you become directly attached with Kṛṣṅa by love, just see what is your position. So that is Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ [Bg 7.1]. So this has to be done under the direction of mad-āśrayaḥ, a person, a devotee or the spiritual master, who has absolutely taken shelter of Kṛṣṅa. He is also mad-āśrayaḥ. He has no other business. So either take the shelter of the person or directly the Supreme Person, the same thing. Better to take the shelter of a person who is under the protection of Kṛṣṅa.

So our request is that Bhagavad-gītā is very popular book. Don't try to interpret Bhagavad-gītā whimsically just to show yourself a big scholar, big politician. No, don't do that. Try to understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Then you will be benefited. Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā, this book. It is about eleven hundred pages. We are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is, without any interpretation. And the result is that thousands of the foreign country youths, they are becoming Kṛṣṅa conscious. The proof is there. The proof is there. And all over the world, in Europe, America, Canada, Australia and Japan, even in Moscow and Africa, everywhere, we are not failure. That is Kṛṣṅa's grace. Because we are presenting Kṛṣṅa as it is, Bhagavad-gītā as it is, it is being accepted. Before me, many svāmīs went to the Western countries. They also talked about Bhagavad-gītā and other Vedic literature. But not a single person could be converted to Kṛṣṅa consciousness, not a single person throughout the whole history, background. But since 1967 we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is, thousands of young generation, they are taking to Kṛṣṅa consciousness. This is the result.

So either we remain in Fiji or in England or anywhere, because Kṛṣṅa is the proprietor of everything, everywhere, sarva-loka-maheśvaram [Bg 5.29]...

So Fiji is a small part of the sarva-loka. So if He is the proprietor of all the lokas, then He is the proprietor of Fiji also. There is no doubt about it. So the inhabitants of Fiji, if you take to Kṛṣṅa consciousness, that is the perfection of life. That is the perfection of life. Don't deviate from the instruction of Kṛṣṅa. Very directly, bhagavān uvāca, directly Bhagavān is speaking. You take advantage of it. There is solution of all problems of the world if you refer to Bhagavad-gītā. Any problem you present, there is solution, provided you take the solution.

Nowadays they are facing a scarcity of food. The solution is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṅa says, annād bhavanti bhūtāni [Bg 3.14]:

[All living bodies subsist on food grains, which are produced from rain. Rains are produced by performance of yajña [sacrifice], and yajña is born of prescribed duties.]

"Bhūtāni, all living entities, both animal and man, they can live very nicely without any anxiety provided they have got sufficient food grains." Now what is your objection to this? This is the solution. Kṛṣṅa says, annād bhavanti bhūtāni. So it is not utopian; it is practical. You must have sufficient food grain to feed the human being and the animal, and everything will be peaceful immediately. Because people, if one become hungry, he is disturbed. So give him food first of all. That is Kṛṣṅa's injunction. Is that very impossible, impractical? No. You grow food more and distribute. So much land is there, but we are not growing food. We are growing or busy in manufacturing tools and motor tires. Then now eat motor tires. But Kṛṣṅa says that "You grow anna." Then there is no question of scarcity. Annād bhavanti bhūtāni parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ. But anna is produced when there is sufficient rain. Parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ. And yajñād bhavati parjanyaḥ [Bg 3.14]. And if you perform yajña, then there will be regular rainfall. This is the way. But nobody is interested with yajña, nobody is interested with food grain, and if you create your own scarcity, then it is not God's fault; it is your fault.

So take anything, any question—social, political, philosophical, religious, anything you take—and the solution is there. Just like India is now facing about this caste system. So many are in favor of the caste system, so many in not favor. But Kṛṣṅa makes the solution. So there is no question of in favor or not in favor. The caste system should be designated according to the quality. Cātur-varṅyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṅa-karma [Bg 4.13].

Never says "by birth." And in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is confirmed,

yasya hi lakṣaṅaṁ proktaṁ varṅābhivyañjakam yad anyatrāpi dṛśyeta tat tenaiva vinirdiśet [SB 7.11.35]

[If one shows the symptoms of being a brāhmaṅa, kṣatriya, vaiśya or śūdra, as described above, even if he has appeared in a different class, he should be accepted according to those symptoms of classification.]

Clear instruction of Nārada Muni. So we have got everything perfectly in the Vedic literature, and if we follow... The Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is trying to educate people on this principle. We are not manufacturing anything. That is not our business. Because we know we are imperfect. Even if we manufacture something, that is imperfect. We have got four faults in our conditional life: we commit mistake, we become illusioned, we cheat others, and our senses are imperfect. So how we can get perfect knowledge from a person who is, I mean to say, possessing all these faults? Therefore we must get knowledge from the Supreme Person, who is not affected with these faults, mukta-puruṣa. That is perfect knowledge.

So our request is that you take knowledge from Bhagavad-gītā and act accordingly. It doesn't matter what you are. Bhagavān is for everyone. God is God, just like gold is gold. If gold is handled by Hindu, it does not become Hindu gold. Or the gold is handled by Christian, it does not become Christian gold. Gold is gold. Similarly, dharma is one. Religion is one. There cannot be Hindu religion, Muslim religion, Christian religion. That is artificial. Just like "Hindu gold," "Muslim gold." That is not possible. Gold is gold. Similarly religion. Religion means the law given by God. That is religion. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṅītaṁ na vai vidur devatā manuṣyāḥ [SB 6.3.19],

[Real religious principles are enacted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although fully situated in the mode of goodness, even the great ṛṣis who occupy the topmost planets cannot ascertain the real religious principles, nor can the demigods or the leaders of Siddhaloka, to say nothing of the asuras, ordinary human beings, Vidyādharas and Cāraṅas.]

like that—I just forget—that "Dharma, this principle of dharma, religious system, is ordained or given by God." So God is one; therefore dharma, or religious system, should be one. There cannot be two.

So that one religion is given in the Bhagavad-gītā: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṅaṁ vraja [Bg 18.66]. To surrender to God the great and to abide by His instruction, that is called religion. It may be that the Hindus may be following the same principle in a different way or the Christian may be following the same principle in different way. That is called deśa-kāla-pātra. According to time, atmosphere and the performer, there may be little difference. But real purpose of dharma is to surrender to God and try to love Him. That is religion. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṅītam [SB 6.3.19]. 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.]

Because we are part and parcel of God... We have now forgotten. We have to revive our God consciousness. Then we go back to home, back to Godhead. This is our business.

So Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is meant for this purpose, that everyone should be raised to the platform of God consciousness. Then his human form of life is successful. Otherwise it is the life of cats and dogs.

Thank you very much. [applause] [end]

Bhagavad-gītā 7.1

Referenced verses