Gita study Mumbai 2012- 04.34-42 Glories of transcendental knowledge

Transcript

This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.
Last part of the fourth chapter, this talks about the glory of transcendental knowledge.
So till now what all have we discussed in the fourth chapter? We started by talking about how Krishna is the giver and implementer of dharma. Krishna teaches dharma and implements dharma. That was the first section, verses 1 to 10.
Then we talked about how Krishna is the goal of all paths. That was 11 to 15. And then from 16 onwards to 24, we were talking about how to act without bondage.
How the dharma that Krishna teaches is Nishanam Karma Yoga, which teaches on how to act without bondage. Then, the purpose of Nishanam Karma Yoga is ultimately to develop jnana. The various yajnas by which jnana is developed and how karma is integral to them.
I was talking about sections from 25 to 33. And now Krishna talks about what is the result of acquiring jnana. What is the glory of that jnana that is acquired.
So, know that. What is that? There are the previous verses. So, that jnana, know that.
Three things. Service, submission, enquiry. The standard formula, which we have heard many times.
I will not elaborate on that. Interestingly, Krishna is not using the word akta. He is using the word jnani.
Why? Because Jinalagi has not talked about akta yet. And interestingly, he doesn’t use the word jnani in singular. He uses the word jnana in plural.
So, this indicates that actually the Guru is not just one person. We have the understanding in Bhagavad Gita, that there is Prathaparashara Guru, Shiksha Guru and Diksha Guru. And Krishnadaswamy says that they are non-different.
They are non-different. It’s not absolutely true. They are non-different in the sense that they are all representative of Krishna.
Of course, our connection and commitment will be different. We will be different. But still, the idea is, Krishna also indicates, it’s not that we have only one Guru.
And we reject everyone else. We can’t have anyone else. So, the idea is that it’s beautiful.
There are many beautiful persons. And even this one, we have our own initiating spiritual master. Initiating spiritual masters, godbrothers are there.
They are like our goduncles. And they are also our instructive spiritual masters. We are not saying that godbrothers will be there.
They are also our instructive spiritual masters. So, they can continue to use. And here, Krishna is telling that how to acquire that knowledge, what is that knowledge, all that you will learn by going to the Guru.
So, Gyan means Tattva Darshanaha. Yes, they have seen the Guru. Tattva Darshanaha.
Darshan means to see. So, Krishna has used the word Tattva with the Guru. Tattva Darshanaha is used for the first time in the Bhagavad Gita.
Tattva Darshanaha is see the Guru. Krishna has used the word Tattva several times. I am asking you to say how and where to use it.
One is Tattva Darshanaha. So, here it is Tattva Darshanaha. So, it is more or less similar.
Specifically, Darshanaha and Tattva Darshanaha are slightly different words. There will be a small inflexion at the end. So, in that sense, this word is being repeated from there.
But specifically, Tattva Darshanaha is used for the first time. Tattva Darshanaha is a slightly different word from that. You can say they are similar but not identical.
So, the point is Krishna is telling that it is Tattva Darshanaha that one must know. Darshanaha that one must know. Now, what happens when one goes to the spiritual master? See, going to the spiritual master and learning knowledge from him is not just a matter of passing of information.
The whole system of Parampara which we talked about briefly in the start of this chapter. The Parampara or the whole system of transmission from Guru and disciple which forms the Parampara is a link not just of heads but a link of hearts. Parampara is a link of hearts.
It means the heart of the spiritual master is pervaded with devotion to Krishna. And the spiritual master is living a life of pure devotional service to Krishna. The disciple sees that, becomes inspired by that.
The disciple’s heart gets linked to the spiritual master. And that is the link. So, what passes from spiritual master to disciple is that inspiration to love Krishna purely.
So, it is not just a matter of intellectual agreement on some theological issues. Yes, you believe that Krishna is higher than Vishnu. I also believe that.
So, I am your spiritual disciple. We have a Guru-Disciple relationship. It is not like that.
In today’s society, now-a-days people who are pious, they often say, I want to have a Guru. Actually, the idea is not that I want to have a Guru but I want to become a disciple. It is not that I have some passion so I accept a Guru.
The emphasis is not that I accept a Guru but that I become a disciple. So, most of the spiritual teachers who accept disciples and who act like spiritual masters, often they don’t require any commitment or discipline from their disciples. They say, be good, don’t be a scholar, be moral, and chant the holy mantras.
But they are not committed in all their dimensions. And because of that, there is no transformation in their lives now. There is no tangible transformation because they are not committed to a process.
So, in fact, many of the process based in which initiation happens is often a parody. A parody means, it is an imitation that is absurd, that is ridiculous, that is ludicrous. So, there are some spiritual teachers, how do they initiate? Now, during the initiation ceremony, a bucket of water will be brought.
And the Guru’s feet will bathe in the water. And then water will sprinkle on the audience. So, whoever gets the drop, that person is initiated.
Whoever doesn’t get the drop, he is unfortunate. Now, everyone will claim that a drop fell on me. And I was going to wear it.
So, what happens is, there is no real connection with the Guru. And there is no commitment to a process. And that’s why there is no transformation at all.
So, ultimately, the Guru is like a doctor and the process is like a medicine study. So, there has to be connection with the Guru and there has to be commitment to the process. Then there will be transformation.
That’s why we will see that there are many Hindus who are pious. But their piety does not transform into spirituality. They are pious and materialistic.
Very materialistic. I should get this, I should get this, I should get this. So, piety transforms into spirituality only when there is a connection to a bona fide Guru and a commitment to a bona fide process.
Otherwise, this piety is not enough. So, piety means what? Punyata. Piety transforms into spirituality.
Spirituality means, actually, a spiritual level of consciousness. Devotion to God and spiritual life. Then there is a connection to the Guru and a commitment to the process.
So, both of these are often lacking. Some people say that actually spiritual life will be free from all these. God really loves us.
Then why does he put rules on us? He should give us freedom. Yes, God gives us freedom, no doubt. So, the rules are not God’s impositions on us.
The rules are the way we express our love. When a small child is naughty and mischievous, the mother catches the child. The child feels that the embrace of the mother is a restriction.
Whereas, the child understands that actually the embrace of the mother is not a restriction. It’s a protection. So, if somebody has a naive idea of love, if God loves me, God should let me feel free to do whatever I want to do.
Then, suppose such a person is a parent, a mother or a father. They have a child. And the child says, If you love me, you should allow me to do whatever I want.
And the child goes and starts playing in the middle of an expressway. And the mother says, I love the child, so I will let him do whatever he wants. Then, the government party will come and tell, Sorry, you are not meant to be a mother, you will take your child.
Isn’t it? So, now, doesn’t it mean arbitrary freedom? There is freedom, but there is a responsibility to do that. So, those who say that there should be no rules and regulations, there should be no commitment, there should be more… They are basically not serious about their relationship at all. Where in this world is any relationship without commitment? If a man gets married to a woman, then the essence of the relationship is commitment.
He commits to taking care of her financially, taking care of her emotionally. He commits to faithfulness to her, and avoids all relationships with others. So, if commitment is required for a relationship, even in this world, the ordinary modern religions and religions which are existing in this world, how can there be no commitment required for a relationship if there is no physical presence? So, it just indicates the idea that no commitment is required.
It simply indicates that people are not serious about their relationship. There is nothing in this world, substantial, that happens without commitment. Certainly, no relationship happens without commitment.
So, therefore, the guru teaches us this. And the guru teaches us how to come across this truth. Some people say that, actually, I don’t want any guru between me and mom.
So, I want to have a direct relationship with her. I don’t want to be a guru anymore. So, actually, the guru doesn’t come in between us and God.
The guru removes that which is between us and God. What is that? It is our own ego. The guru teaches us methods of unification by which the wall that is there between us and God, the wall of false ego, that is removed.
The guru doesn’t come in between us and God. But he removes what is between us and God. It is the wall of our own false ego.
So, Prabhupada used the word of a transparent via medium. What does a transparent via medium mean? It means that, actually, it is like a glass. So, when there is a glass, the glass is there in between me and the object I am seeing.
But the glass is transparent. And the glass doesn’t obstruct my vision. But rather, if I have some eye defect, then the glass enhances my vision.
Do you understand what I am saying? So, the glass enhances my vision. So, in this way, the guru doesn’t come in between. The guru removes that which is not there.
And there is also a saying that, people say, OK, I don’t need any guru. I am my own guru. So, you are saying, he who is his own guru, has a fool as his disciple.
He who is his own guru, has a fool as his disciple. That means what? He is himself a disciple. He himself is a fool.
Why? Because, actually, who is going to train whom? He who is his own guru, has a fool as his disciple. So, certainly, commitment is an important thing. Because, our mind is restless.
But, when you are truly committed to yourself, to becoming a spiritual master, a surrendered, not just a spiritual master, up to Krishna. Up to Krishna, the spiritual master. And, by that process, we are showing our faith, not just in the spiritual master, but also in Krishna.
Because, Krishna has told us to surrender. So, sometimes, some devotees have this fear, especially young devotees. Sometimes, we have seen in the schools, and we have seen that devotees have problems.
Spiritual masters also have problems. So, what do I do? I dedicate my life to that only, to the spiritual master. And, later on, he has problems.
And, how can I be pleased with that? What do I do? So, actually, the expectation that the spiritual master should not have any problems, ever, is actually, covered by Allah. Because, basically, the scriptures tell us that apart from Narayana and Krishna, nobody else in this world is being blessed. So, certainly, if there is not a spiritual master, every spiritual master has problems.
But, the expectation of the disciple of perfection to the spiritual master is unrealistic. And, it has traces of Maya, I think. To expect that my spiritual master should be perfect, means that I am expecting that God be my spiritual master.
Or, that my spiritual master be God. And, that is Maya. So, certainly, we want our spiritual master to be very advanced so that he can guide us.
And, we can choose. There are so many gurus and so on. And, we see that spiritual master inspires us the most.
And, we choose that spiritual master. And, in general, for a serious seeker, as I said, there are two things, I think. There is the connection to the guru and the commitment to the process.
So, sometimes, these two things, the guru and the process, their connection is not seen. So, we understand that the spiritual master is great because he has followed this process. The greatness of the guru is not independent of the process.
The greatness of the guru is not independent of the process. That’s why, when we have Mangala Aarti, we are glorified as spiritual master. But, his glorification is all about how we so diligently follow the process of devotion service.
And, how we utterly devote it to God. How deeply. So, in one sense, devotion service is like a lift.
And, the process of devotion service lifts the individual to very lofty levels. So, now, no matter how high a person has gone, the person just comes out of the lift. It doesn’t evolve.
So, actually speaking, whenever they have any difficulties with any single devotee who has gone, even if that’s in the unit as spiritual master, it is always because the person neglected some aspect of following the process. So, either that person was careless in sadhana, or that person became proud and committed offences to others, or that person was relaxed in association with the opposite sex. So, when a person neglects the process, they actually have consequences.
The process of Krishna consciousness is like a spiritual medicine. And, the spiritual world is like an epidemic hit place. So, the spiritual master is like a doctor who comes to give the medicine to protect and cure the people who are hit by the epidemic, who are sick.
Now, there are many medical stories of valiant doctors who go to epidemic hit places to cure people and they cure people. But, in the process of curing people, if they become careless, when they went to cure the epidemic among people, but if they become careless, they become affected by the epidemic themselves. So, if they become affected by the epidemic, then naturally, they will suffer.
It’s simply a law of nature. Even if a person’s motive is compassionate, that doesn’t mean that the law of nature can be transient. Just because I have come here to cure people, that doesn’t mean that if I don’t take care of the proper medicines, I don’t vaccinate myself, I don’t wear gloves and mask, germs will come and hit me.
So, Bharat Maharaj’s motive was compassionate in the media field. Still, that caused his deviation. So, we understand that a spiritual master has come to give us the process of Krishna consciousness.
And, his greatness is that he has followed the process and he is a non-pure architect. But his greatness is not independent of the process. So, what is unfortunate is the process that he is in.
So, Prabhupada would often say that I may not be perfect, but the process that I am in is perfect. The system that I am in is perfect. Because that is coming from Krishna.
So, if we understand with this perspective, that even the difficulties that very severely people face, increases our faith in the process of Krishna consciousness. Because we understand, this process is simultaneous. And, if somebody doesn’t follow the process, no matter how elevated that person is, that person is also not perfect.
So, the important point over here is that actually, there are two extremes. One is, okay, if only the process is important, then why do I care about the spiritual master? I will not take any decision. Why will I take decision? I won’t bother to surrender to him.
I don’t bother to tell anything. I will just follow the process. And, I will make advancements.
And, an integral part of the process is connecting with the spiritual master. Now, the 64 items of devotional service, the first five are related to me. Adav, Guru, Padashi.
First go to Guru. And then, Diksha. Diksha, Adi, Shiksha.
Then, Sat, Dharma, Priksha. So, like that, the first five items are all connections related to the spiritual master. So, even if I say I want to follow the process, an important part of the process is true.
Take initiation to the spiritual master. Serve the spiritual master. Enquire to the spiritual master.
And, submit to the spiritual master. So, we can’t, in the name of following the process, neglect the spiritual master. And, on the other hand, in the name of being devoted to the spiritual master, we can’t neglect the process.
We can’t neglect the process. So, when we neglect the process of Krishna Consciousness, and just focus only on the spiritual master, then how are we different from people who start a personality cult? There are so many charismatic people who claim to be spiritual leaders. And, that just becomes a personality cult.
So, Krishna was not a personality cult because there is a process, not a starting moment, that is scriptural based. And, that enables us to advance spiritually. At the same time, if we just become entirely process-centred, and neglect the spiritual master, then we become practically three-way process.
Where is the relationship? So, we need to have relationships. There has to be a balance. And, the balance is, the spiritual master is glorious because he has followed the process from beginning to the end.
And, he has inspired me to follow the process. So, therefore, let me take inspiration from him and follow the process. And, I will be a spiritual master.
And, actually speaking, if I follow the process, even if in the future, in the very extreme situation, the spiritual master gets into difficulties. But, this is not inconceivable or impossible. So, just talk about it.
Like Narayana Chakravarthy writes in his book, Krishna Vajnaangam, what a Vaishnava should do if his spiritual master has difficulties. Jiva Swami talks about it in Andhra Pradesh. They don’t talk about Swamiji anywhere.
But, this is an exceptional situation. And, he says, you continue on the spiritual process. And, he says that at such a time, if it is possible, then his spiritual master is somehow having some difficulty.
So, you should try to help him in whatever way is possible. But, you should be grateful to him and if he is not doing properly, you should continue devotional service. But, if you take inspiration from other devotees, other single devotees, other examples, you should not teach this.
So, this is a rare occurrence and possibility of the rare occurrence should not shock us. Because the possibility is acknowledged in the scripture. Possibility is acknowledged in the scripture and the possibility, if it actually becomes an eventuality, if it actually happens, that also indicates and also confirms the potency of the process of Krishna consciousness.
So, therefore, as devotees, we need to connect with the spiritual master. And, our process is Guru, Sadhu and Shastra. So, we have, it is gone.
We have our spiritual master. For us, we have the Sadhus, we have the whole GBC body. We have Shri Kurupa also, the three Satcharyas.
Sadhus refers to the three Satcharyas. Sadhus also refers to the current Satcharyas. And then we have Shastra.
We have Shri Kurupa’s books. We have the scriptures, which our Goswamis and the three Satcharyas have also given to us. We have the Vedic literature.
So, it is a complete system, basically. Any other questions about this? So, if we are doing initiation, because everybody around us is doing it, but the general population decides not to do anything, then is that an initiation or not an initiation? It ultimately depends on the intention. If you want to develop your consciousness, then it is not necessary.
It is unique. Suddenly, we should feel inspired by the spiritual master. So, we should feel inspired that this person can guide us.
And the way he is serving Krishna, I The way this person now is serving, I am inspired to be it. And he inspires me to complete my salvation. So, we may not have a very deep attachment to the spiritual master.
But that attachment also develops through stress. Attachment is not material. Sometimes somebody will say to me, because I like the way the girl dances, I like the way the girl walks.
Now, that’s fine. Every attribute of the girl is fine. But, it inspires us not to do.
But that is not the essence of the spiritual master. The essence of the spiritual master is actually the way he is serving himself. And if that inspires us, then even if the quality of development, if at least the inspiration is there to follow the process and develop the quality of the environment, then that is good.
That’s the question. So, now in the next two hours, Krishna will describe, if one goes to a spiritual master and gets knowledge, what will be the result of that knowledge? So, Krishna said, there are two consequences of getting this jnana. What will happen to my knowledge? Two results of jnana.
First is No more illusion again. Second is All living beings as Krishnas in Krishna and Krishnas So, So, All living beings belong to me. You also belong to me.
The cowherds also belong to me. So, I desire the welfare of all of them. And what I have, I will give and benefit you and will benefit them also.
So, So, actually Atmani can refer to Krishna. It can also refer to the soul. Are but part of the Supreme.
And they are mine. So, they are parts of Krishna and they belong to Krishna. So, in Krishna means parts of Krishna.
And Krishnas means they belong to Krishna. So, Krishna Prabhupada asked, Is there a state of Krishna consciousness that if one attains, one will never fall back from that? He said, yes, there is. There is.
In the ignorant stage, but it is there. And one can attain that. Krishna says, no, no, no, no.
At this stage, one will never fall back into the human state. And what will happen? Now, if you remember, this verse is similar to what we talked about in Krishna Upanishad. It says that ātmai-bhātmānta-vijānanda-āt sarvāṇi-bhūtāni ātma-levāṇi-vaśyati So, one who sees everything in the spiritual world, that person is deeply involved.
Krishna has confirmed the same thing over here in the Upanishad, which is the Gita Upanishad. One who is connected to you as knowledge. This is all that you do in the spiritual world.
So, Krishna Prabhupada, when he went to America, he did not see a young prosperous American soul. He saw forgetful suffering souls only. And he saw all of them as as potential devotees of Krishna.
Krishna Prabhupada went to Australia, I was asked, what is your message for Australia? No person has a message for Australia in the same way I have a message for all of you. What is that? That you have provided Krishna, that’s why you are so happy. You remember Krishna and you are happy.
He said, everybody has Krishna as potential devotees of Krishna. Now, what is this stage referring to? If you look at the 9 stages of bhakti, actually speaking, here when Krishna talks about jnana, it is yej jnantva. This is not just an intellectual knowledge.
This is an application of knowledge. When one gets that knowledge, it arises, it gets transformed and one becomes free from illusion. So, let’s look at the next verse now.
If not, this verse is not just talking about jnana, parodical sense. It’s an application of transformational sense. Now, Krishna glorifies this person of knowledge.
So, describe how glorious is this knowledge in terms of elevating you. You can describe the glory in terms of how high it takes and from how low it takes. The previous verse describes how high it will take.
It will take you so high that you will never come under it again. Now, now let me describe from how low up it can elevate you. sarvaṁ jñāna-plareṇaiva sarvaṁ jñāna-plareṇaiva So, vrijinam, vrijinam is the ocean of misery, material existence, antarishis, one will cross over that.
How? jñāna-plareṇaiva By the boat of knowledge, one will cross over the ocean of misery. One will cross over the sarvaṁ entirely, everyone. What is the characteristic of sarvaṁ? abhijetasi pāpebhyā Even among sinful people, sarvebhina-pāpa-kṛpta-mahā Even if the person is the greatest of all sinners, such a person will also cross beyond his misery.
How? By the initiative of the boat of knowledge. So, now, the boat of knowledge, now Krishna is not telling here, expressing that the person will directly go back to the ocean. All that he is saying is one can go beyond the misery of material existence.
And that is true. Even by the principle of jñāna, one can go beyond the misery of material existence. One can attain mokṣa.
And now, this verse can have two meanings. This verse means that, Vishwanath Chitragupta says that this verse is rhetorical. Actually, if somebody is sinful, if somebody is pāpebhyā, then how can that person even ascend the boat of jñāna? Is it? To be a jñāni, one has to get at least a little bit of sattva-guṇa.
Then, how can a person who is sinful actually ascend the boat of knowledge? So, he says, this is a rhetorical statement where the impossible is talked about to indicate the glory. That means, if somebody is situated in the boat of knowledge, such a person cannot be sinful. But, if somehow a person is situated in the boat of knowledge, even if he is sinful, he will get elevated.
Even if he is sinful, he will get elevated. So, this is actually, Krishna will say later, this jñāna culminates in bhakti. And we understand, in bhakti-devī, you go down and elevate the most low-born of all people, the most sinful of all people.
It is said in the second canto, where it says, So, all different kinds of people who are born outside the prisons of Vedic culture, outside Varanasi, they are not outcasts. They all can be elevated. In Varanasi itself, they are not elevated.
But, the mercy of a Vaishnava is so good, it is absolutely good. So, this is the quality of bhakti. So, Krishna Prabhupāda, who was written, written all over the world, and he transformed people into human beings.
They were taught as a traditional human being. Indian Brahmin, the Indian priest, as as irreformable. So irreformable, that there is no problem in trying to teach it.
they were transformed into human beings. So, if you look at it from the absolute point of view, this was his activity. And, he can emulate even men.
And, so, that’s the second meaning. The rhetorical meaning is that, that, actually a person in Vyānaplava, in the world of knowledge, cannot be sinful. So, so, this is just a rhetorical statement given to establish the quality of bhakti.
It’s like, the rhetorical statement is that, when Śrīla Ṭhākura expressed his faith in Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, by saying that, you know, if I clap thrice, and food doesn’t come, then, I will drown myself in the river. And, what Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, that, even if the goddess of fortune becomes power-districted and has to fight from house to house, still, there will be no shortage in your house. So, now, how can the goddess of fortune never become power-districted? It is impossible.
But, the impossible is talked about as a possibility to emphasise how glorious is the particular situation. To, to, to give assurance to Śrīla Ṭhākura that, he will never suffer from power-district. The impossible is talked about to convey the, convey the power of that issue.
Similarly, the glory of jñāna is talked about by conveying the impossible situation. So, that is, if we take the word jñāna to literally mean the process of jñāna that emerges from karma-yoga, then, this is a rhetorical statement. But, if we take jñāna as referring to ultimately the process of bhakti and the jñāna that it brings, then, actually, it can elevate anyone and everyone, no matter how low a person may be.
So, we will discuss more about this in 9.30. 9.30 is Abhijet Sutra Ācārya, a similar verse. Although, that is like, that is different number of passages, talking about a bhakta, we will discuss about that elaborately. About how, if a practitioner is sinful, what exactly happens to him and how he gets elevated, we will discuss in that time.
And now, when we wonder, how does this happen? How does jñāna take him across? So, Krishna has given two examples over here. Previous verse gives the example about boat taking a person across the ocean. Now, Krishna gives another example, that of fire burning boat.
Ṭhāṃsi samhito agnir Ṭhāṃsi samhito agnir bhasmasād kurute narjuna bhasmasād kurute narjuna jñāna viśarva-karmāṇi jñāna viśarva-karmāṇi bhasmasād kurute tatha bhasmasād kurute tatha So, just as blazing fire reduces wood to ashes, similarly, all the karna and reaction are burned away by the fire of knowledge. So Krishna I talked about this in 19th verse of this chapter also. It’s the Sarve Samaram Naam Kama Sarvam Dutha Gyanam Dutta Karmanam Dhamaham Adhivantam Bhadda Karmanam.
The fire of knowledge is burnt. So actually the fire of knowledge, it does not in and of itself burn away with injury. Some scars may be there.
But it can burn away at least the desire to get across them. If I know I am not the body, I am the soul, I understand. I should not anger.
So actually it’s the knowledge can generate desire at some level. But knowledge in and of itself does not generate taste. The difference between them.
For example, if I know that smoking is harmful, then that knowledge itself, maybe I should not smoke. That generates the desire that let me stay away from smoking. I may not do the taste for smoking, but knowledge at least generates some level of awareness and some level of desire to become free from it.
Similarly, understanding that this world is a place of wisdom, that this world is Dutha Gyanam, that knowledge also generates a certain level of energy. At least it generates the intention to do that. I have to get on with this.
Although I enjoy mentality, smoking is not good in that. It’s like the desire to smoke is not good. But for that, I will get a different underhand taste.
Higher taste. That will come by itself. But Gyan itself also brings some level of attachment.
This is being talked about a lot. Because this whole is talking in this chapter, in this course of focussing on Gyan, so Krishna’s purpose in talking about the whole glory of Gyan is to inspire Arjuna to follow Vishnankar Yoga by which he will develop this Gyan. So Krishna has told Arjuna that you should go to a guru and I have already given it to you.
You have to go to guru, you have to follow the process. If you follow the process, what will happen? You will go beyond this degree and your karma will get burnt. So that is how this Gyan will burn the karma.
It doesn’t burn all the karma entirely, but at least it develops some level of detachment. That’s how. Now if of course, again if you connect this verse with the ultimate conclusion of the Bhagavad Gita, then the Gyan Agni is actually the Bhakti.
The Bhakti Gyan and that burns all karmic reactions in child. Gopal explains at that level. GANI GYANENA SATRUSHAM AVITRAMIHA VIDYATE VATSVAYAM YOGA SAMSIDDHA KAALENATMANI VINDATI So Krishna has fallen the Vedic tradition over here.
The Vedic tradition is that when one person’s process is to be glorified, it is glorified profusely, so that people feel inspired to follow. And of course when the Vedic tradition evolves, then a higher process will be brought about, and that will be also glorified. So when Krishna is inspiring Arjuna to cultivate Gyana, for what purpose is he doing this? He is glorified.
He says that what is the use of this Gyana? GANI GYANENA SATRUSHAM Nothing as pure as this Gyan. Arjuna, you are thinking that telling your grandfather and your teacher is impure? Despite this apparently impure activity, you will get the purest Gyan. Nothing as pure as this.
AVITRAMIHA VIDYATE This was mentioned in the previous verse, that actually the impious karma, this bonal karma, which inspires and purifies, this Gyan also purifies. And how one will get this Gyan? VATSVAYAM YOGA SAMSIDDHA So here Yoga refers to Karmic fish company. That by the regular practise of Vishwananda Yoga, when it rectifies some sinful karma, then one will get this knowledge.
KALI ATMANI NIRMATI One will be delighted within oneself. There is nothing to be delighted. Atmani is within.
So the practise of Vishwananda Yoga, as you follow it gradually upwards, then one realises that I am Atma. And when I understand that I am Kshitananda, that awareness itself gives me Atma. That may not be the absolute Ananda, the Gyananda, but that is Brahmananda.
I.P. Ravishank talks about the various levels of Ananda. He talks about how this Juhloka Ananda is there, and Swargoloka Ananda is there, and the Tapaloka, Siddhika Ananda is there, in Brahmananda. So there is a hierarchy going on in there.
So when I realise that I am Atma, that also gives me some Ananda. Although as compared to the happiness of Ati, there is a difference, but still, it is also significant from the point of view of the conditions of elemental existence. So, one will realise that.
Krishna Prabhupada explains this first in terms of Krishna consciousness. He says that actually all the Krishna is not playing as you are. And then, Prabhupada says that Nai, Satsvayam Yoga Samsiddha.
Prabhupada interprets Vishnu Yoga as the stress removal yoga. He says that after practising the Vishnu Vashna Yoga, after going through the all the sadistic realisations, when one comes culminating in the Gopinaam, Sarveshaam, Mukta, Dinaam, Brahma, then one attains perfection. And at that time, one reaches construction.
So, actually the Vishnu, once you develop a taste for Krishna, one doesn’t need anything else other than Krishna. Prabhupada, who gave classes to thousands of people, Prabhupada used to be enthusiastic about Krishna. When Prabhupada was giving his lecture, Prabhupada was actually speaking to no one in the class.
Even he did not know who would be reading those books. He was confident that he would never know who would be reading those books. Why do you speak like that? Because you are actually speaking not just to the audience, but to the Vishnu’s Vishnu.
So, because of that relationship with Krishna, he was able to satisfy any kind of need. We will have a kind of an example that a person who is wealthy, he can go and enjoy wherever he goes. Because his wealth is there, wherever he goes, he just takes out the wealth and enjoys.
So, he is wealthy. Similarly, a person who has Bhakti, wherever he goes, he can enjoy. He can go anywhere, he can chant and dance and sing and enjoy.
So, that is the nature of Bhakti. The difference between material wealth and spiritual wealth is that material wealth, by usage, by expense, it increases. Spiritual wealth, by usage, it decreases.
The more we engage in Bhakti, what happens is, more Bhakti increases. So, anybody can go anywhere and everywhere. For example, Prabhupada, when he was in Haryana, some people used to go to Tompkins Square Park.
And if you go to Haryana, there are a lot of people going over there. Some people are playing Frisbees. Some other couples were kissing each other.
Some people were sightseeing. And Prabhupada actually just sat down on the street over there. Nirupal was never singing.
And he started singing. And everybody was happy. And then another person came over.
Swami, you can’t sit here. So, Prabhupada was lost. He came.
He was sitting like this. Swami, you can’t sit here. So, Prabhupada was right.
He smiled at him. He was happy. So, he just got up and went and sat in the garage and continued the game.
And, everybody around started dancing. So, a devotee can be happy wherever he is. So, I have spoken to some Siddhas.
Anywhere and everywhere, a devotee is satisfied because he has a relationship with Krishna. Now, after the current times, Krishna has again come to the element faith. You see, this is what he did in the third chapter also.
In the third chapter, verses 32 and 33 talk about faith. Verses 32 and 33 talk about faith. But he describes the culmination in Sarvam, Karmas, and Nizam.
And then he brought first verse about those who have faith and one verse about those who don’t have faith. Here also he talks the same thing again. शद्धावा लब्दे ज्यानम् तद्परसंय तेंद्रिया ज्यानम् लब्द्वा पराम् शान्ते अचिरे नादि गच्चति So, the first line is very interesting over here.
This faith leads to knowledge. Normally we think I need knowledge to develop faith. Isn’t it? The more I study the philosophy, then I will develop faith.
But actually this line is something else over here. Faith leads to knowledge. How is it? Actually, even to receive the basic knowledge we have to have some faith.
If people don’t have a basic level of submissiveness, they are just like hey, you speak one thing and a person asks ten questions. If a person is not ready to hear, then he cannot learn anything. So there has to be some basic level of submissiveness.
So, faith, so there has to be faith which will lead to knowledge transmission. And the knowledge transmission is there, then that will increase the faith for me. So, it’s a symbiotic process.
Faith leads to increase of knowledge. Increase of knowledge leads to increase of faith. And it goes on a cycle.
So, here Krishna is emphasising the side of having faith. Because at one level, at one level, the whole process of spiritual life begins with faith. Maharshi Prabhupada translates this Adau Shraddha Sadhu Sangam, he translates this faith in a very interesting way in to a devotion.
He says, faith is favourable curiosity. So this is a development of the theme of Jignaasu, in the 7th chapter, 16th verse. Among the four kinds of people who are in Krishna monogamy is Jignaasu, the inquisitive.
So, when initially we come to Krishna consciousness, we can’t really have faith in the ultimate process, the perfect process. We can’t have, we can’t expect people to also have that faith. What is expected initially is a favourable curiosity.
And this means in the individual, there are 40 plus creatures out of thousands of years old, and there are people in thousands of years old all over the world practising Jignaasu. This is something you can’t deny. So there is a favourable curiosity.
And what happens by that? We get knowledge. We get all our, we get our basic question answered. And then as we get our basic answer, then what happens? By that our faith increases further.
And then as our faith increases further, we enquire further, we become more conscious. By that, the knowledge also increases. And this way the process goes on.
So now, in our Ishvabhishet, did I talk about brain doubts and heart doubts? I talked about that. So, that means, there are doubts about the details of certain aspects of the scriptural teachings. Say, for example, the quantum cosmology.
Okay, how is geometry, where exactly is geometry? What is that boundary? These are, these are important, but they are not all important. They are not the essence of the Shudra path. So, there can be brain doubts, they are not very harmful.
The heart doubts, people doubt whether Krishna is really God, the scriptural master is actually teaching me what Krishna has taught, whether the Krishna mantra is a bona fide method for practising Krishna, which properly accompanies vijuna life. These are core doubts about the principles, the doubts about the core principles of Krishna consciousness. And heart doubts need to be diverted.
So, when we practise vijuna life, we talk about knowledge of Shraddha, Ava, Nabhate, Naman. So, did I talk about these four categories, we will get knowledge, and there are some aspects of Krishna consciousness that we understand immediately. As soon as I hear, yeah, that’s right.
There are some things that people don’t make sense to me. People don’t make sense to me. I think about it, I deliberate on it, I ask issues about it, and I get understood.
And there are some other aspects, which take sometimes years and months, and beautiful pictures of this. And then, there are some aspects, which we don’t understand. So, we need to understand this difference of reasoning, of language.
So, when we talk about the knowledge of Krishna consciousness, various aspects of the knowledge of reasoning. So, some strike us as true on first hearing, as soon as this is true. So, for example, what struck me as true was the section 3.13, 3.43. What is it that pushes me to believe? Rameshwarapur wrote that, he had, although he was born in America, he had, like everybody has own share of misery in life.
So, his brother died of a car accident and he realised that he was a super hero. And, he said, when I went to Vasanthiki school for the first time, and I heard people saying, this world is a place of misery, you cannot change that I was so happy to hear that this world is a place of misery. And, for the first time I have found some people who are telling the truth, because everybody else said, no, it’s a happy world, you can become happy, there is a good quality, I am okay, you are okay.
So, Prabhupada said, this is not our philosophy, I am okay, you are not okay. Because, I am serving Krishna, so that is okay, you are not serving Krishna, so you are not okay. So, you know that everything is alright, this world is a place of misery.
some aspects strike us as true on first hearing. There are some that we understand as true, after contemplation and discussion. We hear, we discuss, how is it possible? How is it that not the body is the soul? Actually, when the body gets damaged, the person dies.
The body is the source of life, the body is not the soul. Actually, there are so many people who are bodily so damaged that they cannot even breathe. So, there is a physician called no, there is a brain surgery called John Orr I think he wrote an article in the German science that is your brain really damaged? What is the idea? He said he has found dozens of cases of people whose head was filled with a cerebrospinal tube.
There was no brain substance in it. And still they had normal lives and only when some movie scan was done they found that there was no brain in it. Light passes right through it.
And there was one student who graduated. The IQ was over 130 and he was a mathematics graduate. And his brain was less than 0.5 mm.
So from this nothing can be seen. So normally we think that the life depends on the body. Here there is no brain and still there is complete functionality.
So there are some aspects you have to think and then you will be able to understand. So then there are some aspects which sound better to be realised after years of practise and purification. So the example for this could be say how the relationship between Krishna and Gopi is not material.
It will take time for us to understand. We may accept it as faith right now but if we re-publicate it in the past life we will be disturbed by that. So we need purification to understand this in practise.
And some we may never understand. So in principle we have to accept this philosophy. Some ask us to accept Krishna consciousness philosophy.
We just need beyond us to understand. So in this way when we understand the basic principle is that when I get Gyan I will get the essential Gyan that is required for me to practise spiritual life in advance. But beyond that it is not necessary that I have to have knowledge of everything about everything.
That is the desire to be God. And that was the desire that brought us to this world. So the desire to have all knowledge about everything that is the desire to be God.
That is actually the very mechanic that brought us here. So we will get the knowledge that is essential for our practise of Krishna consciousness. Now Krishna says two more things for getting this knowledge.
Shraddha is needed and along with that Tattvaraha I should be attached to that. And the consequence of being attached to that is Sanyasa Indriyaha. One is regulated in one sense.
That means I want to acquire knowledge about spirituality, about Krishna but along with that I am attached to that. My desires are orientated towards that. If my desires are not orientated towards that then I will not get any real experience in knowledge.
Remember I talked about spirituality, knowing God and knowing about God. So Tattvaraha means my desires are directed towards Krishna. And if my desires are directed towards Krishna, Sanyasa Indriyaha means then my desires will be more regulated.
Then Krishna says if you get this knowledge Gyanam Lappa Ram Shanti Let us breathe peace. Achieving quick millions. So this word Shanti causes confusion for Arjuna which will lead to his question in the first verse of the next chapter.
Prabhupada gives an elaborate purport for the next verse where in the next verse Krishna is contrasting the faithful person with the faithless person. So actually these words seem simple but Dasha has described it. Three different categories of people are being described in this book.
And Prabhupada also hinted that in this purport. So Agya is those without knowledge as it literally means. No knowledge.
So no knowledge means they don’t know there is a soul, they don’t know there is a God. They don’t know anything. Just engage in materialism itself.
They don’t know anything higher. Ashatadhana means there is knowledge but no faith. That means such people may know scriptures.
Then I know Krishna. Yes. This is my childhood I have known Krishna.
But who knows whether he existed or not. Who knows whether he is God or not. Who knows whether Bhagavad Gita is his word or not.
This is Ashatadhana. And then Samshayatmanahan There is knowledge. Thus There is some practise.
But it is filled with doubt. That means one has knowledge. You are also practising something.
You are always doubting. Is this work or not? Is this work for me? What is this for? What is this for? One keeps doubting. Then what happens? One cannot be wholehearted.
One cannot be wholehearted. So it’s like taking a medicine. If I have to follow a serious treatment If I am half-hearted about it Then I will not take this serious treatment very seriously.
If somebody has cancer And a person takes chemotherapy or radiotherapy for that The treatment itself is painful. Now I have to be convinced that this will benefit me. Only then I will be ready to go through the pain for that.
Otherwise I will not be ready to go through it. So if we are half-hearted and follow our doubts Then we will not be able to Offer our consciousness and heart to Krishna. And we will not be able to taste the sweetness of Krishna.
And that’s why our painful state of the lungs will be there. So now how do we reduce our doubts? Actually at a practical level We cannot just get rid of our doubts. But we can suspend our doubts.
There is elimination of doubts and there is suspension of doubts. What is the difference between the two? Elimination versus suspension So elimination means I have no more doubts. Suspension means I don’t understand how this works.
It may be true but I don’t understand it. So there are many aspects of Vishnu Maharshi You don’t understand how things work. So I suspend doubts and I move forward.
And I practise. By practise I will get the transformation experience by my heart. And that will remove my doubts.
So somebody may say we should not have doubts. But if I have doubts what do I do? What do I mean I should not have doubts? What do I do with my doubts? Actually there are different ways to deal with the doubts. One is as I said we can ask questions and get answers.
And we should also know which devotees to ask questions. Some devotees if we ask some questions And we find those devotees, those devotees simply label us as Jnanis. Just go around asking questions.
You are a Jnani or a doubt or some change or whatever. So we should know which devotees to ask questions. And we get the answers.
But some questions we understand that these answers will take some time. So then what we do is suspend. Suspend disbelief, suspend belief.
I can’t believe this because it’s in the scripture. It may be true also. So I don’t doubt it also.
So I just put it aside. That’s not my priority. So many aspects of Vishnu Maharshi’s business.
As I said one example is the Hindu cosmology. Right we can put aside, suspend belief, suspend disbelief. Just put it aside and move forward.
You know I told that past time also that Pandiyogadhyashtra Prabhupada. How can we explain to the scholars that Maharaj, Rudra Sen had so many crores and crores of cards. Prabhupada didn’t like it.
Among all the things in the Srimad Bhagavatam was that the only thing that he could talk to the scholars? Did he have anything else to talk? So the idea is that’s not so important. Put it aside. So we may not be able to eliminate doubts.
We suspend doubts. And then we follow the process. By following the process the doubts will go away.
Because we have experienced the benefit. So this is important. Yogasanyastha karmana Yogasanyastha karmana Dhyanasanchitni samshanam Dhyanasanchitni samshanam Atmavantanna karmani Atmavantanna karmani Vibhannanti dhananjaya Vibhannanti dhananjaya Yogasanyastha karmana So this is another word which adds to Arjuna’s karmana.
Sanyastha Sanyas Oh Arjuna also says sanyas. And along with that karmana is also there. So actually I have to prove sanyas or karma.
And I have to give it to him. Dhyanasanchitni samshanam By the cultivation of dhyana remove all your doubts. Atmavantanna Become situated in the Atma.
And if you do it this way. Karmani Vibhannanti No You will not be bound by any karma. So Krishna is actually telling Arjuna that is Karma Yoga And in Karma Yoga there is sanyas of the fruits.
So Sanyastha is talking about Give up the attachment to the fruit. That is Atmavantanna. But Arjuna is actually saying I have to give up the vocation.
Now the next verse suddenly Krishna says I will then fight. Arjuna gets completely confused. Asmadhyanasambhutam Asmadhyanasambhutam Vrstam Vyanasiratmanah Chitvainam Samshayam Yogam Atishtotishtavarata Therefore Ajnanasambhutam That is the form of ignorance.
Vrstam And it is situated in your heart. Jnanasi The soul of knowledge. Now the soul of knowledge is actually ignorant.
So there are those who are actually of knowledge. It is a figurative expression. So Arjuna says I have to calculate knowledge.
And I have to remove doubts. Chitvainam Samshayam Remove all your doubts. Then suddenly Krishna says practically Udhishtha Arise That Arise is a practical call to fight.
So Arjuna is just now talking about Jnanasayam and Samshayam And suddenly What is this fight? So he gets confused. And that leads to the question of attachment. So we will discuss that in the next lecture.
Here Krishna is in Surya. Jnanasayam So it is a nice image to carry. Soul of knowledge.
You will have it also. The remembrance of Krishna is like a soul. Then Udhishtha and Arjuna Karmakranti Vrstam Jnanasayam Soul of knowledge.
The remembrance of Krishna Knowledge is punctual. Everything is punctual. Material desires come and pull us.
There are invisible strands which pull us. Enjoy. Jnanasayam Everything is inventory.
So what happens? The doubts go away like Yamuna seed. And then Emerge like this.