How does contemplating on Krishna differ from mental speculation about Krishna?

From Sushant Kulkarni

Transcript

This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.
Hare Krishna question, how does contemplation on Krishna differ from mental speculation about Krishna, question by Sushant Kulkarni Prabhu, answer the essential difference is in terms of one’s attitude towards Krishna if one accepts the point that Krishna is the highest authority and we accept the point that he is, he knows the truth and we accept his authority so we accept the words of Krishna that is the beginning point and then we arrive at the conclusion which Krishna has given by our reasoning and that is contemplation on Krishna mental speculation about Krishna means we do not necessarily accept Krishna’s authority in the beginning and we may even come to a conclusion that is contrary to the scriptural conclusions so the attitude in terms of the starting point and the ending point is what separates contemplation on Krishna which Prabhupada sometimes referred to as philosophical speculation and speculation about Krishna which is just mental speculation so for example now when I see that say Krishna says that I am ability in man now I may try to understand how is Krishna saying that I am ability in man if somebody starts by saying oh Krishna is a god who is who is hungry for self glorification and he wants to take all glory for himself and that’s why he says I am ability in man then that beginning point is itself false but if one starts studying object okay one accepts Krishna is ability in man how is he ability in man and I start thinking okay different people have different abilities but quite often those people just have those abilities they can’t explain those abilities there are mathematical geniuses who can say multiply 13 digit numbers in the mind and get the result and we ask them how they do that the answer comes in my mind they don’t go through a linear process of multiplying this number and doing the carry over just the two numbers go together and the answer comes so we understand that the abilities are a gift which are coming from Krishna when we understand this point then we understand that in that sense Krishna is the ability in man man of course is inclusive male and female that’s how the Vedic convention was so the accepting Krishna’s authority and coming to a conclusion which is called in scripture that is contemplation on Krishna such contemplation on Krishna will lead to our increased attraction to Krishna because we will understand his glory more and more mental speculation about Krishna may be of the kind say a person says why is God black oh because actually God should not be black, black indicates darkness it doesn’t indicate attractiveness it indicates ignorance and unattractiveness therefore Krishna’s blackness is indicative that we have to go beyond the blackness to the whiteness so the form is black and formless light is white so we have to go beyond the form to the formless dark form to the bright light this is not told anywhere in Shastra Krishna says there is no tooth higher than parataram naanyat kinchitasthitam anjaya so this sort of idea where one doesn’t accept scripture authority and one comes at a conclusion which is contrary to to scriptural conclusion that is mental speculation that is undesirable but the scriptural but contemplation on Krishna is very much desirable the Bhagavatam talks about it in two ways first it talks about dhi mahi in 1.1.1 contemplate on that absolute truth meditate on that absolute truth and then in 1.1.3 it also further says that rasika bhuva bhavuka pibita bhagavatam rasamalaya so it doesn’t just say contemplate it also says relish so both we can do the meditate on the absolute truth and relish the absolute truth both are important in the in the developing a relationship with Krishna based on our capacity to contemplate capacity to think and both will happen if we do it properly as is guided by Guru Sadhu Shastra thank you Hare Krishna