QA on Scriptures

Transcript

This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.
Hare Krishna. So we won’t be taking the faith and doubt on devotees.
We will take the faith and doubt on scriptures and on philosophy and process as much as possible. So what is the exact meaning of scripture? Actually essentially the word scripture comes from the word shastra. Shastra comes from the word shasta.
Shasta means to discipline. So any body of knowledge that disciplines us, that guides us in our behaviour, in our action, in our thinking by which we can gain a higher knowledge. So the word scripture in general refers to any body of knowledge that is disciplined body of knowledge.
The word scriptures is used often in a more specific sense as revealed scriptures. That means the scriptures that have come from God. So these scriptures are in two categories.
Shruti and Smriti. So Shruti is that which is heard. Smriti is that which is remembered.
So in the traditional family, say the mother teaches knowledge to the child and the mother goes out for doing other work. Then there is an older sister who repeats and explains further. So the mother is like Shruti and the older sister like Smriti.
So combined together they teach us the same ultimate knowledge. Shruti is the direct, unchanged, revealed word of God. Smriti is also exalted and Smriti is actually more expanded.
Smriti is for example the Upanishads are the Shrutis. And the Puranas and the Itihasas are the Smritis. So in the Smriti the same knowledge is elaborated more.
It is more systematically and clearly explained. So that its meaning becomes more self-evident. So that’s why the Smritis, they are more accessible.
The knowledge in the Smritis and the Shrutis essentially is the same. But the Shrutis are a little more difficult to understand. The Smritis are relatively easier to understand.
Because in the Shrutis the knowledge is given in often interse codes. So there are Sutras. Sutras are very short content statements whose meanings are often very tense.
And to understand those, to unpack that density, to understand that meaning can be difficult. So the Puranas and the Itihasas make it much easier to do the scriptures. So there is a later question about what do the Vedas and the Upanishads contain? Why do we study only the Bhagavad Gita and the Bhagavatam? Actually it’s not that we have to study only the Bhagavad Gita and the Bhagavatam.
These are the books which contain the essence of all the scriptures. Shankaracharya explains in his Gita Mahatmya, which also comes in the Padma Purana. Sarvopanishad about Drona, Gopala, Nandana.
So he describes that all the Upanishads are like a cow. And just the essence of a cow is milk. Similarly the essence of all the Upanishads is Bhagavad Gita.
So whatever knowledge is present in the Upanishads is present in a condensed format in the Bhagavad Gita. And that’s why he said that only. After Vyasadeva wrote all the scriptures, then he wrote the Srimad Bhagavatam.
And that’s the essence of all the knowledge that is there. That’s why we focus on these two scriptures. So what is the authenticity of scriptures? There is an internal consistency.
So scriptures are the words that are revealed by God. And how do those words come to us? So Shruti is revealed by God that comes to the sages and the sages write it down or speak it out as it is. Shruti is also revealed by God and the sages explain it elaborately.
So the exaltedness of the sages who are speaking those scriptures and their connection with God is the basis of the revolution. It is the word of God coming through the pure hearts of those who are totally connected with God. So what is the content of the Vedas and the Upanishads? The scriptures have three broad parts.
There is Karmakanda, there is Dhyanakanda and there is Abhikanda. So Kanda is section. So the Vedas primarily talk about Karmakanda.
What is Karmakanda? Karmakanda means material religion. Religion for material purposes. Dharma, Artha, Kama.
We practise religion so that we can get material benefits, Artha, financial prosperity and then material happiness. This is also included in the scriptures. So Karmakanda is like say imagine negative axis, zero, positive axis.
So Karmakanda, negative axis is material life, positive axis is spiritual life. So Karmakanda provides us material enjoyment but it gets us upwards on the material axis. Why? Because instead of just irreligious sensuality, irreligious material enjoyment, there is religious material enjoyment.
So we rise higher on the ladder towards elevation through Dharma, Artha, Kama. That’s what the Vedas primarily talk about. The Upanishads primarily focus on Dhyanakanda.
That means they talk about give up material enjoyment. Even if you go to heaven, even heavens are temporary. What is the use of attaining happiness? Don’t be attracted by any forms, anything material.
That’s all a cause of confusion. Go away from it. And then beyond that, Bhakti Kanda is what is given in the Bhagavad Gita and the Srimad Bhagavatam.
This Bhakti Kanda is the positive axis. It’s the highest inclusion. Now in the Vedas also, there are hints of Bhakti.
There are pointers towards the supremacy of the Supreme Lord. In the Upanishads also these are there. But they are more explicitly mentioned in the Bhakti scriptures.
That is the Koran, the Bhagavatam, the Bhagavad Gita. Can anybody write a scripture? No. As I said, it is self-realised stages.
See there is Darshan Bhashya, there is Dua Bhashya and there is Samadhi Bhashya. Darshan Bhashya means as you see it, you report it. But when we just see and report, there will be no understanding of what is actually happening.
Therefore, we have to see, but we also have to understand. So, Durya Bhashya means those who can see better what is happening and explain the import of what is happening. And then Samadhi Bhashya is that actually one possess Samadhi, understands it thoroughly, completely, what is actually happening.
So, Darshan Bhashya means what? Somebody sees, oh, in a big building somebody is cutting somebody else’s stomach. And that’s reported. There is a tribal looking at a hospital surgeon.
But Durya Bhashya will be, oh, there is something more confidential happening. Some more knowledge is there. This person is a doctor and he needs to be treated.
Samadhi Bhashya is detailed. Actually, there is an intestinal infection and therefore there has to be cut from the lateral side of the stomach. And the cut will go through a particular artery, through a particular area of the brain.
And this is the part to explain. So, Samadhi Bhashya is what is completely in harmony with Krishna’s vision. That is the reality.
So, those who are actually exalted souls, who are fears, their vision is exactly the same as Krishna’s vision. And when they speak the words, those words actually are Krishna’s words. And that is what comprises scripture.
So, how can you understand this Purana without mental speculation? Well, the point is that there is a whole internal hermeneutic. Hermeneutic means a way of understanding knowledge. That they are, these Puranas are revealed by, are revealed to and then subsequently revealed by great siddhis.
And that’s why they are actually scriptures. So, within the scriptures themselves it is told what are the scriptures. So, Shruti, Chandogya Upanishad, it is Shruti.
And Chandogya Upanishad said, these are the four Shrutis and the Shrutis. They are all considered to be scriptures. So, it is not that anybody can write any book and call it a Purana.
Within the revelation itself it is said that these all are the scriptures. That’s why if anybody else writes a book today, like yesterday I talked about this Upanishad. That cannot be considered.
This Upanishadic name you cannot call it scripture. So, now, in Mahabharata why was Karna killed as he was not having any weapon? See, the Mahabharata demonstrates morality in various levels. So, there is with people who are virtuous, good means and good ends.
So, that is actually considered Brihaspati meaning. Morality of Brihaspati. Then there is Shukra meaning.
So, Maharaj Vishwapacharya is good ends and for that you can have bad means also. And there is Kaukalya meaning. That is bad means and bad ends.
Just do what you want to do. So, now the Pandavas tried with full capacity to use good means and good ends. But Krishna wants to demonstrate in Mahabharata that when the enemy is devious, when the enemy is cunning, at that time Shatosha can be.
With the immoral, one can be immoral. So, before the final battle when Karna is unarmed, at that time Karna tells Arjuna don’t entertain the thoughts entertained by cowards. Don’t shoot me as long as I am unarmed.
Just wait for some time, then I will give you fight. So, Arjuna lowers his bow. And Krishna is charioteer of Arjuna.
And Krishna says, Oh Karna, it is fortunate that you remember morality today. You know, where was your memory of morality when you along with five other warriors ruthlessly slaughtered a 16 year old Abhimanyu? Was it morality because of which you suggested to Duryodhana that Draupadi be disrobed in a public assembly? Was it morality because of which you joined with Shakuni and Duryodhana in the cheating game of dice that robbed everything from Dhristira? Was it morality by which you conspired to burn the Pandavas and their mother in the house of fire, house of fire at Valnagar? Was it morality because of which when the Pandavas were unarmed and helpless in the forest you went there along with Duryodhana to plant your wealth and to insult the Pandavas? And Krishna gives a catalogue of all the times when the Kauravas have used immoral means. Karna has joined.
And Krishna says, if all that was morality, then today by that same morality you will be killed. Arjuna, shoot the arrow. So the point is that Krishna gives Karna all possible chances before.
All possible chances means before they war, Krishna himself goes and tells Karna that you are the son of, you are the son of ultimately of Pandu. You are the eldest among the Pandavas. And you should not fight inside of me.
And he tells him the reality of what is going to happen. And Karna also says, actually what you are saying is true. You know, I had a dream yesterday night.
And in that dream I saw that Duryodhana was dressed in black. And he was going on a chariot, he was going on a chariot drawn by donkeys. He was going to the netherworlds, the lower world.
And I saw Yudhishthira dressed in spotless white and seated on a chariot, a little chariot of horses going towards the heavens. So I know that the dice that Shakuni threw towards Yudhishthira is going to come back to us as the arrows from Arjuna’s Gandiva. And those arrows are going to kill all the Kauravas.
But I cannot give up Satyagraha. Because Duryodhana helped me when I was in distress. Because of him I was the king of Anga.
How can I give up? So actually, Karna, his level of gratitude is okay. But Karna doesn’t think that the Anga kingdom which Duryodhana gave to him, that did not belong to Duryodhana. That actually belonged to the Pandavas, ultimately.
And ultimately, not even the Pandavas, ultimately everything belongs to the Supreme Lord. So, the Mahabharata describes that the error of Karna is the error of misdirected loyalty. He is loyal, but misdirected loyalty.
So, there is Osama Bin Laden who wants to go around killing people. And there is Mohammed bin Atta who goes and sits very loyally in a plane which is going to bring down the twin towers. There is loyalty.
There is loyalty for a destructive cause. So, Karna has many virtuous qualities. But he is an example of a person ruined by attachment to bad association.
Misdirected loyalty is because he becomes attached to bad association. And Duryodhana also, the first time when he sees Karna in the arena where the different Kauravas, the Pandavas are exhibiting their martial skills, he actually doesn’t want to befriend Karna. His goal is to use Karna as a puppet in his enmity against the Pandavas.
And he doesn’t see, Duryodhana doesn’t see through Duryodhana’s selfish motives. And he mistakes that self-centred offering of Duryodhana as a gesture of real friendship. So, real friendship for Karna could have been offered by Krishna.
He is a friend of all living beings. So, both ways if we see, one way that Karna did wrong, second is, even if Krishna offered Karna a lot of chances to come on the right, but Karna instead of misdirected loyalty, that was based on incomplete understanding who is the co-operator of everything and that actually led to big suffering, led to him playing a role in the enactment of evil lord. That’s why Krishna demands to shut down, shut him.
Krishna could have arranged Arjuna to kill Karna even without anything, without anything, with full arms also. Actually, there are four instances when Krishna, Arjuna’s superiority is proven over Karna. So, when is this? At Draupadi’s sambhar, there is a fight which happens.
At that time, Arjuna overcomes Karna. Another time, there is in the Kamavandana, the battle where Gandharvas and Duryodhana fight and the Gandharvas cause Karna to fly away in fear because he gets so terribly wounded and disheartened and then Arjuna comes and defeats the Gandharvas. Then, thirdly, when Duryodhana, Dronacharya wants Guru Dakshina, he says, go and defeat Drupada and bring him as Dakshina for me.
So, the Kauravas go with, Kauravas go there, but along with Kauravas, Karna also goes. But then, Drupada’s army defeats them and causes them to flee. And after that, Arjuna and Bhima go, Pandavas go and they defeat Drupada, they bring Drupada over there.
And then, most of all, in the battle of Virat, before the Kurukshetra war, Arjuna is alone and all the Kaurava heroes including Karna, and they are all defeated by Arjuna. So, it was not that Krishna or Arjuna had to use some devious means to defeat Karna. They could have defeated him, Arjuna had defeated him many times in a fair fight or war.
But in this particular case, what Krishna would have demonstrated is the enemy acts unfairly, and the enemy is threaded incorrigibly to Adharma, then even devious means can be used for killing. So, why does Krishna God boast of himself in Bhagavad Gita so much? Actually, if there is a patient who has to do a surgery, and the doctor says, it’s a very complex surgery, but it needs to be done and I can do it for you. And he says, no, I don’t want to do the surgery.
Then, it is inspired, trusting the patient, then the doctor may feel, actually, when the patient says, may I go to that doctor and do surgery, may I go to that doctor and do surgery, the doctor may feel, actually, all those doctors are my students only. You know, I am the surgeon who has trained all the other doctors in the city. And, the purpose of the doctor telling about his own quality to his students is not just to boast, but is to inspire them in the patient.
So, the patient will take the treatment. So, if we see in the whole Bhagavad Gita, Krishna talks about his greatness. But what is the purpose? He talks about his greatness so as to establish the greatness of his people.
What is the goal of Krishna? Ultimately, the soul should practise bhakti by which they will become purified. Bhakti is like a spiritual treatment. And, for inspiring faith in the process of bhakti, Krishna talks about the glory of the object of bhakti.
That is Bhagwan, that is he himself. So, if we look at the Bhagavad Gita, wherever Krishna is talking about his glory, before or after that section, he is talking about the glory of bhakti. There is one who understands this, that person will practise bhakti wholeheartedly.
लोवामेवसर्धूरोज्यानातिः पुरुशोत्ममः सर्वविक्षितिमाः सर्वभावेन बावितम् So, 15.19 in the Bhagavad Gita, the 15th chapter is called the Purushottam Yoga, where Krishna talks about his greatness, as it is said. Something you would call a boasting. But then, what is this? One who understands this, without any doubt, सर्वविक्षितिमाः, such a person becomes a devotee.
But how does he worship? How does he practise devotional service? सर्वभावेन बावितम्, wholeheartedly. So, it is not Krishna’s boasting, it is Krishna speaking the truth, for the sake of inspiring faith, in our puja, and in all of us, in the process of bhakti. Which scriptures tell that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is God? There are many scriptures.
There are 24 scriptures, where the references to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s divinity are there. And most important is the Chaitanya Upanishad, which is mentioned in Bhagavatam. On my website, there is a PPT, which gives all these references.
So, what I can do is, yeah. There is this whole, in Mahabharata there are verses, in Bhagavatam there are verses, in the Vayu Purana, in the Agni Purana, there are. So, this one, the Bhavishya Purana, there is a reference.
In Kali Yuga, I will appear in the form of Sachi, and inaugurate the Sankirtan movement, there is no doubt about this. So, like this. There are many, many, in Shwetashtra Upanishad, there is a reference.
There is this Vayu Purana reference. So, what, I have a community on this. If there is some e-group, I will send a link to the PPT, I can send this file to whoever wants it also.
I am giving all the PPTs to one of the devotees. And if you want it, you can collect it from him. There are many scriptural references, at least 24 references are there.
But most importantly, we are not here to debate about the divinity. Bhaktivinoda Thakur says that the mood is that, even if somebody doesn’t accept that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has miracles, and that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu mentioned the scriptures, that’s why he is God. That is not the argument to be made.
He says that, there is one of his books, he says that, even if somebody cannot accept Chaitanya Mahaprabhu as God, the important thing is, at least if one looks at his life, one can see that he is a very exalted devotee, who experienced the kind of love of God, and it’s very, very rare to experience. And, the real miracle of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, is the miracle of the transformation of the heart. Miracle of the love that, by his mercy, can be arranged in the heart.
So, even if one initially has a tendency to accept Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s divinity, one can at least accept that he has taught the process of bhakti, and one can accept him as a great bhakti teacher, as a great sannyasi, as a great devotee, and adopt the process of bhakti. And as one starts experiencing the exalted levels of bhakti, then the faith that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is the Supreme Lord will increase. So, we are told that material progress is this time, and spiritual progress can improve material progress.
Are these two not contradictory? No. Spiritual progress can change our destiny. By our own end, we can’t change our destiny.
Just like a prisoner, by his own plan, the prisoner cannot change the prison sentence. But if the prisoner behaves very well with the prison, then the in-charge, the authority, can change the prison sentence. So, like that, when we harmonise with Krishna, when we practise spiritual life nicely, and make spiritual advancement, then Krishna can decrease whatever karmic reactions we are supposed to get.
He can produce an open sample. And give you some deductive explanation proof that transient pastimes actually happened in history. See, deductive examples are possible only when we accept an authority.
So, deduction is inference from observation. Deduction is basically based on authority. So, the scriptures are authoritative.
And from there, we understand that the scriptures talk about the historicity. Historicity means historical authenticity of the scriptures. Historical authenticity of the pastimes.
And based on that, we understand that these pastimes have actually happened. Same with the wordless question of the spiritual world. Why is God called nirguna? The word guna has two meanings.
In our normal language, we use the word guna to mean qualities. Whereas, in Vedic context, generally the word guna means modes. Three modes of materiality, they are also called gunas.
So, when the scriptures use the word nirguna to describe the Supreme Lord, they are referring to the point that He does not have affect on the material modes. But it is not that He does not have any qualities. So, nirguna means no effect of the modes on Him.
He is transcendental. In 7.12 of the Bhagavad Gita, He discusses एचैवसातिकाभावराजिसास्तानिसास्चेमन्तायेनेत्तामेति रत्वहाम्तेषितेमई So, all these three modes are under me, but I am not under Him. So, His nirguna means that He is beyond the modes.
But, He has qualities. For example, अनन्तमानन्तद्रभ्म I described in the opening sentence. Now, अनन्त being unlimited is also a quality.
Being आनन् means a quality. So, if God had no qualities, then there would be nothing about Him that could be described at all. So, the very fact the scriptures talk about Him means He has qualities.
But when the scripture says nirguna, that means He has no effect of material modes on Him. Yes. Generally, if we want deductive method for acquiring knowledge, we have to look in scriptures.
Can we add or subtract from scriptures? Yes. If we do that, then they will not remain scriptures anymore. We can do that.
Those are one mode. But then they won’t be scriptures. Actually, when we add to scriptures, we subtract from the scriptures.
When we add, then we take away from their potency variability. How should we put faith in scriptures? Actually, I discussed about how Krishna has given food, clothing, shelter to us. So, it’s your knowledge for us.
That is scriptures. And when we look at the content of the scriptures, apply that in our life, we see that they transform us. And that’s how we accept that these are the manuals for life.
Are there different scriptures for different religions? Yes. The same Supreme Lord according to time, place and constants gives revelations that are best suited for those people. So, there are different scriptures.
Do scriptures explain the actual mode of life? Yes. Progressive. Dharma, Aradhana, Kama, Moksha.
So, scriptures tell us about material world also and then spiritual world also. During the reign of Mughals, huge amount of Vedic scripture was born. Then how can we say based on the remaining scripture that our knowledge is complete? Yes.
Lot of Vedic, lot of knowledge wasn’t destroyed. But the most important books were preserved in the tradition. And the Acharyas who lived in that time, they did great care.
Just as the Deities were protected when the Vedas would come around, the scriptures would also be protected. And we can see at the very least that Shankaracharya of the 6th and 7th century, so the Bhagavika that he has and the Bhagavika that is there today, tied in between. That means it’s not destroyed, not altered also.
So, the tradition, the paramparas have made sure that the most important scriptures have been preserved. But yes, as I mentioned, more than 90% of the Vedic knowledge, especially the material knowledge is not available. But the spiritual knowledge, the knowledge that can help us transform our, transform us into the advanced, that is available still.
So, why don’t we see magic and things like this happen, magic miracles happening at present? See, different ages have different characteristics. So, in Kanyuga, people do not have the potency to actually do miracles. Realistic powers are quite common.
Some people might have some siddhis here and there. And they may be able to perform miracles. But far more such people who can actually perform miracles are people who do sleet of hand, who try to pretend as if they can do miracles.
And that’s why the whole idea of miracles often gets a bad name. So, the paramparas in Kanyuga, people’s power has diminished. And that’s why miracles are not common.
There is another question that, why don’t we see Narada Muni and other siddhis coming in Kanyuga? Actually, it’s because Kanyuga is an infected age. You know, if somebody has an infectious disease, which a person is quarantined. Quarantined means he didn’t got tuberculosis.
And you don’t want the infection to go to others. Therefore, that person is kept isolated from others. Similarly, Kanyuga is an infected age because of which we are, the earth is, quarantined from the rest of the universe.
That’s why our access to higher loka, as well as higher loka people coming here, that is greatly minimised. Scriptures are the word of God. How can Taupa describe their meaning? Yes.
See, scriptures are like sun. Sun can never be taupe. Sun is self luminous.
Nobody needs to show us the sun. But in our vision, sometimes the clouds can come in between. And then, the clouds can, clouds don’t cover the sun, but clouds block our vision of the sun.
So, what Prabhupada’s books do is, the misconceptions that we have, scriptures are the truth. They don’t need explanation necessarily. But, the misconceptions that we have, there are the clouds.
So, what Prabhupada’s work holds true is, they remove the misconceptions so that the self effulgent nature of the scriptures becomes clear. In Bhagavad Gita it is said that neither happiness nor distress can touch the soul. On the other hand, it is said that soul is such a kananda.
Isn’t that contradictory? When we talk about neither happiness nor distress touching, that is material happiness and distress. That doesn’t touch the soul. But, at the spiritual level, the soul is happy.
And that happiness, realising that happiness is the ultimate goal of life. So, the scenario has changed since the time the scriptures are written. Are they really relevant today? Yes.
Not all the scriptures will be literally relevant. And that’s why the scriptures have to be understood through the acharyas. The Gita lives through those who live the Gita.
The Gita lives through those who live the Gita. That means, the scriptures contain certain essential principles. And those essential principles are always relevant.
The scriptures may also have certain contextual applications. For example, the scriptures may talk about fire sacrifices. They may not be relevant today.
But, the Surya Kanyak is relevant today. That’s why, which part of the scripture is to be emphasised in our age, that has to be understood through acharyas. Yes.
The Mayavadis quote from Vedas, Eko Brahma Dhritya Anasthi Means, in this universe, there is only Brahma. What is its real meaning? Eko Brahma, it simply means that Brahman is the one reality. But, what does Brahman refer to? That is not mentioned.
See, the Brahman is, this verse comes in the Upanishads. And what is that? If we look at the verses that come before and after, what the word Brahman refers to is the ultimate absolute truth. So, the absolute truth has energies.
So, we souls have a spiritual energy. And the matter that is around us is a material energy. So, Dhritya Anasthi means, there is nothing separate from Brahman.
We are not separate from Brahman. We are connected with Brahman. So, there is no reality which is entirely independent of Brahman.
So, in a sense, we are also Brahman. That’s why Aham Brahma is needed here. We say that we are all Brahman.
Bhagavad Gita also refers to material nature as Brahman. So, Yonish, Mama Yonir Mahad Brahma. Krishna described that.
Actually, I incorporate material nature and it refers to material nature also as Brahman. So, the word Brahma means the spiritual truth, absolute truth. And the absolute truth has energies.
So, we are the energy to the absolute truth. So, in that sense, our existence and the existence of any material thing like this mind all this come under the eco-Brahman. So, Dhritya Anasthi means there is nothing independent of Brahman.
That is true. Nothing independent of Brahman. Then how can we have great scriptures of the words of God and everything dependent on his writing.
So, we have to look at the tradition and how these scriptures have been carefully preserved in the tradition. As I said, when we live according to scriptures, experience the transformation, then we understand that they are the working manuals for life. And when we look at the character of the godliness of the saintly people who have taught the scriptures, who have lived the scripture, then we understand that these people were working recipients for receiving the revelation of God.
So, in this way we can understand the rightness and the debility of that knowledge. Different people interpret different scriptures differently. How do we know whose commentary is right? At the basic level, Krishna has given us the intelligence.
We should use our intelligence to make sure, to check what makes sense. At a deeper level, if we are serious, then we can learn the studies which is scrutinising. That means, we can learn Sanskrit.
If there are facilities, one devotee also can actually learn Sanskrit. If we want to intellectually rigorously study scripture, we see what actually is the wealth of literature available for that also. But many of the interpretations which is used are common sense.
We see that this is just going on behind the screen. Many people use the scripture that we use to promote their own ideas. Like you see, there is a robot which Krishna is telling, you come back to me and I am telling, go back to Krishna.
Krishna is telling that you are my servant, you are all my parts. Krishna is saying, I am your robot. I am telling that you are all the parts of Krishna.
So, we can see very big similarity in the Acharya’s commentaries and the only reading the scriptures. Why does Lord Ram worship Lord Shiva in the Ramayana? Because Lord Ram is playing the role of Mariyala Purusha. As Lord Ram doesn’t directly act as God in the Ramayana.
He acts as a human being. And a human being is meant to perform his duty. From one of the aspects of Dharma, religious worship.
He does that. But we also have to see that we cannot just see the action. We have to see the context.
Krishna worships Sudama because he is a Brahmin. That doesn’t mean Sudama God and Krishna are ordinary people. So, just because Lord Ram worships Shiva, that doesn’t lead to any philosophical interpretation.
Generally, it is said that if you want to understand a book, what is its meaning, Upakrama is the beginning, Upasamhara is the end, Abhyas is the repetition, Amulvada is the unidiginous, and emphasis. So, these five characteristics are necessary. If you look at the beginning and the end of the Ramayana, what happens? In the beginning, all the Devatas who are going to pray to Vishnu, He is incarnate so that we can be saved.
And among the Devatas, Shiva is also there. At the end of the Ramayana, when Ravana is killed, all the Devatas come and thank Lord Ram. And among them also Shiva is there.
And Shiva is telling that this Ravana was the stoutest of the earth, and you have killed him and we are all grateful to you for that. You have done an excellent work. So, if you look at the full flow of the Ramayana, it is very clear that Lord Ram is Supreme and Shiva is also His devotee.
One of the Devatas who seeks the help of Lord Vishnu, who has manifested as Krishna, are all scriptures beneficial to us? Yes, if we understand how they are applicable for us. We cannot just go to a medical shop and take any medicine, find everything that will benefit us. Although all medicines are beneficial, we have to go through the… So, when we look at the scriptures, with the assistance of the Guru, then we will understand how all the scriptures are ultimately meant to be beneficial.
But which is beneficial for us, we can understand from the Guru. Some scriptures are written by some personality. How does he come to know about the truth? We discussed this.
It’s not that some personality can write. These are great saintly people who get a direct revelation from God. Bhagavatam was spoken by Shukadeva Goswami and Harishit Maharaj in Vyasadeva wrote Bhagavatam.
But Vyasadeva came before them. Yes, but Vyasadeva continued to live after the monks. So, after the incident happened, Vyasadeva went into mystic trance and he saw the whole thing and he wrote it down.
Is it that we get different conclusions from scriptures if we read them in different modes? If yes, why? What is the correct approach to reading the scriptures? The correct approach is to follow… The correct approach is to follow the way scriptures teach. And that is by going to Guru in parampara. So, yes, ultimately we don’t see the world as it is.
We see the world as we are. So, depending on the way the words influence us, we will become influenced. And it is said even Brahmaji, first time when he heard the Vedas, he thought that Karmata is his infusion.
Second time he heard, he thought it’s Jnanata. Third time when he heard, he understood it’s Bhakti. So, depending on our level of consciousness, we will see the same sentence differently and say it more differently.
That’s why those who are transcendental situated, they understand scriptures from then. And then, when we understand scriptures, apply them similarly, then we rise to the highest level, where we can also see how what they are saying is the ultimate understanding. How can we believe that Levi’s lessons and all other things with voice are based in scriptures? The faith in parampara is based on obvious or a logical influence.
Suppose there is a doctor who gives a medicine to a patient. And that patient becomes cured. And then, the doctor A who is giving medicine to patient B, that person is cured.
And now B, C, D, E, F, G, like that the medicine has been passed on. Now it has come to X. Now how can I know that when X, the medicine that has come, is the same that was passed on by A to B? I can go through a rigorous check to everyone. Did anybody do any golmaal? Everybody kept the medicine right away.
It’s very difficult to do that. That’s one way. Another way is, if X takes the medicine, we find that what is the effect on X, if X also gets cured as B was cured, as A had predicted that B would be cured, then at the same time the medicine has been passed on in that.
So, if we look at Bhagavad Gita, what is the effect of hearing the Bhagavad Gita, intended by Krishna and accepted by Arjuna? It is that Arjuna accepts Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and Arjuna gives up all other forms of dharma and accepts Bhakti as the Supreme Dharma. After you see that through Shri Krishnadevaraya, through now people all over the world, and through the sessions that we have in the voices, what is happening is, people are doing this, accepting Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and Bhakti as the Supreme Dharma. So, by phalena parichayate, we can see that whatever phala is told in the scriptures, that same phala is told in the, is that is told in the scriptures, is experienced by us, and that’s fine.
We can understand that this is the ultimate illusion. It is nothing else, lost in the process of transmission. Something essential is lost.
We discussed about why we study Bhagavatam and Bhagavad Gita. Vedas contain guidelines in every field of life, but as I mentioned, those Vedas are not available today, and much of the knowledge is lost, but the transcendental aspect is still available, and that’s why we primarily focus on that. And now with the knowledge of Vedas, so far we have tried to find Vedas, hopefully in India.
As I mentioned earlier, there is a reasonable amount of evidence, that the Vedic culture was there all over the world at a particular time. Mentioned about Vishnu being found in Russia, and in Egypt also, on the springs, there is the Shlokas written in the pyramids. There is remarkable similarity between philosophy of Aristotle and, I’m sorry, of Socrates and the Bhagavad Gita.
So, there are some evidences that the Vedic culture was present at one time all over the world. The book Searching for Vedic India talks about this global presence of Vedic culture. And, but today, because the Vedic culture is lost, we don’t have that research available.
Originally the Vedic knowledge was available for everybody. So, thank you very much for your very interesting questions. There are many questions we will discuss, we do not need to discuss in session.
So, I will record the answers, and I will give it to Dilapidam, and most of you are also going to meet Dilapidam. So, you will get the recording, you will get those answers. So, whatever other people doubt, I will remove some questions, I will answer them later.
Thank you very much for your kind attention. Shri Prabhupada ji! Jai! Gaurapada Vrinda ji! Jai! Jai Gaurpreman ji! Jai Guru!