Hare Krsna,

So far, we have learned that all the material elements have originated from the Lord’s external energy and entangle the soul (jiva) who wishes to enjoy independent of the Lord. Lord Kapiladev explained the manifestation and the characteristics of the material elements such as earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence, ego, senses, sense objects and so on. By knowing these, one is freed from the influence of material modes, cut the knot of temporary attachments, and attain to self-realization.

SB 3.26.72: Therefore, through devotion, detachment and advancement in spiritual knowledge acquired through concentrated devotional service, one should contemplate that Supersoul as present in this very body although simultaneously apart from it.

The jiva is spiritual in nature, yet he experiences material conditions due to his association with sense objects for material enjoyment. Thinking himself to be the doer in false ego the spiritual jiva binds himself to existence in the material world. The solution to this incompatible predicament of the spiritual soul is to gradually control the material mind though bhakti.

This means that we have to get out of our consciousness in false ego that we are the enjoyer which is a result of contemplation on sense enjoyment. This state of consciousness (that we are the enjoyer) is so ingrained within us since time immemorial that it needs a major ‘transcendental surgery’ to get out of this state. Bhakti-yoga (devotional service) is that transcendental surgery. The gravity of the situation does not become apparent until we engage in devotional service to the Supreme Lord.

“It is therefore recommended in this verse that one engage very seriously in the devotional service of the Lord. This means that one should not think that he is the proprietor, benefactor, friend, or enjoyer. He should always be cognizant that the real enjoyer is Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; that is the basic principle of bhakti-yoga. One must be firmly convinced of these three principles: one should always think that Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor, Kṛṣṇa is the enjoyer and Kṛṣṇa is the friend. Not only should he understand these principles himself, but he should try to convince others and propagate Kṛṣṇa consciousness.” (SB 3.17.5 Purport)

Therefore, Lord Kapiladeva recommends that one has to become faithful by practicing the controlling process of the yoga system and must elevate himself to the platform of unalloyed devotional service by chanting and hearing about Him. (SB 3.17.6)

I have been engaged in this chanting and hearing process for quite a few years now. The transformation I see in myself is that my faith in the power of devotional service to get me out of material consciousness gets stronger day by day. I realize that I have been given the various gross and subtle senses not for my enjoyment but for the enjoyment of the Supreme Lord. In this material world, we live under a big illusion that enjoyment means happiness. Quite to the contrary, material enjoyment actually brings misery even though we do not realize it at first. On the other hand, in bhakti we are taught that service to the Lord with devotion, detachment and transcendental knowledge is the key to real and eternal happiness. Of course it is still not very easy to engage my mind to the Lord 100%. My mind is very turbulent and restless. Therefore, I have been trying to chant the Holy Name by fixing my mind on each mantra to bring my mind under control. Even when I hear any lectures, I try to hear attentively. I am trying to build up my attention span gradually from 5 mins to 10 mins, and up. I do not have to perform strict yoga asanas like yama, niyama, āsana, prāṇāyāma, pratyāhāra, etc., which are beyond my capability. I am taking shelter of the Holy Name to achieve the same.

“The practice of yoga by physical exercise is not the ultimate goal; the real end is to concentrate and to control the mind and train oneself to be situated in faithful devotional service.”  (SB 3.27.6 Purport)

Thus, we can remain undisturbed by material elements even though living in this material world by the process of devotional service. Unless one is completely faithful to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and engages himself in the process of hearing and chanting the glories of the Lord, there is no possibility for liberation. (SB 3.27.6 Purport)

By intense bhakti, the influence of maya over the jiva can be removed. Maya cannot bewilder an enlightened soul who has fixed one’s mind in Lord Krsna.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Hare Krsna,

While considering what to write for this forum topic, I was trying to meditate on the difference between the sankhya philosophy and bhakti yoga philosophy. My research led me to couple of wonderful sections in the 5^th chapter of The Bhagavad Gita. Verses 4-5 states:

“Only the ignorant speak of devotional service [karma-yoga] as being different from the analytical study of the material world [Sāṅkhya]. Those who are actually learned say that he who applies himself well to one of these paths achieves the results of both. One who knows that the position reached by means of analytical study can also be attained by devotional service, and who therefore sees analytical study and devotional service to be on the same level, sees things as they are.”

Srila Prabhupada provides a perfect summary in BG 5.4: “The aim of the analytical study of the material world is to find the soul of existence. The soul of the material world is Viṣṇu, or the Supersoul. Devotional service to the Lord entails service to the Supersoul. One process is to find the root of the tree, and the other is to water the root. The real student of Sāṅkhya philosophy finds the root of the material world, Viṣṇu, and then, in perfect knowledge, engages himself in the service of the Lord. Therefore, in essence, there is no difference between the two because the aim of both is Viṣṇu. Those who do not know the ultimate end say that the purposes of Sāṅkhya and karma-yoga are not the same, but one who is learned knows the unifying aim in these different processes.”

In the next purport, Srila Prabhupada explains, “The real purpose of philosophical research is to find the ultimate goal of life. Since the ultimate goal of life is self-realization, there is no difference between the conclusions reached by the two processes. By Sāṅkhya philosophical research one comes to the conclusion that a living entity is not a part and parcel of the material world but of the supreme spirit whole. Consequently, the spirit soul has nothing to do with the material world; his actions must be in some relation with the Supreme. When he acts in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is actually in his constitutional position. In the first process, Sāṅkhya, one has to become detached from matter, and in the devotional yoga process one has to attach himself to the work of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Factually, both processes are the same, although superficially one process appears to involve detachment and the other process appears to involve attachment. Detachment from matter and attachment to Kṛṣṇa are one and the same. One who can see this sees things as they are.”

What we studied and learned in SB 3.26 is no different. Here also we studied that the culmination of the analytical study of the material world is finding the source of everything. By nature, material nature, five gross elements, gross senses, subtle senses, etc., are inert. They cannot be aroused to function by themselves.  Only when they are linked with the Supreme Absolute Personality of Godhead do they become active. In other words, only the Supersoul activates everything and everyone to function properly.

SB 3.26.71: When a man is sleeping, all his material assets — namely the vital energy, the senses for recording knowledge, the senses for working, the mind and the intelligence — cannot arouse him. He can be aroused only when the Supersoul helps him.

This means that the Sankhya philosophy systems also ultimately leads to the Supersoul – or the source of all existence. It helps us discern matter from spirit very distinctly. This helps us to become detached from matter, become attached to the Supreme Lord through the process of devotional service. It helps us develop detachment (from matter) and knowledge (in the Absolute Truth).

SB 1.2.7: By rendering devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, one immediately acquires causeless knowledge and detachment from the world.

Why do we need such detachment from matter? This is because, “as long as the mind is distracted towards the material, there is no possibility of concentrating one’s mind and intelligence upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His partial representation, Supersoul. In other words, one cannot concentrate one’s mind and energy upon the Supreme unless one is detached from the material world. Following detachment from the material world, one can actually attain transcendental knowledge of the Absolute Truth. As long as one is entangled in sense enjoyment, or material enjoyment, it is not possible to understand the Absolute Truth.” (SB 3.26.72 P)

In summary, the analytical study of the elements of material nature and the concentration of the mind upon the Supersoul are the sum and substance of the Sāṅkhya philosophical system. The perfection of this sāṅkhya-yoga culminates in devotional service unto the Absolute Truth. (SB 3.26.72 P)

Therefore, through devotion, detachment and advancement in spiritual knowledge acquired through concentrated devotional service, one should contemplate that Supersoul as present in this very body although simultaneously apart from it. (SB 3.26.72)

Studying this chapter carefully under the guidance of our experienced teachers and association of like-minded devotees has been a revelation in understanding the essence of Sankhya philosophy better – and that is to detach ourselves from material contamination and simply engage in devotional service to the Supreme Lord with perfect knowledge that He is the source of everything including this material nature. By viewing Sankhya philosophy from an impersonalist standpoint, we run the risk of staying under material illusion for a very long time to come thinking ourselves as products of matter. But understanding Sankhya philosophy from a personalist standpoint where the Supreme Lord is the source of everything, we can be liberated from that same material illusion.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Hare Krsna,

As we have studied so far, material consciousness is the cause of jiva’s conditional life, in which conditions are enforced upon the living entity by the material energy. Although the spirit soul does not do anything and is transcendental to such activities, he is affected by conditional life. Subsequently material nature (prakrti) is the cause of the conditioned soul’s material body and senses, and the senses’ presiding deities, the demigods (SB 3.26.7-8). The manifestation of the intricate material nature including the gross elements and senses is actually the mercy and grace of the Supreme Lord. It is His mercy because He has manifested this material world for our sense gratification and to fulfill our material desires. It is His grace because He has made this material world so miserable that, upon becoming enlightened with transcendental knowledge, we no longer want to prolong our stay in this place, and thus develop a desire for “home coming.”

As I was meditating on this topic, I realized how our desire to enjoy separately from the Lord created layers of separation between the Lord and us. Firstly, there is pradhana, then time, followed by Mahat-tattva. The material ego (ahankara) springs up from the mahat-tattva. The material ego (ahankara) is endowed predominantly with active power of three kinds: good, passionate, and ignorant. It is from these three types of material ego that the mind, the senses of perception, the organs of action, and the gross elements evolve. From the false ego in goodness, mind develops. From the false ego in passion, intelligence develops. From the false ego in ignorance, five sense objects and five gross elements develop. From egoism in ignorance, the subtle element sound is manifested, and from sound come the ethereal sky and the sense of hearing. Subsequently sound is transformed into Ether, Ether into Touch, Touch into Air, Air into Form, Form into Fire, Fire into Taste, Taste into Water, Water into Smell, and Smell into Earth. Since the cause exists in its effect as well, the characteristics of the former (e.g., Water) exist in the latter (e.g., Earth). Correspondingly the five gross senses – Ears, Skin, Eyes, Tongue, Nose – develop.

SB 3.26.47-49: The sense whose object of perception is sound is called the auditory sense, and that whose object of perception is touch is called the tactile sense. The sense whose object of perception is form, the distinctive characteristic of fire, is the sense of sight. The sense whose object of perception is taste, the distinctive characteristic of water, is known as the sense of taste. Finally, the sense whose object of perception is odor, the distinctive characteristic of earth, is called the sense of smell. Since the cause exists in its effect as well, the characteristics of the former are observed in the latter. That is why the peculiarities of all the elements exist in the earth alone.

The important point to note is that each one of us is more than a combination of material elements. Although our body is composed of material elements, we are ultimately none of these elements. We are spiritual beings. It is the presence of soul or atma that gives apparent life to our body, senses, mind, and intelligence. Our body is practically dead because it is composed of dead matter. What keeps the body alive is the spirit soul within it. This atma is our true identity. Aham brahmasmi.

Therefore, breaking down all the barriers of separation between us and the Lord is a wise thing to do. Since the soul is intimately connected with the Supreme Lord, gratifying the senses of the Lord is our actual constitutional duty. This means somehow or other we need to connect with the Supreme Lord. In order to do so, we do not need to retrace our steps to break down each material barrier in reverse order. All we have to do is to take advantage of the sound vibration. By hearing about the Supreme Lord and by vibrating the sound of His holy name using our tongue, we can reconnect with Him. In fact, we can engage each gross senses in His service. We can use the ears to hear the spiritual sound vibration, skin to touch and feel the Lord’s paraphernalia and His Deity form, eyes to see the beautiful form of the Lord, tongue to vibrate His holy name and glories, and also to taste the remnants of food offered to Him, and nose to smell the fragrant flowers offered to Him.

Thus, if we simply hear and chant His holy name – Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare – we will be able to sever our ties with the gross elements and senses, and ultimately regain our true eternal spiritual existence.

“By thus engaging in devotional service to the Lord, great sages or devotees free themselves from the results of work in the material world. In this way they become free from the cycle of birth and death and attain the state beyond all miseries [by going back to Godhead].” (BG 2.51)

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Hare Krsna,

After studying Srila Prabhupada’s books diligently in the association of devotees, it is pretty well established that we are suffering in this material world due to our false ego. False ego means accepting this body as oneself. The identity of false ego is also quite subtle. It basically means that “I am the enjoyer of everything in this world.” Driven by “I” and “Mine”, we think that we are the lord of material nature. That the material world has been created for our enjoyment. In the previous chapter, we studied Mother Devahuti’s prayers to Kapiladeva. She prayed, “Due to my feeling of false ego, I have been engaged by Your māyā and have identified myself with the body and consequent bodily relations.” (SB 3.25.10)

Illusioned by the material nature, the living entity identifies with false ego. When the living entity is entrapped by the material body, he at once identifies with the bodily relationships, forgetting his own identity as spirit soul. This false ego associates with different modes of material nature, and thus the senses become attached to the modes of material nature.

I think it’s all a matter of consciousness and right perspective. There is false ego and there is real ego. We can never get rid of ego. We just have to remove “false” from “false ego.” When the sense of “I am” is applied to this false body it is false ego. When the sense of self is applied to reality, that is real ego. “I am this body” or “Everything in relationship to the body is mine” is called false ego, but when one is self-realized and thinks that he is an eternal servitor of the Supreme Lord, that identification is real ego. Therefore, I really like the verse from CC Madhya 20.108-109:

jīvera ‘svarūpa’ haya — kṛṣṇera ‘nitya-dāsa’

kṛṣṇera ‘taṭasthā–śakti’ ‘bhedābheda-prakāśa’

“It is the living entity’s constitutional position to be an eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa because he is the marginal energy of Kṛṣṇa and a manifestation simultaneously one with and different from the Lord, like a molecular particle of sunshine or fire. Kṛṣṇa has three varieties of energy.

In essence, it is not really difficult to come out of false ego. As soon as we turn to Krsna and realize that we are His eternal servants and act in that mood and spirit, we are out of our false ego.

Once we accept that we are Krsna’s dear servants and are meant to serve Him, what difference does it make whether we are in the spiritual world or in the material world? This is why pure devotees are not disturbed by material tribulations and upheavals in this material world. In the review session today, our teachers gave the example of Srila Prabhupada who, even though was in this material world, was never disturbed by the nature of this material world. His activities, mood, service, devotion to the Lord, compassion for the suffering living entities were transcendental. He would have been in any material planet and would have continued his mission with the same mood and intensity. The nature of material world would not be able to disturb him in any way.

This is why I really liked the quotes that our teachers put in the last forum post topic. It said, “A pure devotee of the Lord does not live on any planet of the material sky, nor does he feel any contact with material elements. His so-called material body does not exist, being surcharged with the spiritual current of the Lord’s identical interest, and thus he is permanently freed from all contaminations of the sum total of the mahat-tattva. He is always in the spiritual sky, which he attains by being transcendental to the sevenfold material coverings by the effect of his devotional service. The conditioned souls are within the coverings, whereas the liberated soul is far beyond the cover.” (SB 1.13.55)

This is because the pure devotee does not have a false ego and does not act on the platform of false ego. He has completely internalized that he is a dear servant of the Lord, and always act in that spirit – material world or spiritual world notwithstanding.

False ego keeps us entangled in this material world; real ego will liberate us from this material world and will place us on transcendental platform.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Hare Krsna,

The question is whether pure consciousness exists in material nature. It has to. Otherwise, how would conditioned souls attain liberation from the material world! Just as impure consciousness binds us to this material world, similarly pure consciousness will free us from the material world.

As Srila Prabhupada explained in the purport to SB 3.26.22, the pure status of consciousness, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, existed in the beginning. Just after creation, the consciousness was pure and not polluted. Gradually due to association with matter, consciousness becomes contaminated. It is like a mirror. When we first buy the mirror from the store, it is crystal clear and clean. Gradually dust starts to accumulate over it and the mirror no longer reflects our image. The same situation manifests in our heart. Our heart is pure in the beginning, but gradually it gets polluted due to impure association and desires. Therefore, the bhakti process is all about cleansing the heart of contamination. Ceto Darpana marjanam.

We have studied in SB 3.7.11 that as the moon reflected on water appears to the seer to tremble due to being associated with the quality of the water, so the self-associated with matter appears to be qualified as matter. Srila Prabhupada explains in his purport that actually, like the original moon in the sky, the moon reflected on the water should also not quiver, but because of being associated with water, the reflection appears to be quivering, although in actual fact the moon is fixed. The water moves, but the moon does not move. Similarly, the living entities appear to be tainted by material qualities like illusion, lamentation, and miseries, although in the pure soul such qualities are completely absent.

Therefore, it is possible for us to make our consciousness pure again. Pure consciousness means Krsna consciousness. The root cause of the contamination of our consciousness is forgetfulness of our relationship with the Supreme Lord, and forgetfulness of the transcendental service of the Lord. But when one is engaged in transcendental service through Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one becomes at once liberated from this illusion that we are products of matter. One can acquire such pure knowledge only from the bona fide spiritual master. Perfect knowledge is that the Supreme Soul, Kṛṣṇa, is the supreme shelter for all living entities, and giving up such shelter, the living entities are deluded by the material energy, imagining themselves to have a separate identity. Thus, under different standards of material identity, they become forgetful of Kṛṣṇa. When, however, such deluded living entities become situated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is to be understood that they are on the path of liberation, as confirmed in SB 2.10.6: muktir hitvānyathā-rūpaṁ svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ. Liberation means to be situated in one’s constitutional position as an eternal servitor of Kṛṣṇa (Kṛṣṇa consciousness). Jivera svarupa haya Krsne’r nitya dasa.

Only someone whose consciousness is pure and is liberated FROM this material world even though living IN this material world can help us attain our pure Krsna consciousness. It is, therefore, important that we hear from such great souls and serve them. Just as a person infected with Covid can transmit Covid to another person through the power of association, so too a pure devotee with pure consciousness can transmit pure consciousness to others. This is why Lord Krsna advised in BG 4.34, “Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth.”

By hearing transcendental topics from pure devotees and by chanting the Holy Name of the Lord attentively and lovingly, our consciousness will become purified in due course of time, thereby helping us become free from the chains of this material nature.

nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema ‘sādhya’ kabhu naya
śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya

Dormant devotional service to Kṛṣṇa is within everyone. Simply by associating with devotees, hearing their good instructions, and chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, dormant love for Kṛṣṇa is awakened. In this way one acquires the seed of devotional service. Guru-kṛṣṇa-prasāde pāya bhakti-latā-bīja. (CC Madhya 19.151 Purport)

In this way, we will become like those great pure devotees who lives in material nature without becoming entangled.

“A pure devotee of the Lord does not live on any planet of the material sky, nor does he feel any contact with material elements. His so-called material body does not exist, being surcharged with the spiritual current of the Lord’s identical interest, and thus he is permanently freed from all contaminations of the sum total of the mahat-tattva. He is always in the spiritual sky, which he attains by being transcendental to the sevenfold material coverings by the effect of his devotional service. The conditioned souls are within the coverings, whereas the liberated soul is far beyond the cover.” (SB 1.13.55)

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Hare Krsna,

As I am going through Lesson 3, I cannot stop marveling at what a magnificent scientist and creator our Supreme Lord Krsna is. The intricacies of the mechanics behind the creation of the material nature is beyond any human or superhuman ability. Who in the mortal realm could even conceive that creation would begin from the unmanifested eternal combination of the three modes (pradhana), this unmanifested state would later transform into prakrti, the prakrti would be composed of 25 elements, this prakrti would be agitated by time leading to the birth of mahat-tattva and so on? All these combine together to bewilder the conditioned souls. The jiva has his free choice either to serve his own senses and accept a material body or to engage in Krsna consciousness and get a spiritual body. The Lord is so merciful that he has created this unfathomable material nature for the conditioned souls to fulfill their material desires. Material scientists are proud of creating a tiny thing and cannot even maintain it for long. Anything created in this material world is prone to be destroyed by the influence of time. They create weather-proof buildings, and one small earthquake is enough to destroy them. Scientists in Japan have been trying to build earthquake proof buildings. But who can ever win over material nature? We live in such a fickle world and foolishly desire to prolong our earthly existence and possessions. Lord Krsna says in BG 11.32, “Time I am, the great destroyer of the worlds, and I have come here to destroy all people.” Time is destruction, and all manifestations are to be vanquished by the desire of the Supreme Lord. That is the law of nature. Therefore, why wouldn’t any sane person give up the idea of lording over material nature and just surrender to Krsna?

I was watching a few rescue videos on the recent earthquake in Turkey and Syria. How small children are trapped in the rubble and rescue workers are trying to bring them out alive! How people have lost their entire families in this calamity! How some children will never see their parents again, and vice versa! It is so painful to watch them. I have been thinking how brutal material nature is. It does not even pardon small innocent children. Athiests will find an excuse to blame God for this. Others may see the play of karma in this. And compassionate souls like Srila Prabhupada would cry to deliver humankind from the clutches of material nature.

We conditioned souls think that we are the controllers of things in our life. But the bare truth is that we cannot even respond to material nature. We just react to whatever material nature throws at us. We ignorantly think we are the doers, but the real doer is material nature working under the hidden sanction of the Supreme Lord. “The spirit soul bewildered by the influence of false ego thinks himself the doer of activities that are in actuality carried out by the three modes of material nature.” (BG 3.27)

We are like dice and material nature is throwing us the way she wants. We think we are in control of the play. But what control does the dice have? It is just a tool in the hands of the dice-thrower (material nature). She is pulling us and diverting us the way she wants. She covers our knowledge and gives us a small drop of happiness to keep us entangled. Due to this covering of knowledge we forget our eternal goal and desire to derive more happiness from this happiness-less desert of the material world. Therefore real intelligence is to see all these ruthless works of prakrti and endeavor to get out of her clutches. If at all we want to be a dice, why not be a dice in the pastime and play of the Supreme Lord? He is our best friend, best benefactor, and best well-wisher. He will never cheat us.

We should therefore try to get out of the material clutches and take up spiritual life. That will make us happy. That is the only source of happiness. If we want happiness, then we have to give up the association of prakṛti. Because as long as we will be in the material world, we will have to associate with the modes of material nature. Therefore, we just have to pray to Krsna the way Lord Caitanya did to save us from this material world:

“O son of Mahārāja Nanda [Kṛṣṇa], I am Your eternal servitor, yet somehow or other I have fallen into the ocean of birth and death. Please pick me up from this ocean of death and place me as one of the atoms at Your lotus feet.” (Siksastaka 5)

“The spirit soul is actually sac-cid-ānanda — eternal, full of bliss and full of knowledge. Under the clutches of māyā, however, he suffers from continued birth, death, disease, and old age. One has to be serious to cure this condition of material existence and transfer himself to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, for thus his long suffering may be mitigated without difficulty. In summary, the suffering of the conditioned soul is due to his attachment to material nature. This attachment should thus be transferred from matter to Kṛṣṇa.” (SB 3.26.7 Purport)

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Hare Krsna,

To set the context of the conversation between Lord Kapiladeva and Mother Devahuti so far, Mother Devahuti asked Kapiladeva about bhakti, jnana and yoga (in SB 3.25.28-29). Lord Kapiladeva explained about bhakti (SB 3.25.31-44). In this chapter, Lord Kapiladeva will discusss about Jnana – the second question asked by His mother.

In the first two verses, Lord Kapiladeva says that He will describe the different features of elements, knowing which one will be freed from the influence of material modes, attain perfection of self-realization, and cut the knot of attachment to material world. In the next two verses, He explains the characteristics of Purusa (the Lord) whose interaction with prakrti (material nature) in just a pastime by His will.

For a devotee engaged in bhakti-yoga, it is important to understand Krsna’s material energy also because to understand Kṛṣṇa means to understand Kṛṣṇa in His personal form with His internal energy, His external energy, His expansions and His incarnations (SB 3.16.1). For conditioned souls like us who are bounded by the three modes of material nature, it is important to understand this sankhya philosophy in order to become free from the modes of material nature.

Srimad Bhagavad-Gita talks about five key subject matters – (a) isvara (The Supreme Lord), (b) Jiva (living entity), (c) Prakrti (material world), (d) Kala (Time), and (e) Karma (Fruitive activity or result). Due to one’s conditioned nature, a not-yet-liberated living entity identifies more with his gross and subtle body than with his spirit self. Prakrti is material energy; jiva’s gross and subtle body is also material. Since both are grossly visible, a jiva makes the mistake of identifying with the material nature. He thinks his sambandha is with matter only, totally forgetting that he also has a spiritual side. Prakrti is meant to be enjoyed, and a jiva makes another mistake that he is the enjoyer of the material nature. This is basically illusion. The truth is that there is another superior energy. Jiva (the individual soul) is itself superior to prakrti (matter) and higher than the individual soul is the Supersoul (Paramatma). Thus if we remove the gross and subtle covering of the jiva, what remains is his spiritual form – the individual soul. This individual soul is eternally related to the Supreme Soul – constitutionally, qualitatively, and quantitatively. Constitutionally, every individual soul is eternally a servitor of Kṛṣṇa. Jīvera ‘svarūpa’ haya — kṛṣṇera ‘nitya-dāsa’: every individual soul is eternally a servitor. Qualitatively the individual soul is part and parcel of the Supreme Lord; qualitatively both are similar. And quantitatively, the individual soul is infinitesimal and the Supreme Lord is the greatest. This is why Lord Kapiladeva explains the characteristics of the Purusa in verse 3:

“The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the Supreme Soul, and He has no beginning. He is transcendental to the material modes of nature and beyond the existence of this material world. He is perceivable everywhere because He is self-effulgent, and by His self-effulgent luster the entire creation is maintained.” (SB 3.26.3)

This false identity with the material world is the knot in the heart that covers one’s true self-identity. Unless this knot is cut off, one cannot attains self-realization. This knot can be cut only by transcendental knowledge that explains the difference between matter and spirit. It is like treating a diseased person. Unless the diseased person is informed with proper knowledge the cause of his ailment and the means of getting out of it, he may become subject to the same disease again and again. As soon as we hear of any disease infecting us, we try to study more about it to get relief. We try to take proper precautions and cure to become free of it forever. Similarly a materially diseased person who has forgotten his true self and his relationship (sambandha) with the Supreme Lord needs to be enlightened with knowledge. Therefore, Lord Kapiladeva says that “Knowledge is the ultimate perfection of self-realization. I shall explain that knowledge unto you by which the knots of attachment to the material world are cut.” (SB 3.26.2)

A similar explanation is given in SB 1.2 where it is said that “once established in the mode of unalloyed goodness, the man whose mind has been enlivened by contact with devotional service to the Lord gains positive scientific knowledge of the Personality of Godhead in the stage of liberation from all material association. Thus, the knot in the heart is pierced, and all misgivings are cut to pieces. The chain of fruitive actions is terminated when one sees the self as master.” (SB 1.2.20-21)

Once the living entity comes to the realization that he is eternally related to his eternal master (the eternal Supreme Lord) and not related to the temporary material nature, what does he do? He engages in devotional service to the Lord (abhideya).

“Certainly, therefore, since time immemorial, all transcendentalists have been rendering devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead, with great delight, because such devotional service is enlivening to the self…Previously all the great sages rendered service unto the Personality of Godhead due to His existence above the three modes of material nature. They worshiped Him to become free from material conditions and thus derive the ultimate benefit. Whoever follows such great authorities is also eligible for liberation from the material world.” (SB 1.2.22 and 25).

Therefore, by proper understanding of the pure self, or by self-realization, one can be freed from material attachment. Knowledge leads one to attain the ultimate perfection of life and to see oneself as he is. When one is fixed in the understanding that he is part and parcel of the Supreme Soul and that his eternal position is to serve in association with the Supreme Lord, he becomes self-realized. This position of rightly understanding oneself cuts the knot of material attraction (hṛdaya-granthi-bhedanam). The soul is thus isolated from the entanglement of the twenty-four categories of material nature. Pursuit of the systematic philosophic process called Sankhya is called knowledge and self-revelation. (SB 3.26.2 Purport)

This is precisely why Lord Kapiladeva is explaining the various aspects of Sankhya philosophy to His mother (and to us) so that we understand the various aspects of jiva-prakrti-Purusa interactions and characteristics. This will help us contemplate on the Supersoul through devotion, detachment and knowledge gradually leading us to prayojana (pure love of God).

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Hare Krsna,

The essence of the verses of BG Chapter 12 and Lord Kapila’s verses is that one should fix one’s mind on the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This fixing of one’s mind should be one-pointed focus without distraction to anything else (such as desire for heavenly happiness, the five kinds of liberation, achieving Brahman liberation or seeking residence in higher planetary systems).

The Blessed Lord said: He whose mind is fixed on My personal form, always engaged in worshiping Me with great and transcendental faith, is considered by Me to be most perfect. (BG 12.2)

Therefore, persons whose minds are fixed on the Lord engage in the intensive practice of devotional service. That is the only means for attainment of the final perfection of life. (SB 3.25.44)

Therefore it is said, Mano mayy arpitaṁ sthiram which mean “the mind being fixed on Me.” By fixing the mind on the lotus feet of the Lord, one should perform ‘intense’ bhakti yoga. Tivrena bhakti-yoga. Even in the first verse of Lord Kapiladeva instructions (SB 3.25.32), He says that the mind is the representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and its natural duty is to serve. In BG 3.42, Lord Krsna says that the working senses are superior to dull matter; mind is higher than the senses; intelligence is still higher than the mind; and he [the soul] is even higher than the intelligence. The senses have the natural propensity of enjoy and the mind has the natural propensity to serve. Unfortunately, due to the influence of the three modes of material nature (especially modes of passion and ignorance), the mind becomes subservient to the senses and lets the senses engage in sense gratification. If, therefore, the mind is directly engaged in the service of the Lord constantly, then there is no chance that the senses will become engaged in other ways. The body may be silent and at rest, but the mind is always active. The mind has therefore to be engaged in something higher and better. The highest perfection is fixing the mind on the lotus feet of the Lord. If the mind is engaged in the transcendental service of the Lord, there is no chance of its being engaged in the lower propensities.

“Because the mind is the master of the senses, when the mind is engaged, all the senses become engaged. That is bhakti-yoga. Yoga means controlling the senses. The senses cannot be controlled in the proper sense of the term; they are always agitated. This is true also with a child — how long can he be forced to sit down silently? It is not possible. Even Arjuna said, cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa: “The mind is always agitated.” The best course is to fix the mind on the lotus feet of the Lord. Mano mayy arpitaṁ sthiram. If one seriously engages in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is the highest perfectional stage. All Kṛṣṇa conscious activities are on the highest perfectional level of human life.” (SB 3.25.44)

The fixing of the mind on the Lord must also be accompanied by complete surrender unto the Lord. “If by intelligence one engages one’s mind in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, by complete surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then, automatically, the mind becomes stronger, and even though the senses are very strong, like serpents, they will be no more effective than serpents with broken fangs.” (BG 3.42 Purport)

Key takeaways:

• Detach mind from matter.
• Attach mind to the Lord without any material motives.
• Surrender to the Lord completely.

What is the result of doing above?

• The subtle body is dissolved without separate endeavor (Verse 33)
• Such a devotee, who is unflinchingly engaged, always glorifies My pastimes and activities. (Verse 34)
• They rejoice in seeing the smiling face of the Lord (Verse 35)
• The senses are freed from all other engagements, and he becomes absorbed in devotional service. Thus in spite of his unwillingness, he attains liberation without separate endeavor. (Verse 36)
• The devotee enjoys, even in this life, all the offered benedictions. (Verse 37)
• The Lord takes him to the other side of birth and death. (Verse 39-40)
• Thus they become eligible to enter into the kingdom of Godhead without fear. (Verse 43)

In conclusion, devotees whose minds are fixed on the Lord and engage in the intensive practice of devotional service attain the final perfection of life.

As Krsna repeated twice in BG (9.34 and 18.65),

“Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, become My devotee, offer obeisances to Me and worship Me. Being completely absorbed in Me, surely you will come to Me.”

Concentration of the mind on the form of Kṛṣṇa constitutes the most confidential part of knowledge.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Hare Krsna,

SB 3.25.43: The yogīs, equipped with transcendental knowledge and renunciation and engaged in devotional service for their eternal benefit, take shelter of My lotus feet, and since I am the Lord, they are thus eligible to enter into the kingdom of Godhead without fear.

SB 1.2.7: By rendering devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, one immediately acquires causeless knowledge and detachment from the world.

The principles of knowledge and renunciation (jnana and vairagya) are two important factors on the path of transcendental knowledge. Real knowledge about the Absolute Truth including our relationship with the Supreme Lord leads to true renunciation. On the other hand, renunciation without proper knowledge is incomplete and incorrect. Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu (2.255-256) cites two verses related to proper and improper renunciation.

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

Therefore, it is important that we develop right knowledge about Krsna. With perfect knowledge about matter and spirit, one can become detached from material affection and become attached to spiritual activities. I really liked what Srila Prabhupada said in his lecture, “One cannot be bhakti-yogī without jnāna and vairāgya. It is not a sentimental thing; it is based on pure knowledge. What is that pure knowledge? Pure knowledge means “I do not belong to this material world. I am spirit soul. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. Therefore my business is to serve the Supreme Brahman, or Para-brahman.”

Only full knowledge about Krsna will lead to complete surrender unto Him. As knowledge about bhakti-yoga gradually increases, to that extent renunciation will also develop in our hearts. We will then be able to become more attached to Krsna and more detached from matter. We will have a burning desire to give up everything material and non-favorable, and earnestly desire to engage in bhakti-yoga.

In Mumbai, there is a big slum called Dharavi. It is considered to be one of Asia’s biggest slum. In contrast, Mumbai is also known to be the richest city in India. It is the financial capital of India (just like New York City). Skyscrapers and slums are located side by side. The domestic helps for people living in the affluent neighborhood come from the nearby slums. Let us assume that a domestic help living in the slum works in a rich home every day. Due to his upbringing in the slum, he identifies with his environment. He has to struggle for his daily existence. There is no proper education, healthcare, sanitation, etc. for him. On the other hand, the children of the rich family are very well-off. They are happy and live in material comfort. The slum person does not identify with the rich family because he has no connection with them. He just goes there for his livelihood. But imagine he gets to know one day that he was actually rich in some lifetime and used to live in affluent Mumbai but fell down to “slum live” due to his bad karma. As soon as he comes to this knowledge, he will understand that it is possible for him to regain his previous high status of life. It will give him a whole new perspective of life. He will eventually understand that he does not belong to the slums after all. He is meant to be a rich and happy resident of rich Mumbai. This means with proper knowledge, he will develop detachment from the poor slum life. With proper practice and knowledge, he will be able to regain his original life again.

Bhakti yoga gives us a similar knowledge about the spiritual world and detachment from the material world (the so-called ‘slums’ of Lord’s creation). As soon as we know who Krsna is, who we are, what is our relationship with the Lord, what is our duty towards the Lord, we naturally become detached from material activities. This is called vairagya. Our relationship with Krsna is eternal (Nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti sādhya kabhu naya). Since we are eternally related to Him, it makes sense that we surrender unto Him completely. Anything else would be a bad bargain. Bhakti yoga is the supermost occupation of the human being (sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo,  yato bhaktir adhokṣaje – SB 1.2.6)

“As soon as you engage yourself in devotional service of Vāsudeva under the direction of śāstra and spiritual master, then janayaty āśu vairāgyam. And you are practically experiencing that since you have come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement you have no more interest material activities. No more interest. That is vairāgya. You are simply meant for service of Kṛṣṇa. That is jnāna. In this way, if you want actually to be fearless and enter into the spiritual life, or spiritual kingdom, back to home, back to Godhead, then you have to accept this bhakti-yoga process, and it is very easy, and then you become fearless, and your life is successful.” (Srila Prabhupada lecture on SB 3.25.43)

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Hare Krsna,

The preceding verses leading to SB 3.25.42 repeatedly teach us unto whom and why we should surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna. In BG 18.66, Krsna declares that one must give up all so-called religions and just surrender unto Him. He will deliver us from everything and there is no cause for fear. In Bhagavad Gita, five subject matters are discussed. First of all, the science of God (ishvara or Bhagavan) is explained, and then the constitutional position of the living entities, jīvas. Prakṛti (material nature), time (the duration of existence of the whole universe or the manifestation of material nature) and karma (activity) are also discussed. Out of these five basic subject matters in Bhagavad-gita it is established that the Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme controller and everything else (jiva, time, material nature and karma) are controlled by Him. Lord Kṛṣṇa says, mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram: “This material nature is working under My direction.” (BG 9.10) Therefore Krsna’s final instruction to Arjuna is that everyone should wholeheartedly surrender unto Him.

Similarly in the verses (3.25.32-42), we see how surrendering to Krsna gradually frees conditioned living entities from gross and subtle bodies simply as an outcome of bhakti yoga. No separate endeavor such as karma and jnana are needed. Just as in BG 18.66, Krsna advises to give up all other types of religion, similarly in these verses Lord Kapiladeva is teaching us that one should give up all material desires such as elevation to heavenly planets, achieving the perfections obtained from mystic yoga, or trying to become happy in this world with wealth, children, cattle, home or anything in relationship with the body. Our desire should be to free ourselves from the repeated cycle of birth and death by engaging in pure devotional service. Only a freed person can free a chained person. A person who is in prison cannot free himself. People who are outside the prison (such as the lawyers, family members, government authorities, etc.) can free the inmate. Similarly, only the Supreme Lord is competent to deliver everything because He is eternal, transcendental, supreme controller, and one who never comes under the influence of material energy. Therefore, Lord Kapiladeva declares that the terrible fear of birth and death can never be forsaken by anyone who resorts to any shelter other than the Supreme Lord. The so-called external material cause is only a facade. Behind this cause is a greater cause and that is the Supreme Lord who is the cause of all causes (sarva karana Karanam).

“It is because of My supremacy that the wind blows, out of fear of Me; the sun shines out of fear of Me, and the lord of the clouds, Indra, sends forth showers out of fear of Me. Fire burns out of fear of Me, and death goes about taking its toll out of fear of Me.” (SB 3.25.42)

One should not think that he/she is equal to Kṛṣṇa, nor should he think that Kṛṣṇa is an ordinary personality or even a very great personality. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Arjuna himself declares this in Bhagavad Gita 10.12-14:

“Arjuna said: You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the ultimate abode, the purest, the Absolute Truth. You are the eternal, transcendental, original person, the unborn, the greatest. All the great sages such as Nārada, Asita, Devala and Vyāsa confirm this truth about You, and now You Yourself are declaring it to me. O Kṛṣṇa, I totally accept as truth all that You have told me. Neither the demigods nor the demons, O Lord, can understand Your personality.”

The purpose of Lord Krsna’s instructions in BG and Lord Kapiladeva’s instructions in this chapter is to deliver mankind from the nescience of material existence. Every man is in difficulty in so many ways, as Arjuna also was in difficulty in having to fight the Battle of Kurukṣetra. Not only Arjuna, but every one of us is full of anxieties because of this material existence. Our very existence is in the atmosphere of nonexistence. Actually, we are not meant to be threatened by nonexistence. Our existence is eternal. But somehow or other we are put into asat – something that is temporary, miserable and non-eternal.

In Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on all these verses, we see a sense of urgency. He wants us to understand that we are eternally related to Krsna and we are not meant to struggle in this world. Our real eternal friend is Krsna; our only engagement should be devotional service, and our goal should be to get out of this material world of suffering and go back to our eternal home to serve and live blissfully with Krsna. The so-called material comfort is this world is all an illusion.

“So we must have sense and take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead to save ourself from this material condition of life, repetition of birth, death, old age and disease. And if you think, when Kṛṣṇa says that “You surrender unto Me. I will give you protection… Just surrender to Kṛṣṇa and execute Kṛṣṇa’s service, what Kṛṣṇa says. Do that; you will be saved. You will be saved from these clutches of māyā, repetition of birth and death. Even if you fall down, if you do not be able to execute devotional service fully, still, you will get next chance as a human being.” (Srila Prabhupada lecture on SB 3.25.42)

As quite a few of the devotees mentioned in the review lesson this morning, the process of surrender to Krsna is very simple. We just have to engage in sankirtana-yajna as this is the recommended sacrifice for the most intelligent (yajanti hi su-medhasa).

“So it is very easy, saṅkīrtana-yajña. You sit down familywise, all the family members. If you perform saṅkīrtana, Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, with the clapping of hands, that is saṅkīrtana-yajña, very easy to perform. But people will not do that. Instead of performing saṅkīrtana-yajña in the evening to become free from all fears of life, they will go to the restaurant, to the cinema and other places, talking unnecessarily in clubs, societies, waste their time. This is going on. This is modern education. This is modern civilization. They are not aware of the tīvraṁ bhayam, the most fierceful situation of birth, death, old age and disease. This is the opportunity, the human life, how to get out of it. The means are there.” (Srila Prabhupada lecture on SB 3.25.42)

We should have only one burning desire. That is, “I must go back to Godhead in this very lifetime. I do not want to come back to this material world again. It is now or never.” Every morning we should wake up with this meditation and every night we should sleep with this meditation.

Thank you, Srila Prabhupada, for opening our darkened eyes with the torch of knowledge.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!