Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.15.27 Pradyumna: Translation: “Now I am attracted to those instructions imparted to me by the Personality of Godhead [Govinda] because they are impregnated with instructions for relieving the burning heart in all circumstances of time and space.” Prabhupada: Go on reading the purport. Pradyumna: “Herein Arjuna refers to the instruction of the Bhagavad-gita, which was imparted to him by the Lord in the Battlefield of Kuruksetra. The Lord left behind Him the instructions of the Bhagavad-gita not only for the benefit of Arjuna alone, but also for all times in all lands. The Bhagavad-gita, being spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the essence of all Vedic wisdom. It is nicely presented by the Lord Himself for all who have very little time to go through the vast Vedic literatures, like the Upanisads, Puranas and Vedanta-sutras. It is put within the study of the great historical epic Mahabharata, which was especially prepared for the less intelligent class, namely the women, the laborers, and those who are worthless descendants of the brahmanas, ksatriyas and the higher sections of the vaisyas. The problem which arose in the heart of Arjuna on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra was solved by the teachings of the Bhagavad-gita. Again, after the departure of the Lord from the vision of earthly people, when Arjuna was face-to-face with being vanquished in his great acquired power and prominence, he wanted again to remember the great teachings of the Bhagavad-gita just to teach all concerned that the Bhagavad-gita could be consulted in all critical times, not only for solace from all kinds of mental agonies, but also for the way out of the great entanglements which may embarrass one in some critical hour. The merciful Lord left behind Him the great teachings of the Bhagavad-gita so that one can take the instructions of the Lord even when He is not visible to material eyesight. Material senses cannot have any estimation of the Supreme Lord, but by His inconceivable power, the Lord can incarnate Himself to the sense perception of the conditioned souls in a suitable manner through the agency of matter, which is also another form of the Lord’s manifested energy.” Prabhupada: Just like we have no knowledge of Krsna, conditioned soul. Therefore for our understanding, He is so merciful, He descends as arca-murti. This Deity which we are worshiping, that is called arcavatara, incarnation of arca. He’s accepting our worship, our prayer, our everything. He has descended just suitable for our handling. That is His mercy. Therefore we should not consider that this arca Krsna is made of stone, as atheists will say, that “These foolish persons are worshiping… Heathens, they are worshiping.” No, we are not worshiping stone. We are worshiping Krsna. But that they do not know. Krsna has appeared before us. Because at the present moment, we cannot see except stone and wood, therefore, suitable for our vision, He has appear in such a way. Otherwise how we can appreciate? Here… They are searching after what is God, but here is God. Here is God. Therefore in the sastra it is forbidden, arca, arcye visnau sila-dhir gurusu nara-matir vaisnave jati-buddhih. It is forbidden that when you worship Deity, you should not think that it is made of wood or stone or something else material. No. What is this material? Material is… Matter means energy of Krsna. Just like the sunshine, or like the illumination of this light. It is the energy of this lamp. So it is not different. Similarly, as Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, bhumir apo ’nalo vayuh, this earth, water, air, fire, anything material, that is expansion of His energy. So He can accept your service through His energy. That is His omnipotency. That is called omnipotent. You cannot do anything of your personal affairs with your energy, but… You can sometimes do. Suppose if you have got money. Even being present on the spot, by spending money you can get the things done. The money will act for you. Similarly, Krsna being omnipotent, He can take your service through His agency, through His potency. And potency means sakti. Sakti-saktimator abhedah. Krsna and His potency is not different. So Krsna by His causeless mercy, He has appeared before you in a manner by which you can touch Him, you can handle Him, you can dress Him, you can give Him. This is Krsna’s mercy. It is not idol worship. Therefore it is forbidden. Don’t think it is idol. Go on. Pradyumna: “Thus the Bhagavad-gita or any authentic scriptural sound representation of the Lord is also the incarnation of the Lord. There is no difference between the sound representation of the Lord and the Lord Himself. One can derive the same benefit from the Bhagavad-gita as Arjuna did in the personal presence of the Lord.” Prabhupada: You can derive the same benefit as Arjuna by reading Bhagavad-gita. People say that Arjuna was enlightened because Krsna was present before Him. But Krsna is present before you also, by His words, by His sound representation. Just like Hare Krsna mantra, Krsna’s name, it is not different from Krsna. Nama, abhinnatvan nama-naminoh. Nami… Here in the material world the name and the person whose name, that is different because it is material. If you want water, this water substance or water is different from the name water. You cannot quench your thirst simply by chanting “Water, water.” That is not possible. Because it is material. But you can realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead by chanting Hare Krsna mantra. That is the significance of spiritual and material. Otherwise, how people are satisfied simply by chanting Hare Krsna mantra? Let him chant some other name, material. No. You cannot chant more than three times. Then you will feel tired. But you can go on chanting Hare Krsna maha-mantra for hundreds and millions of years. It will, still you will not feel tired. That is the difference. Therefore His name and He is not different. Abhinnatva. nama cintamanih krsnas caitanya-rasa-vigrahah purnah suddho nitya-mukto ’bhinnatvan nama-naminoh This is the shastric injunction, Nama, the holy name of Krsna, is abhinna, nondifferent from Krsna. Nama cintama… Purnah suddhah, full, complete. Not that little less, no. Full. Purnah suddhah. And uncontaminated. Just like Krsna is uncontaminated, similarly, His name is also uncontaminated. Purnah suddho nitya. Eternal. As Krsna is eternal, name is also eternal. Purnah suddho nitya-mukto ’bhinnatvat. Because they are not different one with another, so the most important word is desa-kalartha-yuktani. Desa, time and space. Bhagavad-gita is… Because nondifferent from Krsna. As Krsna is everywhere, similarly, Bhagavad-gita can be appreciated in every country, every season, every circumstances. That is desa-kalartha-yuktani. Then hrt-tapa upasamani ca. Hrt-tapa. There is a hrt-tapa. Hrt means heart, and tapa means… Real meaning is temperature, or temperature rooted. Just like agni-tapa. Agni. Agni means fire, and tapa, it has got temperature. So to a certain degree you can tolerate. But when the degree… Just like in India we have got temperature in summer season 120 degrees. Here, just like in your country, the temperature is less. In other country… The temperature in, I mean, the Middle East, the temperature is 135 degrees, Arabian countries. So there are three tapas, three kinds of miserable condition, this material world. That also can be taken, tapa. Tapa means suffering, excessive heat and cold. That is called tapa. So hrt-tapopasamani ca. The teachings of Bhagavad-gita… We are suffering always within the heart. As Narottama dasa Thakura says, that visaya visanale, diva-nisi hiya jvale. Visaya. Visaya means this material enjoyment. So it is just like poison. The more we are entangled in material enjoyment… There is no enjoyment. It is suffering. But we are taking suffering as enjoyment. Just like in this winter season, we cover ourself very nicely with gloves, with overcoat. It is simply counteracting the suffering. But a man who has got a nice overcoat and gloves, he is thinking he is enjoying. This is maya. He forgets that he is simply trying to counteract the suffering. Actually, he is suffering. But having a nice coat or nice place, he is thinking that he is enjoying. That is foolishness. That is called maya. There is no enjoyment in this material world. Simply we are trying to counteract the suffering. This counteraction of suffering, we are accepting as enjoyment. So this material world means you must suffer. That is the position of the material world. Otherwise why you have come to material world? Just like in the prison life, how you can expect enjoyment there? But a man… Suppose a big politician is put into the jail and he is given a very nice, comfortable bungalow and everything, but he is in the jail. But he is thinking that “I am enjoying.” He forgets that he is in the jail. He is in the jail. That is called ignorance, maya. He is suffering and he is accepting. Just like the pig. He is eating stool, but he is thinking he is enjoying. This is going on. So hrt-tapa. In this, I mean to say, ocean of suffering, visaya visanale, diva-nisi, the more we want to enjoy, the more sufferings enter. More suffering. You can understand. Just now we got this car, horseless car. But now there is a problem. They are thinking, “If there is no petrol available, then what will happen?” So this is material existence. Visaya visanale, diva-nisi… Anxiety. That anxiety is suffering, “What will happen? What will happen?” That is material existence. Sada samudvigna-dhiya. Always full of anxiety. This is material life. So Narottama dasa Thakura says that visaya visanale, diva-nisi hiya jvale: “The heart is burning on account of this material existence.” Juraite na kainu upaya. “But I did not try to find out the means by which I can get out of this.” Golokera prema-dhana, hari-nama-sankirtana, rati na janmila kena taya. The medicine is this Hari, Krsna, Krsna’s teachings, Krsna’s name, Krsna’s glorification. That is the real medicine. But we have no attraction for these things. We are simply trying to counteract the suffering, and we are accepting this counteraction as enjoying. Bhagavad-gita: haranti smaratas cittam. So actually, if we want to enjoy life, then we should take the instruction of Bhagavad-gita, Krsna. We shall chant Hare Krsna mantra. That will give us relief from the blazing fire. Samsara-davanala-lidha-loka-tranaya karunya-ghanaghanatvam **. This is the only way. Otherwise… So when Arjuna was too much perturbed by absence of Krsna, he was simply remembering the instruction of Krsna which he received in the Battle of Kuruksetra. Thank you very much. (end)
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Los Angeles, December 5, 1973