Bhagavad-gītā for Everyone

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Сообщение Jayanti » 20 дек 2020, 17:43

TEXT 13

Deluded by the three modes [goodness, passion and ignorance], the whole world does not know Me who am above the modes and inexhaustible.

PURPORT

Under the influence of material qualities, people cannot understand that God has form. Any material quality and any material form indicates limitation, therefore people cannot understand how spiritual form and spiritual qualities can be unlimited. For the materialist, infinity means the absence of form and qualities, so they think that God should be impersonal. Primitive materialists by the simplicity of their soul accept that God can have a form and worship Him in the temple, more reasonable people doubt the existence of God as a person, but both of them know almost nothing about Him. Worship some deity, icon, saint or guru without developing spiritual knowledge is not developed religiosity and it always will be filled with prejudices.

Some materialists believe that by visiting a temple or worshipping the Deity at home, they are engaged in sacred activities, but without developing understanding, all this is just a form of cult. Other materialists study the scripture and make some kind of scheme out of it without practically realizing either Brahman or the greatness of God. This is higher than the primitive cult of deities and the cult of nominal gurus, however, this approach is also a form of religious ignorance. In passion, people want to extract from religion prosperity, money, honor, and recognition; in goodness, people are interested in aspects of spiritual life. By getting rid of gross materialistic goals, a person can take an interest in the scripture, but by developing God consciousness and preaching, a devotee can rise even higher. Without correct preaching, spiritual development in this age is virtually impossible, since sādhana, pāñcarātrika, and mechanistic chanting are ineffective themselves. Deceivers and lazy materialists say that any service is absolute, but the scripture indicates that temple worship and similar processes are not the main methods of spiritual development in the age of Kali. If any method in a particular application were absolute, then the scripture would not give a gradation of methods and would not indicate priorities.

Materialistic scammers do not want to develop knowledge and preach; they want to live for their own sake, their work, family, sometimes having fun in temple programs and pilgrimages. In the best case, they are ready to chant the mantra, while the rest of the time do their meaningless activities. Therefore none of them are even realize Brahman, let alone God. The main holy name in this age is the books of Śrīla Prabhupāda, because one can sing and chant the mantra for any purposes and in any consciousness. Lord Caitanya's order is to preach, and not only chant at home or sing in the streets. True devotion and love always leads to understanding, intelligence, also understanding, knowledge purifies devotion. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvati Ṭhākura pointed out that the main chanting in this age is the publication and distribution of books. This instruction of the ācārya is the main one for the remaining 400 thousand years of the age of Kali.

TEXT 14

This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.

PURPORT

God says here that the material energy is divine. Material energy is the same Brahman, but in a specific form that hide God from the soul. Since this energy is created by God, it is very difficult to overcome it. The matter in this sense is created perfectly, therefore it is impossible to get out from under its cover only by one's own efforts.

Material universes are gigantic in size, closed by huge shells. Universes are complicatly arranged and modern mechanistic science will not be able to find even approximately where the edge of the universe is. They can fly the rockets for millions of years, but never get close to the edge, because space has a non-linear structure. Nevertheless, the composition of shells and the structure of universes can be analyzed, considered analytically. By studying the process of creation, a person can fully understand all its laws and its structure on things accessible to human perception. Since the world is created by intelligence, it is available both for analysis by the intelligence and for direct perception.

Understanding the grandeur of creation also refers to realizing the greatness of God. Sometimes people accept the entire totality of universe as God, this approach is quite suitable as a preliminary. If it is difficult for a person to think of God as a person, then one can think of His universal form or His impersonal aspect. Ordinary people, karmīs, often easily accept the idea of a personal God, out of simplicity of heart. Such simplicity is not always good, but this category of believers is the most extensive. It is more difficult for more intelligent people to accept God as a Person, but this class of people, gradually realizing God, is more fruitful. Nevertheless, accepted God by the simplicity of the soul, a person can receive liberation if he develops consistently. In the age of Kali, those who accept God out of simplicity of heart are the main type of the faithful.

TEXT 15

Those miscreants who are grossly foolish, lowest among mankind, whose knowledge is stolen by illusion, and who partake of the atheistic nature of demons, do not surrender unto Me.

PURPORT

God lists four categories of people who do not want to accept Him. These are workers who live sinfully for their own sake; then those who do not follow any religious culture; then those who have a high education, but consider God an ordinary human; and the latter there are asuras, atheists, or those who are under the influence of atheists who fundamentally do not recognize God. Sometimes the Māyāvādīs are among these asuras.

Sometimes devotees think they will be able to preach widely by cooperating with all sorts of great materialists, influential people, but more often such undertakings are doubtful or require good qualifications. Also, devotees should not accept donations from sinful activities and even less they should earn money on something sinful. In general, the topic of money is a special topic. We see that most spiritual leaders degrade precisely because of money. Therefore, those who want spiritual well-being should avoid spend religious money for personal goals. Śrīla Prabhupāda had a lot of money, but as a sannyāsī, a monk, He refused to give money even to his own son, because He never considered this money his own. Anyone who behaves differently will fall, and later they will have to answer for everything.

TEXT 16

O best among the Bhāratas [Arjuna], four kinds of pious men render devotional service unto Me—the distressed, the desirer of wealth, the inquisitive, and he who is searching for knowledge of the Absolute.

PURPORT

Those who are in distress often turn to God. This is the lowest type of believers - as they say, "If the thunder isn't roaring, the peasant won't cross himself." Unfortunately, such believers who come to God, either fleeing from troubles or seeking well-being, are the majority, which indicates a low religious culture of society. Sometimes misfortune can really direct a person to spiritual practice, uplift, turn his whole life in a positive direction, however, this option can hardly be accepted as ideal. One way or another, misfortune and punishment are intended to “shake up” a person to spiritual life. Those who are devoted only in distress or thirst for wealth are materialistic and unstable. Having received what they want, they usually give up spiritual practice.

We tell anyone who comes for help to start study the scripture and chant the holy name regularly. It is impossible to help a person who doesn’t help himself. Such people often come to throw off the burden of their bad fate and then again go on to do what has led them to a dead end. Therefore, we do not help such people much, except for the advice to study the scriptures and chant the holy name. If the person is constant in following this advice, then some further help is possible. As for a social assistance, it is necessary to develop state structures by preaching to them, but not to make a hospital or some kind of shelter out of the church.

Roughly the same applies to the curious people, but the curious ones are higher than the lovers of wealth and personal well-being, because they are more pure in their motives and steadfast in striving for spiritual life. Of course, a person can rise from any category and attain a transcendental position, nevertheless spiritual practice requires constant efforts, so our attention is mainly direct to those who are incline to show this kind of constancy.

Those who are thoroughly disillusioned with material life begin to search for the Absolute Truth; their position is stable and external material vicissitudes no longer affect them too much. Often such people tend to impersonalism, but they can be helped to comprehend God mainly by real, not theoretical knowledge, since they can clearly distinguish materialism, including in religious forms.
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Сообщение Jayanti » 20 дек 2020, 19:40

TEXT 17

Of these, the wise one who is in full knowledge in union with Me through pure devotional service is the best. For I am very dear to him, and he is dear to Me.

PURPORT

The search for truth and the acquisition of truth make a person stable. Materialists outside of religion and within religion are concerned about the same thing - their miserable well-being. Such narrowness of life goals is an unconditional obstacle in spiritual life, and such desires prevent them from becoming more deeply aware of devotional service. So, the best ones are those who seek the truth and who are mostly free from material motives; they are also able to carry the truth to others, in pure devotional service to God (in preaching). Of course, gradually they become dear to God, as well as He to them.

The path of spiritual life is long in any case. It is long as ordeal, it is long as happiness. Those who want to got something personally for themselves, rob themselves of it; and for those who are intelligent and unselfish, God gives and reveals a lot. Loving God with all your heart means getting rid of selfish motives; the same is said in the first commandment of the Bible: "with all thy heart, with all thy mind."

TEXT 18

All these devotees are undoubtedly magnanimous souls, but he who is situated in knowledge of Me I consider verily to dwell in Me. Being engaged in My transcendental service, he attains Me.

PURPORT

All faithful are dear to God, but those who have knowledge of God and who have realized Him are in the highest position. Such realizing does not necessary mean a vision of God, since God is absolute. Even without seeing God, a person can have a strong connection with Him.

Kṛṣṇa is the most cherished goal. It is cherished because it fulfills all desires, and first of all, not even the desires for spiritual wealth and perfection, but the desire for continuous love. When we find the true love object - God - this makes us happy, but His love makes our happiness all-encompassing. The perception of His qualities enters the heart and fills it completely, He is the source of all tastes, all shades, and all happiness. Such is God, such is the Absolute Truth who encompasses infinity, greatness, and the closest relationships. Kṛṣṇa says that a devotee dwells in Him, which means that He raises the soul to the same level with Him in personal relationship or gives the soul the authority to preach in the material world. He is ready to bless anyone in this way, but a person should strive for this by showing all his intelligence and gradually learning to give all his feelings.

TEXT 19

After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare.

PURPORT of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda:

The living entity, while executing devotional service or transcendental rituals after many, many births, may actually become situated in transcendental pure knowledge that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the ultimate goal of spiritual realization. In the beginning of spiritual realization, while one is trying to give up one's attachment to materialism, there is some leaning towards impersonalism, but when one is further advanced he can understand that there are activities in the spiritual life and that these activities constitute devotional service. Realizing this, he becomes attached to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and surrenders to Him. At such a time one can understand that Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa's mercy is everything, that He is the cause of all causes and that this material manifestation is not independant from Him. He realizes the material world to be a perverted reflection of spiritual variegatedness and realizes that in everything there is a relationship with the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa. Thus he thinks of everything in relation to Vāsudeva, or Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Such a universal vision of Vāsudeva precipitates one's full surrender to the Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa as the highest goal. Such surrendered great souls are very rare.

This verse is very nicely explained in the Third Chapter of Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad: "In this body there are powers of speaking, of seeing, of hearing, of mental activities, etc. But these are not important if not related to the Supreme Lord. And because Vāsudeva is all-pervading and everything is Vāsudeva, the devotee surrenders in full knowledge." (Cf. Bhagavad-gītā 7.17 and 11.40)

PURPORT
As a rule, one has to go through many lifetimes of devotional service to rise to a high level. However, one can achieve perfection faster if he follows the instructions of the perfect person, Bhaktivedanta Swami. It is not necessary to have any personal initiation from Him, only following is important. In the spiritual life, the essence is always important; when one follows, really learns the essence, one will develop.

Here, Kṛṣṇa says that only few people know that He is God and that He is behind everything. Kṛṣṇa says: "he who is actually in knowledge", because devotees may have theoretical knowledge that they have not realized in practice yet. People accept Him as God most often under the influence of preaching. They accept the spiritual process, but at first they do not understand that Krishna is God. Even among those who are liberated, there is a great gradation in the degree of God realization, and even they, being in the material world, can fall down. Only one who has perfect knowledge does not fall down under any circumstances, because he sees all the processes of this world in connection with God. A fall down does not always mean that a person violates principles or something like that; a fall down is basically a distortion of philosophy, a distortion of the understanding of God.

Neophytes want to do everything right, but at first they do not understand whether the process is true or not, so it takes time for them to realize the main aspects of spiritual life. Theoretical knowledge is important and necessary, but here God says about a real realization of Him, which we should all strive for. Such an experience takes time and even liberated souls still continue to improve in that, because God is inexhaustible.

TEXT 20

Those whose minds are distorted by material desires surrender unto demigods and follow the particular rules and regulations of worship according to their own natures.

PURPORT

The point is real religiosity does not carry material wealth and sensual life, but rather the opposite. Therefore, in search of wealth and prosperity, people can turn to the demigods or serve the powerful of this world. Wealth and material possessions bind a person, therefore the ideal position is the lack of property (sannyāsa); nevertheless, for most people for many reasons, there is no special need to try to take this position, it is better to stay where we are, outwardly living an ordinary life. Sometimes renounced people own a big money for preaching purposes, which means that they use everything for preaching, for God. If a priest or guru uses the preaching money for himself, he will degrade. In this case, in order to minimize the consequences, it is better for him to get rid of the money by transferring it under the control of others who will definitely use it for God.

All who have religious authority have a special responsibility before God, and the things that can be forgiven to ordinary people may not be forgiven to them. A wealthy merchant may live luxurious, yet be pious and devoting himself to God enough, so in the end he may go back to Godhead. A minister of religion or guru may be seriously punished for using the money of a spiritual society, donations, using the image of society, the names of saints and ācāryas to earn money, or taking extra money from distributing books. Why? Because it is a special property of God and because by such activities such an “authority” creates obstacles for many people for spiritual life.

Those who are in religious positions better should not look at materialists way of life, because priests or gurus have much higher requirements and their responsibilities are greater. This applies to the priests of all churches, to all spiritual teachers - all of them should live modestly, they should not have expensive things even if they have money. If a priest or guru are presented with an expensive car or other thing, this does not mean that he has the right to use it. A priest or guru represents God, so this is a gift for God and not for a priest; a car, for example, can be sold and the money spent on preaching. All property of the clergy should be modest; a low level of cost for all things, food, clothing, all their property should be accepted voluntarily. This is just good advice; they need to understand: if they do not do it themselves, they may simply be punished either in this life or later.

So, even authoritative Vedic or religious regulations concerning the building of material life can become a stumbling block in spiritual life, therefore Kṛṣṇa speaks of such materially disturbed people as unintelligent.
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Сообщение Jayanti » 26 дек 2020, 23:21

TEXT 21

I am in everyone's heart as the Supersoul. As soon as one desires to worship the demigods, I make his faith steady so that he can devote himself to some particular deity.

PURPORT

The sanction of God is necessary for everything that a person wants. The Supersoul basically allows people to do whatever they want, because that is the purpose of creating the material world and material life. When a person wants to commit some sinful act, the Supersoul tells him from within, "Don't do it." One feels unpleasant sensations, a warning, but if he insists, the Supersoul says, "Okay, do it your way." However, He attaches this sin to the person, and later he will receive the same action in relation to himself.

People do not have any ability, even theoretical, to track all the interweaving of actions and their consequences. Only God with His infinite abilities is able to maintain this entire system in perfect order. We see practically that even during one life a person can receive some of reactions back; whole society and each person individually want justice, since this is the highest law of the universe. People living in sin degrade before our very eyes, and with age their sinfulness is more and more clearly visible even in their appearance. The instructions of the scripture are for the benefit of people, it is in our own interest to follow them.

Whatever a person wants, he receives the support of God from within if his desire is strong. One person wants to be a businessman and make a lot of money, another person wants to be an artist and become famous, so they use the energy of the soul or get the support of the Supersoul and feel enthusiastic about their activities. All souls come here into the matter for personal dominion. God creates a variety of bodies and activities and souls are immersed in all of that. Basically, such activities are meaningless and unfavorable, but if souls want, God gives them all the possibilities.

The same applies to various ideas and philosophies: whatever a person conceives and imagines, he feels enthusiasm. People write dozens and hundreds of philosophies, inventions and they are very pleased with themselves - all this is a mixture of soul energy and false ego. Whoever a person wants to become - an astronaut, an athlete, an inventor, or a philosopher - he feels enthusiasm. Whatever stupid philosophy a person comes up with, he believes that he is great and learned. Each person professes some kind of philosophy and everyone is confident he is right and his beliefs are true. Whatever people want and do, whatever they think up, everyone and everybody considers themselves wonderful and great - such is the influence of illusion.

It is the same within religion: whoever a person worships, he considers this variant to be the best. Confessing any religious idea, everyone believes that there is no better idea or deity in the world - all this is a form of stupidity. Therefore, without the development of objectivity within oneself and without a scientific approach in religion, no one can understand God or Truth. The Absolute Truth is multifaceted. It is not primitive, it is refined, exquisite, beautiful, and it is impossible to understand it in flat schemes. It is necessary to study the scripture and simultaneously preach from person to person; in fact, this is the only way and method to gradually ascend. The holy name in present age is the books of Śrīla Prabhupāda and preaching on them, because one can chant mantra with any ideas, desires, and offenses. Books and preaching may not help either if a person is inclined to cheat, but in the books it is written in black and white what is the truth, and those who are honest at least with themselves can gradually realize God.

Therefore, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvati Ṭhākura said to write books and distribute books, because in the age of Kali, the holy name, church, spiritual society, guru, pure devotion, association with true devotees, and all kinds of rasas are mainly contained in books. In previous times, knowledge was transmitted physically by the spiritual master, but in this age of Kali, knowledge is transmitted in the form of books because most of the teachers are materialists themselves. It would be wrong to deny the importance of the physical presence of a guru, but only books and personal spiritual practice can be the criterion of truth, but not materialists who call themselves spiritual teachers and lead people away from the path of pure devotion.

TEXT 22

Endowed with such a faith, he seeks favors of a particular demigod and obtains his desires. But in actuality these benefits are bestowed by Me alone.

PURPORT

The whole world is given us to use by God, nevertheless it is better to turn our attention to Him Himself. The whole Vedic system is arranged in such a way that one comes from the worship of demigods to the worship God. However, often people simply do the cult of a demigod or demigods without coming to God. People worship demigods (or do some work, create new ideas, serve the powerful of the world), because demigods can fulfill their desires that are unfavorable in the highest sense. The demigods, in fact, are technical employees who oversee the functioning of the material world; they do not care what the fulfillment of one's desires leads one, so they can fulfill any desire regardless of the consequences.

And God does not fulfill desires that may harm a person, so worship of God, as a rule, reduces the level of human domination and the level of his material property. Real devotees, real priests are usually live not rich. It may be argued that there are many rich priests or gurus, but the term "Gentiles" should be applied exactly to them. It does not matter what religion they are in and what God they pray to - they are the Gentiles described in the Bible, since their goal is mammon, not God.

God generally does not fulfill material desires because almost all of them are unfavorable. God can give any money, but in most cases people begin to use it for personal purposes and degrade. Therefore, wealth and spiritual life are almost never combined, there is no need to deceive anyone saying that this is not so. "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." Practice shows that rich people, as a rule, are not interested in spiritual life. Generally, money takes a lot of time and energy. And secondly, such people, as a rule, consider themselves an elite, therefore, have come to religion, they behave in accordance with this idea of ​​themselves, which is an obstacle to spiritual life.

Rich, famous people are too preoccupied with themselves or their careers, and qualification is needed to properly spend money or use their glory for God. Most rich people don't really need wealth growth, but rather help in how to properly use all the excess. However, fools are not going to get rid of excess by wasting their lives on meaningless things. A rich and famous person values ​​himself very much, and such people always want to keep everything in their hands, control everything. Of course, preaching to such people still has some priority, since famous people can have an impact on masses of people, nevertheless, they should not be overestimated.

The preaching to the powerful by ordinary believers from the denomination is often meaningless, because people from the upper strata know how richly the leaders of the churches live; when some neophyte from such a church or spiritual society tries to tell them about God, about selflessness or spiritual reforms of the state, they look at him with regret as a victim of his "pastors" and "gurus" whom he glorifies. All rich people both from the church and out of the church form a certain social stratum which includes businessmen, politicians, stars, and others. Mostly only experienced devotees who are not really interested in money or fame can preach to them.

Although some experience of fame or money is not always bad, but for those who are inclined to improve their material well-being, it is better not to get involved in such things because they can ruin their life. Only spiritually strong leaders, real brāhmaṇas or great kings can handle a lot of money or fame. Everyone else will break on this, it will consume them. A person who has a lot of money and power is already sinful by virtue of having these things. The same applies to spiritual leaders who use money and power to their advantage. There is still such a thing that both money and power are not static. A person who thinks he can have a lot of money and power and combine this with spiritual life does not understand that these things will pulled him like a straw into the vortex. This world is already completely divided, there is not a single sphere that is not controlled. There is always a fierce struggle for big money, power, fame and no one will spare anyone. A devotee can be appreciated only for spiritual strength, intelligence, and selflessness, but if materialists see him as a competitor or equal to himself, he will be crushed even faster than ordinary rivals, for insulting religion among other things.

Money, power, and fame are always dangerous things; they are dangerous for both materialists and devotees. Of course, a church or religious people can also have wealth, but qualification is needed to manage them without contaminating and also bring benefit to the world. Money, power, fame, and women are a fire in which almost anyone will burn, except those who have realized themselves. Only a person who is hopelessly stupid or a completely naive young man can dream about it. Also, no śūdra or vaiśya can use the power and flow of wealth - they are stuck in it. Only a holy king like the great Solomon whose glory shines through the millennia, can glorify God using power, fame, wealth, and women. Such great souls are not contaminated by anything; they are the embodiment of almighty God and rule the planet for the benefit of all living beings.

TEXT 23

Men of small intelligence worship the demigods, and their fruits are limited and temporary. Those who worship the demigods go to the planets of the demigods, but My devotees ultimately reach My supreme planet.

PURPORT of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda:

Some commentators on the Gītā say that one who worships a demigod can reach the Supreme Lord, but here it is clearly stated that the worshipers of demigods go to the different planetary systems where various demigods are situated, just as a worshiper of the sun achieves the sun or a worshiper of the demigod of the moon achieves the moon. Similarly, if anyone wants to worship a demigod like Indra, he can attain that particular god's planet. It is not that everyone, regardless of whatever demigod is worshiped, will reach the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is denied here, for it is clearly stated that the worshipers of demigods go to different planets in the material world, but the devotee of the Supreme Lord goes directly to the supreme planet of the Personality of Godhead.

Here the point may be raised that if the demigods are different parts of the body of the Supreme Lord, then the same end should be achieved by worshiping them. However, worshipers of the demigods are less intelligent because they don't know to what part of the body food must be supplied. Some of them are so foolish that they claim that there are many parts and many ways to supply food. This isn't very sanguine. Can anyone supply food to the body through the ears or eyes? They do not know that these demigods are different parts of the universal body of the Supreme Lord, and in their ignorance they believe that each and every demigod is a separate God and a competitor of the Supreme Lord.

Not only are demigods parts of the Supreme Lord, but ordinary living entities are also. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is stated that the brāhmaṇas are the head of the Supreme Lord, the kṣatriyas are the arms, etc., and that all serve different functions. Regardless of the situation, if one knows that both the demigods and himself are part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, his knowledge is perfect. But if he does not understand this, he achieves different planets where the demigods reside. This is not the same destination the devotee reaches.

The results achieved by the demigods' benedictions are perishable because within this material world the planets, the demigods and their worshipers are all perishable. Therefore it is clearly stated in this verse that all results achieved by worshiping demigods are perishable, and therefore such worship is performed by the less intelligent living entity. Because the pure devotee engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness in devotional service of the Supreme Lord achieves eternal blissful existence that is full of knowledge, his achievements and those of the common worshiper of the demigods are different. The Supreme Lord is unlimited; His favor is unlimited; His mercy is unlimited. Therefore the mercy of the Supreme Lord upon His pure devotees is unlimited.

TEXT 24

avyaktaṁ vyaktim āpannaṁ
manyante mām abuddhayaḥ
paraṁ bhāvam ajānanto
mamāvyayam anuttamam

Unintelligent men, who know Me not, think that I have assumed this form and personality. Due to their small knowledge, they do not know My higher nature, which is changeless and supreme.

PURPORT

God knows all the viewpoints and philosophies in the material world. It seems to us that God is somewhere far away, so sometimes people get the impression that we are also far away for Him, but this is not so, He is always aware of everything. As the Supersoul, He controls everything; and as God, Bhagavan, He knows everything about the religious situation.

Foreseeing the ideas of the impersonalists, God says here that He is always a Person. The impersonalists believe that God is the impersonal Brahman, and the coming personal incarnations of God are expansions of Brahman. They think that Brahman is expand Itself into personalities such as Viṣṇu, Rama, and Kṛṣṇa. For this verse of the Gītā, they can say that this is only an incorrect translation and "translate" it themselves roughly as: "And I am an impersonal Brahman and sometimes I descend as a Person." A direct word-by-word translation of the phrase "avyaktaṁ vyaktim āpannaṁ manyante mām abuddhayaḥ" looks like this: "The unmanifest acquires a personal nature, the unintelligent men think of Me." This quite clear statement can be reinterpreted as: "The unmanifest is the source of personal nature which is not understood by people of little intelligence." Generally, Sanskrit "experts" can interpret verses in any direction, do not realizing that Sanskrit translation requires spiritual qualifications and cannot be done correctly by the speculative mind. But besides translation, also there is logic; impersonalists cannot answer the question: why does Brahman create the material world? The presence of qualities and individuals in the material world also indicates that the material world was created by the Personality.

The various debates between personalists and impersonalists of different schools based on classical scriptures are generally not relevant for Western countries, nevertheless it can actively take place in pro-Indian culture. The Western world knows very little about God and it is mainly concerned of the question whether God exists or not; however, in spiritually more developed cultures, various kinds of details of spiritual life are actively discussed. It is interesting that Śrīla Prabhupāda gave comments on almost all of the key points of that debates. He cites the main verses from various sections of the Vedas, so His commentaries are also intended for a large theologically-savvy audience. Western readers often fail to appreciate how broad and erudite Śrīla Prabhupāda's commentaries are, but if a devotee gets caught into the middle of such a debate with Śrīla Prabhupāda's books at hand, he gets a ready-made guide to all the complex Vedic philosophy.
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Сообщение Jayanti » 01 янв 2021, 15:25

TEXT 25

I am never manifest to the foolish and unintelligent. For them I am covered by My eternal creative potency [yoga-māyā]; and so the deluded world knows Me not, who am unborn and infallible.

PURPORT

A person can perceive God if he is spiritually developed, for others God will be hidden. Many people saw Kṛṣṇa when He was on earth, but few people understood His position. While we are in the body, we can also see God through knowledge and devotion. When a person sees God through love and sincere, cultivated desire, this is a real vision. Sometimes mystics can rise to the spiritual level, but in the absence of qualification, they may consider the demigods as God or perceive God as one of the demigods. As we have read above, sometimes they may perceive God as an emanation of Brahman.

The Tattvavādī consider Viṣṇu to be God, and Kṛṣṇa is considered only an incarnation of Viṣṇu. God exists mainly in greatness for them; they do not know God in other aspects or consider these aspects as secondary. There are categories of devotees who deify Rādhārāṇī as God, but She is not God and She has no independence. Thus, some direct perception or meditation may not be fruitful without knowledge. Therefore, it is so important that a person goes from the bottom to top, not trying to jump over, to skip something. Such a consistent ascent is very reliable and it is one of the main precepts.

We cannot just fall in love with Kṛṣṇa. This is not so that person comes and he is told, "This is bhakti, one must love." Such approach is materialism, māyā. In the beginning, we have nothing to offer God from this sphere. Some material sentiments are not that love - God does not enjoy material feelings, material bodies. This is not bhakti, this is karma-yoga - the offer of material possessions. Such feelings may be the beginning of devotion, but it would be wrong to think of them as true love for God. There are methods when against the background of a general religious, purifying practice, the faithful mainly cultivate feelings for God, puṣṭi-mārga for example. But the point is not even that this is not our sampradāya - first of all, such methods have their defects, and secondly, the purpose of Lord Caitanya's coming is different.

We need to understand that spiritual life is a science, it is not just a desire to get liberation or spiritual perception in any way. There are many varieties of everything in religion, and when God comes, they all get nourished or sometimes start parallel to the main teaching, which is why knowledge is so important. Knowledge is a guiding thread, the basis of everything; even a theoretical knowledge is. A person should understand why something is so and not in another way, why Kṛṣṇa and not Viṣṇu, for what all the precepts are needed, and so on. There is an answer to all of that, nothing is introduced with no reason. Spiritual life is a science with hundreds and thousands of different contexts - all of these forms the spiritual being, the spiritual world. Love for God is a concrete relationship, a person come back and there will be no more problems in his life; nevertheless, these millions of subtleties form the spiritual world, in some ways it is even greater beauty than direct spiritual beauties.

Therefore, in the beginning, a person must form a theoretical basis of knowledge in his consciousness, which will always guide him. So over time, he will come to the goal. Any feelings directed towards God are good, nevertheless we come to Him when the feelings are sufficiently purified. External purity is good, purity of actions is also good, but inner purity is more important than that, and it is more difficult to achieve it. It is achieved by positive practice, renunciation of the fruits of labor and sensual life, replacing them with devotion to God and the development of knowledge. It is needed "knowledge and following" – "knowledge and feelings". If there is a lot of knowledge and a little following then one need to add following. If there are many feelings and no knowledge then one need to actively study. A person should not do what he likes, but what is prescribed. If a person is weak, he should be helped to become stronger; if a person is arrogant, he should become quieter; quiet persons should not to be timid, but to learn to go forward.

Efforts, sādhana should uplift, make a person purposeful. Even if sādhana is not successful, it must mobilize. So from the arising desire to come to God, from the falls and ascents, out of constancy, and out of impulse, we move higher. God is the highest goal; it is not cheap and not easy; a person must gradually surrender himself, make spiritual life his essence and not just daily duties. A person can develop even if half of everything goes wrong. A lot of things may not work out, but one's desire and efforts are important.

A certain inaccessibility of God makes the goal of reaching God sublime, intensifies the feelings, so there is no need to regret that such inaccessibility exists. The inaccessibility of God makes everything exalted, and the ascent to the top is glorious. This ascent has a taste, it makes everything intense, mature. This entire path is absolute, and at the end we give Him our feelings, bring a blossoming flower with hundreds of shades of our feelings for Him.

When we are concerned materially, our understanding is of the same quality. Spiritual life is not a stall in a store where you have to run and quickly choose a product, and it is not a departing train that you need to have time to jump on. Spiritual life is cultivated, perfected, matured and then we will see God in all His beauty, which is inaccessible to those who are in ignorance, because for ignorant people He is always hidden.

It is also an important point that God speaks here about His creative potency of yoga-māyā. The first context for this statement is that material creation (mahā-māyā) in the highest sense is a part of an even higher energy - yoga-māyā. And the second context is that part of the spiritual world is also created by yoga-māyā and hides the original Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, or Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. The spiritual creation of yoga-māyā can be achieved only by devotion or love, but love alone is not enough to attain God Himself; and here He says that without intelligence, it is impossible to perceive or see Him.

It is obvious that God contains in Himself an infinite harmony of qualities and if a person does not have intelligence, he has no chance to understand God in His entirety. The answer is that each soul, as an atomic expansion of God, is endowed with sufficient intelligence for gradual development, and the absence of intelligence and bias towards feelings (or dominance of the speculative mind) speaks of the practitioner's impurity. Why does a person have no intelligence? The reason is always the same: absorption in matter or in oneself. Materialists talk about love of God, but look around: the whole creation is filled with laws and harmony. Materialists perceive the love of God as personal sense happiness, and their desire to immerse themselves in love echoes the desire of Māyāvādīs to merge with the happiness of the eternal Brahman. One part of materialists want the eternal happiness of immersion in Brahman, the other part of materialists want to merge in the embrace of spiritual love for personal happiness, which is a form of spiritual illusion or yoga-māyā. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa says here that He does not appear to unintelligent persons, because both types of māyā or illusion are created for those who do not have sufficient interest in Him.

TEXT 26

O Arjuna, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, I know everything that has happened in the past, all that is happening in the present, and all things that are yet to come. I also know all living entities; but Me no one knows.

PURPORT

This is a description of the greatness of God. Nobody knows God completely because nobody can fully comprehend Him. God is infinite and it takes infinite consciousness to understand or know Him completely; we do not have such consciousness. However, an endless process of cognition and an endless exchange of feelings with Him is possible for us. God is the supreme sovereign and supreme incognito, He has all the qualities to the fullest extent, as well as the mystery of the supreme greatness.

Arjuna will later see the universal form and will be shocked. Those who realize the greatness of God manifest all the qualities of a spiritually developed person described in the Bhagavad-gītā. Nothing already disturbs their equilibrium, because against the background of the greatness of God, any happens are nothing. Such mystics derive unlimited happiness from God-realization. The most perfect of them go through the material world with a preaching about God. We are still materialists, we are influenced by many things, but we preach at the direction of a great soul. We do not need to imitate stability, we just need to develop the God consciousness. Spiritual qualities come in an incomprehensible way. We do not see ourselves well, we do not see both good and bad in ourselves; we ourselves cannot “develop” anything, we must only diligently follow.

"Me no one knows." This is the supreme greatness of God, but this also includes a certain loneliness, therefore He divided Himself in order to be eternally happy by exchanging feelings with His expansions and souls. And after He united again for eternal loneliness, but already the loneliness of love in separation. There are souls close to Him; these souls are completely in His power, they do not ask for anything, they only cognize Him and love Him. They do not ask Him for any personal status or reciprocity, so they are the most sincere and unselfish. God is happiest with them because there is no admixture of selfishness in such a relationship. But there are those who have shared with Him His loneliness of love, and in this sense they have become one with Him in such a feeling of love.

“He is lonely and we cannot comfort Him. He looks but does not see us. His gaze passes through me, He tries to see someone else. He speaks something so softly. His eyes are open wide. Thousands of doubts wander in His soul, giving rise to many feelings. And He says something in the hope of any reciprocity. But no answer comes."

Lord Caitanya came to feel such love and gave to us, to undeveloped inhabitants of this darkest age, the opportunity to touch with it. Perhaps this choice is not accidental, because externally we are similar to Him by the lack of chances to see God. The night, the darkness of this world and the darkness of this age, the eclipse of everything, increase His feeling of loneliness and His overwhelming love.

TEXT 27

O scion of Bharata [Arjuna], O conquerer of the foe, all living entities are born into delusion, overcome by the dualities of desire and hate.

PURPORT

Addictions and dislikes arise from the structure of a particular body. Mystical yogīs bring the body to perfection when it does not react to any kind of duality. Generally, we do not need such asceticism. On the other hand, a certain steadfastness in duality helps in life and in preaching.

Birth in the material world is terrible. Having been born, the child for a long time, being defenseless from all points of view, has an undeveloped consciousness and this is a dangerous situation if he leaves the body. A person must go through birth, growth, training, pass through thousands of risks, so that later when consciousness is more developed, to meet religion and in religion avoid dozens of errors. The chances of something mature are very small without knowledge, determination, intelligence. Nevertheless, religion still flourishes, because it is the only real good in the material world.

Virtually the only friend and helper of the soul in the material world is God, and the true spiritual master. Ordinary friends, even if they are friendly, cannot help anything significant. The faithful or devotees are also helpers, but in serious, difficult situations, usually only those who are above us can help. A difficult situation is a situation of mortal danger, but a much more difficult situation is preaching in the material world where, in addition to the fact that there is a risk, a lot of intelligence and inner strength is required. Some real preaching is always unsafe; the danger comes from materialists of all levels, and from materialists in religion too - there are enough people full of envy everywhere. Now preachers are not persecuted in the streets, because such great devotees as Christ and others have passed in front of us; thanks to them some kind of culture has been created in society, they have nurtured it by sacrificing themselves.

We walk around the material world giving away the most valuable things for free, but people for the most part have no interest in spiritual life and begin to catch on often when it's too late. People have time for all sorts of little things, but most of them try to "push" God further, including by formal religiosity. Therefore, many troubles fall on society due to the growing desire for material happiness and, accordingly, growing dissatisfaction. Now there are problems everywhere in the world and every year they will become more and more. Generations change; each next generation, having appeared in the already changed state of the world and society, does not see this constant degradation, so modern civilization goes to its inevitable catastrophe, after which it will begin to rethink everything. People could avoid disaster, but, alas, most often they follow religion only through force or through sufferings.

TEXT 28

Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life, whose sinful actions are completely eradicated and who are freed from the duality of delusion, engage themselves in My service with determination.

PURPORT

A person accumulates piety for many lifetimes, that is, he performs a religious duty before he shows an interest in God. We see this practically: there are many people in the world engaged in general religiosity who, at the same time, have no interest in spiritual science and, accordingly, in God. Nevertheless, such religiosity plus the accompanying sufferings of birth and death can gradually form a person's determination to know God and engage in spiritual activities. Such a person is born and already as a teenager understands the meaninglessness of material life. Just as children naturally have questions about God, so the adolescent crisis is the result of past life memories. Growing up, a person instinctively feels that he actually has no prospects in life. Now such crises, unfortunately, are often negative in nature instead of healthy nihilism or the search for truth.

Those who have practiced in the past retain all the skills and memories of everything they have realized; they again begin to search for religion and find it. Thus, each lifetime their practice becomes more and more serious until the moment when they begin to realize God and go beyond birth and death. But a person can accept the spiritual process and finish everything in one lifetime. At the same time, it is difficult to name any more precise criteria for whether a person will receive liberation or not than those given in the Bhagavad-gītā. We need to take spiritual practice seriously and rejoice in everything that gives us the impulse to practice and deepen our spiritual life further and further.

TEXT 29

Intelligent persons who are endeavoring for liberation from old age and death take refuge in Me in devotional service. They are actually Brahman because they entirely know everything about transcendental and fruitive activities.

PURPORT of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda:

Birth, death, old age and diseases affect this material body, but not the spiritual body. There is no birth, death, old age and disease for the spiritual body, so one who attains a spiritual body, becomes one of the associates of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and engages in eternal devotional service, is really liberated. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi: I am spirit. It is said that one should understand that he is Brahman-spirit soul. This Brahman conception of life is also in devotional service, as described in this verse. The pure devotees are transcendentally situated on the Brahman platform, and they know everything about transcendental and material activities.
Four kinds of impure devotees who engage themselves in the transcendental service of the Lord achieve their respective goals, and by the grace of the Supreme Lord, when they are fully Kṛṣṇa conscious, they actually enjoy spiritual association with the Supreme Lord. But those who are worshipers of demigods never reach the Supreme Lord in His supreme planet. Even the less intelligent Brahman-realized persons cannot reach the supreme planet of Kṛṣṇa known as Goloka Vṛndāvana. Only persons who perform activities in Kṛṣṇa consciousness (mām āśritya) are actually entitled to be called Brahman, because they are actually endeavoring to reach the Kṛṣṇa planet. Such persons have no misgivings about Kṛṣṇa, and thus they are factually Brahman.

Those who are engaged in worshiping the form or arcā of the Lord or who are engaged in meditation on the Lord simply for liberation from material bondage, also know, by the grace of the Lord, the purports of Brahman, adhibhūta, etc., as explained by the Lord in the next chapter.

TEXT 30

Those who know Me as the Supreme Lord, as the governing principle of the material manifestation, who know Me as the one underlying all the demigods and as the one sustaining all sacrifices, can, with steadfast mind, understand and know Me even at the time of death.

PURPORT

Those who understand the existence of God and understand that God rules everything, never stray from the spiritual path. Gradually realizing himself and the nature of God, a person becomes more and more stable in spiritual life. Devotional service is always, in a sense, a challenge to the whole world. All material nature implies opposition to God and forgetfulness of Him, therefore a devotee should be determined and develop knowledge. Looking at the forms and structure of the material world, a person can realize God in different hypostasis and think about Him. The most effective way to maintain and develop God consciousness is to speak in an acceptable form about Him to other people. When we do not forget Him, then He especially does not forget us. It is worth avoid fanaticism and show more intelligence in the preaching; even a few sentences about spiritual science can sanctify both us and the interlocutor.

It is not worth to talk about what we do not know, it is easier and better to honestly admit ignorance. Also, there is no point in portray any of our own exalted position or knowledge of any esoteric aspects. Preaching is absolute, so talking about any aspect of God brings absolute spiritual benefit. While people are in the body, we need to stimulate them to spiritual life. Preaching is sometimes a kind of coercion of others, but if one do everything with intelligence and kindly, in most cases such a preaching is a positive process. On the other hand, when someone gets annoyed, there is nothing to worry about. Some difficulties are generally good because they help the devotee to become steadfast. Thus, during a lifetime, a person can become spiritually mature and continue to remember God even at the time of death.
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Сообщение Jayanti » 01 янв 2021, 16:48

Chapter 8. Attaining the Supreme

TEXT 1

Arjuna inquired: O my Lord, O Supreme Person, what is Brahman? What is the self? What are fruitive activities? What is this material manifestation? And what are the demigods? Please explain this to me.

PURPORT

Arjuna, as an ideal disciple, wants to know the answers to all questions about spiritual and material. The human form of life implies the pursuit of developing knowledge and Kṛṣṇa continues to show us the learning process. Theoretical knowledge is called jñāna and the practical realization of knowledge is called vijñāna. First, a person must know everything theoretically and then, applying everything in his life, he will acquire vijñāna, the practical realization. For example, a person who has realized himself as a soul does not worry too much about material vicissitudes - this is a practical manifestation of realized knowledge. The whole theory is revealed and confirmed in its application; a person who follows the scripture can be convinced of its truth from his own experience.

Knowledge has no obstacles and a person can and must learn everything completely in principle. Further, we share such knowledge with others, which is both spiritual succession and the essence of human life. At the top of such knowledge is God - the source of material creation and the diversity of spiritual relationships. By developing knowledge, a person gains stability, and by applying it, he forms beliefs and thus, through spiritual practice, he attains the realization of God. Materialists sometimes say religion is fiction or scripture is written by ordinary people, but in discussions their arguments are untenable, since God gives full knowledge.

Sanskrit is a very capacious language, where almost every word has many meanings and nuances of understanding. The more developed a culture is, the more contexts and meanings words and sentences can have. Therefore, there are many translations of the Bhagavad-gītā which differ from each other. The final verdict on the quality of such translations can be given by logic and practice. All possible fictions and dualities end at the Brahman level, therefore the main battle in the issue of the truth of understanding is between personalists and impersonalists; everything below that is not interesting to practitioners and this is materialistic garbage, mental fabrications. Brahman is the first ray of truth.

As for God, it is obviously He must have all possible qualities, otherwise He does not correspond to the concept of the Absolute. All negative qualities also originate in God, but He manifests them as attractive. For example, when little Kṛṣṇa steals sweets, it looks cute and makes everyone happy. On the next level after impersonalism, there is a debate between those who worship God in greatness (Tattvavādī) and the Hare Kṛṣṇas. This is less important, since both are devotees. It is sometimes said that Mādhava is incorrectly included in our succession (Brahmā-Mādhava-Gauḍīya-sampradāya), since he is the founder of the Tattvavāda; but he is included deliberately to emphasize that the higher rasas rest only on the basis of the realization of the greatness of God.

Similarly, Lord Caitanya Himself accepted dīkṣā initiation from Tattvavādī which indicates again the importance of greatness, but on the other hand, it indicates that initiation is an acceptance of philosophical principles and not an external rite belonging to a particular school. Īśvara Purī formally belonged to the succession of Tattvavāda, but in reality his position was higher. Some say that he is from Māyāvādī succession, since the title "Purī" is the title of the Māyāvāda tradition, but everything is determined by the philosophy that the devotee professes, not by titles and external formalities.

Such disputes are not relevant for the most people, because we do not really realize even the greatness of God now. Nevertheless, such kind of debates are justified and sometimes fruitful. Each level of spiritual life is usually expressed by a contradiction ("impersonalism - personalism", "greatness - equality") and also a specific branch or direction of followers.

TEXT 2

How does this Lord of sacrifice live in the body, and in which part does He live, O Madhusūdana? And how can those engaged in devotional service know You at the time of death?

PURPORT

In past eras sacrifices played a big role in the life of society, because with the help of the correct rite people could achieve many goals. Nowadays the life of people is disorderly and they do not know about the demigods, their goal is the barbaric exploitation of the resources of the earth for the sake of obtaining an unnecessary mass of things for use. People did not live so petty in the past. Any intelligent person understands that property itself cannot be a source of happiness and the concepts of "rich" and "poor" are very relative. Without a higher goal, people rush around the world in search of happiness, entertainment, or trying to acquire the maximum amount of property. Many mechanisms and weapons have been created which is considered progress, but all these only hastens the death of people and does not make anyone happy. Scientists, using the properties of matter, are very passionate about this process. Not so long ago, everyone believed that this would lead humanity to an unprecedented prosperity, but we practically see the opposite is happening. The more mechanisms there are, the lower the level of morality among people, the less healthy living environment and healthy food. This process of degradation of humanity is described in the Apocalypse of John, it is also described in the Vedas.

The British during the colonization of India could not find anything better than the philosophy of impersonalism, and in recent years the Western world is immersed in this philosophy more and more. The main thing that attracts people to such a philosophy is its justification of any actions, but such a "free life" only increases universal sufferings. People do not understand that it is possible to increase the level of health and happiness through restrictions and not through permissiveness. When a person restricts himself, this leads to an increase of intelligence and intensity of sensual happiness; the most intelligent people try to completely limit sensual life in order to achieve unlimited happiness. Human life is short, so there is no much point to product so many material attributes here. A good life means that a person should have land, house, family, food, enough communication, and a search for truth.

It is extremely difficult to return humanity to a normal consciousness and state, so wherever a person is, he must develop knowledge, so gradually elevate himself spiritually and further use all the opportunities for preaching. Sometimes materialists say, "If you are so spiritual, why do you use computers and the Internet?" However, this was God who gave them all the ingredients, including their ability to create something. If they will be able to create even one atom without using anything existing, we will not use the atom they created. In any case, they did not create both the mind and intelligence, so not we, but they should give up all these components in order to demonstrate their independence.

TEXT 3

The Supreme Lord said, The indestructible, transcendental living entity is called Brahman, and his eternal nature is called the self. Action pertaining to the development of these material bodies is called karma, or fruitive activities.

PURPORT

Every devotee should be practically self-realized. If people worship God or deity for years, chant mantra, but still do not realize themselves as a soul, it means that they are absorbed in external energy. Why does a person not self-realized? He is absorbed in some material affairs; since self-realization is the first step and the most accessible on the spiritual path. Many people talk about their great devotion to God, however, if a person does not realize himself as a soul, then what to say about the realization of God? Materialists worship God with their own goals, therefore they are not self-realized.

Two basic concepts are analyzed in this verse: the soul and the material activity, which are opposite in nature. When a person is absorbed in karma, he cannot realize himself as a soul, and vice versa: realizing himself as a soul, a person loses interest in karmic activities. A devotee who has realized himself as a soul sees no point in expanding his property. Materialists want to get everything embodied in matter, but a devotee, realizing himself as a soul, feels increasing happiness and uses only necessary things.

TEXT 4

Physical nature is known to be endlessly mutable. The universe is the cosmic form of the Supreme Lord, and I am that Lord represented as the Supersoul, dwelling in the heart of every embodied being.

PURPORT

The universal form, which includes the whole totality of existence, is an imaginary form of God, however, such views are also spiritual. God is all that exists, but He is independent and He has a concrete form. The Supersoul, Paramātmā (param - supreme, atma - soul) is the basic element of the material world. When people want to succeed in some kind of venture, they are mainly concerned with the material components and often turn to God only as a last resort, but God is the basis of everything while matter is only a minor component. Scripture recommends associate all activities with God, however, the result will not necessarily be great prosperity, but an awareness of the importance of spiritual life.

Some formal, local recognition of God or trust in God for the sake of material wealth is due to materialism. Everyone should understand that as long as a person really wants material success, he will be forced to continue material life with inevitable sufferings. Sometimes people complain that someone died early, but everyone who lives here will die; why do not think about it? Of course, a preaching in the "you all will perish" style is not the best option both in form and content, but all this is true and an intelligent person should understand it.

The Supersoul records all the actions and desires of a person and assigns consequences to him. One can pray to God or the Supersoul (adhiyajña) for some benefit or to make life easier, but real success is to realize the Supersoul; God Himself is much better than the benefits are asked of Him. Unintelligent, undeveloped people ask for temporary success, but those who are exalted admire God and devote themselves to Him.
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Сообщение Jayanti » 03 янв 2021, 11:23

TEXT 5

And whoever, at the time of death, quits his body, remembering Me alone, at once attains My nature. Of this there is no doubt.

PURPORT

The minimum goal of life is to achieve liberation. The whole life of a person should be build in such a way to lead to this goal. It is sometimes said that such thoughts are important to those who are in old age, but they are important to everyone, because anyone can die at any time. Or sometimes they say that it is stupid for young people to think about death, but it is not stupid and can be useful in life more than once. Memento mori (remember about death) is an expression of wisdom, intelligence, and foresight. Of course, religion should not be build only on this basis; it is not good when a person is religious only on pain of death, nevertheless everyone should remember this.

When a person leaves his body, dies, his last thoughts are the beginning of his the next life, therefore, remembering God, he returns to the spiritual world. Sometimes people find it difficult to imagine or understand what God looks like. In some ways, this is not always important. When a person turns to God, then God knows that a person's thoughts are turned to Him.

Preachers, on the other hand, having passed through a huge school, can think about death in general calmly. Compared to preaching with its loads, death does not look particularly frightening. For a materialist, death is the end of everything, the collapse of all plans and obscurity. Having lived his life at random, he suddenly faces death and he is never ready for it; this is their stupidity and mistake. The faithful may not be afraid of death itself, but they may be afraid to go to hell or be afraid to be born again - I think this is a natural, in some cases quite justified fear and one can use it. If someone is clearly criminal, one should give up such activities; one should not do such a stupidity that for the sake of some ghostly property, materialistic dust - money or recognition - commit crimes and violence.

Sometimes people think, “One more sin, one less,” but all sins add up; these are different things to receive a punishment lasting a hundred years, a thousand years or a hundred thousand years. The fact that all people around are engaged in sinful activities - “everyone lives like this” - cannot be an excuse. If eighty percent of the country's population are sinners, all of them may go to hell. As for hell, it exists. And, for example, the hellish cauldrons are large in diameter, about a kilometer, they dug into the ground and heated from the heat of the planet itself; the wardens walk along the edge and push back those who try to get out. Nevertheless, hell is not a bad thing, such punishments are beneficial for hardened criminals – continuous sufferings in hell quickly expiate their many crimes and also burns out their own demonic tendencies. If we see what a person has done before going to hell, we will agree on the justice of such a punishment.

Most atheists refuse to recognize hell, however we see different living conditions everywhere; and in the universe, for sure, there is a gradation of planets from the highest to the lowest, hellish ones. In addition to the hellish planets, there are simply lower planets with disgusting conditions and forms of life. A person, as a rule, does not go to hell forever, but only for redemption. As for the Christian idea of ​​"eternal hell", it means the material world itself as hell; the Bhagavad-gītā says the same thing, in the text 16 of this chapter it is said: ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ
punar āvartino - all the planets of this world are a place of sufferings where the soul can be born forever.

Sometimes what is considered a sin in one religion is not considered a sin in another; this fact should not confuse or justify sinfulness, since what is sin and what is not sin may determine the founder of a religion and be responsible for it. For example, people follow a fasting system that provides about 250 days of fasting per year, and all the rest of their sinfulness in food can be forgiven or taken over by the founder of the religion. There is a large diversity for what person will be punished and for what he will be not. Someone can be forgiven for everything, while others will paid in full for everything - that depends on the motives of people and their goals. A person who is trying to live a spiritual life, but at the same time is not yet able to fulfill everything, and a person who does not follow and do the same sins in the same volume as the first one, but justify himself with the scripture - these are two opposite things. The first one can be forgiven, the second one can get double punishment both for the sins itself and for the use of the scripture.

Sure, life in the material world makes anyone shudder. Happy are those who have developed God consciousness and they can be calm. On the other hand, fear of punishment can be both a stimulus and a part of spiritual life; it can also be a part of the devotee's greatness and love for God. Any aspect of material life can be used in a spiritual sense, and in some cases lead one to the very top.

"Without giving me audience, You kill me, You break my heart; still, You are my Lord, You are my worshipable Lord, nobody else. Kṛṣṇa may not come. I may not see Kṛṣṇa for thousands and thousands of lives. I may rot in the hellish condition of life for many, many births. That doesn't matter. Still, I cannot give up Kṛṣṇa consciousness."

TEXT 6

Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, that state he will attain without fail.

PURPORT

We are not interested in any variants of birth in the material world, we are only interested in achieving the spiritual world. The more a person practices spiritual life, the more he sees the futility and illusory nature of material life. At the beginning, we sometimes have to convince ourselves of that because the influence of matter on us is strong, but time passes and it is no longer required to convince - material life is a temporary thing, therefore no triumph in it is possible. The more time passes, the more obvious the position of a devotee, a preacher is right; everything else is just a waste of time which does not give any significant fruits. Even if a person is strongly attached to something, it can be used for God - religion is always feasible for anyone at any stage of life.

TEXT 7

Therefore, Arjuna, you should always think of Me in the form of Kṛṣṇa and at the same time carry out your prescribed duty of fighting. With your activities dedicated to Me and your mind and intelligence fixed on Me, you will attain Me without doubt.

PURPORT of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda:

This instruction to Arjuna is very important for all men engaged in material activities. The Lord does not say that one should give up his prescribed duties or engagements. One can continue them and at the same time think of Kṛṣṇa by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. This will free one from material contamination and engage the mind and intelligence in Kṛṣṇa. By chanting Kṛṣṇa's names, one will be transferred to the supreme planet, Kṛṣṇaloka, without a doubt.

TEXT 8

He who meditates on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, his mind constantly engaged in remembering Me, undeviated from the path, he, O Pārtha [Arjuna], is sure to reach Me.

PURPORT of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda:

In this verse Lord Kṛṣṇa stresses the importance of remembering Him. One's memory of Kṛṣṇa is revived by chanting the mahāmantra, Hare Kṛṣṇa. By this practice of chanting and hearing the sound vibration of the Supreme Lord, one's ear, tongue and mind are engaged. This mystic meditation is very easy to practice, and it helps one attain the Supreme Lord. Puruṣam means enjoyer. Although living entities belong to the marginal energy of the Supreme Lord, they are in material contamination. They think themselves enjoyers, but they are not the supreme enjoyer. Here it is clearly stated that the supreme enjoyer is the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His different manifestations and plenary expansions as Nārāyaṇa, Vāsudeva, etc.

The devotees can constantly think of the object of worship, the Supreme Lord, in any of His features, Nārāyaṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Rāma, etc., by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. This practice will purify him, and at the end of his life, due to his constant chanting, he will be transferred to the kingdom of God. Yoga practice is meditation on the Supersoul within; similarly, by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa one fixes his mind always on the Supreme Lord. The mind is fickle, and therefore it is necessary to engage the mind by force to think of Kṛṣṇa. One example often given is that of the caterpillar that thinks of becoming a butterfly and so is transformed into a butterfly in the same life. Similarly, if we constantly think of Kṛṣṇa, it is certain that at the end of our lives we shall have the same bodily constitution as Kṛṣṇa.

TEXT 9

One should meditate upon the Supreme Person as the one who knows everything, as He who is the oldest, who is the controller, who is smaller than the smallest, who is the maintainer of everything, who is beyond all material conception, who is inconceivable, and who is always a person. He is luminous like the sun and, being transcendental, is beyond this material nature.

PURPORT

God helps us understand how to better think about Him. Sometimes we think of Him as the ruler of everything, sometimes as the One who knows everything. By thinking about God in different hypostases, a devotee cultivates his spiritual understanding, his spiritual position. Usually people think about God as the greatest, here He also speaks of Himself as the smallest one. Spiritual nature is absolute, therefore He is equally powerful as the greatest and as the smallest. At the beginning, a person can think about God within the framework of the scripture in a natural way, in accordance with his desire. Further, as the devotee grows stronger, he cultivates remembering God in a more standardized way.

Remembering God is important, but even more important is śravaṇaṁ-kīrtanaṁ, preaching, bhāgavata-marg. There is a difference between remembering God and fulfilling His instructions, both are spiritual, but have different powers. The preaching is higher and stronger even than personal relationship, the preaching is higher than spontaneous devotion, because it is the fulfillment of the desire of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. An infinite number of living beings live in the spiritual world, they all have spontaneous love for God, but preachers are even more dear to God and receive special protection from Him. Therefore, even after establish relationships with God, we continue to preach both for the good of living beings and due to continue following the main direction. The soul himself is insignificant; we gain strength in accordance with the degree of our connection with God.

Spiritual remembering is different from materialistic one. In the material world, people need a constant change of qualities or plot, because material qualities do not bring happiness. In the spiritual life, the faithful can think for years about one quality of God or some episode always feeling happiness. This is not a strict rule, but it can also happen. The same episode can cause a flood of feelings in a devotee and every year the feelings will become stronger. There are many events in a direct relationship, but love for God can be manifested in just one event - for example, the night, the night of Lord Caitanya. And just one picture scene can cause an infinite number of feelings that are difficult to describe and express.
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Сообщение Jayanti » 03 янв 2021, 22:18

TEXT 10

One who, at the time of death, fixes his life air between the eyebrows and in full devotion engages himself in remembering the Supreme Lord, will certainly attain to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

PURPORT

As long as a person rely on himself, on his own strength, his whole life will be very troublesome and fussy. Materialists waste time for the sake of trinkets, but even yogīs have to be sophisticated controlling the air in the body this way and that. Indeed, only the devotees are always peaceful and calm, they are only concerned with preaching the message of God. Whatever they do, whether they live or die, they look at everything from a preaching point of view. It is not so important for them personally when they die, they are not under control of ordinary laws.

Materialists are envious. Although they usually do not follow much, they are very critical of spiritual leaders. Uttama no longer has to follow anything, he is not contaminated by anything, but materialists look only at external criteria, so the uttama leader for the sake of preaching agrees to follow everything, doing it for their sake. In order to save the materialists who follow nothing, uttama follows everything, gives them an example and "confirms" for them that he is the true representative. External adherence to the rules in general may not determine anything, a person may follow religious rules purely for material reasons, but uttama also gives an external example.

Those who cheat by playing the role of leaders, gurus, and sannyāsīis also give an "external example", but they hide their sinful activities with it. They do this for the sake of money and power and justify such behavior by saying that "there is no need to destroy people's faith." However, their "example", or their symbolic guruism is of little use. In any case, their "external example" can be taken as a kind of religiosity and, as we have already said, at least outwardly they should not distort philosophy. Almost all religious organizations have such mummers. On the other hand, those who criticize them, but at the same time do nothing themselves, what are they better at? All right, he is cheating and what are you doing? Therefore, both those who deceive and those who criticize them without preaching themselves are of little use and both of them are materialists.

For those who are too interested in criticism, it is better to stop it and start preaching to the material world. The gurus you criticize do their job, no matter if no good, and you start to do yours - preach about God, do not get too obsessed with conviction. We need to elevate ourselves. Why should we care about liars? There are religious organizations that do nothing except "denounce" or do something on the basis of "those people are the bad deceivers." It is better not to act like that; the preaching should be mostly positive and about God. That kind of criticism may also be helpful, but it may only be a small element in a preaching about God. There were many "famous" leaders in the Gauḍiya Math; nowadays no one even remembers their names, so do not devote your time to secondary things.

There are those who have realized themselves, but also violate the principles; in this case it goes as a residual effect. Anyway, those who violate the principles should not become dīkṣā-gurus. On the other hand, by acting as a teaching (śikṣā) guru, he can be more effective than dozens of formal dīkṣā-gurus. Initiation is a following directions: those who follow, they are initiated, those who do not - they live on their own. Therefore, somewhat it does not matter what kind of guru a person has - dīkṣā or śikṣā - anyone who is self-realized can lead to success.

TEXT 11

Persons learned in the Vedas, who utter omkāra and who are great sages in the renounced order, enter into Brahman. Desiring such perfection, one practices celibacy. I shall now explain to you this process by which one may attain salvation.

PURPORT

Nowadays both the life of people and the life of whole human society is chaotic and hectic, so it is often difficult to follow some external prescriptions. Under these conditions, the only reliable path that brings absolute good is to preach about God both to the material world and to religious organizations. A spiritual movement is not an external organization, but a community of understanding, a discussion of a spiritual subject, a monologue or a dialogue. Even if we write not very beautiful, not very interesting articles about God, we must continue to do this and learn further, gradually everything will get better.

The main quality of disciple is adherence. In fact, no special mind or erudition is required - if we follow, everything will be gradually revealed. Śrīla Prabhupāda writes that a devotee is like an animal, that is, sometimes some kind of dullness in following becomes a great boon. For example, when a disciple "dully' went to the end and did not become seduced by various flowery descriptions of a direct relationships with God. If Śrīla Prabhupāda said to read His books, then why read others? And in the end it turned out that the unintelligent disciple surpass everyone, is that surprising? No, this is not surprising at all, but quite natural, since all success lies in following.

Material nature, māyā, will always lead us aside - this is its function; on the other hand, the one who devotes the fruits of his labor to God is not afraid of anything, nothing can get him off. Women, money - everything can be directed towards God. One or two wives or some other women - everyone can be directed to God. Even if one of them will be successful, the one who guided her will also receive liberation or rise to the spiritual level.

Materialists are very stingy, they have no greatheartedness; even having received everything they want, they are still unhappy and disturbed. A devotee is always happy whether he rises or falls, he just keeps hitting the same point - he continues to preach. Someone may say this is fanaticism. Yes, it is better to let such fanaticism than to sit in a swamp waiting for the end. We need to preach to everyone and everywhere and learn to do it. We are not interested in the external result, we do not achieve a specific result, we simply tell everyone about spiritual science. On the street, in a shop, at a university, on the Internet - everywhere you can talk about God.

TEXT 12

The yogic situation is that of detachment from all sensual engagements. Closing all the doors of the senses and fixing the mind on the heart and the life air at the top of the head, one establishes himself in yoga.

PURPORT

Materialists are always busy with themselves which is the cause of all their sufferings. Lust is the desire for personal happiness. God owns everything, He has everything, and the spiritual world rests on the fact that everything is simply provided by God. The Lord Jesus Christ says: "Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Almost no one believes in this, neither ordinary people, nor priests believe in it.

"24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." (Matthew 6:24-34)

If someone talks about faith, here you are, you can believe in it, but it says: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness” - this is the central point. Those who seek the kingdom of God and its righteousness will always be fine. And those who preach too.

TEXT 13

After being situated in this yoga practice and vibrating the sacred syllable om, the supreme combination of letters, if one thinks of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and quits his body, he will certainly reach the spiritual planets.

PURPORT

Generally, it is not so important which planet in the spiritual world a devotee goes to. All these planets are spiritual and they are all fulfill any desires. Sometimes it is said there are trees of desires in the spiritual world, but this is some poetic metaphor, because all desires are always fulfilled there. You don't have to ask for the fulfillment of desires, they will be fulfilled anyway; God knows everything and He knows more than us, therefore He will fulfill more.

By chanting the holy name, a devotee can be blessed to rise to the spiritual level. He can periodically elevate in this way, participate in his particular līlā, which will go in a circle every day during meditation or chanting of the holy name. It will be approximately the same, but all the time it will become overgrown with details and from the outside - from the side of the beauty of the spiritual world - it will go more and more into the world of feelings and relationships. When the relationship strengthens (perhaps over the years), sādhana will no longer be needed to maintain them, they will go on by themselves. Exaltation can also occur without changing the name, simply by virtue of a person's determination. At the beginning, it can be supported by meditation, then the relationship grows stronger and manifests itself spontaneously.

Comments on this part of the scripture of those who are not at the level of spontaneous relationships are meaningless, since it is only a theory for them and because they do not understand all the details. Although the attainment of a spontaneous relationship is a significant step in spiritual development, it is nevertheless preliminary, since the main rasa is vipralambha-bhāva. Therefore, one can immediately aim there and the devotee will develop even without "achieving anything."
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Сообщение Jayanti » 04 янв 2021, 08:12

TEXT 14

For one who remembers Me without deviation, I am easy to obtain, O son of Pṛthā, because of his constant engagement in devotional service.

PURPORT

When a devotee reaches God, he remembers Him in many forms and in many relationships. In personal relationship, they never separate anymore. This is much stronger than material attachments. This is much stronger than love for children or a relationship between a man and a woman. There are no children here to love them so much. In the material world, all these are souls enclosed in temporary bodies. Eternal, blissful soul imprisoned in a crumbling dungeon. And no one can love as He loves. God is superior to the soul in everything, therefore His love is much superior to ours which subdues us completely. In such a relationship, there is no break, there is no danger of breakup. Even if we are distracted, the relationship is eternal, nothing is lost. Spiritual life is absolute.

When there is a direct relationship, it is full of feelings, but if separation comes, it is also full of feelings - this is how meeting and separation occurs. However, we do not have the experience for anyone to get all of these simply by engaging in a relationship with God as such. Attaining the level of spontaneous relationship is a by-product of preaching or fulfilling the desire of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. It is very doubtful that a person can elevate to Him only with the help of sādhana.

The term "devotional service" should be understood primarily as God-realization and not as some kind of physical religious activity. Devotional service is primarily about hearing about spiritual science and chanting, not physical activity. God says here the same thing: "For one who remembers Me without deviation" - devotional service manifests itself mainly in consciousness, some external activities (except preaching) are always secondary. The entire Bhagavad-gītā mainly tells about knowledge, not about faith or specific activity. They may answer to this: "Faith dead without works," but works without God-realization do not make much sense and are not effective.

TEXT 15

After attaining Me, the great souls, who are yogīs in devotion, never return to this temporary world, which is full of miseries, because they have attained the highest perfection.

PURPORT

Śrīla Prabhupāda writes in the purport to this verse, "The mahātmās (great souls) receive transcendental messages from the realized devotees and thus gradually develop devotional service in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and become so absorbed in transcendental service that they no longer desire elevation to any of the material planets, nor do they even want to be transferred to any spiritual planet. They only want Kṛṣṇa's association and nothing else. Such great souls in Kṛṣṇa consciousness attain the highest perfection of life. In other words, they are the supreme souls."

A devotee does not care where he is as long as he is connected with God. This is the highest stage of perfection, because such devotees do not distinguish between spirit and matter and they are always engaged in following the instructions of Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

"All I want, life after life, is unmotivated devotional service to You."

Before, I think "life after life" is a poetic metaphor, but it is not a metaphor. We only want liberation when we are weak, while a mature devotee serves God life after life. Such service is a personal choice that can be made also in the spiritual world. Many devotees will be born again within matter due to a weak desire for spiritual life. Pure devotees also will born, but for the sake of preaching and spreading the glory of God. Śrīla Prabhupāda is here as long as His mission continues. I think many people underestimate His power and do not understand the overall plan. Everything is only at the beginning; this is not an ordinary religion; the movement will be initiated as much as necessary, including through any people by making them pure devotees, until God's plan will be fulfilled.

No one has so much spiritual desire as Śrīla Prabhupāda. We have no particular desire to help anyone except ourselves. We have little such desire, but not Prabhupāda - He "drives His horses" at such a speed that it is inconceivable. Where anyone would have fallen long ago, He goes forward, He rules with an iron rod. We sleep, He does not sleep. He can wait endlessly. He never gives up, never deviates, and never loses.

TEXT 16

My dear King, I am very captivated by your elevated qualities and excellent behavior, and thus I am very favorably inclined toward you. You may therefore ask from Me any benediction you like. One who does not possess elevated qualities and behavior cannot possibly achieve My favor simply by performance of sacrifices, severe austerities or mystic yoga. But I always remain equipoised in the heart of one who is also equipoised in all circumstances.

PURPORT

All the souls have fallen here from the spirit world. God does not create souls either in the material world or in Brahman. Why would God create a soul in Brahman? What kind of incompleteness? Why to create soul in Brahman, so that he makes a choice towards spirit or matter? If he was not in the spiritual world, what would such a choice be based on? The Bible describes well the process of the fall: they were in paradise, they did not know lust, love between souls. Everything was in paradise, but there was one forbidden tree - the tree of the material world, the tree of good and evil, the tree of duality. God warned them that it would be better not to pick the fruits from that tree, the fruits of matter, domination; they disobeyed, tasted the fruits, experienced material love - and fell. The parable describes everything very accurately.

Souls are serene in the spiritual world, they do not know, they have no experience of material life, they are all uttama, they see matter just like uttama, and when they enter the material world, for example, as Brahmā or as other demigods, they remain connected with God. They enter here keeping God consciousness, they enter as uttama (pure), but later they may fall. The way the soul falls is before our eyes: people fall even knowing about God, even God's associates fall, there are also examples of this in the Caitanya-caritamrta. Being personally with Lord Caitanya, someone fell - māyā is also both divine and powerful. It does not affect God, yes, but it can affect the soul.

When the soul returns to the spiritual world, the experience of being here remains with him forever in a minimized form. He does not remember all his births, but the general experience of sufferings remains, so the soul will not return here again. Can the soul, after he returned to the spiritual world, remember all his births? He can, but he will not remember because it does not make any sense. Can the soul, after returned to the spiritual world, remember the specific people who stayed here? He can, but he will not do it, or he sees them come back by virtue of his preaching (if he preached to them). Perhaps they will come back after fifty lifetimes – from uttama's point of view, this is not important. In any case, he understands that everything is their choice.

Can a soul help specific people from there? As a rule, no. To help them, you have to be born here again and preach to them, therefore, while you and they are in the body, do it. The soul, theoretically, can come from there to close people, but they will not hear him due to absorption in matter. Similarly, like they do not hear us when we write all this directly on paper or on the Internet, like they do not hear the Supersoul. In practice, the soul is unlikely to descend here in a spiritual body, he is too weak against māyā.

Can a devotee come to another devotee to help? Yes, this is possible, because such connection is easier to implement. But we do not need to come to anyone or wait for someone, because the ācārya is already here and helps everyone. Everything has already been said, everything has been written, Śrīla Prabhupāda is present both in the teachings and in person, according to the degree of the devotee's following. Can Śrīla Prabhupāda come personally and give instructions? He can. And what will He say? "Read my books and preach."

All the blessings that Śrīla Prabhupāda gave remain here; the question is only in our following. He Himself is also personally present, but His books are more important. A disciple should follow the teachings of Śrīla Prabhupāda, His books in his life. A disciple should apply them and gain his personal experience, this will be a joint activity. Śrīla Prabhupāda directs and you follow - this is bheda-abheda, you become one with Śrīla Prabhupāda, but also different from Him. Thus He incarnates in the devotee and manage. If one follows correctly, He will put everything into him. This is Śrīla Prabhupāda or Kṛṣṇa consciousness that He brought. This is the expansion of the guru or the next guru that He creates in that way.

Śrīla Prabhupāda never has gone anywhere, but He is interested in preaching. He can give anything, but He has a mission, He has His own tasks. If we agree and act in His best interests, we will gradually move forward. What will happen next? Further will be nothing new: outwardly it is always a spiritual work, inwardly – spiritual world.

Is it possible to have personal guidance from Śrīla Prabhupāda? It is possible, nevertheless, it is better when there is a specific guru - a standard guru, a ritvik guru, a senior devotee, an ordinary devotee who can suggest, because a person himself can invent. A guru is any person (or several) who can give correct guidance. A specific person is needed, at least as a general training, and if this is even a madhyama guru, he will remain your guru to the end. If this is an “eternal” kaniṣṭha guru and you are spiritually growing, then you will be given more guidance.

In fact, everything needed is already there, in the books of Śrīla Prabhupāda, however, someone more experienced is needed to confirm the actions of a person, since the scriptures can be interpreted or misunderstood. Almost anyone can be a guru in the “repeat 16 circles, follow” style. Some say that the guru is a symbol, a spiritual principle, but the guru is not a symbol, He is a person, He teaches personally and He will meet you in the spiritual world personally if he qualified. When most of the gurus are kaniṣṭha-adhikārīs who do almost nothing, well, yes, then it turns out to be a symbol.

There are 365 days in a year. A sannyāsī or spiritual leader should give at least 300 lectures a year or attend lectures of others and listen. Otherwise, what is he doing? Do they think they will not be asked? Or do they think to satisfy Śrīla Prabhupāda with their ten lectures? You will later try to talk about travelling, about great love, faith, and devotion. You do not even have to go anywhere. If there are five people in the temple, well, make them devotees, establish spuritual life at least at one temple. Why ride back and forth? Among Visnupada's distributors there were two who distributed more books than the half of devotees all over the world together.

This is Śrīla Prabhupāda's movement, this is His movement, and later all the responsible persons will answer. It is like Christ's:

"21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (Matthew 7:21-23)

Still how laconic and concise are the words of Christ. His preaching, of course, is both unique and brilliant in many ways. The New Testament is such a short work but it contains everything.

TEXT 17

By human calculation, a thousand ages taken together is the duration of Brahmā's one day. And such also is the duration of his night.

PURPORT of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda:

The duration of the material universe is limited. It is manifested in cycles of kalpas. A kalpa is a day of Brahmā, and one day of Brahmā consists of a thousand cycles of four yugas or ages: Satya, Tretā, Dvāpara, and Kali. The cycle of Satya is characterized by virtue, wisdom and religion, there being practically no ignorance and vice, and the yuga lasts 1,728,000 years. In the Tretā-yuga vice is introduced, and this yuga lasts 1,296,000 years. In the Dvāpara-yuga there is an even greater decline in virtue and religion, vice increasing, and this yuga lasts 864,000 years. And finally in Kali-yuga (the yuga we have now been experiencing over the past 5,000 years) there is an abundance of strife, ignorance, irreligion and vice, true virtue being practically nonexistent, and this yuga lasts 432,000 years. In Kali-yuga vice increases to such a point that at the termination of the yuga the Supreme Lord Himself appears as the Kalki avatara, vanquishes the demons, saves His devotees, and commences another Satya-yuga. Then the process is set rolling again. These four yugas, rotating a thousand times, comprise one day of Brahmā, the creator god, and the same number comprise one night. Brahmā lives one hundred of such "years" and then dies. These "hundred years" by earth calculations total to 311 trillion and 40 million earth years. By these calculations the life of Brahmā seems fantastic and interminable, but from the viewpoint of eternity it is as brief as a lightning flash. In the causal ocean there are innumerable Brahmās rising and disappearing like bubbles in the Atlantic. Brahmā and his creation are all part of the material universe, and therefore they are in constant flux.

In the material universe not even Brahmā is free from the process of birth, old age, disease and death. Brahmā, however, is directly engaged in the service of the Supreme Lord in the management of this universe-therefore he at once attains liberation. Elevated sannyāsīs are promoted to Brahmā's particular planet, Brahmaloka, which is the highest planet in the material universe and which survives all the heavenly planets in the upper strata of the planetary system, but in due course Brahmā and all inhabitants of Brahmaloka are subject to death, according to the law of material nature.
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Сообщение Jayanti » 05 янв 2021, 19:14

TEXT 18

When Brahmā's day is manifest, this multitude of living entities comes into being, and at the arrival of Brahmā's night they are all annihilated.

PURPORT of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda:

The less intelligent jīvas try to remain within this material world and are accordingly elevated and degraded in the various planetary systems. During the daytime of Brahmā they exhibit their activities, and at the coming of Brahmā's night they are annihilated. In the day they receive various bodies for material activities, and at night these bodies perish. The jīvas (individual souls) remain compact in the body of Viṣṇu and again and again are manifest at the arrival of Brahmā's day. When Brahmā's life is finally finished, they are all annihilated and remain unmanifest for millions and millions of years. Finally, when Brahmā is born again in another millennium, they are again manifest. In this way the jīvas are captivated by the material world. However, those intelligent beings who take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Rāma in devotional service transfer themselves, even in this life, to the spiritual planet of Kṛṣṇa and become eternally blissful there, not being subject to such rebirths.

TEXT 19

Again and again the day comes, and this host of beings is active; and again the night falls, O Pārtha, and they are helplessly dissolved.

PURPORT

Similarly, people are forced to sleep in order to rest and balance the mind and senses. The global universal processes of Brahmā's day and night are also reflected locally like the days and nights of people. Therefore, by observing the laws visible to us and understood the Sāṅkhya philosophy, a person can also realize global cosmic processes that last for millions of years. By studying only gross matter, as modern scientists do, people will not be able to recognize the structure of the universe. We need to understand that our mind and intelligence came from the original source that created and supports this whole world. Mind and intelligence have the ability to cognition because they are at the beginning of all creation.

People think about eternity or imagine eternity, because as a soul everyone is eternal. If eternity did not exist, no one would be able to have such a concept within themselves. Similarly, if the mind and intelligence were not at the beginning of creation, were not the fundamental element of creation, then no one would be able to create something or understand the processes that take place in the universe. Therefore, with the help of the scripture, experience, mind, and intelligence, a person can become aware of the basic processes occurring in the universe, but this cannot be done with the help of spaceships, telescopes or the splitting of the atomic structure.

TEXT 20

Yet there is another nature, which is eternal and is transcendental to this manifested and unmanifested matter. It is supreme and is never annihilated. When all in this world is annihilated, that part remains as it is.

PURPORT

The minimum goal of human life is to achieve the spiritual world, liberation from the kingdom of dead matter and sufferings. The spiritual world is filled with happiness, but souls striving for personal domination try to establish happiness here, in temporary existence. Although such attempts are obviously doomed to failure, the soul by his nature wants to be eternally happy, so he still tries to build his happiness here.

TEXT 21

That supreme abode is called unmanifested and infallible, and it is the supreme destination. When one goes there, he never comes back. That is My supreme abode.

PURPORT of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda:

The supreme abode of the Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, is described in the Brahma-saṁhitā as cintāmaṇi-dhāma, a place where all desires are fulfilled. The supreme abode of Lord Kṛṣṇa known as Goloka Vṛndāvana is full of palaces made of touchstone. There are also trees which are called "desire trees" that supply any type of eatable upon demand, and there are cows known as surabhi cows which supply a limitless supply of milk. In this abode, the Lord is served by hundreds of thousands of goddesses of fortune (Lakṣmīs), and He is called Govinda, the primal Lord and the cause of all causes. The Lord is accustomed to blow His flute (venum kvanantam). His transcendental form is the most attractive in all the worlds—His eyes are like the lotus petals and the color of His body like clouds. He is so attractive that His beauty excels that of thousands of cupids. He wears saffron cloth, a garland around His neck and a peacock feather in His hair. In the Gītā Lord Krṣṇa gives only a small hint of His personal abode (Goloka Vṛndāvana) which is the supermost planet in the spiritual kingdom. A vivid description is given in the Brahma-saṁhitā. Vedic literature states that there is nothing superior to the abode of the Supreme Godhead, and that that abode is the ultimate destination. When one attains to it, he never returns to the material world. Kṛṣṇa's supreme abode and Kṛṣṇa Himself are nondifferent, being of the same quality. On this earth, Vṛndāvana, ninety miles southeast of Delhi, is a replica of that supreme Goloka Vṛndāvana located in the spiritual sky. When Kṛṣṇa descended on this earth, He sported on that particular tract of land known as Vṛndāvana in the district of Mathurā, India.
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Jayanti
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Сообщение Jayanti » 06 янв 2021, 12:39

TEXT 22

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is greater than all, is attainable by unalloyed devotion. Although He is present in His abode, He is all-pervading, and everything is situated within Him.

PURPORT

Since God is absolute, He encompasses everything. Although God dwells in His abode, He simultaneously dwells everywhere and everything that exists are in Him. It is also a manifestation of His omnipotence quality.

When the soul does not know about God, he is attracted by something else. People want to have their kingdom, their possessions separate from God. They waste their lives building houses, factories, and various equipment. Without knowledge about God, religions change almost nothing in society, because while people do not know God, they will always be absorbed by external objects, they will seek earthly happiness. Until people are full of lust, or desire for personal happiness, the whole world will be filled with sufferings, because such desires are selfish, always contrary to the desires of others, and temporary. Besides the fact that such a life brings suffering, it is also wretched and uninteresting. Very few people can understand the meaninglessness of material life, but at the same time they generally tend towards impersonalism and mechanical renunciation of the world.

Pure devotion means one realizes God and thus gradually gets rid of material motives. People want to be great only because of their own inferiority, a normal adequate person does not need any personal greatness, especially in spiritual life. When a person is flawed, he always needs to somehow compensate for this, he needs recognition. A sign of lust is always dissatisfaction. People who are captured by lust always think that they don't have enough of everything and want to have more: more money, more fame and other things, they are crazy. While a person is seized with such madness, it is difficult for him to cognize God. But even great lust recedes when one dedicates everything to God, because God is much more unlimited.

It is better for religions to renounce the materialistic tendencies of accumulating money and devote themselves to knowledge and preaching; it is better for priests to leave on streets of cities with the Bible and the Koran, this is more important than formal rituals. Until people know little about God, it will be difficult for them to reach the spiritual world, since the spiritual rests on a relationship with Him. Therefore, people who do not know God, but who are quite curious and striving for righteousness, reach only paradise (the highest planets of the material world) where they will continue to improve.

TEXT 23

O best of the Bhāratas, I shall now explain to you the different times at which, passing away from this world, one does or does not come back.

PURPORT

Since pure devotees are under the protection of God, they are not worried about anything. They do not have to think about when and how they will leave the body. Almost all the problems of ordinary people and the faithful arise from selfishness: mess with one own body all one's life, constantly worry about something - all these are very constraining. Materialists are very concerned about comfort and their health, so they get sick a lot. Most diseases come from anxiety, in fact, the psyche is the main factor in this. You can see that people with undeveloped consciousness are often healthy and physically strong because they worry little. When the mind constantly fluctuates, a person waste a lot of energy and destroys himself. A man is dull as an animal, thinks little, worries not much, therefore he has good health. This may not be the best example, but it is an attempt at illustration. Most diseases come from anxiety, in fact, the psyche is the main factor in this. You can see that people with undeveloped consciousness are often healthy and physically strong because they worry little. When the mind constantly fluctuates, a person waste a lot of energy and destroys himself. A man is dull as an animal, thinks little, worries not much, therefore he has good health. This may not be the best example, but it is an attempt at illustration.

A person is healthy when he has a clear consciousness, when he knows philosophy; philosophy is the basis of any sphere of life. The soul is very powerful. If a person stops worrying, he will gradually pull even a weak body back to normal. Therefore, knowledge of philosophy is necessary, and secondly, renunciation of the fruits of labor and positive spiritual activity are necessary. When there are no ambiguities in consciousness and when a person is uplifted, he will be healthy. However, we can die at any moment from hundreds of factors, but the devotee is not very sad about it, there is no news in it, all this could already have happened thousands of times. It is a miracle, rather, that we are still alive.

In Islam, there is a Hadith that says that the angel of death looks into everyone's face five times during the day and five times at night, checking if whether the time of one's death has come. Although this Hadith is not universally accepted, it describes the situation of our life quite reliably. Or as Śrīla Prabhupāda writes, "Owing to ignorance, one does not know that this material world is a miserable place where there are dangers at every step."

Materialists obsessed with their bodies all their lives, basically making it only worse - constantly overeating, worrying about how it is more convenient for them to lie down or how to get up, studying horoscopes all days long, and listening to where something in the body creaks not so good, placing sofas in Feng Shui, all the time thinking on which foot with which mantra what to do, how not to be defiled, which side of the road to go, and about other nonsense. Devotees do not worry about the non-essential things, therefore they are always in good condition and easily surpass modern pampered sannyasis, in spiritual development too.

As far as Śrīla Prabhupāda is concerned, do as much as He did, then refer to Him. People want to eat like Him, but they do not want to preach like Him. Yes, it is our "intelligent" style to choose the pleasant and avoid the unpleasant. Take the themes of food, fame, money from Śrīla Prabhupāda and avoid everything else. He gave an example, but what is the main thing in His example?

It is nonsense to figure out for half of your life weather you can eat chocolate or not without doing anything significant. You can eat chocolate with coffee, but you have to preach. Principles in the absence of preaching do not play a special role and by and large will be impossible to implement. Make at least one city God conscious. It is important. Set yourself a worthy goal. And we have a whole Bhāgavatam as an example: different devotees behave differently and everything of that is spiritual. It is necessary to understand the essence and external components do not play a special role. Śrīla Prabhupāda is a perfect brāhmaṇa, but for example, a perfect kṣatriya will behave differently. Gaurakisora ​​ate a handful of rice a day; take His example. - Oh, well, we do not like that.

TEXT 24

Those who know the Supreme Brahman pass away from the world during the influence of the fiery god, in the light, at an auspicious moment, during the fortnight of the moon and the six months when the sun travels in the north.

PURPORT

There is so much freedom for modern "Vedists." After reading all that, one can start calculate where is what period of time, then open a shop to trade periods that will never be useful to anyone of modern people.

This is refers to those who have realized Brahman and consciously give up the body; this is a prescription for them. Those who realize Brahman and accidentally die at an auspicious moment of time can also enter It forever, but this rule does not apply to ordinary people; their next birth is regulated by their own destiny. Those mystics who do not leave the body at an auspicious time reach Brahman, but then return to the material world again. Brahman (sat) is an intermediate position, and there is no spiritual relationships, the ānanda aspect of the soul is not manifested, there is no complete happiness, so the soul can fall back again. If the soul reaches the spiritual world, he never falls again. Those devotees who come to the material world to preach are fully God conscious, and their coming here is never a fall.
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