The suicide of a 34-year-old techie Atul Subhash in Bangalore at his home has alarmed and angered the entire country. It is shocking that a man would feel so persecuted, tormented, and hopeless due to the actions of his ex-spouse, which, if allegations are to be believed, involve domestic violence. However, without delving into specifics or blaming anyone prematurely without a proper investigation, let us examine this incident from four perspectives to better understand what happened and how such tragedies can be prevented. These perspectives are psychological, historical, legal, and philosophical.
From a psychological perspective, what stands out about this suicide is the meticulous planning that went into it. Suicide, in general, is an act that stems from feelings of despair and defeat. Such emotions are often impulsive and overwhelming, leading to a rash decision to end one’s life. However, in this case, there was considerable contemplation and preparation, as evidenced by the elaborate checklists, a 24-page suicide note, and an hour long video uploaded by the individual.
It appears that he viewed his act not just as a means to escape personal torment but also as a way to free his family from the distress they were enduring. Believing that justice could not be achieved through the current legal framework, he saw his actions as a form of sacrifice to highlight his cause. Although his act was steeped in hopelessness, he seemed to ascribe to it a higher purpose.
This can be analyzed through the lens of the three modes of material nature described in philosophical traditions: sattvic (goodness), rajasic (passion), and tamasic (ignorance). The motivations and consciousness behind an action determine its nature. For example, even an activity like performing austerities, generally seen as positive, can become tamasic if done with a destructive intent. Conversely, an act like fasting to death, under certain circumstances, may be considered a graceful and purposeful way to end one’s life.
Through this incident, and the calm, calculated contemplation that preceded it, we can see that the suicide was not merely an act of impulsive frustration. Instead, it seems to have been a deliberate sacrifice for what the individual perceived as a failed cause for himself but a potentially meaningful cause for others in the future.
From a historical perspective, the prevailing narrative in the West—and increasingly adopted in India—is that the history of humanity is largely a history of patriarchy, where men systematically dominated, exploited, and abused women. This narrative asserts that with the rise of feminism and successive waves of feminist movements, these historical wrongs are now being corrected, granting women their rights and enabling them to assert themselves. However, this understanding of history is a significant oversimplification.
If we examine history, particularly in pre-modern times, life was extremely challenging. Without the technological supports we have today, mere survival required immense effort. Men and women collaborated as families to confront life’s challenges, build a home, and pass on the legacy of life to future generations. Life was too harsh for one gender to systematically exploit the other. Exploitation, when it occurred, was more often by those with power—such as royalty, aristocracy, or landlords—over those without power, regardless of gender.
For example, men were often the victims of exploitation by other men. Historical accounts reveal the harsh conditions faced by farmers, miners, and factory workers, where men were subjected to grueling labor. This observation does not diminish the reality of domestic violence or other gender-based issues but challenges the overly simplistic narrative of historical male exploitation of women.
Moreover, in the past, it was not the case that men had autonomy while women lacked it. Societies were far more rigidly structured than today, and the concept of upward mobility was almost non-existent. A person’s birth determined their role in life. Women were often confined to domestic roles, while men had professional roles, but even those roles were usually dictated by birth.
For example, a person born into aristocracy remained an aristocrat, regardless of their abilities, while a person born a peasant was confined to that role, no matter their potential. Men, too, lacked autonomy in many aspects of life, including marriage. Most marriages were arranged, and men had little choice but to accept their partners due to practical necessities, political alliances, or other considerations.
It was only after the Industrial Revolution, with the subsequent migration and restructuring of society, that men began to gain significant autonomy. Within two or three centuries, women also started experiencing greater autonomy. The key point here is that, historically, life has been tough for everyone. The notion that women have always been exploited by men is itself a historical misconception that requires correction. Unfortunately, this very idea is being perpetuated in the name of addressing a historical wrong.
Reducing history to a simplistic power struggle between men and women, without considering the complex dynamics of society, reflects what the Bhagavad Gita describes as knowledge in the mode of ignorance. Such reductionism, where one aspect is taken as the whole, not only misrepresents the past but can also lead to harmful or even toxic consequences in the present, as seen in the structure of modern laws.
Such a reductionistic vision of history is not merely an idle or harmless misconception about the past; it can have harmful, even toxic, consequences today. This is evident in the structure of laws increasingly enacted in modern times. This brings us to the third point: the legal dimension.
In the past, society was structured in ways that reflected existing patriarchal norms. Women subjected to problems or violence at home often lacked legal recourse. The reality of domestic violence, both past and present, should neither be denied nor downplayed. However, two things can simultaneously be true: addressing historical injustices and redressing power imbalances should not lead to a new imbalance in the legal framework. Unfortunately, this has occurred in some cases.
For example, in India, the law for protection against domestic violence explicitly defines domestic violence as violence against women. Within the legal framework, there is no provision for men to seek redress when they are victims of domestic violence. While it may be argued that men are generally stronger and more likely to threaten or harm women, this does not mean that men cannot be victims of abuse.
The Bhagavad Gita explains in its 16th chapter that all humans have both divine and demonic qualities, existing on a spectrum within each individual. The chapter emphasizes that no one is immune to corruption. Whoever gains power also gains the temptation and opportunity to abuse it.
In the current legal framework, the pendulum has swung to an extreme where, practically speaking, men are often presumed guilty unless proven innocent. While the presumption of innocence is upheld legally, the mere accusation can have severe and sometimes devastating consequences for a man. Individuals with exploitative, manipulative, or abusive tendencies—regardless of their gender—are likely to cynically exploit these imbalances for personal gain.
The same patriarchal norms that once inhibited women or subjected them to domestic violence now also make it difficult for men to come forward as victims. Men are socially conditioned to be perceived as tough, and admitting to being victims of abuse might lead to their being seen as weak or inadequate. This stigma compounds the challenges faced by male victims in reporting violence against them.
As the patriarchal structures of society loosen in some parts of the world, statistics about male victims of domestic violence are becoming increasingly documented. These figures are concerning, if not alarming. For instance, in the United States, the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (2016–2017) reported that nearly 44% of men had been victims of intimate partner violence at least once in their lifetime. Of those, 1 in 13 reported sexual violence, 2 in 5 reported physical violence, and 1 in 20 reported being stalked by an intimate partner.
Even in Finland, a country regularly ranked as the happiest country in the world, significant instances of male victimization are documented. A survey conducted from 2010 to 2022 found 11,819 cases of domestic violence, of which 3,669—roughly 31%—involved male victims. This is far from an insignificant percentage.
Given these realities, the law must be balanced. Both male-to-female violence and female-to-male violence are significant issues. Measures to address female-to-male violence should not be viewed as diminishing the rights or protections of women. Instead, we must understand that this is not a gendered conflict but a human struggle against our lower nature.
Society must support everyone by helping individuals rise above their lower nature through culture and discipline and by protecting them from the harmful actions of others through laws and appropriate legal structures.
This brings us to the legal perspective. In the past, society was structured in ways that reflected existing patriarchal norms. Women who faced problems or violence at home often lacked legal recourse. This reality of domestic violence, both past and present, should neither be denied nor downplayed. However, two things can be true simultaneously: efforts to address female-to-male violence do not inherently undermine the importance of protecting women’s rights.
The issue is not about a gendered battle between men and women. It is about humanity’s collective struggle against our lower nature. Society must support everyone in two ways: first, by helping individuals rise above their lower nature through culture and discipline, and second, by protecting individuals from the harmful actions of others through laws and an appropriate legal framework.
Finally, from a philosophical perspective, wisdom is not measured by the amount of information we accumulate or the number of practical skills we possess. As explained in Bhagavad Gita 13.8–12, true wisdom is recognized through the virtues we cultivate in our lives.
In the case of the legal system, legal wisdom cannot be achieved merely by implementing laws. There is a need to cultivate an ethos that prioritizes justice. This means moving beyond framing issues as gender battles or ideological conflicts between liberal (left) and conservative (right) perspectives. Instead, if we collectively value justice, we can recognize that unnecessary and unfair violence and pain inflicted on anyone should be avoided.
For this to happen, our legal professionals—lawyers, judges, and individuals—must develop a culture of valuing justice rather than relying solely on the protective power of laws. Laws are indeed important, but it is virtuous individuals who enforce them in ways that are constructive and just. Without this ethos, opportunistic and malicious individuals will continue to exploit the very laws designed to ensure fairness, thereby defying justice and perpetuating unfairness.
The Bhagavad Gita offers a comprehensive vision of life where knowledge and wisdom are rooted in virtues. By adopting a virtue-based approach to life, wisdom, and law, we can hope to effectively counter tragic incidents of domestic violence—whether perpetrated by males against females or females against males.
To summarize:
1. From a psychological perspective, this tragic incident seems to have stemmed not from impulsive frustration but from a mood of sacrifice aimed at highlighting a perceived injustice.
2. From a historical perspective, interpreting the entire history of humanity as a narrative of men exploiting women is reductionistic to the point of being erroneous.
3. From a legal perspective, the current legal structure has gone too far in protecting women, often leaving men vulnerable, and this imbalance needs to be addressed.
4. From a philosophical perspective, solutions require more than just new laws. They demand the infusion of virtues and the cultivation of an ethos of justice, ensuring that the exploitative, regardless of gender, are held accountable.
The article found here was published 6 December 2024 on a famous international site and has garnered 640 comments so far, with even some celebrities engaging in the discussion. Below find summary of the content and the comments. In 1983, a U.S. Army intelligence report, later declassified by the CIA, explored the groundbreaking concept that Read More...
‘Srila Prabhupada’s Kirtana Standards: A Handbook’ by Jayadvaita Swami A review by Krsna-katha das Whether you are a kirtana leader and / or an Iskcon leader, this is a useful and interesting book to read. As the title suggests, it shows us how Srila Prabhupada wanted us to engage in kirtan. Jayadvaita Swami lets us Read More...
Gita Jayanti is the day on which Lord Krishna spoke the Bhagavad-gita to Arjuna.The Gita is also known as the Gitopanisad and is considered one of the Upanishads. The title Bhagavad-gita is sometimes translated as “The Song of God.” Gita means “song.” God, Krishna, is so sublime that whatever He speaks is music and poetry. The word bhagavan has been analyzed by Vedic authorities. Bhaga means “opulence” and is related to the word bhagya: “good fortune.” And van means “one who possesses.” So bhagavan means “He who possesses all opulence in full.”
“Full wealth, strength, fame, beauty, knowledge, and renunciation—these are the six opulences of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” (Vishnu Purana 6.5.47)
All of us possess some wealth. I may have ten dollars, but if I look further, I will find someone who has a hundred dollars. And if I look still further, I will find someone who has a thousand dollars, and a million, and a billion. But no one can say that he has all the wealth in all creation, that no one is equal to him or greater than him in wealth. When we come to that person who has all wealth—no one is equal to or greater than him—that is Bhagavan, Krishna.
The Bhagavad-gita was spoken by Krishna to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. But, as stated in the Gita (4.1),
“The Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna, said: I instructed this imperishable science of yoga to the sun-god, Vivasvan, and Vivasvan instructed it to Manu, the father of mankind, and Manu in turn instructed it to Iksvaku.” Lord Krishna originally spoke the Gita to Vivasvan, the sun-god, who spoke it to his son Manu, who in turn spoke it to Iksvaku. In this way the knowledge was passed on through disciplic succession from one to the next to the next. But in the course of time, that chain became broken.
“This supreme science was thus received through the chain of disciplic succession, and the saintly kings understood it in that way. But in course of time the succession was broken, and therefore the science as it is appears to be lost.” (Gita 4.2) Nasta means “spoiled.” You may have a nice plate of prasada, but if you leave it aside and it becomes old and contaminated, it becomes nasta, spoiled. It is food, but you don’t get the benefit. And to get the real benefit of the Bhagavad-gita, one must receive it through parampara (evam parampara-praptamimam rajarsayo viduh).
Five thousand years ago, Lord Krishna detected that the chain was broken and that, consequently, the knowledge had been lost. So He came again and spoke the Bhagavad-gita again, to Arjuna: “Now, Arjuna, you become the first recipient of this knowledge in the new chain, so that the knowledge is received and presented as it is.” Srila Prabhupada called his translation of the Gita the Bhagavad-gita As It Is. “As it is” means as Krishna spoke it and as Arjuna understood it—five thousand years ago.
How did Arjuna understand it? First, he accepted Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead:
“Arjuna said: You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the ultimate abode, the purest, the Absolute Truth. You are the eternal, transcendental, original person, the unborn, the greatest.” (Gita 10.12)
He accepted everything that Krishna said as true: sarvam etad rtam manye yan mam vadasi kesava—“Krishna, I totally accept as truth all that You have told me.” (Gita 10.14) “I accept whatever You say, in toto.” He did not discriminate that he liked some parts of the Gita but not other parts. Sarvam etad rtam manye: “I accept in toto everything that You have said.”
If we begin to discriminate, “I like this portion, but I don’t like that one,” we become implicated in ardha-kukkuti-nyaya, “half-hen” logic. A farmer had a hen that was laying eggs. But the farmer thought that only the hind portion was valuable, because that part was giving eggs—that the neck portion was simply troublesome, because it just ate food. He concluded, “I will cut the neck portion, which is just a botheration, and keep the hind portion, which gives eggs.” And when he did, of course, the hen died and there were no more eggs.
One verse in the Bhagavad-gita that is very popular among some people states, karmany evadhikaras te: “You are entitled to do your duty.” They think, “I can do my duty. I can go to work. I can make and spend money. I can take care of my family, live with my family, enjoy with my family and friends.
That is a precious instruction.” But when they come to sarva-dharman parityajyamam ekam saranam vraja—give up all varieties of religiousness and surrender to Krishna—that is a little troublesome, and they want to cut that part: “We don’t really need it. We’ll just keep the really valuable part: I can do my duty.”
In order to get the full benefit of the Bhagavad-gita, it is essential to accept it as it is. Devotees who have accepted it as it is and applied its principles in their lives have undergone extraordinary transformations. This knowledge can really help people. And any genuine person who gets something good will naturally want to share it with others. Anyone who has imbibed the nectar of the Bhagavad-gita, gotten the benefit of the Bhagavad-gita, will want to share the knowledge with others. It is natural. If you are eating a nice plate of prasada and taste something really good, it is natural to say, “You should try this; it’s really good.” Or, “You should try this with this; it’s a really good combination.” Anyone—any child—will do that. So, when you actually experience the benefit of the Bhagavad-gita in your life, you will naturally want to share the knowledge with others so that they too can benefit and become happy.
Now, why did Krishna choose Arjuna to be the first student of the Bhagavad-gita? Arjuna was not a sannyasi; he was a married man. And he was not a brahman; he was a warrior. Why Arjuna? Krishna explains,
sa evayam maya te ’dya yogah proktah puratanah bhakto ’si me sakha ceti rahasyam hy etad uttamam
“That very ancient science of the relationship with the Supreme is today told by Me to you because you are My devotee as well as My friend and can therefore understand the transcendental mystery of this science.” (Gita 4.3) The main qualification for understanding the Gita is bhakto ’si me, to be Lord Krishna’s devotee. And later Krishna says that one should hear the Gita with faith and without envy (sraddhavan anasuyas ca srnuyad api yo narah). (Gita 18.71) This is a most important point: to get the true benefit of the Gita, one must be a devotee.
What does it mean to be a devotee? Sometimes the word devotee is used quite broadly. To begin, let us understand devotee in contrast to karmi, jnani, and yogi. These are all technical (as well as general) terms. A karmi engages in fruitive work. He works for personal gain: “I have worked and earned. Now I have the right to enjoy the fruit.” That is 90 percent of the world. People work, and they feel, “I have earned the money, so I have the right to spend it—on myself, on my family, on my community, on my country” (or whatever limited or extended concept of sense gratification they have). But the Gita says no. Karmany evadhikaras te ma phalesu kadacana: “You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action.” (Gita 2.47) The fruits belong to Krishna.
If you invite a carpenter to your house and give him wood and nails and glue—everything he needs—and say, “I want you to build me a cabinet,” in the end, to whom does the cabinet belong—to the carpenter or to you? It belongs to the proprietor, not to the worker. The worker has assembled the ingredients supplied by the proprietor, but that doesn’t make him the owner.
This entire material creation, this entire cosmic manifestation—the elements are provided by Krishna. The earth we tread; the water we drink; the air we breathe; the fire, or electricity, we use—everything belongs to Him, and we cannot rightly claim any of it for ourselves. We may assemble the elements in different ways, but it all belongs to Him and is meant to be used for His purposes.
A karmi engages in work and wants to keep the fruits for himself. A karma-yogi engages in work but gives the fruits to Krishna. A man may grow a tree that produces fruit. A karmi will keep the fruit for himself, whereas a karma-yogi will give the fruit, or some of the fruit, to Krishna. The sakama-karma-yogi has selfish desires, but he still gives something to Krishna. If the tree produces a hundred mangoes, he may give one or two or ten or twenty to Krishna. And as he becomes purified, as he develops more faith and becomes more attached to Krishna, he will give more to Krishna. And eventually he may give all one hundred mangoes to Krishna, without any selfish desire (niskama-karma-yoga). But he will not be the loser. Krishna will give him His prasada, His mercy.
The jnanis and often the yogis are impersonalists; they believe that God is ultimately impersonal—nameless, formless, without qualities, without activities. They may even go so far as to think that Krishna’s form is material, that just as we have a physical body made of flesh and bones and blood, so does Krishna. And according to them, if Krishna is material, then His name, form, qualities, and activities are also all material. People may chant His name, but ultimately they have to go beyond that. People may worship His form, but they have to go beyond that. People may talk about His qualities and activities, but they have to go beyond that. Ultimately, according to impersonalists, we have to go beyond all these illusory forms and names and come to the all-pervading impersonal light and merge and become one with it. Then there is no you, no me, no Krishna—nothing. Just oneness.In theory, that is also a possibility. But it is very rare to achieve that state, and very difficult. Lord Krishna explains in the Bhagavad-gita (12.2–7):
mayy avesya mano ye mam nitya-yukta upasate sraddhaya parayopetas te me yuktatama matah
“Those who fix their minds on My personal form and are always engaged in worshiping Me with great and transcendental faith are considered by Me to be most perfect.
ye tv aksaram anirdesyam avyaktam paryupasate sarvatra-gam acintyam ca kuta-stham acalam dhruvam
sanniyamyendriya-gramam sarvatra sama-buddhayah te prapnuvanti mam eva sarva-bhuta-hite ratah
“But those who fully worship the unmanifested, that which lies beyond the perception of the senses, the all-pervading, inconceivable, unchanging, fixed and immovable—the impersonal conception of the Absolute Truth—by controlling the various senses and being equally disposed to everyone, such persons, engaged in the welfare of all, at last achieve Me.
kleso ’dhikataras tesam avyaktasakta-cetasam avyakta hi gatir duhkham dehavadbhir avapyate
“For those whose minds are attached to the unmanifested, impersonal feature of the Supreme, advancement is very troublesome. To make progress in that discipline is always difficult for those who are embodied.
ye tu sarvani karmani mayi sannyasya mat-parah ananyenaiva yogena mam dhyayanta upasate
tesam aham samuddharta mrtyu-samsara-sagarat bhavami na cirat partha mayy avesita-cetasam
“But those who worship Me, giving up all their activities unto Me and being devoted to Me without deviation, engaged in devotional service and always meditating upon Me, having fixed their minds upon Me, O son of Prtha—for them I am the swift deliverer from the ocean of birth and death.”
Not only is the impersonal path difficult; the result is also not very satisfying, because ultimately everyone wants happiness and love. The two most basic human needs are to love and be loved. We want friends, we want family, and we want community, and we are not happy without them. I
f you were a billionaire but could never see another living being, would you be happy? No. You would be so desperate for company, for relationship, that you would say, “I don’t want this wealth. I just want to be with people I love and who love me.” In a way, this was Arjuna’s thinking at the beginning of the Bhagavad-gita. He considered, “What is the use of winning a kingdom if in the course of the battle all my friends and family die? What’s the use? With whom will I enjoy my kingdom?” The thought of being without family and friends so overwhelmed Arjuna that he said to Krishna,
na hi prapasyami mamapanudyad yac chokam ucchosanam indriyanam avapya bhumav asapatnam rddham rajyam suranam api cadhipatyam
“I can find no means to drive away this grief which is drying up my senses. I will not be able to dispel it even if I win a prosperous, unrivaled kingdom on earth with sovereignty like that of the demigods in heaven.” (Gita 2.8)
There is much truth to what Arjuna said at the beginning of the Gita, but that truth is on a lower level. By the mercy of Lord Krishna, after hearing the Bhagavad-gita, Arjuna was elevated to a higher, better understanding. He realized that perfect happiness and love were to be realized in relation to Krishna, and so Arjuna surrendered unto Him.
Krishna gave Arjuna the choice. Krishna did not force him, because true surrender, or true love, is voluntary. Krishna gave Arjuna the freedom to deliberate and then decide:
iti te jnanam akhyatam guhyad guhyataram maya vimrsyaitadas asena yathecchasi tatha kuru
“Thus I have explained to you knowledge still more confidential. Deliberate on this fully, and then do what you wish to do.” (Gita 18.63) Yathecchasi tatha kuru—“You can do whatever you like.” We all have free will, given to us by God. But after hearing the Bhagavad–gita, Arjuna immediately responded, karisye vacanam tava: “I will do whatever You say.” That is the position of the surrendered devotee.
“Arjuna said: My dear Krsna, O infallible one, my illusion is now gone. I have regained my memory by Your mercy. I am now firm and free from doubt and am prepared to act according to Your instructions.” (Gita 18.73)
Now we may be a little worried. We are back to that troublesome sloka,sarva-dharman parityajyamam ekam saranam vraja: “Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me.” And we may wonder, “What are the implications of karisye vacanam tava: ‘I am prepared to act according to Your instructions’? What if Krishna tells me to give up my wife, my children, my business, my home? Then what?” This is a problematic question, and some people may not want to pursue the course of surrender to Krishna, because they are afraid of the consequences.
But there is some leniency here, some considerateness. Lord Krishna gives us a gradual process to come to the stage of surrender, because surrender is based on faith. When we have faith in someone or something, we can surrender. And if we don’t have faith, we won’t surrender. In this present Age of Kali, faith is very rare. It is very difficult to come by genuine faith. The society is materialistic, and everyone is cultured in the idea that they are independent, free to think and do whatever they like, without restriction. In fact, they are envious. Material life means envy—first of Krishna. People think, “Why should I surrender to Him? I am also intelligent. I also know things. I can also speak and argue. Why should I surrender?” And people find fault with Krishna: “Why did He tell Arjuna to fight? Why did He cause so many people to die?” In particular, people who are envious find fault with Krishna. They can never understand the Bhagavad-gita. Therefore Lord Krishna says,
idam te natapaskaya nabhaktaya kadacana na casusrusave vacyam na ca mam yo ’bhyasuyati
“This confidential knowledge may never be explained to those who are not austere, or devoted, or engaged in devotional service, nor to one who is envious of Me.” (Gita 18.67) One must be a devotee, a bhakta. Only devotees are without envy.
Still, like a loving father, Krishna wants to bring all His sons and daughters to the highest perfection, even though He knows that it may take some time. A parent will want his child to grow to be strong and healthy and happy and intelligent and competent, and to take over the family’s business. A genuine, loving parent will want to give everything to the child, but the parent first wants to see that the child is responsible enough.
As I grew up, my father gave me a weekly allowance. My first allowance was five or ten cents. I was just a child, and he wasn’t sure how I would use the money. Eventually he raised my allowance to twenty-five cents. And I felt so proud: “My father really trusts me.” Twenty-five cents was quite a good amount for me then.
So, parents want to give to their children, but they also want to see that their children are responsible enough to take care of what they give them. In a similar way, Krishna wants to give us everything—even Himself—but He wants to see that we are qualified.
Another analogy is a teacher in a classroom. The study of math begins with one plus one equals two. There is much more, but the students proceed step by step: addition, then subtraction, then multiplication, then division—so many processes they have to learn.
In the Bhagavad-gita, the first instruction is that you are not the body but the soul within the body. Aham brahmasmi. That is the beginning, and if we understand even one line of the Bhagavad-gita, from the very beginning, our lives will change.
dehino ’smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara tatha dehantara-praptir dhiras tatra na muhyati
“As the embodied soul continuously passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. A sober person is not bewildered by such a change.” (Gita 2.13) If we just understand that we are not the body but are the atma, the jivatma, within the body, that alone is enough to change our whole life. We will no longer act on the basis of the body, for sense gratification, but on the basis of the soul, for self-realization. In today’s materialistic society one’s whole endeavor is to get things for the body—my body, my wife’s body, my children’s bodies, my parents’ bodies—to make the body comfortable. But the body is just like a dress for the soul. Now, which is more important—the clothes or the person inside the clothes? The person, of course. The body itself is just a dress, which changes. The real person is the soul, who exists always.
“As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, the soul similarly accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones.” (Gita 2.22)
If we understand just this one point from early in Krishna’s teaching in the Bhagavad-gita, our entire life will change. We will work for the benefit of the soul, which is our actual self and is part and parcel of the Supreme Self, God, Krishna, knowing that our real relationship is with Him, not with the body. And then, gradually, step by step, we will come to the conclusion of the Bhagavad-gita:
man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru mam evaisyasi satyam te pratijane priyo ’si me
“Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me, and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend.” (Gita 18.65)
sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah
“Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.” (Gita 18.66)
Man-mana—always think of Krishna. If you do that, you will naturally become a devotee of Krishna (mad-bhakto). You will worship Him (mad-yaji) and offer obeisance unto Him (mam namaskuru). It is so simple.
The critical point is man-mana, to always think of Krishna. And how can we always think of Him? In the ninth chapter of the Gita Krishna says,
satatam kirtayanto mam yatantas ca drdha-vratah namasyantas ca mam bhaktya nitya-yukta upasate
“Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion.” (Gita 9.14) Satatam kirtayanto mam—if we always (satatam) engage in glorifying Krishna, chanting His holy name (kirtana), we will always think of Him.
We are Hare Krishna devotees, and we are speaking about the Bhagavad-gita. What is the connection? The chanting of Hare Krishna is the real way to follow the instructions of Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita. Sri Krishna Chaitanya, the incarnation of Krishna for the present Age of Kali, who inaugurated the Hare Krishna movement five hundred years ago, taught, kirtaniyah sada harih: “Always chant the holy name of Hari [Krishna].” And in the Bhagavad-gita, Sri Krishna gives the same instruction: satatam kirtayanto mam—always engage in kirtan, chanting the holy name of Krishna. So, the chanting of Hare Krishna is really the fulfillment of Lord Krishna’s ultimate instruction in the Bhagavad-gita: man-mana—always think of Krishna. And chanting is the best—and easiest—way to think of Him.
Of course, we think of Krishna when we hear about Him from the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam, but for that we need a book or a reader. We think of Krishna when we see His deity form, His murti, but for that we need a temple, a mandir, with a murti. There are so many ways of thinking of Krishna, but the beauty of chanting, either kirtan or japa, is that we need only our tongue and ears. In the Bhagavad-gita (10.25) Lord Krishna recommends, yajnanam japa-yajno ’smi: “Of sacrifices I am the chanting of the holy names [japa].” This, anyone can do. Young or old, black or white, man or woman, educated or uneducated—anyone and everyone can chant Hare Krishna and fulfill Krishna’s instruction in the Bhagavad-gita.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, the authorized biography of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, relates an instructive story. While touring South India, Sri Chaitanya came to the holy place of Sri Ranga-kshetra, where, in front of the temple, He saw a brahman holding the Bhagavad-gita and crying, surrounded by people who were laughing and criticizing him. Sri Chaitanya asked him, “Why are these people laughing?” And the brahman replied, “I am holding the Bhagavad-gita, but I am more or less illiterate. I don’t know how to pronounce the words properly, and I do not know what they mean. But my guru ordered me to read the Gita, and so I read all eighteen chapters every day.” Chaitanya Mahaprabhu inquired, “Why are you crying?” And the brahman replied, “When I hold the Bhagavad-gita, I see before me Krishna and Arjuna on the chariot. Krishna is acting as Arjuna’s chariot driver. Taking the reins in His hands, He appears very beautiful. While seeing Lord Krishna instructing Arjuna, I weep in ecstatic happiness.” Then Lord Chaitanya told the brahman, “You are the true authority in the reading of the Bhagavad-gita. You know the real purport of the Bhagavad-gita.” And He embraced him.
Proud people may think, “Oh, these Hare Krishna people can’t understand much. They don’t know Sanskrit. They don’t have the samskaras. Let them chant. It is good.” But actually, by chanting the holy name of Krishna, one awakens one’s love for Him, which is the real purport of the Bhagavad-gita. By chanting, one fulfills the Lord’s instructions in the Bhagavad-gita to always think of Him and sing His glories. Although some who chant may not be very learned or knowledgeable in a certain sense, if they are genuine devotees of Krishna, they are fulfilling the real purport of the Bhagavad-gita.
aho bata sva-paco ’to gariyan yaj-jihvagre vartate nama tubhyam tepus tapas te juhuvuh sasnur arya brahmanucur nama grnanti ye te
“Oh, how glorious are they whose tongues are chanting Your holy name! Even if born in the families of dog-eaters, such persons are worshipable. Persons who chant the holy name of Your Lordship must have executed all kinds of austerities and fire sacrifices and achieved all the good manners of the Aryans. To be chanting the holy name of Your Lordship, they must have bathed at holy places of pilgrimage, studied the Vedas, and fulfilled everything required.” (SB 3.33.7)
rjuna to fight? Why did He cause so many people to die?” In particular, people who are envious find fault with Krishna. They can never understand the Bhagavad-gita. Therefore Lord Krishna says,
der. In this present Age of Kali, faith is very rare. It is very difficult to come by genuine faith. The society is materialistic, and everyone is cultured in the idea that they are independent, free to think and do whatever they like, without restriction. In fact, they are envious. Material life means envy—first of Krishna. People think, “Why should I surrender to Him? I am also intelligent. I also know things. I can also speak and argue. Why should I surrender?” And people find fault with Krishna: “Why did He tell A
idam te natapaskaya nabhaktaya kadacana na casusrusave vacyam na ca mam yo ’bhyasuyati
“Thisconfidential knowledge may never be explained to those who are not austere, or devoted, or engaged in devotional service, nor to one who is envious of Me.” (Gita 18.67) One must be a devotee, a bhakta. Only devotees are without envy.
Still, like a loving father, Krishna wants to bring all His sons and daughters to the highest perfection, even though He knows that it may take some time. A parent will want his child to grow to be strong and healthy and happy and intelligent and competent, and to take over the family’s business. A genuine, loving parent will want to give everything to the child, but the parent first wants to see that the child is responsible enough.
As I grew up, my father gave me a weekly allowance. My first allowance was five or ten cents. I was just a child, and he wasn’t sure how I would use the money. Eventually he raised my allowance to twenty-five cents. And I felt so proud: “My father really trusts me.” Twenty-five cents was quite a good amount for me then.
So, parents want to give to their children, but they also want to see that their children are responsible enough to take care of what they give them. In a similar way, Krishna wants to give us everything—even Himself—but He wants to see that we are qualified.
Another analogy is a teacher in a classroom. The study of math begins with one plus one equals two. There is much more, but the students proceed step by step: addition, then subtraction, then multiplication, then division—so many processes they have to learn.
In the Bhagavad-gita, the first instruction is that you are not the body but the soul within the body. Aham brahmasmi. That is the beginning, and if we understand even one line of the Bhagavad-gita, from the very beginning, our lives will change.
dehino ’smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara tatha dehantara-praptir dhiras tatra na muhyati
“As the embodied soul continuously passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. A sober person is not bewildered by such a change.” (Gita 2.13) If we just understand that we are not the body but are the atma, the jivatma, within the body, that alone is enough to change our whole life. We will no longer act on the basis of the body, for sense gratification, but on the basis of the soul, for self-realization. In today’s materialistic society one’s whole endeavor is to get things for the body—my body, my wife’s body, my children’s bodies, my parents’ bodies—to make the body comfortable. But the body is just like a dress for the soul. Now, which is more important—the clothes or the person inside the clothes? The person, of course. The body itself is just a dress, which changes. The real person is the soul, who exists always.
“As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, the soul similarly accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones.” (Gita 2.22)
If we understand just this one point from early in Krishna’s teaching in the Bhagavad-gita, our entire life will change. We will work for the benefit of the soul, which is our actual self and is part and parcel of the Supreme Self, God, Krishna, knowing that our real relationship is with Him, not with the body. And then, gradually, step by step, we will come to the conclusion of the Bhagavad-gita:
man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru mam evaisyasi satyam te pratijane priyo ’si me
“Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me, and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend.” (Gita 18.65)
sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah
“Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.” (Gita 18.66)
Man-mana—always think of Krishna. If you do that, you will naturally become a devotee of Krishna (mad-bhakto). You will worship Him (mad-yaji) and offer obeisance unto Him (mam namaskuru). It is so simple.
The critical point is man-mana, to always think of Krishna. And how can we always think of Him? In the ninth chapter of the Gita Krishna says,
satatam kirtayanto mam yatantas ca drdha-vratah namasyantas ca mam bhaktya nitya-yukta upasate
“Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion.” (Gita 9.14) Satatam kirtayanto mam—if we always (satatam) engage in glorifying Krishna, chanting His holy name (kirtana), we will always think of Him.
We are Hare Krishna devotees, and we are speaking about the Bhagavad-gita. What is the connection? The chanting of Hare Krishna is the real way to follow the instructions of Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita. Sri Krishna Chaitanya, the incarnation of Krishna for the present Age of Kali, who inaugurated the Hare Krishna movement five hundred years ago, taught, kirtaniyah sada harih: “Always chant the holy name of Hari [Krishna].”
And in the Bhagavad-gita, Sri Krishna gives the same instruction: satatam kirtayanto mam—always engage in kirtan, chanting the holy name of Krishna. So, the chanting of Hare Krishna is really the fulfillment of Lord Krishna’s ultimate instruction in the Bhagavad-gita: man-mana—always think of Krishna. And chanting is the best—and easiest—way to think of Him.
Of course, we think of Krishna when we hear about Him from the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam, but for that we need a book or a reader. We think of Krishna when we see His deity form, His murti, but for that we need a temple, a mandir, with a murti. There are so many ways of thinking of Krishna, but the beauty of chanting, either kirtan or japa, is that we need only our tongue and ears. In the Bhagavad-gita (10.25) Lord Krishna recommends, yajnanam japa-yajno ’smi: “Of sacrifices I am the chanting of the holy names [japa].” This, anyone can do. Young or old, black or white, man or woman, educated or uneducated—anyone and everyone can chant Hare Krishna and fulfill Krishna’s instruction in the Bhagavad-gita.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, the authorized biography of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, relates an instructive story. While touring South India, Sri Chaitanya came to the holy place of Sri Ranga-kshetra, where, in front of the temple, He saw a brahman holding the Bhagavad-gita and crying, surrounded by people who were laughing and criticizing him. Sri Chaitanya asked him, “Why are these people laughing?” And the brahman replied, “I am holding the Bhagavad-gita, but I am more or less illiterate. I don’t know how to pronounce the words properly, and I do not know what they mean. But my guru ordered me to read the Gita, and so I read all eighteen chapters every day.” Chaitanya Mahaprabhu inquired, “Why are you crying?” And the brahman replied, “When I hold the Bhagavad-gita, I see before me Krishna and Arjuna on the chariot. Krishna is acting as Arjuna’s chariot driver. Taking the reins in His hands, He appears very beautiful. While seeing Lord Krishna instructing Arjuna, I weep in ecstatic happiness.” Then Lord Chaitanya told the brahman, “You are the true authority in the reading of the Bhagavad-gita. You know the real purport of the Bhagavad-gita.” And He embraced him.
Proud people may think, “Oh, these Hare Krishna people can’t understand much. They don’t know Sanskrit. They don’t have the samskaras. Let them chant. It is good.” But actually, by chanting the holy name of Krishna, one awakens one’s love for Him, which is the real purport of the Bhagavad-gita. By chanting, one fulfills the Lord’s instructions in the Bhagavad-gita to always think of Him and sing His glories. Although some who chant may not be very learned or knowledgeable in a certain sense, if they are genuine devotees of Krishna, they are fulfilling the real purport of the Bhagavad-gita.
aho bata sva-paco ’to gariyan yaj-jihvagre vartate nama tubhyam tepus tapas te juhuvuh sasnur arya brahmanucur nama grnanti ye te
“Oh, how glorious are they whose tongues are chanting Your holy name! Even if born in the families of dog-eaters, such persons are worshipable. Persons who chant the holy name of Your Lordship must have executed all kinds of austerities and fire sacrifices and achieved all the good manners of the Aryans. To be chanting the holy name of Your Lordship, they must have bathed at holy places of pilgrimage, studied the Vedas, and fulfilled everything required.” (SB 3.33.7)
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness not only presents the knowledge of the Bhagavad-gita; it also gives the practical means by which one can fulfill its purport—to become a devotee of Krishna, to always think of Him, to worship Him, to offer homage to Him, and to preach His message. After personally surrendering to Krishna (sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja), one can go further and teach this knowledge. This is Lord Krishna’s last instruction:
ya idam paramam guhyam mad-bhaktesv abhidhasyati bhaktim mayi param krtva mam evaisyaty asamsayah
“For one who explains this supreme secret to the devotees, pure devotional service is guaranteed, and at the end he will come back to Me.
na ca tasman manusyesu kascin me priya-krttamah bhavita na ca me tasmad anyah priyataro bhuvi
“There is no servant in this world more dear to Me than he, nor will there ever be one more dear.” (Gita 18.68–69) The real conclusion of the Bhagavad-gita, built upon one’s full surrender to Krishna, is to spread this message and thus become most dear to Krishna.
This is the opportunity we all have. On Gita Jayanti we think of Krishna, recite the Gita, and perform the yajna, but the real essence of the celebration is to bring more people to Krishna, to the wisdom of the Gita. As devotees, we want to bring others to Krishna, and when we do, Krishna is even more pleased. And that is what Gita Jayanti is really meant to do: to please Krishna, to bring the Bhagavad-gita to more people and bring more people to Krishna—and make us dear to Krishna.
It is a wonderful, wonderful opportunity. I have been chanting Hare Krishna and reading the Bhagavad-gita for forty years, and it is ever-fresh. Once, Srila Prabhupada told a New York Times interviewer, “Every day your employer is printing so many newspapers. On Sunday especially the paper is so big that one can hardly carry it. But after reading it for an hour, people throw it away. Here is this book—the Bhagavad-gita—and people keep it and read it for a lifetime, and in this way it has been read for the past five thousand years. Give people such literature that will be taken and kept forever.” And the reporter laughed—and agreed.
I am very grateful to all of you for having come this evening, after what was probably a long, hard day at work, braving the rush-hour traffic. I am grateful that you came and spared your valuable time. And I look forward to working together with all of you on this wonderful project, which will be so beneficial to so many people. Srila Prabhupada’s guru instructed him to preach the message of the Bhagavad-gita in English all over the world, telling him, “This will do much good for you as well as your audience.” So, it is win-win-win: it will be beneficial for you, it will be beneficial for the people in general, and ultimately Krishna will be pleased. And that is our goal—that is what bhakti means—to please Krishna. When Krishna is pleased, our life is successful and we are naturally satisfied and happy.
Thank you very much.
Hare Krishna.
[An address by Giriraj Swami to leaders of Hindu organizations, October 23, 2009, Houston]
Gita Jayanti is the auspicious day of the advent of Srimad Bhagavad-gita. This is the day on which Lord Krishna imparted the essence of Vedic knowledge to Arjuna over 5000 years ago and enlightened him about the ultimate goal of life.
As stated in the Gita-mahatmya, if one properly follows the instructions of Bhagavad-gita, one can be freed from all miseries and anxieties in this life, and one’s next life will be spiritual. Bhagavad-gita literally means the song of the Supreme Lord. It is the most widely known Vedic literature in the world.
The Bhagavad Gita is the essence of Vedic wisdom given by Lord Sri Krishna. His message holds the key to ending all of life’s misgivings and the secret to a life of happiness, satisfaction, fulfilment and self-discovery. Srila Prabhupada, the Founder-Acharya of ISKCON, has presented the Bhagavad Gita As It Is in a scholarly yet simple language. This is the best–selling version of the Gita in the world.
My dear Lord Krishna, please guide us so that we can understand the depth of your wisdom and, most importantly, the depth of the love of your infinite heart, which is revealed to us in the concluding chapter of your immortal song. Today we come to the conclusion of the journey of the Gita. And here, in the 17th chapter and its ending, Krishna has described how one can understand the level of a person’s faith by looking at the actions they do, the kind of food they take, and the type of yajña, dana, and tapa they perform. He then says that the om tatsat—the ultimate—has to be invoked if any activity is to have enduring meaning.
At this point, Arjuna asks a question. On one level, this question seems similar to what he has asked earlier, but he phrases it differently. Earlier, Arjuna, in one sense, asked the same question in the starting question itself. So, 2.7 asks, “What is dharma?” 3.1 asks, “Which is better, action or renunciation?” 5.1 is also similar. Now, we have 18.1. This question is basically about the difference between renunciation (sannyasa) and detachment. He is using the word renunciation, generally speaking, in the sense of the renounced order. Basically, he wants to clearly understand the difference between external and internal renunciation.
At the start, we had discussed the theme of how being engaged does not mean being attached, and being disengaged does not mean being detached. If we consider the renounced order of life, it does not necessarily mean giving up work and going to the forest. That is not true renunciation; that is a practice of bhakti. There is also detachment. So, Arjuna wants to know the relationship between these two—are they completely identical, or are they separate? This is his essential question.
The question, of course, is related to his battlefield context: Should I fight, or should I not fight? Fighting is not just a physical activity. We generally reach the point of fighting only when we are emotionally invested in something. It’s very difficult to be detached while fighting, as fighting is a matter of life or death. One either loses one’s life or takes someone else’s life. Or, at the very least, if it doesn’t result in death, the fighting won’t stop unless one person is severely beaten or injured. So fighting involves external aggression, but at the very least, it involves strong internal emotion. Without this emotional investment, fighting is very difficult. So, what would detachment mean in the context of fighting?
Of course, someone may fight for money, considering it just a job. They don’t necessarily hate the other person, but they must have some attachment to money. After all, there are many ways to earn money. But even in such cases, a strong emotional attachment to money is required.
Let’s now look at the words Krishna uses. It’s interesting that throughout the Gita, it is generally Krishna who refers to Arjuna as “Mahabhava.” Here, however, Arjuna is returning the favor, offering Krishna a compliment. “You are also mighty-armed,” he says. He is acknowledging Krishna’s power to dissipate his illusions. Mahabhava is a general glorifying epithet for describing warriors. The word tatva has been used repeatedly in the Bhagavad Gita to refer to the essence or truth. “Those who know me in truth”—tatva, the truth of it. “I desire to know it,” says Arjuna.
So, he says: “Sannyasasya mahabaho tatvamicchami veditum.” Then he says, “Not only do I want to understand this tatva, but I also want to understand tyagasya (renunciation).” Tyaga is similar to sannyasa, but it is also something different. He is using the two words in different contexts. Sannyasa here refers to the renounced order, while tyaga refers to detachment. Arjuna does not fully specify what he means by these words, but he is using them to point out the differences between external renunciation and internal detachment.
At the start of the Gita, Arjuna’s senses were going wild; he was unable to hold on to the bow. He said, “O Lord, you can bring my senses under control.” Here, he says, “O Krishna, help me understand the difference between these two.” Tyagasya cha Rishikesha—the renunciation of actions performed for desires. Pruthak Kaishinishudhana—”You are the killer of the Kaishin demon; please destroy my misconception.”
This is the only verse in the Gita where three epithets are used to address Krishna. Pruthak Kaishinishudhana—”O destroyer of the Kaishin demon.” Krishna sometimes uses two epithets but rarely three. So here, Arjuna is asking about the difference between these two concepts, seeking to understand how he can fight with detachment. He has more or less understood that Krishna does not want him to renounce the world but to engage in it with detachment.
Now, Krishna’s answer unfolds in several steps. But before we go there, let’s recite the verse together: “Sannyasya sya maha baho, tatvamicchami veditum, tyagasya cha rishikesha, pruthak kaishinishudhana.”
The Gita’s approach generally avoids getting into technicalities of terms, even while discussing many levels of practice. Krishna does not delve into a hair-splitting definition of each term. Instead, he focuses on the essential principles and purposes. In the 8th chapter, for example, Arjuna asks about the meanings of Adi Uda, Adi Daiva, and in the 13th chapter, he asks about Kshetrak Kshetrakya. Krishna doesn’t get bogged down in technicalities but gives concise replies. In this case, Krishna says: “Kamyanam karmanam nyasam, sannyasam kavayovidhu.” This means: “When one gives up work performed to fulfill desires, that is called sannyasa.”
Generally speaking, when someone is in the householder stage, they need material things—necessities or wants—and may work to obtain them. Even sannyasis cannot give up all work; they must perform their prayers, sadhana, and so on.
So, when one gives up kamyanam karma, that is sannyasa. Sannyasam kavayovidhu. Then Krishna says, sarva karma falatyagam. On one side, when someone gives up a certain category of work or a major category of work, that is sannyasa. That is sannyasa. Whereas, in all work, if one gives up attachment to the fruits of the work, prahus tyagam vichakshana. This, Arjuna, is called tyaga. Sarva karma falatyagam. Prahus tyagam vichakshana.
Now, when Krishna answers Arjuna’s question, we discussed earlier how the same question asked repeatedly should not be given the same answer repeatedly. So, one answer can come from different perspectives. This is a good approach, and Krishna has done that before in the fifth chapter. But another expert way to answer is when the same question is asked, say for example, “Why is there tension between India and Pakistan?” At the start of a history course, somebody might say, “Okay, because there are religious differences, because there is regional conflict, because one country feels insecure,” and so on. We might use these reasons. Now, if someone takes a history course for three months, six months, and then the question comes again, “Why is there tension between India and Pakistan?” The answer now includes everything learned in that course. So, the answer doesn’t just come from another perspective, but rather integrates the new knowledge.
Similarly, Krishna will answer the question of the difference between tyaga and sannyasa, renounced action and the mood of renunciation. The precise difference is that sannyasa is renunciation of work, while tyaga is renunciation in work. We are still working, but renunciation is there within our work. Krishna will answer this difference by integrating something he taught in the previous chapters: the modes of nature.
The modes are a concept Krishna specifically elaborated on in the 14th chapter and also uses in the 17th chapter. So now, Krishna will answer Arjuna’s question using the idea of the modes. This not only illuminates the answer further, but also integrates the new concept of the modes. In 5.1, there is an answer. Then, in chapter 14, we learn about the modes. And now, in 18.1, the answer is given using the modes.
The first thing Krishna says is that when we talk about renunciation, the action of renouncing is there. You can also talk about the action of renunciation, when we renounce something. The underlying motivation—what conception, with what understanding—is what will determine whether the renunciation falls in sattva, rajas, or tamas. If renunciation is in the mode of ignorance, it is of no use. Similarly, in the mode of passion (rajas), it is not really of great use either.
Let’s quickly look at what Krishna says because there is a lot of territory to cover in this chapter. But I don’t want to just answer the question; I also want to outline the chapter. Krishna says: “Our karma should never be given up, but if one does, when they are in illusion and without proper understanding, and renounce it, that is in the mode of ignorance.” Krishna does not elaborate much on ignorance, because ignorance is so harmful that it is not even an option for Arjuna. The elaboration on ignorance is ignored by Krishna, always. It’s like if somebody wants to buy gold and mistakes some other metal, polished to look like gold, for gold. We must tell the person, “Look for this, this, and this,” but when somebody is asking for gold, we don’t have to tell them not to buy potatoes. Ignorance is so different from knowledge that if someone mistakes a potato for gold, it indicates they have a lack of understanding.
Now, Krishna moves on to rajasic renunciation: “This is so troublesome, so I won’t do it.” “Kaya” means body, “klesha” means distress, “bhaya” means fear. The idea is that the only consideration for renunciation is that it is troublesome, difficult, or fearful. Should this be one consideration? Of course. But if the only consideration is avoiding trouble, that’s not the right basis.
If life decisions are based only on which path will cause the least trouble, we miss the point of life. We are not meant to seek a problem-free life; we want a purposeful life. For the sake of a higher purpose, we may even be willing to face difficulties.
Anything worthwhile in life involves challenges. We want our lives to be problem-free, but we must ask ourselves: Should being problem-free be the sole basis for decision-making? Krishna says, no, we should live with purpose.
It’s like asking, “Do we want to be pain-free?” Yes, of course, we want to be pain-free, but is that the purpose of life? No, many times, for a greater purpose, such as getting fitter, people go to the gym, lift weights, and endure some pain. If someone’s purpose is only to avoid pain, they won’t get fitter.
So Krishna says that if renunciation is simply because “this is too difficult,” it’s not going to work. If someone thinks they will become a brahmachari because “this material world is too complicated,” they are mistaken. The brahmachari ashram is still in the material world.
If we run away from the world because it has problems, and then join the renounced order, expecting there won’t be problems there, where will we go? If we want to renounce the world, there must be a higher purpose, such as serving Guru and Krishna, sharing Krishna’s message, focusing on Krishna, and absorbing ourselves in him. But the primary focus must not be simply avoiding problems.
Krishna says, detachment is not just about avoiding difficulties; it must come from a higher purpose. The mode of rajas leads us to avoid things just because they are troublesome, but it doesn’t lead to true renunciation.
So, Krishna says, why should we be detached from the results? Because multiple factors are involved in the action that leads to a result. This is where Krishna talks about the five factors of action. We tend to think that we do an action and we get the result, and it’s that simple. But Krishna says, it’s not that simple. So, he explains the five factors of action.
Krishna analyzes karma and emphasizes that we must understand how karma works. Let me recite the verse and explain:
Panchaitani Mahabhaha.Panchaitani means five. Karanani Nibodhame. Arjuna, understand this properly. Sankhye Krutan Te Toktani. By Sankhya, this I talk about. Siddhaye Sarvakarmana. For the success of work, these five factors are involved.
Let’s break down these five factors. The 14th verse outlines:
Adhishthanam – the place where we are at work, the venue of action.
Tatha Karta – the doer.
Karanam – the senses, the instruments with which we do our action.
Karanam Chaprutha Vidham – there are various kinds of senses that may be involved at different times.
Vividhash Chaprutha Cheshta – the different kinds of endeavors required.
Now, to understand this, think of action on one side and result on the other. Between them is a bridge with five planks. These planks are the five factors Krishna mentions. Let’s look at these five planks. You know the meaning of the word planks? They are logs of wood that link together. In this analogy, the five factors are the planks in the bridge that connect action to result.
The first factor is self-evident: the Karta (the soul). If someone is a great musician but is dead, they cannot perform music. So the doer must be there for the action to happen. If someone is asleep, they cannot act. The doer has to be present.
Next, we have Karanam, which refers to not just the physical senses, but something more. Consider that right now we are having a session on the Bhagavad Gita. I, as the speaker, need to be here, and you, as the hearers, need to be present. All of us are Kartas.
For me to give the class, my throat needs to be functional. If I’m sick and can’t speak, the action of teaching cannot happen. Each activity requires a particular set of senses. If one of you has hearing issues, you won’t be able to hear the class properly, and the action of learning will be incomplete.
But it’s not just about senses; skills are also involved. Everybody speaks, but not everyone speaks fluently or attractively. There is the voice itself, the vocabulary, the delivery method—all of these are important. For example, in cricket, everyone has hands and legs, but a batsman or bowler needs strong muscles to hit or throw the ball properly. So, senses must be associated with the right skills.
The next factor is Adhishthanam, the place where the action takes place. If we are in a crowded vegetable market, it will be hard to have a focused session on the Bhagavad Gita. The right place is crucial for the action to unfold. In cricket, you need a proper ground with the right dimensions, and a pitch that is suitable for the game. So, Adhishthanam refers to a venue that is suitable for the action.
Then comes Cheshta, which refers to effort or endeavor. Once we have the right place, the right venue, we need to put in the right effort. This is where practice, discipline, and dedication come in. A musician, for instance, might practice hours daily to improve their skills. The more effort you put into refining your abilities, the more successful the action will be.
Finally, there is Daiva—destiny or luck. Sometimes, even with all the right effort, things may not work out. A sports player may be in top form, in a good venue, and prepared, but something beyond their control can affect the outcome. For example, a spectacular catch by a fielder might end their innings, or a match might be canceled due to unforeseen events like a pandemic.
This is the aspect of destiny or luck. While we can control some factors, destiny plays a role, too. People may call this “luck,” but it’s more about forces beyond our control.
If we look at these five factors when something doesn’t go right, we can analyze why it happened. If you are studying engineering and not achieving your desired results, or if I’m teaching and not having the desired impact, we can look at these factors.
Destiny is something we cannot control, but we can control other factors, like practice, discipline, and effort. If we simply blame destiny every time something doesn’t work, we are being irresponsible. We must take action, practice, and continue striving.
This segment delves into the factors that influence success and failure, emphasizing the importance of effort, compatibility, and external conditions. Here’s a simplified explanation:
Krishna discusses the five factors of action—Karta (the doer), Karanam (the instruments or senses), Adhishthanam (the place or environment), Cheshta (endeavor or effort), and Daiva (destiny or divine will)—to explain that success depends on more than just the individual. Each factor plays a role in determining the outcome of an action.
Key Points:
Talent and Practice: Arjuna is an example of someone with great natural talent who also practiced tirelessly. His diligence was essential in developing his skills. This shows that talent alone is not enough—dedicated effort and practice are also crucial.
Reasons for Lack of Success: There are three main reasons why someone might not achieve success:
Incompatibility of Work: The work may not align with the person’s natural abilities or skills. For example, someone with a musical talent trying to become a businessperson might struggle if they focus too much on the commercial side and neglect their talent.
Inhospitable Place: Success can be hindered if one is in the wrong environment. For instance, someone interested in cricket in a place where no one knows the sport may not have the opportunity to develop their talent.
Insufficient Endeavor: Even in the right environment with the right skills, a person might not succeed if they don’t put in enough effort.
Srila Prabhupada’s Example: Srila Prabhupada, a renowned spiritual leader, faced many challenges in his life. Despite having the right skills, his initial attempts to spread his teachings in India were unsuccessful due to factors like the political climate and the general focus on materialism. However, when he moved to America, his persistence paid off as he found an audience that was receptive to his message.
The Role of Daiva (Destiny): Sometimes, despite all efforts, things don’t go as planned due to factors beyond our control. These include external circumstances or “luck” that can affect the outcome. For example, a talented author may die unknown, only for their work to gain fame posthumously.
Rational vs. Mystical Explanations: Krishna advises not to jump to mystical or irrational explanations when things go wrong. Instead, analyze the situation rationally—consider whether the work is suitable, the environment is right, and the effort is sufficient.
Illusions of Doership: Krishna warns against the illusion of being the sole doer. While we play an active role in our actions, there are many factors at play—skill, environment, effort, and destiny. If we become overly proud of our success or overly discouraged by failure, we lose sight of the bigger picture.
Krishna’s point is to help Arjuna understand that success and failure are not solely in one’s control and to avoid attachment to results, as there are many factors influencing the outcome.
So we see that I am one factor among the actions. Tatra evam sati kartaram. Atmanam kevalam tuyah. Pasyatya akrta buddhitvan. Nasapashyati durmati.
So basically, what happens is if I think I am the sole doer, then I will have these super extremes. I am a champion. I am the greatest, and otherwise, I am worthless. I am just good for nothing at all.
We all will experience loss in life. Now, loss is the event. And then we all ascribe some meaning to the event. So, an objective sense of meaning could be: I have lost. Okay, I gave this interview. I applied for this particular internship. I tried to do this. It didn’t work. I have lost. That’s one level.
Now, far more damaging is “I am lost.” So it’s not just about this; it’s more of a situation. “I have lost” is more of a situation. In this particular situation, it didn’t work out. “I am lost” means it’s about direction. I just don’t know where to go. I’m lost.
But the most damaging meaning would be: “I am a loser.” Now, this goes to the level of self-definition itself. If we go to that level, “I am a loser.” This is where depression comes in. This is where low self-esteem comes in. And ultimately, this is where suicidal ideation, suicidal thoughts, and suicide come in. So this is toxic. This is a very dark path. This is where many of the mental health problems arise because we ascribe wrong meanings to our life’s events. “All this didn’t work out. Therefore, I’m a loser.”
Now, this can also be applied to our attempts at sense control. We all may take some time. So if I am trying to control my senses, first of all, Karanam: What is the capacity of my senses? If somebody tries to fast, according to Ayurveda, there’s Kapha, Vata, and Pitta Prakriti. And each Prakriti doesn’t find it equally easy to fast. For some people, especially Kapha Prakriti, it is relatively easy to fast. For those with Vata Prakriti, it is almost impossible to fast. Sorry, with Pitta Prakriti, it’s almost impossible to fast.
But the point is, do I have the necessary skill sets? Are my senses suitable for that? If my body is suitable for that, then am I in the right place if I am trying to control my senses? So if I am fasting and working in Govinda’s restaurant, where either I am cooking food or serving food and seeing all the delicacies that everybody is eating, well, that’s not the right place for fasting, is it? It’s like if somebody wants to torture themselves, then maybe that is the place to go for fasting. But that’s not the best place.
And thirdly, have I endeavored properly? That means maybe I need to… Fasting cannot just be a one-time event. We need to overall regulate our diet and our body’s digestive patterns to become proper. Maybe I have to plan properly, I have to endeavor properly. So that endeavor could mean talking with those who fast regularly: What all do you do? What can be done about this? We learn things.
So with sense control, it’s like that. Maybe we try to fast once, it works. First it doesn’t work, second time it doesn’t work, third time it doesn’t work. Gradually we learn, okay, this is what I can do, these are my capacities, it grows. So this applies to everything in life.
So Krishna says, don’t claim sole-doership. Don’t think that it is because of you the war is happening. You are not the sole doer. At the same time, you are not the non-doer either. There is a bigger set of factors happening, and you are going to play one part in it.
Then after this, Krishna will analyze the various components of action. So he will say that we try to keep the various components of action in the mode of goodness. So this is a bit of a technical section. I won’t go too much into the technicalities. But Krishna explains that when we do action, there are certain factors involved. So these two verses talk about these factors, 18 to 19. But each word has a technical meaning, and then Krishna shows how that meaning relates to the specific list that he is going to give.
But without going into this technical part, let’s look at one verse over here. Gyanam karmach karta chaTridhaiva gunabhed taha.
So when we are acting, there are various components involved in action. So first of all, we perceive things. Without perception, nothing can happen. So for example, if you are sitting here and suddenly the door opens and a tiger is seen over there, so that gyan will lead to the karma: run away from here. So there is perception and there is action. And then there is the karta, the doer. So basically, the components of action you want to see.
So Krishna will broadly say that we can try to be able to act with detachment. We try to get as many of the components of action as possible towards the mode of goodness. So in action, the first stage is gyanam. Gyanam is not so much knowledge here as perception. Gyanam is what is acquired with the karmindriya. And there is karma, the action that we do. Now there is, of course, the karta. Gyan, karma, and karta are there.
Now, along with that, when an action is to be done, there is a motive for the action. The motive generally is sukha. We all want happiness in life.
So, for example, if the door opens and we say, “Hey, there is a table with a nice large cake over there.” “Oh, I want to eat it. It is enjoyable.” We want to go there. So sukha is the motive for us.
Now, when we are trying to integrate this diagram later, let me first broadly explain. So gyanam is what we take in as information. Then Krishna says there is also buddhi and there is druti. I’ll explain how these three work. Buddhi is what? Intelligence. And druti is determination. So, how does Krishna explain buddhi and druti over here?
First of all, buddhi is different from gyanam. Gyanam is the information that we take in. Buddhi is how we decide to translate intention into action. When I see a snake slithering in from there, I have to run away. Maybe that door is further, and this door is closer. But there are too many people over here. They all are going to run through this door, so maybe I should run through that door. That’s intelligence. Intelligence is by which we decide how to translate intention into action. Intelligence is how we translate. This is the specific definition in this context. Intelligence can have many definitions, but when I have a particular thing to do, what should I do in this situation? How should I go about doing it?
Then, determination is what helps persist in this translation. I may have intelligence, for example, if someone feels that they are overweight and want to lose weight. The intelligence may be that, okay, maybe I have to do more exercise, or maybe I have to avoid certain foods. That intelligence might be there, okay. But after that, determination must be there to keep doing it.
Now it’s interesting, Krishna will say, all these three can be in the three modes: gyanam, buddhi, and druti can be in the three modes. So let’s try to look at these to put it all together now. When we act, gyanam comes into the karta. And then the karta is going to do the karma. So if we consider this to be the self, information is coming to the self, and action has come out of the self. Here you could say there are broadly, there is the buddhi. Okay, I’ve got this information, what should I do now? Then there is druti, the determination, and then there is sukha.
So why am I putting all these before karma? In one sense, these drive our action. Okay, we all are going to act, but we use our intelligence to decide how to act. We have our determination by which we decide how long we are going to act. And then we have a certain conception of pleasure based on which we act.
Let’s just take one example of these three things to illustrate how these three work. I’ll talk about druti, how the buddhi and druti work. Druti is determination, and how determination can also be in the three modes. Krishna talks about each of these in the three modes, but let’s focus on one of them.
So Krishna says right at the beginning, “Yaya dharmam adharmam ca, that which is right a person thinks to be wrong.” “Karyam ca,” sorry, not this one, “Adharmam dharmamitya,” that which is wrong, one thinks to be right. “Manyate tamasavrita,” the person who is covered by ignorance. “Adharmam dharmamitya, manyate tamasavrita, sarva arthaan, in all purposes, viparitamstha.” The person comes to the exact opposite conclusion.
“Sarva arthaan viparitamsa.” Buddhi sa partha, what happened? I didn’t go to buddhi. Okay, let’s take buddhi only. Any of these is fine. “Buddhi sa partha tamasi.” Now intelligence can be used to arrive at a proper understanding of things, and then that understanding is the basis of action. Different people can take in the same facts, and they may arrive at completely different understandings. So, when the intelligence is in the mode of ignorance, a person’s realization is the exact opposite of what it is.
Once, an anti-alcohol campaigner gave a talk to a set of alcoholics in the audience. He told them how dangerous alcohol is. They said, “Now I will demonstrate to you.” He had a small beaker in which there was some alcohol, half of it full and transparent. He also had a small box in which he had an insect. He opened that box and just hurled the insect into the beaker. The insect fluttered around, struggling, and within moments, it just signed out, dead.
Just to demonstrate how dangerous alcohol is—kill you. So you look at everyone, so what do you learn from this? Everybody was looking down. One person, very cheerful with a bright smile, says, “Yes, what do you learn?” He says, “When I drink alcohol, all the germs and worms in my intestine will die.”
So, sarva artha viparitamsa. You arrive at the conclusion that is the exact opposite of what should be arrived at. That is buddhi sa sarva artha tamasi. That, with respect to cigarettes, when they started demonstrating, the companies were forced by the regulatory agencies to put that cigarette smoke is injurious to health. At least initially, what happened was they marketed in such a way that actually, people who are courageous, people who are adventurous, they all smoke cigarettes. So, when they put this warning signal, it triggered the rebellious instincts in people, and for some time, cigarette sales increased.
So, that is sarva artha viparitamsa. What is right, what is wrong? What is to be done, what is not to be done? If one is not able to understand clearly, it is confusing. This is stupid, and that is stupid.
Now, what happens is a person has many desires, and they are pulled in different directions. “I want to work hard and become famous.” “I want to enjoy right now, I want to party.” So, okay, do you want to work or do you want to party? “I want to do both.” You can’t do both, isn’t it? There are desires which pull people in different directions, and then intelligence is not able to figure out. It just doesn’t have a clear understanding of what is really important.
Now, this is not blind. Tamasik is just completely distorted. But here, ayathaavat. So rajoguna is not the same as tamoguna. Sometimes we equate rajoguna and tamoguna, but rajoguna enables people to work hard, and sometimes they work constructively. They can do extraordinary things in rajoguna, but often their priorities are not clear.
Now, this goes forward. We don’t have time right now. Then Krishna will talk about sukha, how that which tastes like poison in the beginning will taste like nectar in the end, and that which tastes like nectar in the beginning will taste like poison in the end. That’s exactly what he talks about, the various modes.
And why is he talking about all this? He says that by understanding all this, we try to put our buddhi in goodness. We try to understand how a definition of happiness is in goodness. Then it’s relatively easier for us to situate ourselves in goodness. And then our actions will naturally be in goodness.
Then Krishna says, okay, goodness is good, but it’s not good enough. We have to rise above goodness. While being in goodness, we need to function. We need to function for a higher purpose. So Krishna talks about the system of varnashram, where different people have their roles in life. After describing the typical characteristics of people in each of the varanas, Krishna explains how people in each of the varanas should function appropriately.
Then he says how to function in life. Let’s look at these few verses that are quite important. One of these verses is often mistranslated as “work is worship,” so we will see what is missed in the mistranslation. Krishna starts with: “From whom all of existence is manifested, by whom all of this world is pervaded, Abhyarcha is worship.”
So, through your work, worship that Lord, and by this, one can attain perfection. If you look at the verse 18.46C (which is the line before), Swakarmana tam abhyarcha. So literally, if you look at it, it’s straightforwardly translated as: Swakarmana: by your work, Tam abhyarcha: worship that Lord.
So what this verse is saying is, through your work, worship the Lord. It is not “work is worship.” That’s all. Through your work, worship the Lord. Krishna is not saying that simply work is worship.
Now, work is worship may be defined as an ethical principle. This means, if there is a lot of discrimination against some people who do certain kinds of work, then there is no need to look down upon those people. All work and all workers should have some dignity. The idea of untouchability, whatever extent it had, was more of a hygienic concern, not a casteist one. Certain people doing specific types of work were considered more likely to be infected, so they needed extra care. But this is not meant to be a socially imposed way of discriminating against people. Of course, it became that way, which is horrendous.
But the idea is, if we consider “work is worship” to mean that all work and all workers should have a basic level of dignity, that’s definitely true. Krishna is also implying this. If through your work, you can worship the Lord, it means that the work is not profane, it is not sinful, and it’s not so dark and disconnected from God.
But the key difference is that “work is worship” means there is no need for any other object of worship. Essentially, work becomes a replacement for God. Krishna is saying that this is not the case. He is saying, basically, the understanding is: God is up here in the spiritual world, and we are down here in the material world. If I have to become liberated, I have to go to God. This is true, but it’s only partially true.
Why? Because Krishna exists everywhere. Krishna doesn’t just exist in the spiritual world, He exists in this world as well. So when we are doing this, this is worship. When we come in the morning, we chant the holy names, we do Aarti, this is worship. Then, after that, once we have infused that mood of worship into our heart, we remember that this Lord whom I am worshipping right now is everywhere.
This Lord is in my office, in my college, in my home, in the road I travel to get to work. So then we can work as worship. It’s not “work is worship,” it’s “work as a form of worship.” That Lord I can serve through my work too.
Now, somebody might say, “But this world has so many problems. There are so many things wrong in this world.” Sometimes we have to do things that are not proper spiritually or morally. That’s the nature of the world. Krishna says, yes, that’s true, but don’t fixate on that. The Gita is a very, in my sense, a realist book.
See, in education, there is always this tension. So, what is the tension in education? It’s not just how will I pass the exam. That may be the tension for students. But for educators, when they are giving education about the world, how much should it be about describing the world as it should be, and how much should we be teaching the world as it is? The tension between that.
For example, when parents are raising their children, they should tell them to speak the truth. Everybody should speak the truth. But should parents also tell their children that sometimes people lie? Sometimes not lying is good, but sometimes we have to acknowledge that people lie. Speaking the full truth may not always be the best course of action. How much do we speak about the world as it is versus as it should be?
This is idealism and realism. The best education is a blend of both. If it’s only idealism, it becomes impractical, and the person won’t be able to function. If it’s only realism, then soon the person will become immoral, unprincipled. Krishna says that we should work with good intentions, but acknowledge that sometimes there will be faults in life.
Let’s look at this verse. Krishna says, “Just as fire is considered sacred, but smoke covers the fire…”
So similarly, Krishna says that everything in this world, meaning everything born with, is inborn, born with karma, Arjuna. Faults are present in every activity that we do. Don’t give up because of that. And here’s an example: all endeavors are covered by faults, just as fire is covered by smoke. Let’s recite the verse together:
So, just as fire is covered by smoke, Krishna says, yes, it’s going to be difficult for you to fight against Bhishma and Drona, but life never offers us straightforward choices. Sometimes, but very rarely, is it this side that is all good and the other side all bad. There are often times when there is some good on one side and some bad on the other side. We cannot expect a utopia.
So, what is Krishna describing here? This is where he is describing Karma Yoga. Now, this last chapter is like a summary of the Gita. Krishna is drawing His message to the end. In the first few verses (from 41 to 48), Krishna will talk about Karma Yoga. Then, from verses 49 to 54, he talks about Karma Yoga which culminates in Bhakti Yoga. In verse 54, there is a famous verse: “So through Gyaan Yoga, one attains perfection. And when one attains perfection, what happens next? That person attains Bhakti. Bhakti is the highest.”
After this, Krishna will say, “Actually, you don’t have to go all the way through all these paths. You can directly practice Bhakti from wherever you are.” He will discuss this broadly from 56 to 62. Verse 63 is the last verse where he speaks. He summarizes everything by saying, “Yes, the modes are there, and material nature exists, but above material nature is the Lord. So if you serve the Lord, you will be able to engage material nature in a way that will bring you closer to the Lord.”
Then, in verse 63, Krishna stops and says, “Now, Arjuna, I have given you the message. Now you contemplate and do as you desire.” He says, “Vimrishya itathā, as long as required, and then yathay shasi athaad kuru—do as you desire.”
Here, the Gita reveals a God who respects human intelligence and appeals to human independence. One of my friends, who lives in the southern part of America, which is quite Christian evangelical, wanted to write a book on the Gita. He said, “I am thinking of writing a book called ‘The Ten Commandments of the Bhagavad Gita.'”
I told him, “Please don’t write such a book, at least not with that title.” He asked, “Why?” I said, “The Gita’s mood is not the mood of commandments. The Gita is giving choices and consequences. If you do this, this will happen. If you do that, that will happen. Now you decide what you want to do.”
While the idea of appealing to a Christian demographic is nice, we want to convey the mood of the Gita as well. Krishna’s mood is that of a guide by the side. He is with us. Krishna is not like a deity far away in the sky. He is a guide by the side, speaking reasonably with Arjuna.
When Arjuna hears this, he becomes deep in thought. He starts thinking, “What does Krishna want me to do?” He remembers what Krishna said in the second, sixth, twelfth, and thirteenth chapters. He doesn’t think about it literally in terms of chapters, but rather reflects on Krishna’s messages over time: “Krishna said this then, Krishna said that there. What should I do?”
It’s like a doctor telling a parent whose child has cancer, “This is the disease, these are the options, and these are the factors involved in each option. Now you do as you desire.” It’s a serious decision.
When two people are very close to each other, they can communicate a lot without speaking. Just by a glance, they can speak volumes. Sometimes, when people are not close, they can shout a lot, but nothing is communicated. So, Arjuna is thinking, “What does Krishna want me to do?” and Krishna has told him, “Do as you desire.” But Arjuna wants to know Krishna’s desire.
Therefore, Krishna starts speaking. Krishna will say, “I will speak the most confidential knowledge.” In English, there are intensifiers. You may say something is very important, but repeating the intensifier does not make it more important. It’s like saying, “This is very, very, very important,” but it’s not really emphasizing anything.
Krishna uses intensifiers in verses 64–66 to convey that what he is about to speak is very special. Let’s look at these intensifiers:
Guhiya: Among all knowledge, this is the most confidential. It’s not just private but deeply intimate.
Paramam: This is the highest of all the words I have spoken.
Dhridham: Krishna is determined to love Arjuna. He is committed to this relationship for the long haul.
Ishta: Krishna cares for Arjuna and is speaking this for Arjuna’s benefit. Krishna is determined to care for him.
Te hitam: Krishna speaks these words for Arjuna’s benefit.
These intensifiers convey that Krishna’s message is not just important, but is deeply personal and committed to Arjuna’s well-being.
Earlier, Krishna told us that a devotee should be dṛḍha (determined) in worshipping Him. But here, Krishna is saying that what He is asking for in this relationship, He is also going to give in return. He wants Arjuna to be determined, but He Himself is also determined. Dṛḍham—because Krishna is determined.
This is similar to a doctor telling a patient, “Yes, now I will tell you something private. There are many treatments, each with side effects. But these are the most important things I want to share with you. I care for you, and I want your child to be healthy.” Krishna will speak the same words He has spoken before, but with a different emphasis.
Let’s recite this together. The difference is in the mood of urgency. Imagine a patient is admitted to the hospital. The doctor says, “You pay your bills, follow this exercise, do this and this, and you will be cured.” The emphasis here is on what the patient must do.
But if the doctor really cares about the patient, they will say, “Once you take care of these things, I will make sure you get cured.” While the responsibility lies with the patient, the doctor reassures them, “I will make sure you are taken care of.”
In verse 9.34, Krishna emphasizes what Arjuna must do, but in 18.65, Krishna emphasizes what He will do. Why is that? Because Krishna’s heart, as described by Chakravarthi Pali, is overflowing with compassion. Krishna wants Arjuna to do the right thing, but He is also saying, “I will do everything for you.”
This is why Krishna declares, “I will do all this for you. I declare it for your benefit.” And then, finally, Krishna speaks the Charam Shloka of the Gita, which Ramanacharya calls the crest jewel of all the words of the Gita. Let’s recite it together.
Krishna says, “Moksha is shami…” This is like a doctor saying, “Forget all the other treatments. Just do this one thing. Even if there are side effects or complications, I guarantee I will take care of everything.”
See, no doctor wants to take on liability. In fact, when a surgery is performed, the patient or their guardian must sign a form that disclaims liability—if anything goes wrong, it’s not the doctor’s fault. But Krishna is saying, “I will take the liability. I am telling you this is the right thing to do. Even if complications arise, I will protect you.”
You had different ideas about what your dharma is—kula dharma, kshatriya dharma—and I’ve given you broad paths to determine what to do: Karma Yoga, Gyaan Yoga, Dhyana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga. Krishna says, “Forget all that. Just do what I tell you, and I will free you from the reactions.”
This is the heart of Krishna’s eagerness and compassion. Previously, in the seventh chapter, Krishna explained how one must become free from all sinful reactions to practice Bhakti: “Yei shaam tvantakaṁ pāpam janānāṁ gunya-karmanām te dvandva-moha-nirmukta bhajante māṁ dhradarvṛtāḥ.” One must be free from sinful reactions to practice Bhakti. But here, Krishna says, “However you are, just practice Bhakti, and I will purify you. I will free you from sinful reactions.”
It’s like a mother training her child in Bhakti. She says, “Don’t make a mess with your clothes. Go to the restroom to do your business.” But the child makes a mess, and the mother says, “Don’t come to me until you clean yourself.” The child, helpless, says, “I don’t know how to do that.” And the mother replies, “Don’t worry, I’ll clean you up.”
In 7.28, Krishna says, “Clean yourself first, then come to me.” But in 18.66, He says, “Come to me, and I’ll clean you up.” This is the love of Krishna’s heart.
Then, Krishna says, “This is a confidential message. This is not to be given to everyone.” He talks about how He will free Arjuna from all sinful reactions. People might misunderstand this, thinking, “I can do anything in Krishna’s name, and Krishna will purify me.” But Krishna says, “No. Only those who have love for me and act with loving intention are protected.”
This message should be shared appropriately with others, Krishna adds. He provides three levels through which one can connect with Him, illustrating this with the example of a person stuck in a well.
Imagine someone trapped in a well who can’t get out. Someone from outside throws a rope and says, “Hold on to the rope, and I’ll pull you out.” The person responds, “No, my arms will hurt if I hold the rope.” The person outside then ties a loop at the end of the rope and says, “Just put this around your waist, and I’ll pull you up.” The person protests, “If I tie it around my waist, it will squeeze me and cause pain.” Finally, the person outside ties a tub at the end of the rope and says, “Sit in this tub, and I’ll pull you out.”
Krishna says, “First of all, you should preach this message. You will become very dear to me.” Arjuna might think, “Preach? Who can do that? The message is so complicated!” Krishna replies, “If you can’t preach it, at least study the message.” Arjuna might respond, “I can’t study it either, it’s too complicated.” Krishna then says, “Fine, just hear the message. Just sit inside the tub, and I will pull you out.” Krishna is extending the rope of grace more and more, urging Arjuna to connect with Him in whatever way possible.
Finally, Krishna asks, “Arjuna, have you heard attentively? Has your illusion been dispelled?” This is the only question Krishna asks Arjuna in the entire Gita. Normally, if a speaker asks, “Have you heard attentively?” it could seem like an insult, implying that the listener wasn’t paying attention. But in Arjuna’s context, this question has a different meaning. Krishna is aware that Arjuna’s mind was disturbed by his emotions, and they were in the middle of a battlefield, even though it seemed quiet externally. The very awareness of the battlefield itself could cause distraction.
Krishna is asking, “If you weren’t able to hear something, tell me, and I will repeat it for you.” Arjuna, overwhelmed with joy and gratitude, responds, “Krishna, I have understood. My illusion is dispelled, and I will do your will.” This is the essence of the Gita. Arjuna does not say, “I will fight the war.” The focus of the Gita has risen beyond the circumstances of the battlefield. At the universal level, the Gita’s purpose is not just about fighting; it’s about harmonizing with the divine will, recognizing that each person has a role in a greater plan.
Sometimes, that role may be difficult. Sometimes it may be easy. Sometimes it may bring glory, and sometimes it may require us to remain anonymous. But the key is to do our part and align with Krishna’s will. As Arjuna says, “I will do your will.” This could have been the end of the Gita, but from verses 74 to 78, Sanjay speaks, and these verses are important because they demonstrate the teachings of the Gita itself.
When Krishna speaks to Arjuna, the message is successful because Arjuna’s heart changes. But when Sanjay speaks the same message to Dhritarashtra, there is no change in Dhritarashtra’s heart. However, the message is still successful, because Sanjay’s heart changes. Sanjay becomes filled with remembrance of Krishna and joy in hearing Krishna’s words. In this way, the teachings of the Gita go from Karma Yoga to Bhakti Yoga.
At the level of Karma Yoga, the teaching is to be detached from the results of our actions. Sanjay demonstrates this detachment, as he remains steady despite Dhritarashtra’s lack of response. In Bhakti Yoga, while still detached from results, there is an added element of attachment to Krishna. This is the internal result that we seek: becoming attached to Krishna.
In our lives, success is often measured by the world’s standards, but happiness comes from our internal experience. It is possible to experience both success and happiness, but in Arjuna’s case, he will experience both. Sanjay, on the other hand, experiences happiness even though the success of his message isn’t evident in Dhritarashtra’s heart. Both Arjuna and Sanjay have become Krishna-conscious, and this is the true success.
The duality of the world is that being Krishna-conscious doesn’t guarantee worldly success. We may still face failure and difficulty, but even in failure, we can experience the success of our inner connection with Krishna and the joy it brings. The Gita concludes with a verse that summarizes this message.
Let’s recite the final verse together: “Yatra Yogeshwara Krishna Yatra Parthodhanurdhara Tatra Sri Vijayobhutir Dhruvani Tirmah.ama” This means, “Wherever there is Krishna and wherever there is Arjuna, there is victory, glory, and opulence.”
Now, why is Arjuna necessary here? Why not just Krishna? The point is that the Gita’s purpose is not only to proclaim God’s position but to transform the human disposition. Yes, wherever Krishna is, there is success and victory. But we are invited to be with Krishna. Arjuna’s faith is expressed through his words, “I am with you, O Krishna.” This shows Arjuna’s commitment to doing Krishna’s will.
When Arjuna lifts his bow, it signifies that he has decided to act according to Krishna’s will. The significance here is that victory is not just about divine presence but also about aligning our disposition with God’s will. Krishna’s will has transformed Arjuna’s heart, and this is why the Pandavas will succeed in the battle.
The Gita began with Dhritarashtra asking, “What happened in the battlefield?” Sanjay’s response is essentially, “Your side will not be successful.” But he doesn’t say this directly. He says that where Krishna and Arjuna are, there is success. This has both a literal meaning (the Pandavas will win the war) and a universal meaning: if we align ourselves with Krishna, we too can succeed in life, overcoming dualities of success and failure.
With that, the Gita concludes. To summarize, we discussed the difference between Tyaga (renunciation) and Sannyasa (renunciation of the fruits of action), and the teachings of the Gita about aligning with the divine will, practicing detachment, and ultimately becoming Krishna-conscious.
In this discussion, we talked about the distinction between external renunciation and the internal disposition of renunciation. Krishna emphasizes the importance of focusing on the modes of nature. He explains that renunciation driven by Rajas (passion) is not healthy. For example, a person might avoid something because they perceive it as troublesome, but this avoidance doesn’t stem from a pure state of renunciation.
We also discussed the five factors of action. These factors serve as five planks between action and result, illustrating that we should not think of ourselves as the sole doers, nor should we see ourselves as non-doers. Instead, we should recognize that we have a part to play, and we must do it carefully. If success does not come, we should evaluate three key factors:
Is the work incompatible? – Perhaps the task at hand doesn’t align with our skills or circumstances.
Is the place inhospitable? – Some environments may not be conducive to the success of certain actions.
Is my endeavor insufficient? – It could be that the effort put forth is not enough to achieve the desired result.
By considering these factors, we avoid blaming destiny for failures and instead learn and grow from the experience. We then moved on to discuss how action is translated into result, considering the roles of Jnana (knowledge), Karta (doer), and Karma (action). Between them, there is Buddhi (intelligence), Dhriti (determination), and Sukha (happiness). Krishna explains how, through the three modes of nature, being in Sattva (goodness) can help us avoid bandhan (bondage).
Krishna further explains that we can progress through different paths: Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga, and Bhakti Yoga. He reveals that Bhakti (devotion) is the highest and most important path, offering a direct connection to the divine. Krishna emphasizes in verse 64 that He is giving the most confidential knowledge. He says, “I want to know your desire,” and in verse 65, He assures us, “I will take responsibility.” In verse 66, He promises protection, much like a doctor taking unlimited liability for their patient.
We then discussed Krishna’s grace: He invites us to preach if we can, study if we can’t preach, or simply listen if we can’t study. Krishna is offering His help in any form that we can take. When Arjuna hears Krishna’s words, he is moved and says, “I will do your will.” This is the universal conclusion we can all come to: Krishna, you have a plan for me, and I am ready to follow it.
The last part of our discussion focused on how Sanjay demonstrates both Karma Yoga and Bhakti Yoga. Bhakti Yoga teaches that even without worldly success, we can find happiness through our connection with Krishna. Sometimes we will experience both success and happiness, but other times, we might only experience happiness, yet that will be enough. Ultimately, through this connection with Krishna, we will find fulfillment.
The Gita’s focus is to glorify Krishna, but also to transform Arjuna’s disposition and decision. The Gita’s purpose is not only to explain divine truths but also to guide us in making the right choices in life. Arjuna’s Gandiva (bow) symbolizes our determination. In life, when circumstances become tough, we may feel like giving up. But by hearing the Gita’s message, understanding Krishna’s love for us, and connecting with Him, we too can lift up our “bows” and face the challenges that life presents.
Thank you very much for participating in this Gita Yajna. Over 18 days, with more than 36-40 hours of study, your eagerness, enthusiasm, and thoughtful questions have been inspiring. I pray that Krishna’s message stays alive in your hearts and continues to guide your lives. May the same guidance reach me as well.
Shreemad Bhagavad Gita Ki Jai! Shreemad Prabhupada Ki Jai! Gaur Bhakta Vrindaki Jai! Gaur Priyamanand Ji Jai!
Hare Krishna! So now we begin the 17th chapter of the Gita. This chapter is maybe not a very long chapter, so we will not read about it for long today. In the 16th chapter, Krishna ends by contrasting the divine and the demoniac creatures. He says that the divine, those who have divinity, follow the shastra, have faith, and follow the shastra. Now, shastra can refer to scripture, but, as discussed yesterday, shastra also refers to discipline and regulation. The demoniac, on the other hand, lack faith and do not follow shastra. These are the two extremes. Immediately, you see, the 16th chapter seems to present a very black-and-white picture of human nature. There are divine people and demoniac people—it’s like a one-zero depiction. But much of reality actually exists in shades of gray, and Krishna gives this very serious black-and-white picture, which raises a question. A “question-begging” statement is one that raises a question in the audience’s mind. If I say, “I want to speak on three points” and only speak two, nobody will ask about the third point, but I’ll be left wondering, “What is the point of speaking only two?” So Krishna speaks in a very black-and-white way, and immediately Arjuna asks, “What about the people in between?” because most of humanity exists in between these extremes. Krishna replies that those in between have some kind of faith.
Now, what is the nature of their faith? For example, across the world, we will see that someone might worship a devata, someone might worship a baba who claims to be God or whose followers believe them to be God. It’s possible that someone worships nature, a tree, or even a movie star or a sports player. These people aren’t literally worshiping physical temples, but they can worship anything and everything. Sometimes, they worship literally, by doing puja, but worship can also mean making something the center of your life.
This analysis can also apply to various religious traditions because in the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna doesn’t always talk specifically about other religions, but the Gita provides a framework for understanding this. Krishna says we can understand the nature of someone’s faith by their actions. How do I know the nature of someone’s faith? By looking at their actions.
Faith depends on the mode of the object of worship. Krishna is not that simple. Someone might worship a person who claims to be God or who is considered to be God by their followers. There is a difference between those who claim to be God and those who are considered to be God by their followers. But either way, how do we know the nature of their faith? Because faith is seen through actions.
One way to understand faith is through actions like the food people eat, the sacrifices they make, and the charity they give. These things reveal the nature of someone’s faith.
Why these specific things? Because food represents what we take from the world. The most important thing we take is food. Other things might be space to live, entertainment, or interactions with people, but the primary thing we take from the world is food. The Vedic tradition of dharma, yajna, teaches that there should always be some kind of reciprocation: If I’m taking something from the world, I must give something back.
The primary thing we take is food, and Krishna classifies the types of food based on their impact on the world. Food is classified as sattvic, rajasic, or tamasic based on how disruptive it is.
For example, if someone considers all of existence to be potential food, this reflects their understanding of the universe. The most evolved food is prasad, and we will discuss why prasad is the most evolved kind of food.
Food represents the level of faith a person has. The least disruptive food is sattvic food, which causes the least harm to other life forms. Rajasic food causes more disruption, and tamasic food causes the most. Based on the food we consume, we can understand the level of faith a person has.
For example, if someone is so hungry for food that they disrupt others to get it, like pushing people aside in a queue or spilling food, that shows a lack of understanding of harmony. But if someone consumes sattvic food, it reflects their understanding that the universe is arranged in a way that allows them to get food without harming others.
This principle applies to the entire system of life, and it helps us understand the level of faith in someone’s actions. Faith is seen in their actions, like the food they eat, the sacrifices they perform, and the charity they give. These are key elements of religious virtue—tapa (austerity), dana (charity), and yajna (sacrifice).
So why these three particular activities? What is their significance in the majority of the remaining chapter? Krishna will talk about how these three activities can be used as parameters for judging the level of faith of a person—what kind of sacrifices they perform, what kind of charity they give, and what kind of austerities they do.
Now, to understand the significance of these three activities, one of the fundamental teachings of the Vedic tradition is that we humans are situated in three circles. These three circles are: first, the body (adhiatmik), second, society (adhibhautik), and third, nature (adhidaivik).
Practically speaking, the soul is in the body, the body is situated in some society, and we exist within the earth and the ecosystem—this is the adhidai mik. So, this is a fundamental understanding, and we need each of these circles for sustenance. If our body collapses, we can’t function. If society is filled with violence or crime, we can’t function. If nature leads to earthquakes, tornadoes, extreme heat, or extreme cold, we can’t function. All three circles are needed for our basic survival.
Not only that, but all these circles provide us sustenance. The body is our basic tool for functioning in society. We go about our activity as social creatures, needing to learn from the community, and nature provides us with universal utilities. So, these three circles are required for our survival and for our functioning. From a positive perspective, they are needed.
Now, from a negative perspective, all three can give us closure. The body can develop diseases, society can have terrorism, robbery, or dishonesty—these are the adhyatmik, adhibhautik, and adhidai mik closures. In many traditional Vedic ceremonies, at the end of the ceremony, especially the chandamantra, we chant “Om Shanti Shanti Shanti.” The reason for the three shantis is that it is an invocation of these three circles: Om adhyatmik le shanti Om adhibhautik le shanti Om adhidai mik le shanti
These three circles can cause disturbance, and all of these require pacification. These three activities—tapa, dana, and yajna—are our way of harmonizing with each circle.
Tapa is how we return what we take from the body. We take from the body, we have desires, and the body is our tool for getting energy and things by which we do things. We return to the body through tapa. For instance, when we do regulation or austerity, the body gets rest. For example, fasting on Ekadashi allows the digestive system to rest. While it may feel unpleasant for the mind, there is actually a lot of research showing that intermittent fasting is one of the best ways to improve health and lose weight.
As an old Egyptian proverb says, “You live on 25% of what you eat, and the remaining 75% of what you eat lives your doctor.” This idea highlights that most people eat too much, which leads to diseases, and that’s how doctors survive. Of course, the exact percentage isn’t true, but the point is that fasting is actually very good for health. When the body is constantly working, it doesn’t get the time to clean itself or rest. A machine needs time to clean, revamp, and restore itself. So, fasting gives the body time to do that. Tapa is the way we harmonize with the body, and it can be compared to yoga or asanas—many yogis perform austerities, and sitting in a particular pose can also be seen as tapa.
Dana (charity) is how we harmonize with society. We take many things from society, and we are meant to return them. Now, of course, you might say, “I pay taxes,” but taxes are more or less mandatory. Austerity and charity are meant to be voluntary. You could say, “I work for my survival and my family’s survival,” and while that is a form of duty, it is not voluntary austerity.
Charity, on the other hand, is voluntary. For example, one devotee was saying that we should give 50% of our wealth to charity. If someone says, “I give my entire wealth to my family,” that is not charity—it’s a responsibility. Taking care of your family is mandatory, not voluntary.
And then we return to the environment, and that is through yajna. Yajna is not just a simple ritual of fire sacrifice; it is a way of offering. In the Rigveda, it is said that agni (fire) is the lowest in terms of accessibility. This doesn’t mean it is the least powerful; it means that it is the most accessible. Agni is the medium through which our offerings go to the devatas. Vishnu is the highest and most transcendental, and in one sense, Vishnu is the least accessible for everyone. When the devatas are in trouble, they go to Brahma, who prays to Vishnu, and we know the story. At that time, Brahmaji doesn’t see Vishnu directly but hears a voice, often from his own heart. Vishnu is very powerful, but agni is the means by which sacrifices go to all the devatas, ultimately to Vishnu.
In modern times, most people find fire sacrifices either sensational or silly. “Sensational” means that the idea of a fire sacrifice with chanting mantras and the sight of the fire spreading might seem bizarre or strange. When Prabhupada first did an initiation, they performed a fire sacrifice, and the neighbors called the fire alarm, thinking the house was on fire. Firefighters came and told them they couldn’t continue the ritual, as it was considered a risk.
So, we just need to comprehend it. Fire sacrifice can seem very sensational, or to some people, they might say, “What is this? You’re taking nice food, nice ghee, fruits, and putting them in the fire?” Once, when Prabhupada was performing a fire sacrifice for initiation, he gave all the devotees bananas. They sat through the rituals, and Prabhupada gave a lecture while they were thinking, “When can we eat the bananas?” They were holding the bananas, waiting eagerly, and then Prabhupada put the bananas into the fire. “What? You’re not supposed to do that!” they thought. The bananas were so delicious, and they had been holding them for so long. They were wondering, “When will we eat them?”
So, from a material perspective, it might seem like a waste. Yes, the material vision might see it that way, but the thing is, if we consider that fire is a deity, then fire acts as a means of exchange. Through fire, our offerings go up, and blessings come down. The blessings might not be seen immediately. Traditionally, when fire sacrifices were performed, there were three levels of success in the ceremony:
Completion of the Fire Sacrifice: Just completing the fire sacrifice itself is considered an auspicious activity. Its mere completion is seen as a form of success. For example, when Vishwamitra Muni performed a sacrifice and demons tried to interfere, Lord Ram and Lakshman were asked to guard it. The idea is that demons know that if a sacrifice is completed, auspicious forces gain strength, which could threaten them, so they try to prevent it.
Appearance of Celestial Beings: The second level of success is that higher beings or celestial beings may appear to the priests. These beings may give offerings like payasam or simply smile upon the sacrifice.
Visible Appearance of Celestial Beings: The highest level of success is when everyone can see these celestial beings. This was extremely rare, but it signifies the ultimate blessing from the sacrifice.
The idea is that the celestial beings, the universe, and the gods don’t need the physical offerings. These material things are just symbols, but when we offer them, the intent behind the offering satisfies the higher beings. They get satisfaction from our offerings, and this is analogous to how we pay taxes.
Prabhupada compares yajna to paying a tax. Normally, we pay taxes to the state, but yajna is paid to the cosmic state, where the “state” refers to the cosmic order. So, when yajna is performed, it pleases the devatas (gods). Sometimes, just like with taxes, the devatas might notice the offering. If a substantial offering is made, the devatas might reveal themselves, acknowledging the sincerity of the offering.
Now, some may question this form of exchange, thinking it is bizarre. But in today’s world, we can understand it better through digital economy systems. For example, when someone deposits money at a bank and receives a credit or debit card, it might seem strange to someone unfamiliar with banking. The person may wonder, “You gave so much money, and you got just a card?” But the point is that, even though the exchange might seem unbelievable, it works. Similarly, yajna is a form of exchange, and the principle of exchange is universal, even if the form seems strange to us.
Now, Krishna explains how yajna, dana (charity), and tapa (austerity) can be performed in the three modes of nature—sattvic, rajasic, and tamasic. Let’s break it down:
Sattvic Yajna: This is where the yajna is performed as a duty, as prescribed by the scriptures. One does it with a sense of responsibility, knowing that it is ordained by nature and the higher powers.
Rajasic Yajna: In this case, the yajna might be performed to gain material benefits or for power, and it could be considered self-serving.
Tamasic Yajna: This is where yajna is performed incorrectly or inauspiciously, such as animal sacrifices performed without proper rituals. In such cases, the priests may not chant the mantras properly, or the sacrifice may not be done in a pure way. This type of yajna would be considered tamasic (impure or inappropriate).
In Kaliyuga, it is asked whether Kaliyuga exists only on Earth or throughout the universe. The answer here is more nuanced: while Kaliyuga is traditionally described as being on Earth, it can be interpreted as part of a larger cosmic cycle. The cycle of ages exists throughout the universe, but the specific experiences of different yugas (ages) may vary depending on the context.
Where does this exist? Earth, isn’t it? The time flows differently in other places, doesn’t it? So, Kaliyuga exists only on Earth, and not in heaven or other places. In the past, interplanetary travel was common in the sense that the devatas (gods) would come to Earth, asuras (demons) would sometimes come here, and humans would travel to other planets. But in Kaliyuga, because Kali is a very destructive force, Kaliyuga is considered a dangerous age. That’s why, in this age, Earth is somewhat quarantined, like a red zone during a pandemic. People are not allowed to enter or leave. The exchanges between Earth and other planetary systems become very rare to prevent the toxic influence of Kaliyuga from spreading elsewhere.
Why am I talking about this? Because yajnas (sacrifices) are very difficult to perform in Kaliyuga due to a lack of resources. Furthermore, the results of those yajnas, in terms of fire sacrifices, are not easily attained. In Kaliyuga, the devatas will never be visible. So, yajnas are not performed as much. However, the principle of sacrifice is still there. Even when we chant the holy names, our consciousness can be focused on many things, but when we choose to focus on Krishna, that is a sacrifice. So, the principle of sacrifice is still present, but the specific act of fire sacrifice is not as common.
Remember in the fourth chapter, we discussed how sacrifice can take many forms. Krishna told Arjuna that even the act of fighting on the battlefield is a form of sacrifice. The battlefield is like the yajna kunda (the fire altar), and the Kauravas are like the offerings being sacrificed. The specific act of sacrifice, such as a fire sacrifice, is just one way to perform a sacrifice. But the principle is that we give something for a higher cause, and that is what we need to do. If we do not perform sacrifices at all, or if we do them improperly, it causes disruption.
Now, let’s focus on tapa (austerity) and dana (charity). We’ll look at these verses briefly. Bodily austerity is relatively simple. For example, the austerity of the mind involves showing respect to deities, teachers, and wise people. This includes being straightforward and truthful. Why is this considered austerity? Because it’s easy to become angry or violent. Men generally become physically violent, while women tend to become verbally violent. Both can exhibit violence in different forms, but the tendency is there in everyone.
Violence can also appear in other ways, such as gossip or body-shaming. Women, for example, can be very judgmental of each other when it comes to body image, often criticizing each other for being overweight or not fitting societal standards. The tendency to harm others, whether physically or verbally, is part of human nature, but we train ourselves to show respect instead.
Shari ram tapa uchchate: This means that bodily austerity refers to controlling our physical tendencies, such as avoiding violence. Psychology and sociology have observed many differences between men and women. For example, women attempt suicide more often than men, but men are more likely to commit suicide successfully. This might seem paradoxical, but it’s due to emotional tendencies in women and the physical strength of men. In the case of suicide attempts, failure to commit suicide is a success because survival is the true success.
Now, let’s talk about austerity of speech. Our words should not agitate others. They should be truthful (satyam), pleasing (priya), and beneficial (hitam).
Self-study can basically mean studying in your mind. It’s interesting because, in the past, books were not easily available. Before the invention of the printing press, reading was never an individual activity. It was a social activity: one person would read aloud, and others would listen. Even now, you might see this—someone reads aloud, and everyone listens. The idea of reading silently in your mind is a modern concept. In the past, reading meant reading aloud, and this is still evident in group reading sessions, where everyone reads aloud together.
Reading aloud is similar to chanting aloud—it’s often more calming and absorbing. It’s slower, but if you find yourself struggling to concentrate while reading silently, try reading aloud (of course, not too loud to disturb others). This is why reciting scripture aloud can be beneficial. So, this is the austerity of speech—swadhyaya, or self-study, through recitation. Austerity of speech could involve reading aloud, remembering and reciting, or using the tongue to recite scripture. These all fall under the category of vanmayam (related to speech) and are considered an austerity of speech.
Now, what does austerity do? If you consider austerity as a form of discipline, discipline makes things more effective. If we exercise our body, it becomes stronger. Similarly, when we practice austerity in speech, our speech becomes more effective. It communicates better and can transform others more powerfully. Krishna describes two essential qualities of speech: sensible and sensitive. Sensible speech appeals to the intellect, and sensitive speech appeals to the emotions.
Krishna emphasizes four qualities of speech: it should be truthful (satyam), helpful (hitam), non-agitating (anudvega karam), and pleasing (priyam). The best speech combines all these qualities. At the very least, our speech should be non-agitating. Sometimes we may have to speak the truth, but even the harsh truth can be spoken in a respectful and polite manner. Speaking the truth does not require being harsh.
The goal is to speak in a way that respects the dignity of others. For instance, if someone has done something wrong and needs to be corrected, it’s better to do it privately rather than publicly shaming them. We should always respect others’ dignity, as every individual is a part of Krishna.
Now, moving on to austerity of the mind. Austerity means voluntary restraint—choosing to restrain oneself from certain actions or desires. For example, fasting means voluntarily choosing not to eat certain foods, or in some cases, not eating at all. Similarly, austerity of speech means voluntarily choosing not to speak hurtfully, even though we have the power to do so.
Austerity of the mind involves keeping the mind cheerful and calm. The mind can be very restless, but with practice, we can learn to calm it. For example, Mauna (silence) is often considered an austerity of speech, but Krishna links it to the mind. It’s easier to silence our mouth, but the mind can still be noisy. We may not speak, but our mind may be filled with thoughts of anger or dissatisfaction. To silence the mind is the true austerity.
Most people struggle to silence their minds, and in response, they seek external distractions like watching TV or other noise. However, the goal is to control the mind and resist the urge to indulge in distracting thoughts or fantasies. Instead, we focus on things that purify us. This is the true austerity of the mind.
Cheerfulness (prasada) is the key to mental austerity. The key to being cheerful is gratitude. In life, there are always two categories of things: things we have and things we don’t have. The things we don’t have will always seem to be more than the things we do have. If we focus on what we don’t have, we will feel dissatisfied. However, if we focus on what we do have, we can be content and cheerful.
Consider this example: After this program, there might be prasada (blessed food) available. But let’s say there’s a special feast where everyone gets different sweets. In your plate, there’s gulab jamun, jalebi, peda, barfi, and so on, while in my plate, there might be a sandesh (sweet). As I eat the sandesh, I enjoy it, but at the same time, I start looking at what’s on your plate. I wonder, “What’s on his plate? What’s in his plate?” While I’m eating, my attention is distracted, and suddenly, my sandesh feels like chalk. Why? Because my consciousness is elsewhere.
It seems ridiculous when we talk about food—why not just enjoy your own sandesh? But we all do this in life. We have things that are good and right in our lives, but we focus on what we don’t have, letting our minds become agitated. In a sense, keeping our mind satisfied is an austerity of the mind. We must consciously choose to look at what we have, not at what we don’t have. The more we focus on what we lack, the more dissatisfied we become. This creates a cycle of increasing dissatisfaction.
Unfortunately, we live in a world where advertising amplifies this by constantly showing us things we don’t have, and even making us feel dissatisfied with what we do have. For example, I have a phone, but then I see there’s a newer model. The advertising industry thrives on creating dissatisfaction. They say the fuel of the consumer economy is consumer dissatisfaction. We never see ads for basic things like rice, dal, or chapati because those are necessities that people already have. But the more we focus on what we lack, the more dissatisfied we become.
Consciously making an effort to focus on what we have can be very helpful. One way to do this is by practicing gratitude. A simple saying is to “count your blessings,” but it’s not just about counting them—it’s about making those blessings count. Write down what you’re grateful for, and think about why each item on your list is valuable to you. When you feel dissatisfied, consciously refer to this list, and don’t just read the list—read the descriptions of why each item is meaningful. This practice helps our minds become satisfied.
Gratitude increases our mental energy. So much of our energy is drained by craving things we don’t have and resenting what others have. But if we practice gratitude, we conserve and even multiply our mental energy. This helps us focus on what we need to do. For example, if we enter a class and see our friend with the latest phone we want, we might become agitated, which makes it hard to concentrate. Gratitude helps conserve our energy and keeps our minds focused. That’s why it’s the first austerity of the mind.
Now, moving on to charity. Charity can also be performed in three modes: goodness, passion, and ignorance. Krishna explains that charity can be given at the wrong time or to unworthy recipients. If charity is given without considering the time, place, or circumstance, or is done disrespectfully, it’s considered tamasic (in the mode of ignorance).
For example, if you give charity to someone in a way that makes them feel bad, such as insulting them by saying, “You’re a beggar, you need this,” it’s not charitable—it’s disrespectful. This is called asatkrutam (disrespectful charity) and is tamasic.
Krishna also explains that charity can be done with the right intention, at the right time, and to the right person. The action itself can be good, but to truly evaluate its goodness, we need to consider the intent behind it and the consequences it causes. This is known as contextual ethics.
For instance, charity is generally seen as a good act, but if it’s given to someone who will only use it for harmful purposes, it can cause more harm than good. If someone is a drug addict, giving them money might just enable their addiction and lead to greater harm. So, when giving charity, we need to consider not just the action, but also the intent and the outcome.
Broadly speaking, we have two political ideologies: the right and the left. Have you heard of these terms? What do they mean to you?
Yes, the right is conservative, and the left is liberal. But what does that mean practically?
In any society, there’s always some hierarchy—people at the top and people at the bottom. And the number of people at the bottom is usually greater than those at the top. So, the right and left are concerned with this hierarchy. The right is concerned with maintaining the existing systems, especially those that have worked in the past. They argue that these systems have allowed society to survive, and therefore, we should respect and preserve them.
For example, many criticize the caste system in India, claiming it’s discriminatory. And yes, it has its flaws. But if the caste system were truly so terrible, why is India still one of the most resilient civilizations in human history, while others like the Egyptian or Aztec civilizations have vanished? We’re not saying the caste system is perfect, but there must be something about it that contributed to India’s survival.
On the other hand, the left focuses on those who are left out by the existing system. While the right may argue that the current system works, the left points out that it may be discriminatory, and some people are being harmed or sidelined by it. Ideally, both the right and the left should coexist in society. The right helps preserve what’s good from the past, while the left looks for ways to rectify the harms caused by the system.
The right believes that traditions and systems are experiments that have worked over time and should be respected. If some people are struggling, the solution is for them to work harder and adapt. The left, on the other hand, believes the system itself is flawed and needs to be changed. The right emphasizes individual responsibility, while the left focuses on social justice—correcting societal inequities.
Why am I talking about this? The leftist ideology has become influential worldwide, even though communism, a more extreme form of leftism, collapsed. The left believes those with less power are often discriminated against and need support. For example, in many Western countries, there are welfare states where the government helps those who can’t find work. It’s believed that if someone is unemployed, it’s society’s fault, and the state should provide maintenance for them.
However, there’s a downside. If people are supported without any expectations of work, they may become lazy and stop looking for jobs. This was evident during the pandemic when the American government gave large sums of money to people to stay at home. As a result, many didn’t want to return to work, leading to economic problems. Support is necessary for those who genuinely cannot work, but if someone is capable of working but chooses not to, then supporting them only encourages their laziness.
This concept highlights the idea that “the road to hell is paved with good intentions.” After World War II, the U.S. was geographically fortunate, with oceans protecting it and weaker countries surrounding it. America was the most geopolitically secure country, and it was successful in the aftermath of the war. Many of the soldiers returning home were wounded, so the government decided to create veteran homes to take care of them. However, this decision broke the intergenerational family link—traditionally, in India, it’s the children’s responsibility to take care of elderly parents, but in the West, this was largely replaced by government programs.
Afterward, with the sexual revolution, a similar shift happened. In the leftist ideology, women who became pregnant outside of marriage were seen as victims of toxic men who didn’t take responsibility. As a result, society began to support these women, providing for single mothers without expecting them to work. Over time, this led to an unintended incentive for single women to have children without getting married, as the state would support them.
In some U.S. states, for example, single mothers get a complete fee waiver for their college education. While the intention is to help, this creates a distortion of social values. The result is that the state becomes the caretaker of the family, rather than the family unit itself. This breaks the family bond, leading to long-term societal consequences.
The charitable instinct behind this welfare system is not inherently bad, but it can cause harm if it’s not properly implemented. The same goes for charity: it’s important to consider who receives charity and the effects it has. Should women and children be protected? Absolutely. But the proper way to protect them is through a strong family unit. When charity undermines family bonds and encourages dependency, it can lead to chaos, rather than welfare. In some cases, charity may end up causing more harm than good.
Krishna talks about a concept called “harm-causing charity,” using the example of drug addiction. In some liberal states in America, individuals who are drug addicts can get a certificate from a doctor stating they are addicts. With this certificate, they can go to a hospital where doctors will legally give them drugs.
At first glance, this might seem like a way to help addicts, but it’s actually enabling their addiction. The argument is that if addicts aren’t given legal drugs, they’ll resort to crime or take dangerous, unregulated drugs, which would lead to health problems and increase emergency healthcare costs. While this may seem cost-effective in the short term, the real issue lies in the long-term consequences. By giving addicts drugs, society removes the incentive for them to stop using and seek recovery.
This is an example of harm-causing charity. The intention is charitable—helping people who are suffering—but the result is ultimately harmful. Charitable actions must be guided properly, with a clear understanding of their consequences. Krishna points out that charity, like any sacrifice, must be connected to the higher truth (the absolute truth) for it to be truly beneficial. Without this connection, any sacrifice is futile.
In this chapter, Krishna stresses that faith can be understood through the actions we take, particularly in terms of what we receive and what we give. What we take is the food we consume, and what we give is through yajna (sacrificial acts). We are part of three circles: the body, society, and nature. For the body, we provide nourishment (through food); for society, we give through charity (dana); and for nature, we give through yajna.
Yajna is a cosmic tax, where the exchange between us and the universe is important. Even though the traditional forms of yajna (rituals) are not recommended in the current age (Kali Yuga), the principle of exchange remains. The universe gives us something, and we need to return something in kind.
We also discussed tapa (austerity), focusing on how the body, speech, and mind can be purified. For the mind, gratitude is key—choosing to focus on what we have, not on what we lack. Speech should be both sensible and sensitive, while the body should be disciplined through various practices.
Then, we explored the concept of charity. While charity is important, it can cause harm if it is not properly thought through. Charity should not enable irresponsibility. For example, facilitating single motherhood or encouraging irresponsible behavior can lead to the disintegration of the family, which is a harmful consequence. The intention may be good, but the result can be destructive.
I’ll share one final example of harm-causing charity. I once stayed with a couple in the U.S. who were planning to divorce. They had a son with a severe heart condition, and they couldn’t afford the medical expenses, as their insurance didn’t cover it. A doctor suggested that the wife divorce her husband, gain custody of the child, and become a single mother to qualify for government assistance. In order to get the necessary medical care for their child, they had to consider destroying their family unit. This is an extreme example of harm-causing charity, where the intention is to help but the consequences are devastating.
So, when we practice charity or help others, it’s important to consider not just the action but also its intent and consequences. Charity should support responsibility and strengthen, not weaken, the family or social fabric.
So, of course, they brutalized, they didn’t civilize, they exploited, but the point is that sometimes, when we value what we don’t have, we don’t value others. So if we can actually value what we have and value others, then our gratitude does not lead to pride. But then, after that, we share what we have with others because we value others also. That is the greatest thing. Somebody who has wealth, they can just give charity, that’s good, but if they have wealth and they create something, they will build a company where they can employ other people. They’re not giving charity, but they’re sharing the gifts that they have.
So, if I have speaking ability, singing ability, or any other gifts, I’m going to use that for good. That’s where the gratitude will stay on.
Yes, please.
Being satisfied with what we have, does it lead to lethargy? Yes, it can definitely lead to lethargy if it’s not connected with a higher purpose. See, if my pleasure comes from service, then I will want to use what I have in service. Some people can sing with the intention of gaining fame, while others can sing to spread joy. See, a gift in one person can be a gift for everyone. If one person has a beautiful singing voice, hearing that voice is a joy for them. If one person has artistic ability, the art they make brings joy to everyone. If one person has engineering ability, they can create something that brings comfort or relief to everyone.
So the idea is that whatever ability I have, if I’m using it for my own fame, prestige, or power, then that is unhealthy. I’ll never be satisfied, and I’ll always crave more and more. But if I truly value what I have, and it’s not just, “Okay, I’ll be satisfied,” I want to use it in the mood of service. Then we won’t become complacent; we won’t become lethargic. So gratitude does not take away our ambition. Gratitude elevates the motivation for our ambition.
Somebody who is a grateful singer, or somebody grateful for whatever they have, will still produce good content, but they will produce it so that others benefit.
So that is gratitude. Yes, it is a common notion that gratitude will take away our ambition. It won’t take away our ambition, but that is a possibility. But actually, in bhakti, we understand all gifts come from Krishna, and all gifts are going to be useful in the service of Krishna. It elevates the motivation for our ambition.
So, I want to compose songs; I want to sing songs not to become the most famous singer in the world, but to sing songs about Krishna or uplifting things, so that people can find joy, people can find contentment, and their consciousness can rise afterward.
UMANG 3.0 Mega Youth Festival Date: November 30, 2024 Venue: ISKCON Youth Forum, Kudupu Katte, Mangalore ISKCON Mangalore hosted the UMANG 3.0 Mega Youth Festival with the inspiring theme: “Making India Addiction-Free.” The event marked the inauguration of the Deaddiction Campaign 2025 and was held at the Town Hall in the heart of Mangalore city. Read More...
We are pleased to present the 13 November and 27 November 2024 GBC Meeting Highlights Report. This combined report presents the highlights of two consecutive GBC meetings: the 13 November online meeting and the 27 November 2024 online meeting. This report aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the online GBC meeting highlighting the key Read More...
Today is Odana-sasti, the date on which Lord Jagannatha is given a winter shawl. One year when Lord Chaitanya and His associates celebrated this festival in Puri, Pundarika Vidyanidhi, who is Vrsabhanu Maharaja, Srimati Radharani’s father in krsna-lila, received some special mercy. His experience is instructive for us all.
Srila Prabhupada explains, “At the beginning of winter, there is a ceremony known as the Odana-sasthi. This ceremony indicates that from that day forward, a winter covering should be given to Lord Jagannatha. That covering is directly purchased from a weaver. According to the arcana-marga, a cloth should first be washed to remove all the starch, and then it can be used to cover the Lord. Pundarika Vidyanidhi saw that the priest neglected to wash the cloth before covering Lord Jagannatha. Since he wanted to find some fault in the devotees, he became indignant.” (Cc Madhya 16.78 purport)
And Sri Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 16.78–81) describes the event: “Pundarika Vidyanidhi initiated Gadadhara Pandita for the second time, and on the day of Odana-sasthi Pundarika Vidyanidhi saw the festival. (78) When Pundarika Vidyanidhi saw that Lord Jagannatha was given a starched garment, he became a little hateful. In this way his mind was polluted. (79) That night the brothers Lord Jagannatha and Balarama came to Pundarika Vidyanidhi and, smiling, began to slap him. (80) Although his cheeks were swollen from the slapping, Pundarika Vidyanidhi was very happy within. This incident has been elaborately described by Thakura Vrndavana dasa. (81)”
From this incident we can learn that the Lord does not tolerate offenses against His servants, even from an advanced devotee, and that He chastises any devotee who commits such an offense even within the mind. We can also learn that a pure devotee accepts such chastisement from the Lord with great happiness, as a manifestation of the Lord’s mercy, of His love and care for His devotees—both for those who may commit such an offense and for those who may be objects of such an offense. A pure devotee thanks the Lord for rectifying him and preventing him from committing further offenses, and he feels great jubilation within his heart.
Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 20, No. 22 By Krishna Kripa Das (November 2024, part two) New York City (Sent from Brooklyn, New York, on December 7, 2024)
Where I Went and What I Did
The second half of November, I was happy to returnto the ashram of ISKCON NYC and serve NYC Harinam.
I would chant with Rama Raya Prabhu’s NYC Harinam party from Monday through Saturday for three or four hours in the afternoons.
I would lead the chanting for half an hour and distribute the invitations and free literature the rest of the time, occasionally also selling a book.
Sometimes I would give the Srimad-Bhagavatam class in the temple, which is recorded on the ISKCON NYC YouTube channel. Sometimes they play the class on the big screen in the lobby in addition to a variety of kirtans.
On Sundays I would do a walking harinama with ISKCON NYC devotees around Brooklyn or over the Brooklyn Bridge for an hour or so and then chant with the Bhakti Center Soul Spot group in Washington Square Park for two hours in the afternoon.
I attended the 26 Second Avenue Saturday Bhagavad-gita on November 16 to hear Prahladananda Swami speak and the following Saturday to give the talk myself. The next Saturday I just came for the prasadam and the association. At ISKCON NYC I also made walnut burfi for Radha Govinda to have on Ekadasi.
I share many quotes from the books, lectures, conversations, and letters of Srila Prabhupada, mostofwhich I read in Bhakti Vikasa Swami’s soon-to-be-published book on the mood and mission of Srila Prabhupada. I also share quotes from two books by Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami and a soon-to-be-published book by Devaki Devi Dasi on the vanaprastha asrama. I also share notes on classes in New York City by Prahladananda Swami andHansarupa, Rama Raya, Hari Vilasa, Aditya, Matanga,Natabara Gauranga, Divyangi, Prabhavishnu, and Hadai Prana Prabhus.
Many, many thanks to Atmanivedana Prabhu for his kind donations to me for giving the Saturday lecture at 26 Second Avenue, both in October and November. Many thanks to Baladeva Vidyabhusana Prabhu for the use of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami’s car to go to Hudson to catch the train to return to NYC Harinam.
Itinerary
October 5–January 3, 2025: NYC Harinam – December 28: lecture on Bhagavad-gita at 26 Second Avenue
Chanting Hare Krishna in New York
Divyangi Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna at Times Square subway station above the 7 train (https://youtu.be/YfjBIJdGn-Q):
While Arjunananda Prabhu was chanting, two Liverpool ladies began to dance, so I offered them some shakers which they played as they continued dancing (https://youtu.be/e4THcu2cq6Y
Vasily gave them Perfection of Yoga, but I suggested he swap it for Chant and Be Happy, since Liverpool is the city where the Beatles began, and so he did.
Rebecca, who blissfully listened to several minutes of harinama, used to visit the temple when she lived nearby in Brooklyn, but living in Chelsea she admitted to being out of touch. She surprised me by saying, “You can be here. And then you can say ‘Srila Prabhupada,’ and then you can be there. Is it true that just by saying the guru’s name you can be elevated?” Of course, it’s true, but how many people you meet on harinama express it!
Here Natabara Gauranga Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Atlantic Avenue / Barclays Center subway station in Brooklyn, the subway station that is closest to the temple of all that we do (https://youtu.be/7LSaAO8rCUo):
Srikar chants Hare Krishna at Jackson Heights / Roosevelt Avenue subway station, and a passerby dances with the devotee women (https://youtu.be/fduevvgQ4Hc):
Later while Srikar chanted Hare Krishna there several devotees and onlookers danced (https://youtu.be/rNKnUn9d7Fk):
Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Jackson Heights / Roosevelt Avenue Station, and devotees dance (https://youtu.be/eu8hrXSUfvU):
Ekakanta Rukmini Devi Dasi of Russia chants Hare Krishna at Times Square station on Thanksgiving (https://youtu.be/f4x_AL0-Jqc):
While Ekakanta Rukmini Devi Dasi chanted Hare Krishna, several devotees enthusiastically danced (https://youtu.be/RPqhAyZMV0k):
After chanting in Times Square subway station on Thanksgiving, we got to honor the Thanksgiving dinner we offered to our congregation and restaurant customers.
The soup made by the wife of Yamuna Prabhu was especially delicious and memorable.
Narada Muni Prabhu returned from Govardhan on the last day of November, and he led the Hare Krishna chant in Times Square subway station. While he was singing, several passersby played shakers (https://youtu.be/Zn5kU4NSeYQ):
Photos
We can tell them how to go back to Godhead, but they just want to go to Queens!
Experiences
I couldn't find any offered milk to put on my granola so I just put caranamrita on it. It was pretty good.
Attendance at mangala-arati was down 70% on Black Friday. Apparently there was a retreat I was unaware of. I worried that people ate too much at the Thanksgiving feast or were waiting in line at the shops for a good deal!
Insights
Srila Prabhupada:
From Message of Godhead, Chapter One:
“Everyone who is devoid of transcendental knowledge is just like a blind man; such a blind man must first eradicate his blindness before he can attempt to lead others to light.”
From Message of Godhead, Chapter Two:
“We are as if roaming in the street like street beggars, although we are all the transcendental sons of the richest personality, the Personality of Godhead. With a cool head, we could very well understand this fact. But unmindful of our supremely rich father and our relationship with Him, we go on endeavouring in many ways to solve our street-beggar problems of poverty and hunger, but with practically no appreciable results.”
From a letter to Madhudvisa on November 7, 1975:
“Even if somebody does not go in one line with the rest of the godbrothers, he can remain separately, but it does not mean that he may disobey the principles that I have laid down. So long as one follows the principles, he continues to be my disciple.”
From a morning walk in Los Angeles on December 12, 1973:
“Churches are being closed. Similarly, if you do not keep yourself fit to preach, then your temples will all be closed in due course of time. Without preaching, you’ll not feel enthused to continue the temple worship. And without temple worship, you cannot keep yourself pure and clean. The two things must go on, parallel. Then there is success. In modern times, Hindus, Muslims, Christians, there is no teaching of philosophy, therefore they are closing, either mosques or temples or churches. They will close. Unless we take care of the books and preach and read ourselves, understand the philosophy, this Hare Krishna will be finished within a few years. Because there will be no life. How long one can artificially go on, ‘Hare Krishna! Haribol!’ That will be artificial. No life. Without preaching, without understanding philosophy, you cannot keep your strength. Everyone should be thoroughly well conversed with the philosophy we are presenting. That means you must read thoroughly every day.”
From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi 7.171, purport:
“The members of this Society must always remember that if they stick to the regulative principles and preach sincerely according to the instructions of the acaryas surely they will have the profound blessings of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and their preaching work will be successful everywhere throughout the world.”
From a pandal lecture on the Srimad-Bhagavatam preface in Bombay on January 14, 1973:
“I have traveled all over the world. They have got enough money, enough material facilities, but still this Vedic culture is different. It is so high. And it is taken still in estimation, in adoration, all over the world. So my request, especially to the Indians, is to not neglect your culture, the Vedic culture.”
From an interview with Mr. Koshi, assistant editor of The Current Weekly, in Bombay on April 5, 1977:
“The whole world is in darkness of ignorance. So India was expected after independence to give real knowledge. But instead of giving that real knowledge, they became victimized by the glimmer of material civilization. So I wanted that such a magnificent gift from the side of India, it shall [not] remain uncontributed to the world, let me try.”
From a class on The Nectar of Devotion in Vrindavan on October 17, 1972:
“Especially those who are born in India as human beings should take advantage of this knowledge. They should not manufacture knowledge. The knowledge is already there. Simply one has to take it. Just like Bhagavad-gita. Everything is there already. We have to take it, accept it, apply it practically in life, and distribute the knowledge throughout the whole world. This is the mission of India.”
From an arrival lecture in Delhi on November 10, 1971:
“India is meant for doing welfare activities to the world, but we have forgotten that. We are trying to imitate the Western countries and technology, and we have thrown out our Vedic treasure house, our transcendental knowledge treasure house.”
From a room conversation with Ratansinh Rajda, a member of parliament, in Bombay on March 27, 1977:
“It is the duty of the Indians. But instead of Indians, I have to collect these young men from foreign countries.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.11, purport:
“It is the duty of every responsible Indian to broadcast the transcendental message of Srimad-Bhagavatam throughout the world to do all the supermost good as well as to bring about the desired peace in the world. Because India has failed in her duty by neglecting this responsible work, there is so much quarrel and trouble all over the world.”
From Back to Godhead, Volume 3, Part 3, April 5, 1956:
“People misunderstand Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu because He did not open any hospital, because He did not canvass for the undertakers, or because he did not labor for any so-called social welfare work. But in fact what He did includes all varieties of social, political, humanitarian, altruistic, moral, and spiritual work.”
From a letter to Ramesvara on January 9, 1973:
“All decent men want to give service to humanity; the only thing is they do not have information really what is that service. Hospitals, feeding the poor, Red Cross – these are service to the bodies only, not to the man. Service to humanity means jñana. Giving people knowledge, jñana, is the highest service to humanity. We are performing the actual welfare work of society by informing everyone through our literatures who is God, who they are, and what is the relationship. In this way everyone who hears our message gets the opportunity to fulfill his actual position as human entity and become delivered from the clutches of maya. So you may understand that by disseminating our Krishna conscious propaganda anywhere and everywhere – by selling books, by making publicity, newspapers, television, there are so many ways to spread Krishna conscious information – by utilizing our energy in this way to give everyone access to the Absolute Truth, that is the real understanding of the desire to serve humanity.”
From a letter to Rupanuga on November 30, 1971:
“I am currently in Vrindavan with a party of forty devotees, and we are having daily parikrama of the holy places. The officials and residents of Vrindavan have greeted us very nicely, and they are simply astounded to see our sankirtana party chanting with great jubilation through the city streets. The mayor has publicly proclaimed that I have done something wonderful, and practically speaking, they realize that before I went to the Western countries no one there knew about Vrindavan. Now hundreds of visitors and hippies from your country come here to see Krishna’s place. The Vrindavan devotees have understood that Vrindavan is now world-famous due to my preaching work, so they are all very much appreciating their hometown Swamiji.”
From a letter to Karandhara on November 4, 1970:
“Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu has forecast that this Hare Krishna mantra will be heard in every nook and cranny of the globe. He is God, so it will happen, that is a fact. So if we take advantage then we may take the credit, but if we do not someone else will.”
From a letter to Yasodanandana and Gurukrpa on December 1, 1973:
“Pray to Krishna that our humble attempts to spread Krishna consciousness may be successful and that we may always please the acaryas and Vaishnavas by our service.”
From a letter to Babhru on December 9, 1973:
“The test of our actual dedication and sincerity to serve the spiritual master will be in this mutual cooperative spirit to push on this movement and not make factions and deviate.”
From a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.6.1 in Vrindavan on December 2, 1975:
“We don’t do any business, but we are spending at least twenty-five lakhs of rupees every month, but Krishna is supplying. If you remain Krishna consciousness, fully dependent on Krishna, then there will be no scarcity. I started this Krishna business with forty rupees. Now we have got forty crores of rupees. Is there any businessman in the whole world within ten years with forty rupees he can increase to forty crores? There is no example. And ten thousand men are eating prasada daily.”
From a letter to Karandhara on November 30, 1970:
“My guru maharaja used to say, ‘Don’t worry about money. Do something nice for Krishna and money will come.’ So we should always be thinking how to distribute the message of Krishna and surely He will give us facility. Even an ordinary man if he wants publicity then he gives so much money for propaganda work. Similarly Krishna is not poor. He can supply any amount for the devotees who are engaged in broadcasting His glories.”
From “The Center of Attention” in Back to Godhead, Vol. 33, No. 6 (June 1999):
“Once in Mayapur a devotee asked, ‘Srila Prabhupada, we’re sitting in these rice fields, and you’ve asked us to build a city. Where is all the money going to come from?’
“Srila Prabhupada laughed. ‘You are always worried about where the money will come from. Here we have Radha-Madhava. “Madhava” means the husband of the goddess of fortune. You just worship Radha-Madhava nicely, and everything will come by Their mercy. You don’t have to worry about money.’”
The humble servants of Srila Prabhupada:
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.11.6, purport:
“Lord Krishna is so kind that He patiently sits in the heart, trying to guide the conditioned soul back home, back to Godhead. Certainly no material friend would remain with his foolish companion for millions of years, especially if his companion were to ignore him or even curse him. But Lord Krishna is such a faithful, loving friend that He accompanies even the most demoniac living entity and is also in the heart of the insect, pig and dog. That is because Lord Krishna is supremely Krishna conscious and sees every living entity as part and parcel of Himself. Every living being should give up the bitter fruits of the tree of material existence. One should turn one’s face to the Lord within the heart and revive one’s eternal loving relationship with one’s real friend, Lord Krishna.”
Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:
From The Delaware Diaries, Volume 1, Tachycardia, Part 1:
“The evil monster Ravaṇa, who kidnapped Sita when she stepped outside the protective circle Rama had drawn around her. In the questions and comments period, Lila-avatara said that Prabhupada has drawn a protective circle around us, and Maya cannot reach us as long as we stay within the circle—the four regulative principles. Yes, how true. Maya can rip us away if we step outside the circle.”
“When I said to Prabhupada in 1966 that I was disturbed and couldn’t understand how Lord Krishna, the respected mystical speaker of Bhagavad-gita, married sixteen thousand wives, Śrila Prabhupada shot back, ‘You cannot understand! Even the greatest scholars cannot understand!’”
“You are scattered all over the place. You should be focused on Krishna’s name and delivering Krishna’s name.”
From ISKCON in the 1970s:
“He [Srila Prabhupada] did tell Bhavananda Maharaja that we should not become another Gaudiya Matha and split up and fight.”
Prahladananda Swami:
Faith is essential to develop Krishna consciousness. That faith must not be blind but based on experience. Based on our different experiences we have different amounts of faith.
Krishna does not say we should not have affection for our families. He just wants us to sit down with our family members and chant Hare Krishna together morning and evening. We should also read Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita, worship the deities, serve the devotees and spiritualize our homes.
It is nice to go to the temple on Sunday, but it is actually more important to have a daily spiritual program at your home.
Someone asked Srila Prabhupada what he was doing for the world. Prabhupada asked the man if he had practiced Krishna consciousness. The man said yes. Prabhupada asked the man if he felt it benefited him. The man said yes. Srila Prabhupada made the point to the man that just as Krishna consciousness has benefited him, it will benefit others.
How will we be able to fix our minds on Krishna if we do not practice it every day?
We are always spiritual beings, and thus we have to always connect with the spiritual energy.
We may become an award winning Olympic swimmer, but in the next life we may become a fish. Then we will not have our medal to show off to our friends.
We can improve our japa by doing the five most important items of devotional service, because by doing so, we will gain faith in Krishna, and thus we will take japa more seriously.
Hansarupa Prabhu:
Observing Srila Prabhupada’s every act, I could see his expertise in everything he did. That made me feel confident I had found the right shelter.
In the corporate world, losing your reputation is the greatest loss.
Daksa offended Lord Shiva because of being in the mode of ignorance. Sati was innocent but by Daksa’s association, she also became contaminated by ignorance.
Although disciples left when Srila Prabhupada said that we did not go to the moon, now the majority of people believe that we did not go to the moon.
We have the secret of how to obtain love of God.
We are only here in the temple to engage in service, and the remuneration is priceless.
Senior devotees may be very friendly in their dealings with us, but we should not take it that now we have come to their level and can treat them familiarly.
In the pastime of the appearance of Lord Nrsimha, the fact that only Prahlada Maharaja was able to come forth to garland the Lord shows that sincerity and not seniority is important in pleasing the Lord.
From within the devotee feels satisfaction so he does not need confirmation from outside that he is doing OK.
We may imagine that so many additional things will enhance our devotional service, but the secret is vyavasatmika-buddhih, one pointed intelligence, focused toward the essence, hearing and chanting about Krishna. This is sufficient.
From a practical point of view, Srila Prabhupada was ready to do anything to push on Krishna consciousness.
The Lord in His incarnation as a devotee taught that, “My spiritual master considered me to be a fool.” He showed the humility required for one in the presence of one’s spiritual master.
The words of the guru and the words of Krishna do not require any commentary by my mind.
Srila Prabhupada knew that he was the pet of his spiritual master, but he did not exploit it.
Akincana Krishna Babaji wouldn’t say very much. If someone would ask him a question, he would tell the person to chant Hare Krishna.
How did we Westerners know that Srila Prabhupada was different from all these bogus gurus? By hearing and service.
Listen to Srila Prabhupada’s morning walk conversations. He speaks more intimately with his disciples there than in his books. When you hear them, you feel that you are right there on the walk.
In January 1978, Gaura Govinda Maharaja, Bhagavata Prabhu, and I, were visiting Jagannatha Puri, and we came to the birthplace of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. We were not paying attention to the Vaishnava calendar very strictly, and we didn’t know that the day was the appearance day of Bhaktisiddhanta. We arrived after the ceremonies and while they were preparing the temple room for serving prasadam. As we entered the foyer of the temple, we saw it filled with all these sannyasis who were disciples of Bhaktisiddhanta. Only Akincana Krishnadasa Babaji Maharaja spoke to us. He asked if we were disciples of Swamiji. We replied, “Yes, we are disciples of Bhaktivedanta Swami.” Then he pointed to the sannyasis, and said, “Do you know what they used to call your guru?” We did not know what to say. He said, “They used to call him a ‘useless grihastha.’” Then he pointed back to the sannyasis and said, “See who is useless now!” Then it came time to serve the feast. In the Gaudiya Math, the sannyasis serve the feasts, and so they served us prasadam.
Rama Raya Prabhu:
The devotee, like the expert geologist who can extract gold from ore, sees the sincerity in the souls despite their external appearance.
By desire we come into this material world, and by desire we go back to the spiritual world.
The ultimate paradox is that although Krishna is atmarama, completely self-satisfied, He is attracted by His devotees’ love.
We can give people a few ideas about what to say, but ultimately Krishna as the Supersoul gives the book distributors what to say to convince the conditioned souls.
Because people are envious, they have no ability to distinguish spirit and matter.
When we chant Hare Krishna in public, we are offering respect to everyone’s soul without discrimination.
Karttika is known as Radha’s month. The following month is Krishna’s month, Margasirsa, as mentioned in Bhagavad-gita.
Devaki Devi Dasi:
From her soon-to-be-published book on the vanaprastha-asrama:
“Once when taking chemotherapy in Melbourne in 2007 and visiting my oncologist for a check-up, we encountered a humorous situation. In the waiting room, there were a Muslim lady, a Christian nun and me. All of us were dressed in our uniforms – I was in a sari and tilak. Later, the doctor said, ‘All of you three ladies were in the same situation, suffering the same disease. It gave me a good opportunity to compare your religious practice; and I must say, you are doing the best! Factually, never have I ever had such a happy cancer patient before.’ And laughingly, he added, ‘It seems like being a Hare Krishna offers a good disposition for doing chemotherapy!’ I couldn’t restrain myself and cheekily responded, ‘Maybe you want to recommend it?’ We had a good laugh, and he said, ‘Well, I’m not quite sure about that!’ In this way, even a non-devotee doctor could perceive that a devotee approaches such a situation with a different outlook; that a devotee can cross over these kinds of challenges without being confused, unlike others who may struggle in bewilderment.”
“Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura advises us in his Chaitanya-sikshamrita: ‘Make your chanting heart-deep, not just lip-deep.’”
“Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja describes an ISKCON temple as a crying school, where we learn how to cry out to Krishna.”
“To be accepted by Krishna is not a cheap thing. Who do we think we are to be accepted by Him? Our heart must be flooded with an intense longing and begging for the position of being accepted and welcomed by the Lord.”
“It all begins with a mindfulness of the Personality of Krishna being actually present. Thus, our chanting becomes my time with Krishna. Adding this aspect of longing for Krishna to our chanting has the power to transport our meditation to a different level. It can transform our chanting from an impersonal, mechanical and dry ordeal into our time of personally associating with the Lord. We can meet Him face to face.”
“We may view the entire Srimad-Bhagavatam as a catalogue advertising Krishna’s divine abode.”
“An effective way of starting the process [of becoming free of inattentive chanting] is chanting daily a certain amount of rounds – preferably the same number of rounds each day like four, six, or eight – with full care and attention. . . . The remainder of our rounds, we may continue chanting as we have been for so many years. This practice will give us a direct experience of the difference: We will feel how the attentive rounds offer so much more satisfaction to our heart. And in proportion to the number of rounds chanted in the recommended fashion, we will become increasingly disgusted with our inattentive rounds, which are indeed like empty medicine capsules.”
Hari Vilasa Prabhu:
It is important to understand that the holy name is authorized by the scriptures.
The reason the chanting of the holy name is recommended in this age is that it is very simple.
Dharma, although eternal, adapts to the circumstances of the age. The religious practice, the duties of the ashrams, etc.
There are qualifications for chanting Hare Krishna, but they are not material qualifications like wealth, intelligence, and strength.
Beneficial qualifications include consistency, ability to relish the holy name, etc.
Just because something is not easy does not mean it is impossible. Unfortunately we are so attached to things being easy, that if it is not easy, it becomes impossible for us.
The instructions of Srila Prabhupada to live simply are like the lifestyle of the Amish, completely detached from the surrounding modern civilization.
Whatever you see, you also have to digest, just as whatever you eat, you have to digest.
Challenges:
Sinful activities have become normalized.
Sinful activities flood our consciousness with impediments to chanting the holy name.
We do not feel we have time to focus on the chanting.
Distraction is prevalent and hard to surpass.
Unless you can absorb your mind in transcendence, there is no peace.
Getting people’s attention is the most valuable thing.
If we are self-absorbed, we will sometimes feel very bad about ourselves and at other times feel very proud of ourselves.
It is better not to endeavor for self-esteem but for detachment.
People who are detached are consistently happy.
Comments by me:
The Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.3.22 also mentions that devotional service begins with the chanting of the holy name:
“Devotional service, beginning with the chanting of the holy name of the Lord, is the ultimate religious principle for the living entity in human society.”
In the translation of the iti sodasakam verse in the purport, “kali-kamasa-nasanam” is not mentioned specifically. This phrase means that the holy name destroys the impurities of this Age of Kali.
Mathuresa Prabhu once said a Srimad-Bhagavatam class decades ago that this practice of Krishna consciousness is guaranteed to remove anarthas, and therefore, if we are attached to our anarthas, we will get removed along with them. It was such a striking statement, it stuck with me for perhaps forty years.
I know what you mean by saying gambling is the worst of the four sinful activities. I tried distributing Origins magazines in Reno, Nevada, airport, and the people at the slot machines had no ability to even hear my presentation, they were so absorbed in their gambling.
You stress absorption in Krishna in your class. I am so absorbed when I edit harinama videos on the trains that I completely tune out all the craziness of the New York City subway, and my twenty-minute ride seems to take just a few minutes.
Aditya Devi Dasi:
Bhaktivinoda Thakura in Jaiva Dharma says that the svarupa-dharma of the living is to serve Krishna in Krishna prema.
It is described that we are still in the spiritual world. We just turn away from the pastimes for a moment and have this material dream.
Kumbha-mela is named after the Kumbha, or pot, of immortal nectar, from which drops of nectar landed at Nashik, Haridvara, and Prayaga.
Vasanta-pancami, the first day of spring, is also the marriage day of Shiva and Parvati.
Shiva, because he is not a jiva, never becomes conditioned by the material world.
Matanga Prabhu:
“I was at a temple in South India and I did not have much service, so I was on my phone a lot. One brahmacari noticed, and pointing to the phone, he said, ‘That is your wife.’”
Natabara Gauranga Prabhu:
In this purport we learn that Daksa’s envious words directed toward Lord Shiva were the result of an envy that had been building up for a while. We can understand from this that if we notice an envious attitude toward a devotee building up within ourselves we should do something to counteract it by serving or glorifying the person before it results in an offense.
We should always try to increase the quality and quantity of our sadhana.
Divyangi Devi Dasi:
There are other talks between Lord Shiva and Sati in the Vedic literature in which they reveal important truths. In particular one conversation reveals the thousand names of Radha.
You see a lot of psychology in the Bhagavatam. Here Sati tells Shiva, “We can go to the sacrifice if you would like,” instead of directly saying “I want to go to the sacrifice.”
The Bhagavatam is always reminding us that this world is untruth.
Daksa was very absorbed in his service, but he ended up with the head of a goat.
My guru [Vaisesika Prabhu] says, “We have to be humble because we are only moving in the world according to the mercy of others.”
It takes at least two people to have a fight. If the other person does not interact then there is no fight.
In distributing books you learn to react nicely when dealing with all kinds of people.
In distributing books, you meet philosophical people who have no interest in stories and people who like stories and have no interest in philosophy.
When we are in the association of advanced devotees, we can by their mercy, experience higher levels of consciousness than we usually experience.
Find the ideal distance where you can properly respect a person, and do not go closer or further than that.
Comment by Indian Prabhu: Thanks for reminding us that it is good to understand the Bhagavatam philosophy so if we lose the taste for chanting we will continue to do it out of duty.
Prabhavishnu Prabhu:
All the stories in the Bhagavatam, even those that cause us to wonder why they are there, are for our ultimate purification.
The pastimes in the Bhagavatam assist us in resisting material allurements and developing an attraction for Krishna’s pastimes.
Hadai Prana Prabhu:
Lord Shiva did not stand up to honor Daksa, and Daksa’s inability to tolerate this resulted in several chapters of drama in the Srimad-Bhagavatam.
Radhanath Swami reminds us that everyone in the temple should receive guests in such a way the guests will appreciate Srila Prabhupada’s love for Krishna and Srila Prabhupada’s love for them.
A mature Vaishnava sees one who finds fault with him as benefactor revealing anarthas that he was unaware of so he can correct them, and he offers obeisances to such a person.
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Mahavishnu Goswami from Gujarat inspired me to once memorize the prayers of Queen Kunti. This month I dedicated to memorize again all those I had forgotten.
Kunti Devi prays to Lord Krishna for one-pointed devotion to Him:
“O Lord of Madhu, as the Ganges forever flows to the sea without hindrance, let my attraction be constantly drawn unto You without being diverted to anyone else.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.42)
The new Adelaide temple extension, with its beautiful deity room, high ceilings, chandeliers and artwork, is a wonderful addition to the temple complex. Sri Sri Radha Shyamasundara, Gaura Nitai and Prahlada Nrsimha were graciously bestowing Their mercy to one and all.
There was a big crowd in attendance for the opening festival, including the federal and state members of parliament , HH Devamrta Maharaja and local temple presidents, Adi Purusa Krsna and Sita Rama Laksman. Everyone gave wonderful speeches of appreciation for the new temple and the contribution of ISKCON in Adelaide.
Today, many intellectual Indians are leading the Hare Krishna preaching movement in India and around the world. Thus, Maharaj’s achievement as the leader of Srila Prabhupada’s scientific mission cannot be quantified. The prestige he brought to ISKCON and his influence in inspiring the scholarly community to embrace the movement is unparalleled. His significant contribution lies in planting the seeds that motivated India’s intellectual/scholarly community to respect the Hare Krishna movement as scientific—a feat that defies numerical measurement. Continue reading "The Leader who showed us the Bhagavata Path → Dandavats"
Among Large Temples Mumbai-Chowpatty, famous as the simple temple, netted 39,002 book points and had the largest increase in that category with 287%. Among Medium Temples, London-Soho had a 30% increase for 7,782 book points. The London temple is uniquely situated. You walk out the front door and-- presto-- you're at a sankirtan spot, and a good one. Indeed, quite often I've walked out the front door and met so many nice people who've taken Srila Prabhupada's books. Continue reading "WSN October 2024 – World Sankirtan Newsletter → Dandavats"
I will never forget the moment when I heard that George Harrison had passed away, one week after Thanksgiving in 2001. My strong feelings of separation surprised me—and made me think how important and dear George must have been to Srila Prabhupada and Sri Krishna. And I remembered my own little experience with him.
In 1974 George came to visit Srila Prabhupada at Hare Krishna Land, in Juhu, a suburb of Bombay. He was wearing a white kurta and white yogi pants and had a plain bead bag. I took him around the property, and he expressed his appreciation for our work and encouraged us in our efforts. When at twelve-thirty we heard the conch shell blow for raja-bhogaarati, we proceeded to the temple, which was then simply a shed, and George chose a pair of kartals and sang with the other devotees. Puri dasa, originally from Scotland, was doing the arati, and when he turned to offer the ghee lamp to the devotees and saw George, his hand started trembling so much that he thought he might drop the lamp.
After the arati, I arranged a full plate of maha-prasada for George and accompanied him to meet Srila Prabhupada in his apartment. Prabhupada greeted him warmly, and I left them together and returned to my office.
“Prabhupada was behind his desk, with George in front of him,” Kishor das later described. “I barely remember what was said, but I remember the feeling of love that went back and forth between them. It was tangible. I didn’t really understand what this relationship was. I was young, and here was a big rock star, and a pure devotee of Krishna, and there was I somewhere. But I could just feel this feeling of love that went back and forth between Prabhupada and George.”
About two hours later, a pudgy twelve-year-old boy with glasses—the son of our friend and supporter Pranjivan G. Valia of the Hare Krishna house in the Juhu Vile Parle Development—came to my small office at the back of the property. “I heard George Harrison is here,” he said.
“Yes,” I replied, “he is.”
“I want to see him,” he stated.
“Well, you can’t. He’s meeting with Srila Prabhupada.”
He looked me straight in the eye, sizing me up, and, concluding that he wasn’t going to get anywhere with me, turned, dashed to the stairs, and bolted down the steps.
Oh my God, I thought. He’s going to try to find him. I bounded down the stairs in hot pursuit.
I ran across to the next building, and when I reached the second landing, in front of Prabhupada’s flat, I found the door ajar. The boy stood just inside, and beyond him George sat cross-legged with his back erect, like a yogi—a perfect disciple listening attentively at the feet of his master.
With the boy’s abrupt appearance, Prabhupada and George ended their meeting, exchanging some final words. George was gracious and appreciative, Prabhupada affectionate and kind. I was upset that the boy had interrupted them, but they took it as a matter of course. Maybe it was time for the meeting to end; maybe they took it as Krishna’s arrangement.
Shyamasundar and I accompanied George back to the temple shed for darshan of the Deities. He paid full dandavats, lying completely flat on the floor before Them for a long time, and then left.
The next year, on a morning walk in Sanand, Gujarat, Prabhupada recalled the meeting: “He is very nice boy, George. I have studied. Very good boy. He showed me in Bombay. He came to see me in Bombay, last year. He is keeping Jagannatha within his bead bag and chanting.”
I and many thousands—perhaps millions—of people are thankful to George for all the service he rendered to Srila Prabhupada and the Krishna consciousness movement, for making the holy name of Lord Krishna—the Hare Krishna maha-mantra—and the principles of Krishna consciousness so accessible to people all over the world and for attracting so many souls to the all-attractive Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna.
Pundarika Vidyanidhi initiated Gadadhara Pandita for the second time, and on the day of Odana-shashthi he saw the festival.
PURPORT
At the beginning of winter, there is a ceremony known as the Odana-shashthi. This ceremony indicates that from that day forward, a winter covering should be given to Lord Jagannatha. That covering is directly purchased from a weaver. According to the arcana-marga, a cloth should first be washed to remove all the starch, and then it can be used to cover the Lord. Pundarika Vidyanidhi saw that the priest neglected to wash the cloth before covering Lord Jagannatha. Since he wanted to find some fault in the devotees, he became indignant.
jagannatha parena tatha ’maduya’ vasana
dekhiya saghrna haila vidyanidhira mana
When Pundarika Vidyanidhi saw that Lord Jagannatha was given a starched garment, he became a little hateful. In this way his mind was polluted.
sei ratrye jagannatha-balai asiya
dui-bhai cada’na tanre hasiya hasiya
That night the brothers Lord Jagannatha and Balarama came to Pundarika Vidyanidhi and, smiling, began to slap him.
gala phulila, acarya antare ullasa
vistari’ varniyachena vrndavana-dasa
Although his cheeks were swollen from the slapping, Pundarika Vidyanidhi was very happy within. This incident has been elaborately described by Thakura Vrndavana dasa.
Madhumati Pushkarini devi dasi The lines of the poet William Davies who wrote in the early 20th century, “A poor life this is if, full of care, we have no time to stand and stare”, resonate with us now more than ever. People are getting busier than ever before. We are busy to the extent Read More...
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It was my pleasure to visit our New Gokula farm in Australia’s Hunter Valley, which is about two hours away from Sydney. Their Lordships, Sri Sri Radha Gokulananda, Jagannatha, Baladeva, Subhadra and Gaura Nitai are always beautiful to behold.
There has been a lot of improvement to the ashrama, cottages and other facilities on the property and even though not that many devotees live there, thousands of visitors come every week to take darshan of the deities and accept the tasty prasadam. I was also able to visit our restaurant in Newcastle, which was a great treat.
The situation in Bangladesh is becoming increasingly grave, with minorities, especially Hindus, being threatened by elements that have gained significant power. The government is not doing much to protect these minorities. ISKCON has been accused of being a terrorist organization, and its members are being threatened. Several Hindu leaders, including a Krishna devotee, Chinmoy Krishna Das, have been arrested.
While radicalism, extremism, and fanaticism have slightly different connotations, in this article, they are used more or less interchangeably. I will address this issue from four distinct perspectives: philosophical, geopolitical, institutional, and individual.
Philosophical level
Many times, when such troubles come up, some people may say, “Oh, this is all politics. I don’t want to get involved.” But it depends on what we mean by the word politics. Politics has two distinct meanings. First, it has a neutral, functional meaning: the system, art, or science of governance. Second, it has a more negative connotation: the use of questionable or even reprehensible means, such as scheming, rumor-mongering, and character assassination to attain or retain power.
Those on a spiritual path should carefully avoid engaging in politics in the second sense. However, politics in the first sense—a system of governance—affects everyone. We may not be interested in politics, but politics is interested in us. Government policies, such as those related to taxation or laws that may be biased for or against certain groups, matter greatly. So too will governmental orientations toward religion, whereby they may make practicing our faith difficult or even impossible.
From a philosophical perspective, Krishna is not uninvolved in politics. In fact, when he descends to earth, one of his purposes is to bring about order in society, which is referred to as dharma (Bhagavad Gita 4.8). Such dharma refers to societal order and is distinct from shraddha (faith) or bhakti (devotion), which is personal and devotional. Krishna does not force everyone to become his devotee. For instance, on the Pandavas’ side during the Kurukshetra war, there were followers of Shiva who remained Shaivites. Similarly, on the Kauravas’ side, there were people like Bhishma who were Vaishnavas despite being on the side opposing the Pandavas.
The point is that Krishna’s mission of establishing dharma was not about imposing a particular faith on anyone. While Krishna does want us to become his devotees (18.66) and a government conducive to spiritual growth is desirable, he conveys in the Bhagavad Gita (4.9–10) that such growth must be individually chosen, not governmentally enforced. Nonetheless, the establishment of a basic societal order or dharma is a necessity, combating whatever threats may be present at different times throughout history.
One major threat to societal dharma today is radicalism, which can be understood in the context of the Bhagavad Gita as knowledge in the mode of ignorance (18.22). Radicalism reduces complex issues to a single attribute, ignoring the broader picture. Whether it arises from a secular ideology or a religious one, radicalism is a threat. For example, Marxism in Soviet Russia and China was highly reductive, targeting those considered unfaithful to the state, regardless of their other qualities or contributions. Similarly, religious fanaticism reduces people to one attribute—faith—and dehumanizes anyone who does not conform.
This reductionism erodes human sensitivity, decency, and humanity itself. Radicalism is thus an enemy of humanity, and it must be countered as a foundational necessity for human society. Religious extremism may seem to be a threat only to people who don’t follow that religion, but such extremism is a vicious and voracious monster; it will soon turn on its own. It will prey upon not only people of other religions but also people within the same religion who hold differing views of the same sacred text or teacher. For example, in Christianity, radical Catholics have targeted Protestants and vice versa. In Islam, radical Shias have persecuted Sunnis and vice versa.
Pertinently, the Srimad Bhagavatam describes how faith manifests in different modes of nature. It emphasizes that sattva-guna (goodness) fosters cooperation and harmony, whereas tamas (ignorance) is exclusivist, intolerant, separatist, and violent. Such faith disrupts societal harmony and fosters fanaticism. It is the responsibility of the state—its dharma—to prevent the surfacing of such tamasic faith. In this light, secularism, in the sense of a governing dispensation and disposition that allows people to practice their faiths peacefully, is not only compatible with dharma; it is integral to dharma.
Let us now examine where God is amidst such atrocities. Why does God not protect those devoted to him? God does protect, but he generally acts through human agents. He wants us humans to take responsibility to do our part. Krishna spoke the entire Gita to inspire Arjuna to play his part in the divine mission of establishing dharma. Arjuna’s faith in Krishna’s proclamation about his infallible protection (9.31) did not foster in him a passive dependence on God to do everything; far from it, it inspired in him a dynamic diligence to do all he could to fulfill God’s mission, as conveyed in his concluding declaration: “I will do your will.” (18.73). And as subsequently demonstrated by Krishna’s actions in the Mahabharata war, when Arjuna had done everything he could, Krishna did what Arjuna couldn’t — especially on the fourteenth day when he had taken a vow to neutralize Jayadratha.
Geopolitical level
Let us now examine this issue from a geopolitical perspective. Historically, the territories now comprising Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan were one. Ethnically, the people share significant similarities, as most Muslims in Bangladesh were originally Hindus who were converted, often forcibly. However, this shared history is overshadowed by the reductionism-triggered focus on a single attribute: faith.
Today, radical elements in Bangladesh target Hindus, portraying them as followers of the majority religion in India and therefore more faithful to India than to Bangladesh. However, this reduction ignores their shared heritage as people who have grown in the same cultural and ethnic milieu for generations. Pertinently, before Bangladesh gained independence, it faced persecution from religious extremists in Pakistan because Pakistani Muslims deemed Bangladeshi Muslims inferior due to their different ethnicity. It is ironic now that Bangladesh is embracing the very religious fanaticism it once fought against and forgetting its shared ethnic identity with Hindus — the very ethnicity for which it was previously targeted.
The geopolitical situation is further complicated by external influences. Some suggest that the American deep state (a network of influential government or non-government entities operating behind the scenes) played a role in overthrowing the previous government in Bangladesh. The U.S. government is poised for change, and the incoming dispensation may be more favorable to Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, given Trump’s supportive tweets and the presence in his inner circle of vocal and influential Hindus, such as Tulasi Gabbard and Vivek Ramaswamy. That’s why extremist elements may be seizing this opportunity to cause irreversible demographic damage to minorities before new U.S. policies exert pressure on the current regime.
Additionally, India needs to consider China’s vested interests in Bangladesh, given that it is located next to the Siliguri Corridor—the narrow “chicken’s neck” of India—which is India’s sole physical pathway to its northeastern states. If India becomes too aggressive toward Bangladesh, it may push the latter more into China’s embrace for security reasons, thereby jeopardizing Indian security. India must act cautiously, balancing national security concerns with its concerns for Hindus in Bangladesh.
Moving to the institutional perspective, we see how history demonstrates that significant changes often occur incrementally rather than through radical upheaval.
Institutional level
ISKCON has a global presence; yet it has spread much more widely than thickly. The number of its followers is not huge; it does not have a large political influence and historically it has not been involved in political concerns. In its relatively short history, it has not faced an existential threat to its community from religious radicalism the way it is facing in Bangladesh, where its cultural visibility makes it especially vulnerable during present volatile times.
Perceptions that ISKCON has disowned Chinmoy Krishna Das are misleading. The movement respects his rights as an individual and a faith leader, expressing concern for his safety. However, it has clarified that he does not currently represent ISKCON in an official capacity.
Balancing the safety of its broader community with standing up for justice for one particular member is a delicate challenge. In such volatile situations, the right course of action often becomes clear only with time. History shows that life sometimes presents no good options, and decisions must be made among unsatisfactory choices. As Krishna states in the Bhagavad Gita, all endeavors in this world are covered by faults, just as fire is covered by smoke (18.48).
When institutional actions seem incomprehensible, we may question whether they stem from malevolence (“Do the institution’s leaders not care at all for the members’ safety?”) or incompetence (“Do they not have the skills to deal with such high-stakes scenarios?”) or ignorance (“Do they not know how serious the problem is?”). However, there is a fourth possibility: we may be ignorant of the complexity of the situation. That’s why we may need to give the institution’s leaders the benefit of the doubt — especially when they are navigating uncharted territory while facing unprecedented challenges.
Finally, let us consider how individuals can respond in these challenging circumstances.
Individual level
Finally, let us consider how individuals can respond in these challenging circumstances. Our response depends on our position (guna) and disposition (karma). Regarding our position, those of us who are followers of Sanatana Dharma through the aegis of ISKCON may wonder about our identity—are we Hindus? At the transcendental (paramarthika) level, we are devotees of the one universal ultimate reality that we know by the name Krishna — this identity transcends all categories of identity in this world, including religious categorization in which Hinduism is one category. However, at a functional (vyavaharika) level, we will be identified as Hindus. While we may not label ourselves as such, extremists will see us as Hindus, often as highly visible representatives of Hinduism due to our external symbols.
Recognizing this reality, we have a responsibility to act when Hindus are threatened, what to speak of when fellow ISKCON members are targeted. ISKCON as an institution may not take a public stand for various strategic reasons, and its members may be constrained to some degree by the institution’s noncommittal position. Nonetheless, depending on the degree of their affiliation with the movement, individual members can express their personal concerns appropriately without making provocative, overgeneralizing statements about any religion or nation that can backfire on the entire community.
What kind of response can individuals choose? Drawing from the wisdom of our tradition and texts, our responses can range from equanimity to empathy. Equanimity helps us stay steady, recognizing that the world is filled with terrible events and that we cannot let ourselves be overwhelmed. Empathy allows us to connect with and support those who are suffering. The Bhagavad Gita emphasizes both qualities: equanimity as the characteristic of the self-realized in 2.56 and empathy as the hallmark of the topmost yogi in 6.32.
Those who feel strongly and gravitate toward empathy can engage in protests, rallies, or social media campaigns to exert political pressure. While the impact of such efforts may not be immediately visible, doing our part is essential. And we can wait for Krishna to do his part. Krishna states in the Bhagavad Gita that this world is a place of distress (8.15). Often, our choices are not between good and bad but between less satisfactory options. While most of us cannot bring about dramatic change in Bangladesh, we can decide how best to contribute within our capacity.
Conclusion
From a philosophical perspective, countering radicalism and fulfilling our human responsibility is essential for establishing dharma.
From a geopolitical perspective, patience and hope for incremental change are necessary.
From an institutional perspective, acknowledging the complexity of decisions made in volatile situations is crucial.
From an individual perspective, choosing responses that align with one’s position and disposition, ranging from prayerful equanimity to empathetic action, is significant.
Through these four levels, we can navigate this complex issue thoughtfully and constructively.
Gita Jayanti is the day on which Lord Krishna spoke the Bhagavad-gita to Arjuna.The Gita is also known as the Gitopanisad and is considered one of the Upanishads. The title Bhagavad-gita is sometimes translated as “The Song of God.” Gita means “song.” God, Krishna, is so sublime that whatever He speaks is music and poetry. The word bhagavan has been analyzed by Vedic authorities. Bhaga means “opulence” and is related to the word bhagya: “good fortune.” And van means “one who possesses.” So bhagavan means “He who possesses all opulence in full.”
Today is Odana-sasti, the date on which Lord Jagannatha is given a winter shawl. One year when Lord Chaitanya and His associates celebrated this festival in Puri, Pundarika Vidyanidhi, who is Vrsabhanu Maharaja, Srimati Radharani’s father in krsna-lila, received some special mercy. His experience is instructive for us all.
By Jaganmohini dd
By Vijaya Das
I will never forget the moment when I heard that George Harrison had passed away, one week after Thanksgiving in 2001. My strong feelings of separation surprised me—and made me think how important and dear George must have been to Srila Prabhupada and Sri Krishna. And I remembered my own little experience with him.
