BG 6.47 – Only Fools Deride Krishna

Giriraj Swami:

oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya
oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya
oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

Reading from Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, Chapter Six, “Dhyāna-yoga,” 

TEXT 47

yoginām api sarveṣāṁ
mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā
śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ
sa me yukta-tamo mataḥ

TRANSLATION

And of all yogīs, the one with great faith who always abides in Me, thinks of Me within himself and renders transcendental loving service to Me – he is the most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all. That is My opinion.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

The word bhajate is significant here. Bhajate has its root in the verb bhaj, which is used when there is need of service. The English word “worship” cannot be used in the same sense as bhaj. Worship means to adore, or to show respect and honor to the worthy one. But service with love and faith is especially meant for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One can avoid worshiping a respectable man or a demigod and may be called discourteous, but one cannot avoid serving the Supreme Lord without being thoroughly condemned. Every living entity is part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and thus every living entity is intended to serve the Supreme Lord by his own constitution. Failing to do this, he falls down. The Bhāgavatam (11.5.3) confirms this as follows:

ya eṣāṁ puruṣaṁ sākṣād
ātma-prabhavam īśvaram
na bhajanty avajānanti
sthānād bhraṣṭāḥ patanty adhaḥ

“Anyone who does not render service and neglects his duty unto the primeval Lord, who is the source of all living entities, will certainly fall down from his constitutional position.”

COMMENT

So, far in the purport, Srila Prabhupada has drawn the distinction between the word bhaj, which means to serve with love, and the English word worship. Worship means to respect, honor, or adore someone, and worship can be applied to a human being or a demigod. There are different types of worship in different modes of nature. There is worship in the mode of ignorance, in the mode of passion, and in the mode of goodness. One can actually worship in the mode of ignorance; one can worship ghosts and spirits. One can worship in the mode of passion; one can worship some rich man to get some material favor or one can worship some demigod to get material benefit. One can worship in any of the modes of nature, and if one does not worship some big man or some big demigod, he may be considered discourteous. Discourteous, he didn’t show respect to the big man, but with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, if one does not render transcendental loving service, he is condemned because every living entity is part and parcel of God or Krishna. So every living entity has the duty to serve the Lord. jīvera ‘svarūpa’ haya — kṛṣṇera ‘nitya-dāsa’, the constitutional position of the living entity is he is the eternal servant of Krishna. If he does not act in his constitutional position, he is condemned.

Now here, Srila Prabhupada quotes a verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In the preceding verses in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the four varṇas and the four ashramas have been described, and they have been compared to different parts of the universal form of the Lord. For example, it is said that the brahmans come from the head of the Lord, kshatriyas come from the arms of the Lord, the vaishyas come from the belly of the Lord, and the sudras come from the legs of the Lord. That means whatever one’s position in the social order is, one comes from the Lord. In other words, the Lord is the origin of every living entity, and He is the origin of the brahmans, kshatriyas, vaishyas, and sudras in particular. So we all come from the Lord. Every one of us, in whatever position we are, we come from the Lord. That means we have a relationship with him.

Here the verse from the Bhāgavatam says, ya eṣāṁ puruṣaṁ sākṣād ātma-prabhavam īśvaram, the Lord is the origin of all. And na bhajanty avajānanti  sthānād bhraṣṭāḥ patanty adhaḥ. Bhajanty means to render transcendental loving service and avajānanti means to deride or to ridicule. Here two categories are mentioned; na bhajanty, someone may neglect to render transcendental loving service to the Lord. One may not even be aware of the existence of the Lord. Many people are not; they do not even bother to inquire. So someone may raise the question, what is the harm if someone does not inquire into his relationship with God? But the answer is that we all have our relationship with God. We all come from God; he is our father. So it is the duty of the son to know who his father is and render service to his father. If someone does not know who his father is, he is mad, he is crazy, he is sick, he is diseased. So if someone does not know who his supreme father is, he is also diseased or mad. If one does not inquire into his eternal relationship with his supreme father and consequently na bhajanty, does not render transcendental loving service to him, he falls from his position. We will discuss that in a few minutes.

So, na bhajanty avajānanti. One category is na bhajanty — they don’t know about the Lord, they don’t care to know, and they don’t care to serve him. But avajānanti means that they deride him, they find fault with him, they criticize him. So they also fall down. They are aware of him, but they find fault with him, and the first category, they don’t know about him, and they don’t care about him, and they also fall down. Both classes fall down. sthānād bhraṣṭāḥ. sthānād means position, means one may be brahman, kshatriya, vaishya, sudra, brahmachari, grihastha, vanaprastha, sannyasi, but whatever position he is in, even if he is very conscientiously following the rules and regulations of varnashrama-dharma, if he neglects to serve the Lord, he falls down because he is coming from the Lord, so he has to serve his father. If he does not serve his father, if he neglects his father or defies his father, he will fall down.

How is it that someone is following varnashrama-dharma and falls down? In the next verse, patanty adhaḥ, he falls down from his position in varnashrama-dharma, and he goes to hell. He goes to hell. How is it possible that someone is following varnashrama-dharma and just because he doesn’t serve Krishna, he falls down and goes to hell? Yes, because he comes from Krishna, he is part and parcel of Krishna, so he is bound to serve Him. We can see practically that even if one tries to follow varnashrama-dharma very nicely, he tries to be a good grihastha, tries to be a good vaishya or sudra or kshatriya, but if he does not offer the fruit of his work to the Lord, he falls down because he is the property of the Lord, and everything is the property of the Lord. So if he tries to keep the fruits of his work for himself, he comes in the category of thieves and is punishable, so he falls down. He neglected to give the property to surrender the property to the owner of the property, so he is a thief, and he falls down, patanty adhaḥ.

When one falls down from one’s position in varnashrama-dharma, he becomes unregulated like an animal. Varnashrama-dharma is meant to elevate the living entities to the human platform. Without varnashrama-dharma, men are not actually human; they are animals because they don’t follow any religious principles. āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca sāmānyam etat paśubhiḥ narāṇām, without dharma, one is the same as an animal, dharmeṇa hīnāḥ paśubhiḥ samānāḥ. So dharma or varnashrama-dharma makes man human. Without varnashrama-dharma, man is not human; he is an animal. He follows no rules and regulations. Just like today we see in human society or so-called human society, people do not follow varnashrama-dharma, and they are like animals, just eating, sleeping, fighting, enjoying sex life like animals. If one neglects the service of the Lord, he falls from his position in varnashrama-dharma, and when he falls from varnashrama-dharma, he becomes unregulated like an animal, he engages in sinful activity and then patanty adhaḥ, he goes to hell. So, Krishna consciousness is very important. Without Krishna consciousness, nothing can help one, not even varnashrama-dharma.

Once, Srila Prabhupada and the devotees were invited for prasāda to the residence of one life member on Malabar Hills. The man was very pious and he very nicely served prasāda to Srila Prabhupada and the devotees. After serving Srila Prabhupada and the devotees, he left us with Srila Prabhupada, and he and his family took prasāda. First, Srila Prabhupada praised the prasāda. He said how good the prasāda was; it was made very simply but very nicely. He was saying that we should also learn how to prepare such nice prasāda. Then he sort of glanced in the direction of the life member who was sitting at the table with the family and he said that even if one is a perfect grihastha, even if one is an ideal householder, does all of his duties as husband, as father, and follows all the rules and regulations of varnashrama-dharma, but if he is not Krishna conscious, he goes to hell.

We were quite shocked to hear Srila Prabhupada’s strong words, but later we found the same statement here in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. It is hard for ordinary people to understand that being an ideal grihastha, husband, father, and doing everything that one should for one’s wife and children, even according to the principles of dharma, varnashrama-dharma, but if he is not Krishna conscious, patanty adhaḥ, he goes to hell. So, Krishna consciousness is so necessary, so necessary.

PURPORT (continued)

In this verse also the word bhajanti is used. Therefore, bhajanti is applicable to the Supreme Lord only, whereas the word “worship” can be applied to demigods or to any other common living entity. The word avajānanti, used in this verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, is also found in the Bhagavad-gītā. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ: “Only the fools and rascals deride the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Kṛṣṇa.”

COMMENT

Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ. Because Krishna comes like a human being, He looks like a human being and He acts like a human being. So, if someone thinks that he is a human being and finds faults in him, then he is a mūḍha. And so many people find fault in Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Many years ago, I was trying to meet all the leading people of Bombay, and one of the biggest people of Bombay was avoiding us or escaping us. Finally, late one evening after six o’clock, when all the guards and secretaries had gone home, I took a chance and went to the office of the industrialist at Ballard Estate. No one was there to stop me, so I walked into the office. He was bent over his desk writing, and he looked up and said, “Oh, I was just writing an article about your Krishna. I was writing an article about how he caused the Mahābhārata war. Because he caused the war, so many innocent people were killed in the violence.”

So, avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā. He was writing against Krishna. He was writing an article to criticize Krishna and blame Krishna for the Battle of Kurukshetra and the loss of life and property. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā, fools and rascals, they criticize Krishna. They criticize Krishna. And with some, it is a religion to criticize Krishna because they think they can get converts if they criticize Krishna. So, they find so many faults with Krishna: dancing with the gopīs and so many things. But they do not understand the science of Krishna. Because they are part and parcel of Krishna, they should know Krishna is their supreme father. So, they should know, they should inquire, and they should try to understand, but they don’t do so. Actually, God is absolute, so whatever He does is all good. He is the lawmaker; he makes the laws for us, but he is not subject to the laws. Because God is absolute, everything He does is all good, absolutely. If we steal, it is a fault; we are a thief and we are condemned. But when the Lord steals butter, He is worshipped as Mākhana-chor. Even we see so many people want to purchase pictures of Mākhana-chor and worship pictures of Mākhana-chor.

Thievery is very bad. Krishna is also a thief, but because He is God and absolute, His thievery is worshipable, and therefore we worship, Mākhana-chor. If someone runs from the battlefield, he is a coward. But Krishna apparently ran from the battlefield when Jarasandha attacked, and therefore He is called Ranchod. But that Ranchod is worshipped. One of the famous deities of Gujarat is Ranchodji. That Ranchod is worshipped, so he is on the absolute platform. Whatever he does is good. If an ordinary person steals from us, we will be so upset, so disturbed. But when Krishna used to enter the houses of the elderly gopīs and steal butter, they were not disturbed. They pretended to be disturbed and went to Mother Yasoda and complained, “Your boy Krishna is coming into our houses and stealing our butter and yogurt. Even if we keep the lights off so that he cannot find the butter and yogurt but somehow the effulgence coming from his jewels or maybe coming from his body makes the room light, and he is able to find the butter and yogurt and steal it. But we think that he is going in a wrong way, and you are his mother, so you should control him and teach him properly that he should not steal.”

Then Mother Yasoda chastised little Krishna and kept Him in the house so He was not free to enter the houses of others and steal. After some time, the elderly gopīs came back to Mother Yasoda and complained, “We are feeling so sorry because Krishna is not coming to our house.” Mother Yasoda said, “But you complained that he was stealing.” They said, “Yes, he was stealing, but when he used to come and steal, we used to feel so much pleasure, and now we are most miserable. So, we would rather that he come and steal again.” So, this is Krishna. Whatever he does is all good, absolutely. Even his stealing brings pleasure. If an ordinary person steals from you, you won’t get pleasure, but when Krishna steals from the gopīs, they feel pleasure. This is because God is absolute, but the avajānanti māṁ mūḍhās do not understand. The fools and rascals do not understand and therefore they criticize Krishna: that He steals, He lies, He cheats, He ran away from the battlefield, He caused the battle, He danced with other men’s wives, and so on. So, avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā, they are fools and rascals. Now listen to what Srila Prabhupada says next.

PURPORT (continued)

Such fools take it upon themselves to write commentaries on the Bhagavad-gītā without an attitude of service to the Lord.

COMMENT

In other words, not only industrialists are mūḍha, but some commentators on Bhagavad-gītā, who may be famous scholars or famous politicians, may also be mūḍhas because they do not worship Krishna, they do not serve Krishna; they write in a different mood.

PURPORT (continued)

Consequently they cannot properly distinguish between the word bhajanti and the word “worship.”

COMMENT

So, they write commentaries on the Bhagavad-gītā without an attitude of service to the Lord. Once, we arranged for Srila Prabhupada to meet a famous commentator on Bhagavad-gītā, and the man was almost paralyzed. He was old and almost paralyzed, and his nurse had to tend to him in every respect. Even if he wanted to take a spoon of water, the nurse had to feed him. He couldn’t do anything. He had written one of the most famous commentaries on Bhagavad-gītā in India, and he was a famous politician and a famous scholar, but he was almost paralyzed like a baby. Srila Prabhupada said he had become like a baby; he couldn’t feed himself; he couldn’t dress himself; he could hardly do anything. Srila Prabhupada commented that this may be the result of his offenses against the Lord. Writing commentaries on the Bhagavad-gītā without the attitude of service to the Lord, just mental speculation or sheer ignorance of the science of Krishna and writing commentaries on the Bhagavad-gītā in such a manner is futile. Therefore, Srila Prabhupada states- he is not referring to this man only, such fools take it upon themselves to write commentary on the Bhagavad-gītā, and we worship such fools. So, what does that make us then?

The Forty-seventh verse of the Sixth Chapter is the last verse of the Sixth Chapter. Srila Prabhupada summarizes the whole chapter in the purport, which he generally does in the commentary on the last verse of the chapter. We don’t have time to go through the summary of the chapter, but we will come back to it again at the end. Basically, Srila Prabhupada is making the point that throughout the first six chapters of the Bhagavad-gītā, Lord Krishna has mentioned different types of yoga. However, at the end of the Sixth Chapter, he confirms that bhakti-yoga is the highest and the best. Anyway, I’ll read the purport; it won’t take long, but I won’t comment until the end.

PURPORT (continued)

The culmination of all kinds of yoga practices lies in bhakti yoga. All other yogās are but means to come to the point of bhakti in bhakti-yoga.

COMMENT

We can begin bhakti-yoga without much bhakti, but by performing bhakti-yoga, we should come to the point of bhakti.

PURPORT (continued)

Yoga actually means bhakti-yoga; all other yogās are progressions toward the destination of bhakti-yoga. From the beginning of karma-yoga to the end of bhakti-yoga is a long way to self-realization. Karma-yoga, without fruitive results, is the beginning of this path.

COMMENT

We can just see where we are. Karma-yoga without fruitive results is the beginning; that means we work and give the fruits to Krishna, not keeping any of the fruits for ourselves. That is the beginning. So, where are we? This is very high. What we are discussing is very high. Of course, there is a prior stage of karma-yoga where one gives some of the fruits, which is called sakāma karma-yoga. But in the advanced stage of karma-yoga, one gives all of the fruits, and that is called niṣkāma karma-yoga. Here, Srila Prabhupada says that niṣkāma karma-yoga is the beginning, beginning in the sense that it leads to bhakti-yoga.

PURPORT (continued)

When karma-yoga increases in knowledge and renunciation, the stage is called jñāna-yoga. 

COMMENT

There is no attachment in jñāna yogīs; no attachment, they are completely renounced, and they have knowledge of Brahman. They never identify with the body like we do sometimes.

PURPORT (continued)

When jñāna-yoga increases in meditation on the Supersoul by different physical processes, and the mind is on Him, it is called aṣṭāṅga-yoga. 

COMMENT

The yogi actually meditates on the Lord within the heart or the Supersoul, and he actually can see him.

PURPORT (continued)

And when one surpasses the aṣṭāṅga-yoga and comes to the point of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa, it is called bhakti-yoga, the culmination. Factually, bhakti-yoga is the ultimate goal, but to analyze bhakti-yoga minutely one has to understand these other yogās. The yogī who is progressive is therefore on the true path of eternal good fortune.

COMMENT

Progressive means he should progress from karma-yoga to jnana-yoga to ashtanga-yoga and bhakti-yoga. He shouldn’t be stuck; he should be progressive.

PURPORT (continued)

One who sticks to a particular point and does not make further progress is called by that particular name: karma-yogī, jñāna-yogī or dhyāna-yogī, rāja-yogī, haṭha-yogī, etc. If one is fortunate enough to come to the point of bhakti-yoga, it is to be understood that he has surpassed all other yogās. Therefore, to become Kṛṣṇa conscious is the highest stage of yoga, just as, when we speak of Himālayan, we refer to the world’s highest mountains, of which the highest peak, Mount Everest, is considered to be the culmination.

It is by great fortune that one comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness on the path of bhakti-yoga to become well situated according to the Vedic direction.

COMMENT

So, it is by great fortune that we all have come to Krishna consciousness, at least we have come in contact with the devotees of Krishna and have begun the practice of Krishna consciousness. So, we are considered most fortunate.

PURPORT (continued)

The ideal yogī concentrates his attention on Kṛṣṇa, who is called Śyāmasundara, who is as beautifully colored as a cloud,

COMMENT

In other words, this is Krishna consciousness. This is what we as bhakti yogis are supposed to do. We are supposed to meditate on Krishna, and here Srila Prabhupada describes some of the features of the beauty of Krishna that we should meditate on.

PURPORT (continued)

whose lotuslike face is as effulgent as the sun, whose dress is brilliant with jewels, and whose body is flower-garlanded. Illuminating all sides is His gorgeous luster, which is called the brahma-jyotir. He incarnates in different forms such as Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha and Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and He descends like a human being, as the son of mother Yaśodā, and He is known as Kṛṣṇa, Govinda and Vāsudeva.

COMMENT

So, this is how we should think of Krishna: as the son of mother Yasoda, having various names, beauty, quality, and pastimes. He is the perfect child, so we should read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam on how Krishna is the perfect child, perfect husband, perfect friend, and perfect master. We should read about Krishna’s pastimes with his devotees, his loving reciprocation with his devotees, and how he is the perfect child, husband, friend, and master.

PURPORT (continued)

He is the perfect child, husband, friend, and master, and He is full with all opulences and transcendental qualities. If one remains fully conscious of these features of the Lord, he is called the highest yogī.

COMMENT

It is not that one is the highest yogī just because they wear a mala, have a kanti-mala, have tilak, or have a japa-mālā. The highest yogi is when our mind is full of thoughts of Krishna as described here in the purport: thinking of the beautiful form of Shyamasundara, the son of Yasoda, who is the perfect child, perfect friend, perfect master, and perfect husband. When we are always thinking of Krishna in His various features, that is the highest yoga; that is Krishna consciousness.

PURPORT (continued)

This stage of highest perfection in yoga can be attained only by bhakti-yoga, as is confirmed in all Vedic literature:

yasya deve parā bhaktir
yathā deve tathā gurau
tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ
prakāśante mahātmanaḥ

“Only unto those great souls who have implicit faith in both the Lord and the spiritual master are all the imports of Vedic knowledge automatically revealed.” (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.23)

COMMENT

So, the conclusion of the Vedas is very confidential, and the conclusion of the Vedas is to know Krishna. This is actually the conclusion of the Vedas, and the conclusion of the Vedas is revealed unto those who have full faith in the spiritual master and equal faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, in the verse, Lord Krishna says śraddhāvan—someone who has firm faith, he can realize the conclusion of the Vedas and can become the topmost yogi in Krishna consciousness.

PURPORT (continued)

Bhaktir asya bhajanaṁ tad ihāmutropādhi-nairāsyenāmuṣmin manaḥ-kalpanam, etad eva naiṣkarmyam. “Bhakti means devotional service to the Lord which is free from desire for material profit, either in this life or in the next. Devoid of such inclinations, one should fully absorb the mind in the Supreme.

COMMENT

In other words, being free from all inclinations for material enjoyment, one should absorb the mind in the supreme.

PURPORT (continued)

That is the purpose of naiṣkarmya.” (Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad 1.15)

These are some of the means for performance of bhakti, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the highest perfectional stage of the yoga system.

COMMENT

There are so many means for bhakti-yoga, and Srila Rupa Gosvami has listed sixty-four items in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. However, here in the purport, Srila Prabhupada says that these are some of the means for the performance of bhakti or Krishna consciousness, which is the highest perfectional stage of the yoga system.

PURPORT (continued)

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Sixth Chapter of the Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā in the matter of Dhyāna-yoga.

COMMENT

I should add one thing because someone may feel somewhat discouraged hearing that naiṣkarmya, being completely free from material desires, and absorbing the mind in the Supreme, sacrificing all of the fruits of one’s labor to the Lord is just the beginning. So we might think, where are we? We haven’t even made the beginning; we are nowhere, which is not bad to think in one sense, as long as we are determined to continue. But if we think, “I haven’t even made the beginning, and it is still already so difficult; what’s the use?” then that is not good. So I will mention here about the special mercy of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu, they are more merciful than Krishna. Therefore, although in the Bhagavad-gītā, Krishna says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja, “Give up all other dharma and just surrender to Krishna,” which is difficult to do, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is even more magnanimous, more merciful than Krishna Himself. Although Krishna is very merciful and has given us His instructions out of His mercy to help us to surrender to Him and achieve Krishna consciousness, still, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is so merciful that He doesn’t demand surrender at first. He says, “Just chant Hare Krishna, just dance, just take prasāda and be happy, and hear some kṛṣṇa-kathā.” That is all.

Therefore, the movement of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is very appropriate for us, fallen souls in Kali-yuga because just chanting, dancing, hearing some kṛṣṇa-kathā, and taking some Krishna prasāda is very easy and very enjoyable. We don’t have to worry about karma-yoga or giving the fruits of our work or anything in the beginning. We just join our friend and chant and dance. As Srila Prabhupada said, by chanting, dancing, feasting, and philosophy. So Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has made everything very easy. By his mercy, we are going on, and we are hopeful that by continuing according to his method, we can also achieve the highest perfection of Krishna consciousness. Hare Krishna.

Are there any questions?

Devotee: [Unintelligible 00:49:08]

Giriraj Swami: Those who are following varnashrama, if they are not Krishna conscious, they fall down. Fall down means fall from their position as brahman, kshatriya, vaishya, sudra. Now, almost everyone is fallen. The brahmans may claim to be brahmans, but they are fallen because they don’t follow the rules and regulations of brahman. The kshatriya don’t follow the rules and regulations of kshatriya. The vaishyas don’t follow the rules and regulations of vaishyas, and even the sudras don’t follow. So practically everyone is fallen in Kali-yuga. Vaishyas people think they are vaishya, but what are the activities of vaishyas? kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam, protecting the cows, agriculture, trading the excess.

Srila Prabhupada used to say that the big industrialists who think that they are vaishyas are actually doing the work of sudras. Someone has big steel mills, but what is he doing? He is doing the work of the blacksmith, putting the metal in the fire, pounding it. The industrialists with textile mills, what are they doing? They are doing the work of the spinner and weaver. So Srila Prabhupada said that these are actually sudra activities only being done on a large scale. But vaishya activities are agricultural, protecting the cows, and trading the excess. Of course, in Kali-yuga, everything is mixed up, but I am just saying that fall down means fall from the rules and regulations of the various orders of life.

Bhāgavatam says no one should become a father, no one should become a husband, no one should become a mother unless he can deliver his dependent from the repetition of birth and death. This means that the duty of the parents or the husband or the guru is to deliver the dependent from the cycle of birth and death. Srila Prabhupada says the only way to become liberated from the repetition of birth and death is to become a pure devotee of Krishna. So the parents have to train the children to become pure devotees; the husband has to train the wife to be a pure devotee; the guru has to train the disciples to become pure devotees. Otherwise, he is not doing his duty fully. There are so many things in the Seventh Canto; you can read about varnashrama-dharma. It is very difficult in Kali-yuga, and therefore most people are considered fallen, and therefore the only hope is Krishna consciousness. It is a big subject we could discuss sometimes. Yes.

Question: He says that we are taught from our childhood that God is everywhere. Why are we not realizing it?

Giriraj Swami: Srila Prabhupada says, give the example that electricity is everywhere, but you cannot get the benefit of the electricity unless you make the connection. So you have to make the connection. God is everywhere, but we have to make the connection, and the connection is the guru. Now, why can we not realize him? Well, we have to make the connection, and then we can realize him by following the process and by the mercy of guru and Krishna.

Question: Then he says, what is the form of the Lord in the heart realized by the yogis?

Giriraj Swami: Well, the form is Vishnu with four hands and four symbols: lotus, club, and chakra. It is described in the Bhāgavatam very vividly. He has a swarthy complexion, very luminous and effulgent, yellow cloth, jewels; everything is nicely described. The yogis who are perfect in meditation see the Lord in meditation.

Question: Can we control the mind just by reciting the name Hare Rama Hare Krishna as a machine?

Giriraj Swami: Well, in the beginning, we can chant like a machine. It is good to chant even if we chant like a machine, but we should try to hear. Even though we try to hear, the mind will go hither and thither, but when the mind goes away, we should bring it back to the mantra and gradually practice makes perfect. Srila Prabhupada said practice makes perfect even in spiritual life. The more we practice chanting, the more we become perfect in chanting.

Question: Can we chant without any guru?

Giriraj Swami: Well, to chant Hare Krishna, you do not need any guru, but one can only chant perfectly if he is liberated. Are you liberated? If you are liberated, you don’t need any guru; you can just chant Hare Krishna, and when you chant Hare Krishna, you will see Krishna. But if you are not liberated, then you need to follow the process to become liberated, and part of the process involves taking shelter of the guru and taking instruction from the guru. Then by the process, you’ll become liberated, and when you are actually liberated, then you can chant Hare Krishna purely and perfectly. You understand. Anyone can chant, but when he becomes serious, he should enter the system, and the system involves surrendering to the guru. By following the system, he becomes liberated, and when he is liberated, then he can chant Hare Krishna purely. Then, not like a machine.

In the beginning, we may chant like a machine; that is practice. But when we become perfect, like Rupa Gosvami, he prayed that he wished he had thousands of tongues, then he could begin to chant, and he wished that he had millions of ears, and then he could begin to hear because he wanted more and more because he realized that the holy name of Krishna is Krishna. When he chanted Hare Krishna, Radha and Krishna were present, so he wanted more and more of Radha and Krishna; he wanted more eyes, more ears, more tongues, more everything. So, that is the perfect stage of chanting. Practice makes perfect.

Question: He says yoga means oneness. And then he asks, is oneness with the Lord possible?

Giriraj Swami: Well, we can become one with the Lord in purpose. We can have the same purpose as the Lord. The Lord wants people to become Krishna conscious, so we want people to become Krishna conscious. So we are one in purpose, but we don’t become one in identity, that we merge and become one in identity, and there is no difference between the Lord and us, no distinction between the Lord and us. That is not possible, and even if it were possible, we would not want it because we want to serve the Lord. We don’t want to merge and become one with him.

Devotee: [Unintelligible 00:59:40]

Giriraj Swami: Yes, the same source means Krishna.

Question: Is it not possible to come back to the same source?

Giriraj Swami: Yes, we want to go back home, back to Godhead. But when we say that we came from Krishna, it doesn’t mean that we were one with Krishna in the sense that there was no difference between us and Krishna. Just like the son runs away from home, runs away from the father, so he wants to go back to his source. So his source is his father, so he goes back to his home, but he doesn’t merge and become one with his father. He remains the son, and the father remains the father. The son serves the father, and they are one in purpose, they are one in harmony, but they are not one in identity. They have their individual identities.

Devotee: That is ātmā and Paramātmā.

Giriraj Swami: Yes exactly, ātmā and Paramātmā. They are distinct, one is ātmā and other is Paramātmā. Very good.

So now, the long-awaited Hindi summary. Oh, what about kirtan? Well, that comes after the summary, or it is too late.