The Indestructible Fame and Glory of the Vaisnava

Vaisnava-data, the full life history, pastimes and glorification of a dear devotee of Krsna, Vaisnava Thakura, our revered spiritual master Sri Srimad A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupadji Maharaja. One should understand a Vaisnava never dies; a Vaisnava has no birth or death like an ordinary jiva. He is not an ordinary jiva. He has no birth, no death; he is beyond birth and death. He appears and disappears as the Supreme Lord appears and disappears, similarly his dear devotee, Vaisnava Thakura, he appears and disappears.

na karma-bandhanah janma
vaisnavanah ca vidyate
visnur anucaratvam hi
moksam ahur manisinah
(Hari-Bhakti-Vilasa, 10.113)

“A Vaisnava does not take birth under the jurisdiction of karmic law. His birth and disappearance are transcendental. The wise have declared that the servants of Visnu are eternally engaged in the liberated service of the Lord and hence are free from the laws of material nature.”

Srila Sanatana Goswami has quoted this verse in his book the Hari-Bhakti-Vilasa. The Vaisnavas have no birth and no death and no bondage of karma. They are the dear servants of Lord Visnu, therefore they are not ordinary human beings. They never take birth and they never die as ordinary human beings. One should not think like that. If one thinks in that way he will commit a great aparadha, a great offense. They appear and disappear in the same way the Supreme Lord and His innumerable incarnations appears and disappear. The appearance and disappearance day of a Vaisnava is as auspicious as the appearance day of the Supreme Lord. These holy appearance days give us an opportunity to glorify them. A Vaisnava is always to be glorified. He has left indestructible fame and glory here. His fame is not only chanted in the material world, it is also chanted in the spiritual world. His glories are chanted everywhere. One who glorifies such a Vaisnava gets the mercy of that Vaisnava, and then his good fortune arises.

SRI GOPAL AND THE POT OF MILK

A Story About Simplicity and Faith

In a small village far on the other side of the jungle, one boy and his mother were there. She only had one son, a five year, six year old son. They were very poor. The son had attained his sixth year crossing the fifth year. Chanaka Pandit says, "Up until five years you maintain and take care of your child, son, but when he attains the sixth year, then you will have to send him to the school for education. The rod is required, spare the rod and spoil the child."

That period had come, so mother thought, "Oh, I must send my son to the school now, he is six years old." The school is far, far away and some jungle is on the way. So she went and admitted her son to the school and then said, "Oh my boy, every day you go to school and get an education."

Following the path to school the boy went into the jungle. Tigers were there, lions were there, ferocious animals were there, all were roaring! This very young boy, six year old boy became afraid, terrified! He became terrified and afraid. Then coming back he said, "Mother in the jungle I was very much afraid, terrified! The lions were roaring, tigers were roaring, ferocious animals were there. Oh, how can I go to school?"

His Mother was completely Krishna conscious. She said, "Hey don't you know your friend Gopal is there?" Mother said, "Don't you know your friend Gopal. Why don't you call your friend Gopal? He will come and help you. Yes, He will come and help you. When you become afraid, you loudly call out, “Gopal! Gopal! Gopal! Please come! I am afraid!” Just call your friend and He will come."

So he immediately put faith in what mother had said, "Oh where is my friend Gopal?" His mother said, "You just call out to Him." He did just like that.

The next day when he went to school in the midst of the jungle he called out, "Oh Gopal! Gopal! Gopal! I am afraid, where are you? Please come to my side." Immediately Gopal appeared. "Yes my friend, what are you saying?" "Oh I am afraid!" Gopal said, "Why? Why? Why... the tigers? I am here, don't be afraid." So He went with the boy and helped him cross the jungle so he could go to school.

One day there was a festival planned at the school. They offer worship to Sri Ganesh and Sri Saraswati, Ganesh-puja, Saraswati-puja. In Indian schools they have special worship to the demigods, Ganesh-puja, Saraswati-puja because they will give you vidya, education and mudane knowledge. So that occassion was now coming for the children to worship Sri Ganeshji and Mother Saraswati.

The teachers there were levying some taxes on the students because a festival would be performed. The students were asked to bring from their parents some contribution but he was a poor boy. The teacher said, "Alright, you must give five rupees for the festival."

So he came back from school and asked his mother, "Mother, there is puja for Ganeshji and Sarasvati. The teacher said, I have to give five rupees. Please give me." They are poor, they have no money. She said, "There is no money, you ask your friend Gopal instead. Whatever you need, you ask your friend Gopal, He is ready to help you. You understand? You just ask Gopal. " So in the jungle he called out to his friend Gopal, "Oh Gopal! Gopal! Gopal!" Gopal came immediately.

"Yes my friend? What do you say?" The boy said, "Oh our teacher has said that on Ganesh-puja day we are levied five rupees. My mother said we are poor, we have no money, so please help." Gopal said, "On the festival day they are preparing and making a great feast, isn't it? Rice, dhal, sabji, khir - a grand feast! So ask your teacher, whatever milk is required for khir, I will give. If the teacher says, 'yes' then I will give to you, I will send it."

Back at school, the teacher said, "Have you brought money?" The boy replied, "No, my mother said we are very poor. We have no money, but I have my friend Gopal. He has told me to give the milk required for khir."

"Oh, you'll give such amount of milk? A very grand festival is being arranged, big, big handa (pots), at least five big pots of khir will be prepared. So much milk will be required, at least seventy five litres of milk will be required." The boy said, "Yes, my friend Gopal has said He will bring all the milk." The teacher said, "Alright, very good. Bring the milk on the puja.

So the puja day came and while he was going through the forest he called out, "Gopal! Gopal! Today is puja day, You are to give milk today. My teacher said, 'Bring all the milk for khir." So Gopal gave one small pot of milk. "Take this milk and give it to the teacher."

He was a simple boy, so he just took it and gave it to his teacher. His teacher said, "Hey, this is a small pot of milk you have brought. We require seventy five litres of milk, what is this? It is such a small pot!" The boy replied, "My friend Gopal has given the milk required, it will meet your requirement."

"O, achha! It will meet our requirement!?"
"Yes, this will meet your requirement."
"Seventy five litres is required, there is not even one litre in this pot, it is very small pot! Alright you pour it." The boy poured the milk from the pot. It is pouring, pouring and the pot is never becoming empty! It is pouring, pouring, pouring, and never becoming empty!

The teacher was amazed, "Oh amazing! This is so wonderful! Oh, you have such a friend! Hey, can I see your friend? Can I see your friend? Such a friend you have! And such a small pot of milk! Never becoming empty! Oh I want to see your friend." The boy said, "Alright teacher, I will ask my friend, 'My teacher wants to see You.' If He says, 'yes,' then I will take you to my friend."

So on returning home he called his friend Gopal. "Gopal, my teacher became amazed and she wants to see You." Gopal replied, "No, no, no, no! Your teacher cannot see me, she has no faith in Me."

Do you understand? This is a question of faith. This small boy immediately put faith, immediately put faith and he got, he got Gopal. Do you follow?

BHAGVAD-GITA 8.14

sri bhagvan uvaca
ananya-cetāḥ satataṁ
yo māṁ smarati nityaśaḥ
tasyāhaṁ sulabhaḥ pārtha
nitya-yuktasya yoginaḥ    

SYNONYMS

ananya-cetāḥ—without deviation of the mind; satatam—always; yaḥ—anyone who; mām—Me (Kṛṣṇa); smarati—remembers; nityaśaḥ—regularly; tasya—to him; aham—I am; su-labhaḥ—very easy to achieve; pārtha—O son of Pṛthā; nitya—regularly; yuktasya—engaged; yoginaḥ—for the devotee.

TRANSLATION

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


PURPORT

This verse especially describes the final destination attained by the unalloyed devotees who serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead in bhakti-yoga. Previous verses have mentioned four different kinds of devotees—the distressed, the inquisitive, those who seek material gain, and the speculative philosophers. Different processes of liberation have also been described: karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga and haṭha-yoga. The principles of these yoga systems have some bhakti added, but this verse particularly mentions pure bhakti-yoga, without any mixture of jñāna, karma or haṭha. As indicated by the word ananya-cetāḥ, in pure bhakti-yoga the devotee desires nothing but Kṛṣṇa. A pure devotee does not desire promotion to heavenly planets, nor does he seek oneness with the brahmajyoti or salvation or liberation from material entanglement. A pure devotee does not desire anything. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta the pure devotee is called niṣkāma, which means he has no desire for self-interest. Perfect peace belongs to him alone, not to them who strive for personal gain. Whereas a jñāna-yogī, karma-yogī or haṭha-yogī has his own selfish interests, a perfect devotee has no desire other than to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore the Lord says that for anyone who is unflinchingly devoted to Him, He is easy to attain.
A pure devotee always engages in devotional service to Kṛṣṇa in one of His various personal features. Kṛṣṇa has various plenary expansions and incarnations, such as Rāma and Nṛsiṁha, and a devotee can choose to fix his mind in loving service to any of these transcendental forms of the Supreme Lord. Such a devotee meets with none of the problems that plague the practitioners of other yogas. Bhakti-yoga is very simple and pure and easy to perform. One can begin simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. The Lord is merciful to all, but as we have already explained, He is especially inclined toward those who always serve Him without deviation. The Lord helps such devotees in various ways. As stated in the Vedas (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.2.23), yam evaiṣa vṛṇute tena labhyas/ tasyaiṣa ātmā vivṛṇute tanuṁ svām: one who is fully surrendered and engaged in the devotional service of the Supreme Lord can understand the Supreme Lord as He is. And as stated in Bhagavad-gītā (10.10), dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ tam: the Lord gives such a devotee sufficient intelligence so that ultimately the devotee can attain Him in His spiritual kingdom.
The special qualification of the pure devotee is that he is always thinking of Kṛṣṇa without deviation and without considering the time or place. There should be no impediments. He should be able to carry out his service anywhere and at any time. Some say that the devotee should remain in holy places like Vṛndāvana or some holy town where the Lord lived, but a pure devotee can live anywhere and create the atmosphere of Vṛndāvana by his devotional service. It was Śrī Advaita who told Lord Caitanya, "Wherever You are, O Lord-there is Vṛndāvana."
As indicated by the words satatam and nityaśaḥ, which mean "always," "regularly," or "every day," a pure devotee constantly remembers Kṛṣṇa and meditates upon Him. These are qualifications of the pure devotee for whom the Lord is most easily attainable. Bhakti-yoga is the system that the Gītā recommends above all others. Generally, the bhakti-yogīs are engaged in five different ways: (1) śānta-bhakta, engaged in devotional service in neutrality; (2) dāsya-bhakta, engaged in devotional service as servant; (3) sakhya-bhakta, engaged as friend; (4) vātsalya-bhakta, engaged as parent; and (5) mādhurya-bhakta, engaged as conjugal lover of the Supreme Lord. In any of these ways, the pure devotee is always constantly engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Supreme Lord and cannot forget the Supreme Lord, and so for him the Lord is easily attained. A pure devotee cannot forget the Supreme Lord for a moment, and similarly the Supreme Lord cannot forget His pure devotee for a moment. This is the great blessing of the Kṛṣṇa conscious process of chanting the mahā-mantra—Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

SUNANDA GANDHARBA DIED TODAY

A story about accepting proper guru and guidance
and the requirements of a qualified disciple.
 
Flock of SheepThere is a logic, nyaya called gaddalika-srota-nyaya, the logic of the flock of sheep. Gaddalika means flock of sheep. You see, a flock of sheep is moving with one sheep at the head, the front, the leader. If leader jumps into a ditch, the whole flock of sheep will jump into ditch. They never go by the other way. So this has been going on. Nobody has been serious. "Oh yes, all accept him as Guru." All say, "He’s a first class devotee, paramahamsa," like that. "So they have all accepted him as Guru, so let me accept him as Guru." But you’re not seriously thinking, is it a true fact or not?

Let me tell you a funny story in this matter. Many acaryas tell this story. This is not my concoction, acaryas say. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura has told this story.

Sunanda GandharbaThere was a washerman and he washes clothes. He was the King's washerman. He washes the Kings' clothes and he also had an ass [donkey]. Generally washerman have asses. Asses are beasts of burden as they carry heavy loads. The washerman used to employ that ass to carry the dirty clothes for washing, you see. The washerman had this ass for a long period, many, many years. At last that ass grew old and died. That washerman had given the name Sunanda Gandharba to that ass, so the ass was known as Sunanda Gandharba you see.

So he thought, “Oh Sunanda Gandharba has died today so let me shave my head and have a dip in the holy water." So he shaved his head and had a dip. The priest of king saw the washerman had shaved his head. He asked, "Why have you shaved your head?" Then that washerman said, “Don’t you know, Sunanda Gandharba died today.”
“Oh, Sunanda Gandarbha died?”Washerman
“Oh yes.”
“So it is a very auspicious... an auspicious day?”
“Yes.”
“So let me shave.”
“Alright, you shave your head.”
So the priest of the King shaved his head. Then the minister of the King saw the priest had shaved his head. So he asked the priest, “Why have you shaved your head?”
Then the priest said, “Don’t you know? Sunanda Gandharba died today, it is very auspicious day, so I shaved my head.”
“Oh, is it? Auspicious day. . . .”
“Oh yes!”
“So let me shave my head,” the minister said.
“Alright, you shave your head.”
So the minister shaved his head. The King saw the minister had shaved his head. So King asked, “Why have you shaved your head?”
“Don’t you know? Sunanda Gandharba died today. Very auspicious day.”
So the King said, “Oh, shall I shave my head?”
“Alright, you shave.” So King shaved his head.

Maharani QueenThe Queen saw the King had shaved his head, so the Queen asked, “Why have you shaved your head? What happened to you? Why have you shaved?”
Then the King said, “Don’t you know? Sunanda Gandharba died today. It is an auspicious day, today.”
The Queen replied, “Who told you?”
The King said, “The minister told me.”
“Ask that minister to come to me.” So the minister came, then the Queen asked, “Why have you shaved your head?”
The minister replied, “Sunanda Gandharba died today.”
“Who told you?”
“The priest told me.”
“Ask that priest to come here."
So when the priest came, the Queen asked, "Oh, priest you have shaved your head, alright. Why have you shaved your head?”
The preist replied, “Sunanda Gandharba died today.”
“Who told you?”
The priest said, “The washerman told me.”
“Call that washerman.”
The washerman was called for, then Queen asked, “Washerman, who is that Sunanda Gandharba who died today? You have shaved your head and all are shaving their heads for Sunanda Gandharba? Who is he?”
He said, “Oh Queen, I had an ass... his name was Sunanda Gandharba, he died today.”

Therefore you see, an ass had died and all were shaving their heads. Nobody is inquiring who is Sunanda Gandharba? Why shall we shave our head? Do you understand the story? So this is going on, this is known as gaddalika-srota-nyaya, the head sheep in the front is jumping into the ditch and all are following without thinking. So this is like that.

In the spiritual field this [type of blind following] is not applicable at all. You should know it very clearly. This is never applicable. One should be very serious, one should be very inquisitive to understand it clearly. Do you understand? And Krsna will give you intelligence, yad yami buddhi yogam tam. In the Gita Krsna has said this, I’ll give him buddhi, intelligence. Pure intelligence comes from Krsna. Who is very serious about Krsna, to know Krsna, to understand Krsna. But nobody was serious, so this thing took place. Do you understand? So now you become serious. Pray to Krsna, Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Srila Prabhupada from the core of your heart and I have full belief, firm faith They must help you. Understand? Yes. They must help you. They will give you intelligence to know the person who is a bona fide Guru, you understand, Krsna will help you, definitely, Mahaprabhu will help you, Prabhupada must help you, he is so kind, you understand?

This is sastric injunction and it is practical, it’s quite practical. It is never concocted or theoretical speaking. I am not speaking theoretically, it’s practical. This is my practical experience. This is my practical experience how I could get my spiritual master. This is my practical experience, you see. So be serious and do not follow like the flock of sheep.

ATTAINING THE SUPREME ......

anta-kāle ca mām eva
smaran muktvā kalevaram
yaḥ prayāti sa mad-bhāvaṁ
yāti nāsty atra saṁśayaḥ   -  BG 8.5

TRANSLATION AND PURPORT

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

In this verse the importance of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is stressed. Anyone who quits his body in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is at once transferred to the transcendental nature of the Supreme Lord. The Supreme Lord is the purest of the pure. Therefore anyone who is constantly Kṛṣṇa conscious is also the purest of the pure. The word smaran ("remembering") is important. Remembrance of Kṛṣṇa is not possible for the impure soul who has not practiced Kṛṣṇa consciousness in devotional service. Therefore one should practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness from the very beginning of life. If one wants to achieve success at the end of his life, the process of remembering Kṛṣṇa is essential. Therefore one should constantly, incessantly chant the mahā-mantra—Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Lord Caitanya has advised that one be as tolerant as a tree (taror iva sahiṣṇunā). There may be so many impediments for a person who is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Nonetheless, tolerating all these impediments, one should continue to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, so that at the end of one's life one can have the full benefit of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.


yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ
tyajaty ante kalevaram
taṁ tam evaiti kaunteya
sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ  - BG 8.6

TRANSLATION AND PURPORT

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

The process of changing one's nature at the critical moment of death is here explained. A person who at the end of his life quits his body thinking of Kṛṣṇa attains the transcendental nature of the Supreme Lord, but it is not true that a person who thinks of something other than Kṛṣṇa attains the same transcendental state. This is a point we should note very carefully. How can one die in the proper state of mind? Mahārāja Bharata, although a great personality, thought of a deer at the end of his life, and so in his next life he was transferred into the body of a deer. Although as a deer he remembered his past activities, he had to accept that animal body. Of course, one's thoughts during the course of one's life accumulate to influence one's thoughts at the moment of death, so this life creates one's next life. If in one's present life one lives in the mode of goodness and always thinks of Kṛṣṇa, it is possible for one to remember Kṛṣṇa at the end of one's life. That will help one be transferred to the transcendental nature of Kṛṣṇa. If one is transcendentally absorbed in Kṛṣṇa's service, then his next body will be transcendental (spiritual), not material. Therefore the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare is the best process for successfully changing one's state of being at the end of one's life

tasmāt sarveṣu kāleṣu
mām anusmara yudhya ca
mayy arpita-mano-buddhir
mām evaiṣyasy asaṁśayaḥ   - BG 8.7

TRANSLATION AND PURPORT

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

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

BHAGVAD GITA 3.28

BG 3.28

 
tattva-vit tu mahā-bāho
guṇa-karma-vibhāgayoḥ
guṇā guṇeṣu vartanta
iti matvā na sajjate 

SYNONYMS

tattva-vit—the knower of the Absolute Truth; tu—but; mahā—bāho—O mighty—armed one; guṇa—karma—of works under material influence; vibhāgayoḥ—differences; guṇāḥ—senses; guṇeṣu—in sense gratification; vartante—are being engaged; iti—thus; matvā—thinking; na—never; sajjate—becomes attached.

TRANSLATION


One who is in knowledge of the Absolute Truth, O mighty-armed, does not engage himself in the senses and sense gratification, knowing well the differences between work in devotion and work for fruitive results.

PURPORT

The knower of the Absolute Truth is convinced of his awkward position in material association. He knows that he is part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, and that his position should not be in the material creation. He knows his real identity as part and parcel of the Supreme, who is eternal bliss and knowledge, and he realizes that somehow or other he is entrapped in the material conception of life. In his pure state of existence he is meant to dovetail his activities in devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. He therefore engages himself in the activities of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and becomes naturally unattached to the activities of the material senses, which are all circumstantial and temporary. He knows that his material condition of life is under the supreme control of the Lord; consequently he is not disturbed by all kinds of material reactions, which he considers to be the mercy of the Lord. According to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, one who knows the Absolute Truth in three different features—namely Brahman, Paramātmā, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead—is called tattva-vit, for he knows also his own factual position in relationship with the Supreme.

IT IS THE HEART - ATMA, OR SELF THAT MUST BE FULLY SATISFIED!

The best satisfaction of the heart in this age of Kali is obtained by hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam - the cream and the essence of all Vedic literature and the natural commentary of Vedānta Sūtra applied in practical life WHICH COMPLETELY PURIFIES THE HEARER/READER.

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"There are many varieties of scriptures, and in all of them there are many prescribed duties, which can be learned only after many years of study in their various divisions. Therefore, O sage, please select the essence of all these scriptures and explain it for the good of all living beings, that BY SUCH INSTRUCTION THEIR HEARTS MAY BE FULLY SATISFIED." [Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.1.11]

PURPORT
ĀTMĀ, OR SELF, IS DISTINGUISHED FROM MATTER AND MATERIAL ELEMENTS. IT IS SPIRITUAL IN CONSTITUTION, AND THUS IT IS NEVER SATISFIED BY ANY AMOUNT OF MATERIAL PLANNING. ALL SCRIPTURES AND SPIRITUAL INSTRUCTIONS ARE MEANT FOR THE SATISFACTION OF THIS SELF, OR ĀTMĀ. There are many varieties of approaches which are recommended for different types of living beings in different times and at different places. Consequently, the numbers of revealed scriptures are innumerable. There are different methods and prescribed duties recommended in these various scriptures. Taking into consideration the fallen condition of the people in general in this age of Kali, the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya suggested that Śrī Sūta Gosvāmī relate the ESSENCE OF ALL SUCH SCRIPTURES because in this age it is NOT POSSIBLE for the fallen souls to understand and undergo all the lessons of all these various scriptures in a varṇa and āśrama system.

The varṇa and āśrama society was considered to be the best institution for lifting the human being to the spiritual platform, but due to Kali-yuga it is NOT POSSIBLE to execute the rules and regulations of these institutions. Nor is it possible for the people in general to completely serve relations with their families as the varṇāśrama institution prescribes. The whole atmosphere is surcharged with opposition. And considering this, one can see that spiritual emancipation for the common man in this age is very difficult.

BHAGVAD- GITA 3.27

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni
guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ
ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā
kartāham iti manyate  -  BG 3.27

SYNONYMS


prakṛteḥ—of material nature; kriyamāṇāni—being done; guṇaiḥ—by the modes; karmāṇi—activities; sarvaśaḥ—all kinds of; ahaṅkāra-vimūḍha—bewildered by false ego; ātmā—the spirit soul; kartā—doer; aham—I; iti—thus; manyate—he thinks.


TRANSLATION

The spirit soul bewildered by the influence of false ego thinks himself the doer of activities that are in actuality carried out by the three modes of material nature.



PURPORT

Two persons, one in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and the other in material consciousness, working on the same level, may appear to be working on the same platform, but there is a wide gulf of difference in their respective positions. The person in material consciousness is convinced by false ego that he is the doer of everything. He does not know that the mechanism of the body is produced by material nature, which works under the supervision of the Supreme Lord. The materialistic person has no knowledge that ultimately he is under the control of Kṛṣṇa. The person in false ego takes all credit for doing everything independently, and that is the symptom of his nescience. He does not know that this gross and subtle body is the creation of material nature, under the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and as such his bodily and mental activities should be engaged in the service of Kṛṣṇa, in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The ignorant man forgets that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is known as Hṛṣīkeśa, or the master of the senses of the material body, for due to his long misuse of the senses in sense gratification, he is factually bewildered by the false ego, which makes him forget his eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa

BHAGAVAD GITA 3.26

saktāḥ karmaṇy avidvāṁso
yathā kurvanti bhārata
kuryād vidvāṁs tathāsaktaś
cikīrṣur loka-saṅgraham

SYNONYMS

saktāḥ—being attached; karmaṇi—in prescribed duties; avidvāṁsaḥ—the ignorant; yathā—as much as; kurvanti—they do; bhārata—O descendant of Bharata; kuryāt—must do; vidvān—the learned; tathā—thus; asaktaḥ—without attachment; cikīrṣuḥ—desiring to lead; loka—saṅgraham—the people in general.

TRANSLATION

As the ignorant perform their duties with attachment to results, the learned may similarly act, but without attachment, for the sake of leading people on the right path.

PURPORT

A person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and a person not in Kṛṣṇa consciousness are differentiated by different desires. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person does not do anything which is not conducive to development of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He may even act exactly like the ignorant person, who is too much attached to material activities, but one is engaged in such activities for the satisfaction of his sense gratification, whereas the other is engaged for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, the Kṛṣṇa conscious person is required to show the people how to act and how to engage the results of action for the purpose of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

SRIMAD BHAGVATAM 2.7.24

yasmā adād udadhir ūḍha-bhayāṅga-vepo
mārgaṁ sapady ari-puraṁ haravad didhakṣoḥ
dūre suhṛn-mathita-roṣa-suśoṇa-dṛṣṭyā
tātapyamāna-makaroraga-nakra-cakraḥ

SYNONYMS

yasmai—unto whom; adāt—gave; udadhiḥ—the great Indian Ocean; ūḍha-bhaya—affected by fear; aṅga-vepaḥ—bodily trembling; mārgam—way; sapadi—quickly; ari-puram—the city of the enemy; hara-vat—like that of Hara (Mahādeva); didhakṣoḥ—desiring to burn to ashes; dūre—at a long distance; su-hṛt—intimate friend; mathita—being aggrieved by; roṣa—in anger; su-śoṇa—red-hot; dṛṣṭyā—by such a glance; tātapyamāna—burning in heat; makara—sharks; uraga—snakes; nakra—crocodiles; cakraḥ—circle.

TRANSLATION

The Personality of Godhead Rāmacandra, being aggrieved for His distant intimate friend [Sītā], glanced over the city of the enemy Rāvaṇa with red-hot eyes like those of Hara [who wanted to burn the kingdom of heaven]. The great ocean, trembling in fear, gave Him His way because its family members, the aquatics like the sharks, snakes and crocodiles, were being burnt by the heat of the angry red-hot eyes of the Lord.

PURPORT

The Personality of Godhead has every sentiment of a sentient being, like all other living beings, because He is the chief and original living entity, the supreme source of all other living beings. He is the nitya, or the chief eternal amongst all other eternals. He is the chief one, and all others are the dependent many. The many eternals are supported by the one eternal, and thus both the eternals are qualitatively one. Due to such oneness, both the eternals constitutionally have a complete range of sentiments, but the difference is that the sentiments of the chief eternal are different in quantity from the sentiments of the dependent eternals. When Rāmacandra was angry and showed His red-hot eyes, the whole ocean became heated with that energy, so much so that the aquatics within the great ocean felt the heat, and the personified ocean trembled in fear and offered the Lord an easy path for reaching the enemy's city. The impersonalists will see havoc in this red-hot sentiment of the Lord because they want to see negation in perfection. Because the Lord is absolute, the impersonalists imagine that in the Absolute the sentiment of anger, which resembles mundane sentiments, must be conspicuous by absence. Due to a poor fund of knowledge, they do not realize that the sentiment of the Absolute Person is transcendental to all mundane concepts of quality and quantity. Had Lord Rāmacandra's sentiment been of mundane origin, how could it disturb the whole ocean and its inhabitants? Can any mundane red-hot eye generate heat in the great ocean? These are factors to be distinguished in terms of the personal and impersonal conceptions of the Absolute Truth. As it is said in the beginning of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the Absolute Truth is the source of everything, so the Absolute Person cannot be devoid of the sentiments that are reflected in the temporary mundane world. Rather, the different sentiments found in the Absolute, either in anger or in mercy, have the same qualitative influence, or, in other words, there is no mundane difference of value because these sentiments are all on the absolute plane. Such sentiments are definitely not absent in the Absolute, as the impersonalists think, making their mundane estimation of the transcendental world.

SRI RAMACHANDRA KI JAYA (SB 2.7.23)

asmat-prasāda-sumukhaḥ kalayā kaleśa
ikṣvāku-vaṁśa avatīrya guror nideśe
tiṣṭhan vanaṁ sa-dayitānuja āviveśa
yasmin virudhya daśa-kandhara ārtim ārcchat

SYNONYMS

asmat—unto us, beginning from Brahmā down to the insignificant ant; prasāda—causeless mercy; sumukhaḥ—so inclined; kalayā—with His plenary extensions; kaleśaḥ—the Lord of all potencies; ikṣvāku—Mahārāja Ikṣvāku, in the dynasty of the sun; vaṁśe—family; avatīrya—by descending in; guroḥ—of the father or spiritual master; nideśe—under the order of; tiṣṭhan—being situated in; vanam—in the forest; sa-dayitā-anujaḥ—along with His wife and younger brother; āviveśa—entered; yasmin—unto whom; virudhya—being rebellious; daśa-kandharaḥ—Rāvaṇa, who had ten heads; ārtim—great distress; ārcchat—achieved.

TRANSLATION

Due to His causeless mercy upon all living entities within the universe, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, along with His plenary extensions, appeared in the family of Mahārāja Ikṣvāku as the Lord of His internal potency, Sītā. Under the order of His father, Mahārāja Daśaratha, He entered the forest and lived there for considerable years with His wife and younger brother. Rāvaṇa, who was very materially powerful, with ten heads on his shoulders, committed a great offense against Him and was thus ultimately vanquished.

PURPORT

Lord Rāma is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and His brothers, namely Bharata, Lakṣmaṇa and Śatrughna, are His plenary expansions. All four brothers are viṣṇu-tattva and were never ordinary human beings. There are many unscrupulous and ignorant commentators on Rāmāyaṇa who present the younger brothers of Lord Rāmacandra as ordinary living entities. But here in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the most authentic scripture on the science of Godhead, it is clearly stated that His brothers were His plenary expansions. Originally Lord Rāmacandra is the incarnation of Vāsudeva, Lakṣmaṇa is the incarnation of Saṅkarṣaṇa, Bharata is the incarnation of Pradyumna, and Śatrughna is the incarnation of Aniruddha, expansions of the Personality of Godhead. Lakṣmījī Sītā is the internal potency of the Lord and is neither an ordinary woman nor the external potency incarnation of Durgā. Durgā is the external potency of the Lord, and she is associated with Lord Śiva.
As stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (4.7), the Lord appears when there are discrepancies in the discharge of factual religion. Lord Rāmacandra also appeared under the same circumstances, accompanied by His brothers, who are expansions of the Lord's internal potency, and by Lakṣmījī Sītādevī.
Lord Rāmacandra was ordered by His father, Mahārāja Daśaratha, to leave home for the forest under awkward circumstances, and the Lord, as the ideal son of His father, carried out the order, even on the occasion of His being declared the King of Ayodhyā. One of His younger brothers, Lakṣmaṇajī, desired to go with Him, and so also His eternal wife, Sītājī, desired to go with Him. The Lord agreed to both of them, and all together they entered the Daṇḍakāraṇya Forest, to live there for fourteen years. During their stay in the forest, there was some quarrel between Rāmacandra and Rāvaṇa, and the latter kidnapped the Lord's wife, Sītā. The quarrel ended in the vanquishing of the greatly powerful Rāvaṇa, along with all his kingdom and family.
Sītā is Lakṣmījī, or the goddess of fortune, but she is never to be enjoyed by any living being. She is meant for being worshiped by the living being along with her husband, Śrī Rāmacandra. A materialistic man like Rāvaṇa does not understand this great truth, but on the contrary he wants to snatch Sītādevī from the custody of Rāma and thus incurs great miseries. The materialists, who are after opulence and material prosperity, may take lessons from the Rāmāyaṇa that the policy of exploiting the nature of the Lord without acknowledging the supremacy of the Supreme Lord is the policy of Rāvaṇa. Rāvaṇa was very advanced materially, so much so that he turned his kingdom, Laṅkā, into pure gold, or full material wealth. But because he did not recognize the supremacy of Lord Rāmacandra and defied Him by stealing His wife, Sītā, Rāvaṇa was killed, and all his opulence and power were destroyed.
Lord Rāmacandra is a full incarnation with six opulences in full, and He is therefore mentioned in this verse as kaleśaḥ, or master of all opulence.

Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam

This  poster of child God in the lap of His mother, He's God. He did not become God by meditation, by penance, or by austerity or by following the rules and regulations. Why? He's substantially God. The God's manifestation is always there. That is God. Na tasya kāryaṁ kāraṇaṁ ca vidyate. He has nothing to do. If anyone has to do something to become God, he's a dog. He's not God. Immediately. Immediately understand. If somebody advertises that by meditation he has become God, by worshiping such and such deity he has become God, immediately take that he is dog. Because the Vedic definition says, na tasya kāryaṁ kāraṇaṁ ca vidyate. Why God has to do something to become God? If you manufacture something gold, that is chemical gold, that is not gold. Gold is natural. Similarly, God is natural. In the womb of His mother He is God, in the lap of His mother He is God, while He's playing with His boyfriends as cowherds boy He's God, while He's dancing with His girlfriends He's God, while He's fighting in Kurukṣetra He's God, while He's marrying He's God, while He's speaking He's God. That is God. To understand God there is no difficulty. If you try to understand Kṛṣṇa, then God is there.
Therefore Brahmā recommends, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ [Bs. 5.1]. The Supreme Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā Himself that mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat asti kiñcid dhanañjaya: [Bg. 7.7] "My dear Arjuna, Dhanañjaya, oh, there is no better object than Me." Kiñcid asti. Nothing. Many places. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ: [Bg. 10.8] "I am the origin, I am the fountainhead of everything." "Everything" means He's the fountainhead of Lord Śiva, He's fountainhead, the origin of Viṣṇu, He's the origin of Brahma, He's the origin of Lord Śiva, and what to speak of other demigods, and what to speak of other living creatures. Mamaivāṁśo jīva bhūtaḥ: [Bg. 15.7] "All these living creatures, they are all My parts and parcels." Therefore He is the origin. And in the Brahma-saṁhitā, the Brahmā in his saṁhitā-Saṁhitā means Vedic literature—so he explains that "You are finding out cause. Here is cause." Everywhere you'll find. But the rascal demons are so obstinate that although Kṛṣṇa is confirmed the Supreme God by Brahmā, by Śiva, by Vyāsa, Nārada, Devala, and many, many devotees, Bhīṣma... There are twelve standard ācāryas. They are svayambhūr nārada śaṁbhu... Svayambhūr means Brahmā; Nārada, Nārada Muni; and Śaṁbhu means Lord Śiva. Kapila, Vyāsa, Kumāra—everyone has accepted. And in the recent years Lord Caitanya, He said. And the Bhāgavata says, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam [SB 1.3.28]. Bhāgavata gives list of all incarnations of God, and at the last he concludes that in this list the name "Kṛṣṇa," He is the Supreme Personality. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. And all other manifestations, they are incarnations. Ete ca aṁśa-kalāḥ. All these different names of God, they are either parts or part of the parts. The part of parts is called kalā, and part is called aṁśa. We are also amsa, but we are very fragmental aṁśa. We are not as big as Viṣṇu. We are very fragmental. We are also aṁśa. So aṁśa kalā. So all others, they are either aṁśa or kalā, but Kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇas tu... Tu means "but." Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

BHAGVAD-GITA 3.22

na me pārthāsti kartavyaṁ
triṣu lokeṣu kiñcana
nānavāptam avāptavyaṁ
varta eva ca karmaṇi

SYNONYMS

na—not; me—Mine; pārtha—O son of Pṛthā; asti—there is; kartavyam—prescribed duty; triṣu—in the three; lokeṣu—planetary systems; kiñcana—any; na—nothing; anavāptam—wanted; avāptavyam—to be gained; varte—I am engaged; eva—certainly; ca—also; karmaṇi—in prescribed duty.

TRANSLATION

O son of Pṛthā, there is no work prescribed for Me within all the three planetary systems. Nor am I in want of anything, nor have I a need to obtain anything—and yet I am engaged in prescribed duties.


PURPORT

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is described in the Vedic literatures as follows:
tam īśvarāṇāṁ paramaṁ maheśvaraṁ
taṁ devatānāṁ paramaṁ ca daivatam
patiṁ patīnāṁ paramaṁ parastād
vidāma devaṁ bhuvaneśam īḍyam
na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate
na tat-samaś cābhyadhikaś ca dṛśyate
parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate
svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca
"The Supreme Lord is the controller of all other controllers, and He is the greatest of all the diverse planetary leaders. Everyone is under His control. All entities are delegated with particular power only by the Supreme Lord; they are not supreme themselves. He is also worshipable by all demigods and is the supreme director of all directors. Therefore, He is transcendental to all kinds of material leaders and controllers and is worshipable by all. There is no one greater than Him, and He is the supreme cause of all causes.
"He does not possess bodily form like that of an ordinary living entity. There is no difference between His body and His soul. He is absolute. All His senses are transcendental. Any one of His senses can perform the action of any other sense. Therefore, no one is greater than Him or equal to Him. His potencies are multifarious, and thus His deeds are automatically performed as a natural sequence." (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.7-8)
Since everything is in full opulence in the Personality of Godhead and is existing in full truth, there is no duty for the Supreme Personality of Godhead to perform. One who must receive the results of work has some designated duty, but one who has nothing to achieve within the three planetary systems certainly has no duty. And yet Lord Kṛṣṇa is engaged on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra as the leader of the kṣatriyas because the kṣatriyas are duty-bound to give protection to the distressed. Although He is above all the regulations of the revealed scriptures, He does not do anything that violates the revealed scriptures.

BHAGAVAD-GITA 3.20 AND 3.21

karmaṇaiva hi saṁsiddhim
āsthitā janakādayaḥ
loka-saṅgraham evāpi
sampaśyan kartum arhasi  / 3.20

SYNONYMS

karmaṇā—by work; eva—even; hi—certainly; saṁsiddhim—in perfection; āsthitāḥ—situated; janaka-ādayaḥ—Janaka and other kings; loka—saṅgraham—the people in general; eva api—also; sampaśyan—considering; kartum—to act; arhasi—you deserve.

TRANSLATION

Kings such as Janaka attained perfection solely by performance of prescribed duties. Therefore, just for the sake of educating the people in general, you should perform your work.

PURPORT

Kings like Janaka were all self-realized souls; consequently they had no obligation to perform the prescribed duties in the Vedas. Nonetheless they performed all prescribed activities just to set examples for the people in general. Janaka was the father of Sītā and father-in-law of Lord Śrī Rāma. Being a great devotee of the Lord, he was transcendentally situated, but because he was the king of Mithilā (a subdivision of Bihar province in India), he had to teach his subjects how to perform prescribed duties. Lord Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, the Lord's eternal friend, had no need to fight in the Battle of Kurukṣetra, but they fought to teach people in general that violence is also necessary in a situation where good arguments fail. Before the Battle of Kurukṣetra, every effort was made to avoid the war, even by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but the other party was determined to fight. So for such a right cause, there is a necessity for fighting. Although one who is situated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness may not have any interest in the world, he still works to teach the public how to live and how to act. Experienced persons in Kṛṣṇa consciousness can act in such a way that others will follow, and this is explained in the following verse.

yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas
tat tad evetaro janaḥ
sa yat pramāṇaṁ kurute
lokas tad anuvartate / 3.21

SYNONYMS

yat yat—whatever; ācarati—he does; śreṣṭhaḥ—a respectable leader; tat—that; tat—and that alone; eva—certainly; itaraḥ—common; janaḥ—person; saḥ—he; yat—whichever; pramāṇam—example; kurute—does perform; lokaḥ—all the world; tat—that; anuvartate—follows in the footsteps.

TRANSLATION

Whatever action a great man performs, common men follow. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues.

PURPORT

People in general always require a leader who can teach the public by practical behavior. A leader cannot teach the public to stop smoking if he himself smokes. Lord Caitanya said that a teacher should behave properly before he begins teaching. One who teaches in that way is called ācārya, or the ideal teacher. Therefore, a teacher must follow the principles of śāstra (scripture) to teach the common man. The teacher cannot manufacture rules against the principles of revealed scriptures. The revealed scriptures, like Manu-saṁhitā and similar others, are considered the standard books to be followed by human society. Thus the leader's teaching should be based on the principles of such standard śāstras. One who desires to improve himself must follow the standard rules as they are practiced by the great teachers. The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also affirms that one should follow in the footsteps of great devotees, and that is the way of progress on the path of spiritual realization. The king or the executive head of a state, the father and the school teacher are all considered to be natural leaders of the innocent people in general. All such natural leaders have a great responsibility to their dependents; therefore they must be conversant with standard books of moral and spiritual codes.

KRISHNA'S INCARNATIONS SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM 1.3.28

ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ
kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam
indrāri-vyākulaṁ lokaṁ
mṛḍayanti yuge yuge        SB 1.3.28

SYNONYMS

ete—all these; ca—and; aṁśa—plenary portions; kalāḥ—portions of the plenary portions; puṁsaḥ—of the Supreme; kṛṣṇaḥ—Lord Kṛṣṇa; tu—but; bhagavān—the Personality of Godhead; svayam—in person; indra-ari—the enemies of Indra; vyākulam—disturbed; lokam—all the planets; mṛḍayanti—gives protection; yuge yuge—in different age

TRANSLATION

All of the above-mentioned incarnations are either plenary portions or portions of the plenary portions of the Lord, but Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the original Personality of Godhead. All of them appear on planets whenever there is a disturbance created by the atheists. The Lord incarnates to protect the theists.


PURPORT

n this particular stanza Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead, is distinguished from other incarnations. He is counted amongst the avatāras (incarnations) because out of His causeless mercy the Lord descends from His transcendental abode. Avatāra means "one who descends." All the incarnations of the Lord, including the Lord Himself, descend on the different planets of the material world as also in different species of life to fulfill particular missions. Sometimes He comes Himself, and sometimes His different plenary portions or parts of the plenary portions, or His differentiated portions directly or indirectly empowered by Him, descend on this material world to execute certain specific functions. Originally the Lord is full of all opulences, all prowess, all fame, all beauty, all knowledge and all renunciation. When they are partly manifested through the plenary portions or parts of the plenary portions, it should be noted that certain manifestations of His different powers are required for those particular functions. When in the room small electric bulbs are displayed, it does not mean that the electric powerhouse is limited by the small bulbs. The same powerhouse can supply power to operate large-scale industrial dynamos with greater volts. Similarly, the incarnations of the Lord display limited powers because so much power is needed at that particular time.
For example, Lord Paraśurāma and Lord Nṛsiṁha displayed unusual opulence by killing the disobedient kṣatriyas twenty-one times and killing the greatly powerful atheist Hiraṇyakaśipu. Hiraṇyakaśipu was so powerful that even the demigods in other planets would tremble simply by the unfavorable raising of his eyebrow. The demigods in the higher level of material existence many, many times excel the most well-to-do human beings, in duration of life, beauty, wealth, paraphernalia, and in all other respects. Still they were afraid of Hiraṇyakaśipu. Thus we can simply imagine how powerful Hiraṇyakaśipu was in this material world. But even Hiraṇyakaśipu was cut into small pieces by the nails of Lord Nṛsiṁha. This means that anyone materially powerful cannot stand the strength of the Lord's nails. Similarly, Jāmadagnya displayed the Lord's power to kill all the disobedient kings powerfully situated in their respective states. The Lord's empowered incarnation Nārada and plenary incarnation Varāha, as well as indirectly empowered Lord Buddha, created faith in the mass of people. The incarnations of Rāma and Dhanvantari displayed His fame, and Balarāma, Mohinī and Vāmana exhibited His beauty. Dattātreya, Matsya, Kumāra and Kapila exhibited His transcendental knowledge. Nara and Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣis exhibited His renunciation. So all the different incarnations of the Lord indirectly or directly manifested different features, but Lord Kṛṣṇa, the primeval Lord, exhibited the complete features of Godhead, and thus it is confirmed that He is the source of all other incarnations. And the most extraordinary feature exhibited by Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa was His internal energetic manifestation of His pastimes with the cowherd girls. His pastimes with the gopīs are all displays of transcendental existence, bliss and knowledge, although these are manifested apparently as sex love. The specific attraction of His pastimes with the gopīs should never be misunderstood. The Bhāgavatam relates these transcendental pastimes in the Tenth Canto. And in order to reach the position to understand the transcendental nature of Lord Kṛṣṇa's pastimes with the gopīs, the Bhāgavatam promotes the student gradually in nine other cantos.
According to Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī's statement, in accordance with authoritative sources, Lord Kṛṣṇa is the source of all other incarnations. It is not that Lord Kṛṣṇa has any source of incarnation. All the symptoms of the Supreme Truth in full are present in the person of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and in the Bhagavad-gītā the Lord emphatically declares that there is no truth greater than or equal to Himself. In this stanza the word svayam is particularly mentioned to confirm that Lord Kṛṣṇa has no other source than Himself. Although in other places the incarnations are described as bhagavān because of their specific functions, nowhere are they declared to be the Supreme Personality. In this stanza the word svayam signifies the supremacy as the summum bonum.
The summum bonum Kṛṣṇa is one without a second. He Himself has expanded Himself in various parts, portions and particles as svayaṁ-rūpa, svayam-prakāśa, tad-ekātmā, prābhava, vaibhava, vilāsa, avatāra, āveśa, and jīvas, all provided with innumerable energies just suitable to the respective persons and personalities. Learned scholars in transcendental subjects have carefully analyzed the summum bonum Kṛṣṇa to have sixty-four principal attributes. All the expansions or categories of the Lord possess only some percentages of these attributes. But Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the possessor of the attributes cent percent. And His personal expansions such as svayam-prakāśa, tad-ekātmā up to the categories of the avatāras who are all viṣṇu-tattva, possess up to ninety-three percent of these transcendental attributes. Lord Śiva, who is neither avatāra nor āveśa nor in between them, possesses almost eighty-four percent of the attributes. But the jīvas, or the individual living beings in different statuses of life, possess up to the limit of seventy-eight percent of the attributes. In the conditioned state of material existence, the living being possesses these attributes in very minute quantity, varying in terms of the pious life of the living being. The most perfect of living beings is Brahmā, the supreme administrator of one universe. He possesses seventy-eight percent of the attributes in full. All other demigods have the same attributes in less quantity, whereas human beings possess the attributes in very minute quantity. The standard of perfection for a human being is to develop the attributes up to seventy-eight percent in full. The living being can never possess attributes like Śiva, Viṣṇu or Lord Kṛṣṇa. A living being can become godly by developing the seventy-eight-percent transcendental attributes in fullness, but he can never become a God like Śiva, Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa. He can become a Brahmā in due course. The godly living beings who are all residents of the planets in the spiritual sky are eternal associates of God in different spiritual planets called Hari-dhāma and Maheśa-dhāma. The abode of Lord Kṛṣṇa above all spiritual planets is called Kṛṣṇaloka or Goloka Vṛndāvana, and the perfected living being, by developing seventy-eight percent of the above attributes in fullness, can enter the planet of Kṛṣṇaloka after leaving the present material body.

BHAGAVAD-GITA 3.19

tasmād asaktaḥ satataṁ
kāryaṁ karma samācara
asakto hy ācaran karma
param āpnoti pūruṣaḥ

SYNONYMS

tasmāt—therefore; asaktaḥ—without attachment; satatam—constantly; kāryam—as duty; karma—work; samācara—perform; asaktaḥ—unattached; hi—certainly; ācaran—performing; karma—work; param—the Supreme; āpnoti—achieves; pūruṣaḥ—a man.

TRANSLATION

Therefore, without being attached to the fruits of activities, one should act as a matter of duty, for by working without attachment one attains the Supreme.


PURPORT

The Supreme is the Personality of Godhead for the devotees, and liberation for the impersonalist. A person, therefore, acting for Kṛṣṇa, or in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, under proper guidance and without attachment to the result of the work, is certainly making progress toward the supreme goal of life. Arjuna is told that he should fight in the Battle of Kurukṣetra for the interest of Kṛṣṇa because Kṛṣṇa wanted him to fight. To be a good man or a nonviolent man is a personal attachment, but to act on behalf of the Supreme is to act without attachment for the result. That is perfect action of the highest degree, recommended by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
Vedic rituals, like prescribed sacrifices, are performed for purification of impious activities that were performed in the field of sense gratification. But action in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is transcendental to the reactions of good or evil work. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person has no attachment for the result but acts on behalf of Kṛṣṇa alone. He engages in all kinds of activities, but is completely nonattached.

BHAGAVAD-GITA 3.18

naiva tasya kṛtenārtho
nākṛteneha kaścana
na cāsya sarva-bhūteṣu
kaścid artha-vyapāśrayaḥ

SYNONYMS

na—never; eva—certainly; tasya—his; kṛtena—by discharge of duty; arthaḥ—purpose; na—nor; akṛtena—without discharge of duty; iha—in this world; kaścana—whatever; na—never; ca—and; asya—of him; sarva-bhūteṣu—among all living beings; kaścit—any; artha—purpose; vyapāśrayaḥ—taking shelter of.

TRANSLATION

A self-realized man has no purpose to fulfill in the discharge of his prescribed duties, nor has he any reason not to perform such work. Nor has he any need to depend on any other living being.

PURPORT

A self-realized man is no longer obliged to perform any prescribed duty, save and except activities in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not inactivity either, as will be explained in the following verses. A Kṛṣṇa conscious man does not take shelter of any person—man or demigod. Whatever he does in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is sufficient in the discharge of his obligation.

BHAGAVAD-GITA 3.17

yas tv ātma-ratir eva syād
ātma-tṛptaś ca mānavaḥ
ātmany eva ca santuṣṭas
tasya kāryaṁ na vidyate

SYNONYMS

yaḥ—one who; tu—but; ātma-ratiḥ—taking pleasure in the self; eva—certainly; syāt—remains; ātma-tṛptaḥ—self—illuminated; ca—and; mānavaḥ—a man; ātmani—in himself; eva—only; ca—and; santuṣṭaḥ—perfectly satiated; tasya—his; kāryam—duty; na—does not; vidyate—exist.

TRANSLATION

But for one who takes pleasure in the self, whose human life is one of self-realization, and who is satisfied in the self only, fully satiated—for him there is no duty.


PURPORT

A person who is fully Kṛṣṇa conscious, and is fully satisfied by his acts in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, no longer has any duty to perform. Due to his being Kṛṣṇa conscious, all impiety within is instantly cleansed, an effect of many, many thousands of yajña performances. By such clearing of consciousness, one becomes fully confident of his eternal position in relationship with the Supreme. His duty thus becomes self-illuminated by the grace of the Lord, and therefore he no longer has any obligations to the Vedic injunctions. Such a Kṛṣṇa conscious person is no longer interested in material activities and no longer takes pleasure in material arrangements like wine, women and similar infatuations

BHAGAVAD-GITA 3.16

evaṁ pravartitaṁ cakraṁ
nānuvartayatīha yaḥ
aghāyur indriyārāmo

moghaṁ pārtha sa jīvati

SYNONYMS

evam—thus; pravartitam—established by the Vedas; cakram—cycle; na—does not; anuvartayati—adopt; iha—in this life; yaḥ—one who; agha-āyuḥ—whose life is full of sins; indriya-ārāmaḥ—satisfied in sense gratification; mogham—uselessly; pārtha—O son of Pṛthā (Arjuna); saḥ—he; jīvati—lives.

TRANSLATION

My dear Arjuna, one who does not follow in human life the cycle of sacrifice thus established by the Vedas certainly leads a life full of sin. Living only for the satisfaction of the senses, such a person lives in vain.

PURPORT

The mammonist philosophy of "work very hard and enjoy sense gratification" is condemned herein by the Lord. Therefore, for those who want to enjoy this material world, the above-mentioned cycle of performing yajñas is absolutely necessary. One who does not follow such regulations is living a very risky life, being condemned more and more. By nature's law, this human form of life is specifically meant for self-realization, in either of the three ways—namely karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, or bhakti-yoga. There is no necessity of rigidly following the performances of the prescribed yajñas for the transcendentalists who are above vice and virtue; but those who are engaged in sense gratification require purification by the above mentioned cycle of yajña performances. There are different kinds of activities. Those who are not Kṛṣṇa conscious are certainly engaged in sensory consciousness; therefore they need to execute pious work. The yajña system is planned in such a way that sensory conscious persons may satisfy their desires without becoming entangled in the reaction of sense-gratificatory work. The prosperity of the world depends not on our own efforts but on the background arrangement of the Supreme Lord, directly carried out by the demigods. Therefore, the yajñas are directly aimed at the particular demigods mentioned in the Vedas. Indirectly, it is the practice of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, because when one masters the performance of yajñas one is sure to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. But if by performing yajñas one does not become Kṛṣṇa conscious, such principles are counted as only moral codes. One should not, therefore, limit his progress only to the point of moral codes, but should transcend them, to attain Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

BHAGAVAD GITA 3.15

karma brahmodbhavaṁ viddhi
brahmākṣara-samudbhavam
tasmāt sarva-gataṁ brahma
nityaṁ yajñe pratiṣṭhitam

SYNONYMS

karma—work; brahma—from the Vedas; udbhavam—produced; viddhi—you should know; brahma—the Vedas; akṣara—from the Supreme Brahman (Personality of Godhead); samudbhavam—directly manifested; tasmāt—therefore; sarva-gatam—all-pervading; brahma—transcendence; nityam—eternally; yajñe—in sacrifice; pratiṣṭhitam—situated.

TRANSLATION

Regulated activities are prescribed in the Vedas, and the Vedas are directly manifested from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Consequently the all-pervading Transcendence is eternally situated in acts of sacrifice.

PURPORT

Yajñārtha-karma, or the necessity of work for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa only, is more expressly stated in this verse. If we have to work for the satisfaction of the yajña-puruṣa, Viṣṇu, then we must find out the direction of work in Brahman, or the transcendental Vedas. The Vedas are therefore codes of working directions. Anything performed without the direction of the Vedas is called vikarma, or unauthorized or sinful work. Therefore, one should always take direction from the Vedas to be saved from the reaction of work. As one has to work in ordinary life by the direction of the state, one similarly has to work under direction of the supreme state of the Lord. Such directions in the Vedas are directly manifested from the breathing of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is said, asya mahato bhūtasya niśvasitam etad yad ṛg-vedo yajur-vedaḥ sāmavedo 'tharvāṅgirasaḥ. "The four Vedas-namely the Ṛg Veda, Yajur Veda, Sāma Veda, and Atharva Veda—are all emanations from the breathing of the great Personality of Godhead." (Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad 4.5.11) The Lord, being omnipotent, can speak by breathing air, for as it is confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā, the Lord has the omnipotence to perform through each of His senses the actions of all other senses. In other words, the Lord can speak through His breathing, and He can impregnate by His eyes. In fact, it is said that He glanced over material nature and thus fathered all living entities. After creating or impregnating the conditioned souls into the womb of material nature, He gave His directions in the Vedic wisdom as to how such conditioned souls can return home, back to Godhead. We should always remember that the conditioned souls in material nature are all eager for material enjoyment. But the Vedic directions are so made that one can satisfy one's perverted desires, then return to Godhead, having finished his so-called enjoyment. It is a chance for the conditioned souls to attain liberation; therefore the conditioned souls must try to follow the process of yajña by becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious. Even those who have not followed the Vedic injunctions may adopt the principles of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and that will take the place of performance of Vedic yajñas, or karmas.