TRANSCENDING THE MODES (14.19 – 14.27)

(a) Characteristics of brahman

Immortal, Imperishable, Eternal and Constitutional position of ultimate happiness

(b) Brahman is the first stage of realizing the Absolute Truth. Both Brahman and Paramatma are within the realization of the Supreme Person. Different stages are as follows –

Living entity gets conditioned – Lord impregnates the spiritual living entity into the material nature (Bg. 7.4 – 7.5)
How living entity elevates – When a living entity thus conditioned begins cultivating spiritual knowledge, he gradually rises up to the Brahman conception of Supreme
Brahman conception as transcendental – At this stage he is transcendental to the material position
Perfect realization – Brahman realisation is not perfect in realisation of Absolute Truth – One may stay at this position or gradually elevate to the Supreme Bhagavan realisiation e.g. Four Kumaras

(c) Must elevate or fall down – If one does not elevate beyond impersonal conception of Brahman – “There is a risk of falldown”

Because the intelligence is not perfectly cleared

(d) Devotional service is the safest position – It includes all the characteristics of Brahman realization

Ref. Taittiriya Upanisad mentions Supreme Personality of Godhead is the reservoir of all pleasure
And when one understands this he actually becomes transcendentally blissful
Supreme Personality of Godhead is full of six opulences, when a devotee approaches the Lord there is exchange of six opulences
o Analogy: Servant of King enjoys equal opulence at the level of the King
Thus realisation of Brahman like eternity, imperishability and ultimate happiness are included in devotional service

(e) Summary of Chapter 14

Living entity, although Brahman in nature, has the desire to lord it over material nature
Desire to enjoy makes him fall down
Association with modes makes him desire to dominate the material world in different bodies.
How devotional service helps
o Krishna consciousness immediately puts one in transcendental position
o His unlawful desire to control material nature is removed
o Practicing nine processes of devotional service in the association of devotees and under the influence of the spiritual master, removes one’s material desire to dominate and one becomes firmly fixed in devotional service
o One thus situated in Brahman conception becomes equal in quality to the Supreme Personality of Godhead

(a) Suggested solution for transcending the modes – Transfer your consciousness to Krishna activities called “Bhakti-yoga” and not disturb your consciousness by activities of the three modes.

(b) Transfer to any form – This includes not only Krishna, but all His plenary expansions. Service to any of these forms is transcendental.

(c) All the forms are equipotent – All the forms of Krishna are omnipotent, omniscient, transcendental and sac-cid-ananda

(d) Power of service – Service with unfailing determination to any form helps to overcome the modes (Ref. Bg. 7.14)

(e) Qualification to serve – To be in Krishna consciousness implies acquiring qualitative equality with Krishna (sac-cid-ananda)

Analogy: Gold mine and a particle of gold
Analogy: To be a personal assistant to the king one must acquire the qualifications
Qualification to serve Krishna is “to become Brahman”
To become Brahman implies to be freed from material contamination
Ref. Vedic literature – One can attain the Supreme Brahman by becoming Brahman, but not losing eternal individual identity

(f) Individuality in service is an eternal fact – Bhakti-yoga means individuality is maintained eternally – Bhakti-yoga means:

3 things – The lord, the devotee, The process of bhakti (All 3 must be there)

LINK BETWEEN TEXTS 14.26 & 14.27: One may ask after reading 14.26 why one in full devotional service will attain Brahman. After all, his desire is not Brahman realization but Krishna’s service. Krishna therefore expands His answer for clarification and ends the chapter by describing His own relationship to Brahman. He thus again stresses bhakti.

Text 14.27

THEME : Lord says: “And I am the basis of impersonal Brahman”

Learnings from Purport 14.27

(a) Characteristics of brahman

Immortal, Imperishable, Eternal and Constitutional position of ultimate happiness

(b) Brahman is the first stage of realizing the Absolute Truth. Both Brahman and Paramatma are within the realization of the Supreme Person. Different stages are as follows –

Living entity gets conditioned – Lord impregnates the spiritual living entity into the material nature (Bg. 7.4 – 7.5)
How living entity elevates – When a living entity thus conditioned begins cultivating spiritual knowledge, he gradually rises up to the Brahman conception of Supreme
Brahman conception as transcendental – At this stage he is transcendental to the material position
Perfect realization – Brahman realisation is not perfect in realisation of Absolute Truth – One may stay at this position or gradually elevate to the Supreme Bhagavan realisiation e.g. Four Kumaras

(c) Must elevate or fall down – If one does not elevate beyond impersonal conception of Brahman – “There is a risk of falldown”

Because the intelligence is not perfectly cleared

(d) Devotional service is the safest position – It includes all the characteristics of Brahman realization

Ref. Taittiriya Upanisad mentions Supreme Personality of Godhead is the reservoir of all pleasure
And when one understands this he actually becomes transcendentally blissful
Supreme Personality of Godhead is full of six opulences, when a devotee approaches the Lord there is exchange of six opulences
o Analogy: Servant of King enjoys equal opulence at the level of the King
Thus realisation of Brahman like eternity, imperishability and ultimate happiness are included in devotional service

(e) Summary of Chapter 14

Living entity, although Brahman in nature, has the desire to lord it over material nature
Desire to enjoy makes him fall down
Association with modes makes him desire to dominate the material world in different bodies.
How devotional service helps
o Krishna consciousness immediately puts one in transcendental position
o His unlawful desire to control material nature is removed
o Practicing nine processes of devotional service in the association of devotees and under the influence of the spiritual master, removes one’s material desire to dominate and one becomes firmly fixed in devotional service
o One thus situated in Brahman conception becomes equal in quality to the Supreme Personality of Godhead

(b) Transfer to any form – This includes not only Krishna, but all His plenary expansions. Service to any of these forms is transcendental.

(c) All the forms are equipotent – All the forms of Krishna are omnipotent, omniscient, transcendental and sac-cid-ananda

(d) Power of service – Service with unfailing determination to any form helps to overcome the modes (Ref. Bg. 7.14)

(e) Qualification to serve – To be in Krishna consciousness implies acquiring qualitative equality with Krishna (sac-cid-ananda)

Analogy: Gold mine and a particle of gold
Analogy: To be a personal assistant to the king one must acquire the qualifications
Qualification to serve Krishna is “to become Brahman”
To become Brahman implies to be freed from material contamination
Ref. Vedic literature – One can attain the Supreme Brahman by becoming Brahman, but not losing eternal individual identity

(f) Individuality in service is an eternal fact – Bhakti-yoga means individuality is maintained eternally – Bhakti-yoga means:

3 things – The lord, the devotee, The process of bhakti (All 3 must be there)

Text 14.27

THEME : Lord says: “And I am the basis of impersonal Brahman”

Learnings from Purport 14.27

(a) Characteristics of brahman

Immortal, Imperishable, Eternal and Constitutional position of ultimate happiness

(b) Brahman is the first stage of realizing the Absolute Truth. Both Brahman and Paramatma are within the realization of the Supreme Person. Different stages are as follows –

Living entity gets conditioned – Lord impregnates the spiritual living entity into the material nature (Bg. 7.4 – 7.5)
How living entity elevates – When a living entity thus conditioned begins cultivating spiritual knowledge, he gradually rises up to the Brahman conception of Supreme
Brahman conception as transcendental – At this stage he is transcendental to the material position
Perfect realization – Brahman realisation is not perfect in realisation of Absolute Truth – One may stay at this position or gradually elevate to the Supreme Bhagavan realisiation e.g. Four Kumaras

(c) Must elevate or fall down – If one does not elevate beyond impersonal conception of Brahman – “There is a risk of falldown”

Because the intelligence is not perfectly cleared

(d) Devotional service is the safest position – It includes all the characteristics of Brahman realization

Ref. Taittiriya Upanisad mentions Supreme Personality of Godhead is the reservoir of all pleasure
And when one understands this he actually becomes transcendentally blissful
Supreme Personality of Godhead is full of six opulences, when a devotee approaches the Lord there is exchange of six opulences
o Analogy: Servant of King enjoys equal opulence at the level of the King
Thus realisation of Brahman like eternity, imperishability and ultimate happiness are included in devotional service

(e) Summary of Chapter 14

Living entity, although Brahman in nature, has the desire to lord it over material nature
Desire to enjoy makes him fall down
Association with modes makes him desire to dominate the material world in different bodies.
How devotional service helps
o Krishna consciousness immediately puts one in transcendental position
o His unlawful desire to control material nature is removed
o Practicing nine processes of devotional service in the association of devotees and under the influence of the spiritual master, removes one’s material desire to dominate and one becomes firmly fixed in devotional service
o One thus situated in Brahman conception becomes equal in quality to the Supreme Personality of Godhead

(a) Symptoms of transcendence – Krishna first indicates that such a person is free from envy and hankering

No desire for or repulsion from manifestations of the modes – Illumination, attachment, delusion – This statement implies that:
o As long as one is in the body one has to act neutrally
o Engage in devotional service so that identification with the body will be forgotten
o One does not need this body nor need to accept the dictations of the body
Equiposed, transcendental and detached, knowing that the modes alone are active
o How does the soul become aloof – He neither desires to enjoy the body, nor desires to go out of the body

(b) Behavior/Dealings of one transcendental to the modes

Steady in all circumstances
o Praise and blame
o Honor and dishonor
o Happiness or distress
o Desirable or undesirable
Deals equally with everyone and everything
o Earth , Stone, Gold (Accepts whatever is favourable for his duty in Krishna consciousness)
o Friend or enemy (Takes anyone who helps him in Krishna consciousness as dear friend and not hates so-called enemies)
Equally disposed and sees everything on an equal level / Social and politicial issues do not affect him
o Knows that he has nothing to do with material existence
o Knows the situation of temporary upheavals and disturbances
Does not attempt anything for his own sake but can attempt anything for Krishna

(c) The basic point in terms of symptoms and behavior is the same: A soul who has become liberated by cultivating knowledge of the modes of nature is detached from matter and the pushing of the modes.

Text 14.26

Method of transcending

THEME : Answers to the third question – By pure devotional service one can transcend and achieve Brahman liberation.

Learnings from Purport 14.26

(b) Transfer to any form – This includes not only Krishna, but all His plenary expansions. Service to any of these forms is transcendental.

(c) All the forms are equipotent – All the forms of Krishna are omnipotent, omniscient, transcendental and sac-cid-ananda

(d) Power of service – Service with unfailing determination to any form helps to overcome the modes (Ref. Bg. 7.14)

(e) Qualification to serve – To be in Krishna consciousness implies acquiring qualitative equality with Krishna (sac-cid-ananda)

Analogy: Gold mine and a particle of gold
Analogy: To be a personal assistant to the king one must acquire the qualifications
Qualification to serve Krishna is “to become Brahman”
To become Brahman implies to be freed from material contamination
Ref. Vedic literature – One can attain the Supreme Brahman by becoming Brahman, but not losing eternal individual identity

(f) Individuality in service is an eternal fact – Bhakti-yoga means individuality is maintained eternally – Bhakti-yoga means:

3 things – The lord, the devotee, The process of bhakti (All 3 must be there)

Text 14.27

THEME : Lord says: “And I am the basis of impersonal Brahman”

Learnings from Purport 14.27

(a) Characteristics of brahman

Immortal, Imperishable, Eternal and Constitutional position of ultimate happiness

(b) Brahman is the first stage of realizing the Absolute Truth. Both Brahman and Paramatma are within the realization of the Supreme Person. Different stages are as follows –

Living entity gets conditioned – Lord impregnates the spiritual living entity into the material nature (Bg. 7.4 – 7.5)
How living entity elevates – When a living entity thus conditioned begins cultivating spiritual knowledge, he gradually rises up to the Brahman conception of Supreme
Brahman conception as transcendental – At this stage he is transcendental to the material position
Perfect realization – Brahman realisation is not perfect in realisation of Absolute Truth – One may stay at this position or gradually elevate to the Supreme Bhagavan realisiation e.g. Four Kumaras

(c) Must elevate or fall down – If one does not elevate beyond impersonal conception of Brahman – “There is a risk of falldown”

Because the intelligence is not perfectly cleared

(d) Devotional service is the safest position – It includes all the characteristics of Brahman realization

Ref. Taittiriya Upanisad mentions Supreme Personality of Godhead is the reservoir of all pleasure
And when one understands this he actually becomes transcendentally blissful
Supreme Personality of Godhead is full of six opulences, when a devotee approaches the Lord there is exchange of six opulences
o Analogy: Servant of King enjoys equal opulence at the level of the King
Thus realisation of Brahman like eternity, imperishability and ultimate happiness are included in devotional service

(e) Summary of Chapter 14

Living entity, although Brahman in nature, has the desire to lord it over material nature
Desire to enjoy makes him fall down
Association with modes makes him desire to dominate the material world in different bodies.
How devotional service helps
o Krishna consciousness immediately puts one in transcendental position
o His unlawful desire to control material nature is removed
o Practicing nine processes of devotional service in the association of devotees and under the influence of the spiritual master, removes one’s material desire to dominate and one becomes firmly fixed in devotional service
o One thus situated in Brahman conception becomes equal in quality to the Supreme Personality of Godhead

(a) Symptoms of transcendence – Krishna first indicates that such a person is free from envy and hankering

No desire for or repulsion from manifestations of the modes – Illumination, attachment, delusion – This statement implies that:
o As long as one is in the body one has to act neutrally
o Engage in devotional service so that identification with the body will be forgotten
o One does not need this body nor need to accept the dictations of the body
Equiposed, transcendental and detached, knowing that the modes alone are active
o How does the soul become aloof – He neither desires to enjoy the body, nor desires to go out of the body

(b) Behavior/Dealings of one transcendental to the modes

Steady in all circumstances
o Praise and blame
o Honor and dishonor
o Happiness or distress
o Desirable or undesirable
Deals equally with everyone and everything
o Earth , Stone, Gold (Accepts whatever is favourable for his duty in Krishna consciousness)
o Friend or enemy (Takes anyone who helps him in Krishna consciousness as dear friend and not hates so-called enemies)
Equally disposed and sees everything on an equal level / Social and politicial issues do not affect him
o Knows that he has nothing to do with material existence
o Knows the situation of temporary upheavals and disturbances
Does not attempt anything for his own sake but can attempt anything for Krishna

Text 14.26

Method of transcending

THEME : Answers to the third question – By pure devotional service one can transcend and achieve Brahman liberation.

Learnings from Purport 14.26

(b) Transfer to any form – This includes not only Krishna, but all His plenary expansions. Service to any of these forms is transcendental.

(c) All the forms are equipotent – All the forms of Krishna are omnipotent, omniscient, transcendental and sac-cid-ananda

(d) Power of service – Service with unfailing determination to any form helps to overcome the modes (Ref. Bg. 7.14)

(e) Qualification to serve – To be in Krishna consciousness implies acquiring qualitative equality with Krishna (sac-cid-ananda)

Analogy: Gold mine and a particle of gold
Analogy: To be a personal assistant to the king one must acquire the qualifications
Qualification to serve Krishna is “to become Brahman”
To become Brahman implies to be freed from material contamination
Ref. Vedic literature – One can attain the Supreme Brahman by becoming Brahman, but not losing eternal individual identity

(f) Individuality in service is an eternal fact – Bhakti-yoga means individuality is maintained eternally – Bhakti-yoga means:

3 things – The lord, the devotee, The process of bhakti (All 3 must be there)

Text 14.27

THEME : Lord says: “And I am the basis of impersonal Brahman”

Learnings from Purport 14.27

(a) Characteristics of brahman

Immortal, Imperishable, Eternal and Constitutional position of ultimate happiness

(b) Brahman is the first stage of realizing the Absolute Truth. Both Brahman and Paramatma are within the realization of the Supreme Person. Different stages are as follows –

Living entity gets conditioned – Lord impregnates the spiritual living entity into the material nature (Bg. 7.4 – 7.5)
How living entity elevates – When a living entity thus conditioned begins cultivating spiritual knowledge, he gradually rises up to the Brahman conception of Supreme
Brahman conception as transcendental – At this stage he is transcendental to the material position
Perfect realization – Brahman realisation is not perfect in realisation of Absolute Truth – One may stay at this position or gradually elevate to the Supreme Bhagavan realisiation e.g. Four Kumaras

(c) Must elevate or fall down – If one does not elevate beyond impersonal conception of Brahman – “There is a risk of falldown”

Because the intelligence is not perfectly cleared

(d) Devotional service is the safest position – It includes all the characteristics of Brahman realization

Ref. Taittiriya Upanisad mentions Supreme Personality of Godhead is the reservoir of all pleasure
And when one understands this he actually becomes transcendentally blissful
Supreme Personality of Godhead is full of six opulences, when a devotee approaches the Lord there is exchange of six opulences
o Analogy: Servant of King enjoys equal opulence at the level of the King
Thus realisation of Brahman like eternity, imperishability and ultimate happiness are included in devotional service

(e) Summary of Chapter 14

Living entity, although Brahman in nature, has the desire to lord it over material nature
Desire to enjoy makes him fall down
Association with modes makes him desire to dominate the material world in different bodies.
How devotional service helps
o Krishna consciousness immediately puts one in transcendental position
o His unlawful desire to control material nature is removed
o Practicing nine processes of devotional service in the association of devotees and under the influence of the spiritual master, removes one’s material desire to dominate and one becomes firmly fixed in devotional service
o One thus situated in Brahman conception becomes equal in quality to the Supreme Personality of Godhead

(a) One can transcend by understanding this science properly by learning from proper souls

(b) Real spiritual master is Krishna (Giving knowledge to Arjuna)

Therefore learn this science from one fully in Krishna consciousness
Otherwise one’s life will be misdirected
Know your real position and how you are entrapped in the modes and become fixed in Krishna consciousness, by the help of spiritual masters instructions
Ref. Bg. 7.14 – Surrender in Krishna consciousness helps to overcome modes

Text 14.20

THEME : Result of realizing this knowledge i.e. the result of transcending the modes

One becomes liberated (freedom from distress)
Devotional service in Krishna consciousness is a sign of liberation from material entanglement (Ref BG Chapter 18)
One can relish nectar even in this life (Enjoys life on spiritual platform)
Text 14.20 explains how to relish transcendental position even in this body
“Dehi” – Indicates that even within the material body, by advancement in spiritual knowledge, one can be free from the modes of material nature
o One can enjoy happiness of spiritual life even in this body
o Till one goes to spiritual sky, where there is full happiness available

NOTE: Points of Purport 14.20 have already been included in the subpoints under the Theme above, therefore there is no Focus of learning section for this verse.

Text 14.21

THEME : Three questions asked by Arjuna

What are the symptoms of one who has transcended the modes?
What is his behavior?
How does he transcend the modes?

Text 14.22 – 14.25

COMMON THEME : Answers to the first 2 questions – “Symptoms” and “Behavior”.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF TEXTS 14.22 – 14.25

When one desires neither attainment of pleasure, nor escape from pain, he has transcended the modes of nature.
The embodied soul will always undergo dualities of loss and gain, but the liberated soul can remain unaffected by these things due to focusing his identity within.

Learnings from Purport 14.22 – 14.25

(a) Symptoms of transcendence – Krishna first indicates that such a person is free from envy and hankering

No desire for or repulsion from manifestations of the modes – Illumination, attachment, delusion – This statement implies that:
o As long as one is in the body one has to act neutrally
o Engage in devotional service so that identification with the body will be forgotten
o One does not need this body nor need to accept the dictations of the body
Equiposed, transcendental and detached, knowing that the modes alone are active
o How does the soul become aloof – He neither desires to enjoy the body, nor desires to go out of the body

(b) Behavior/Dealings of one transcendental to the modes

Steady in all circumstances
o Praise and blame
o Honor and dishonor
o Happiness or distress
o Desirable or undesirable
Deals equally with everyone and everything
o Earth , Stone, Gold (Accepts whatever is favourable for his duty in Krishna consciousness)
o Friend or enemy (Takes anyone who helps him in Krishna consciousness as dear friend and not hates so-called enemies)
Equally disposed and sees everything on an equal level / Social and politicial issues do not affect him
o Knows that he has nothing to do with material existence
o Knows the situation of temporary upheavals and disturbances
Does not attempt anything for his own sake but can attempt anything for Krishna

Text 14.26

Method of transcending

THEME : Answers to the third question – By pure devotional service one can transcend and achieve Brahman liberation.

Learnings from Purport 14.26

(b) Transfer to any form – This includes not only Krishna, but all His plenary expansions. Service to any of these forms is transcendental.

(c) All the forms are equipotent – All the forms of Krishna are omnipotent, omniscient, transcendental and sac-cid-ananda

(d) Power of service – Service with unfailing determination to any form helps to overcome the modes (Ref. Bg. 7.14)

(e) Qualification to serve – To be in Krishna consciousness implies acquiring qualitative equality with Krishna (sac-cid-ananda)

Analogy: Gold mine and a particle of gold
Analogy: To be a personal assistant to the king one must acquire the qualifications
Qualification to serve Krishna is “to become Brahman”
To become Brahman implies to be freed from material contamination
Ref. Vedic literature – One can attain the Supreme Brahman by becoming Brahman, but not losing eternal individual identity

(f) Individuality in service is an eternal fact – Bhakti-yoga means individuality is maintained eternally – Bhakti-yoga means:

3 things – The lord, the devotee, The process of bhakti (All 3 must be there)

Text 14.27

THEME : Lord says: “And I am the basis of impersonal Brahman”

Learnings from Purport 14.27

(a) Characteristics of brahman

Immortal, Imperishable, Eternal and Constitutional position of ultimate happiness

(b) Brahman is the first stage of realizing the Absolute Truth. Both Brahman and Paramatma are within the realization of the Supreme Person. Different stages are as follows –

Living entity gets conditioned – Lord impregnates the spiritual living entity into the material nature (Bg. 7.4 – 7.5)
How living entity elevates – When a living entity thus conditioned begins cultivating spiritual knowledge, he gradually rises up to the Brahman conception of Supreme
Brahman conception as transcendental – At this stage he is transcendental to the material position
Perfect realization – Brahman realisation is not perfect in realisation of Absolute Truth – One may stay at this position or gradually elevate to the Supreme Bhagavan realisiation e.g. Four Kumaras

(c) Must elevate or fall down – If one does not elevate beyond impersonal conception of Brahman – “There is a risk of falldown”

Because the intelligence is not perfectly cleared

(d) Devotional service is the safest position – It includes all the characteristics of Brahman realization

Ref. Taittiriya Upanisad mentions Supreme Personality of Godhead is the reservoir of all pleasure
And when one understands this he actually becomes transcendentally blissful
Supreme Personality of Godhead is full of six opulences, when a devotee approaches the Lord there is exchange of six opulences
o Analogy: Servant of King enjoys equal opulence at the level of the King
Thus realisation of Brahman like eternity, imperishability and ultimate happiness are included in devotional service

(e) Summary of Chapter 14

Living entity, although Brahman in nature, has the desire to lord it over material nature
Desire to enjoy makes him fall down
Association with modes makes him desire to dominate the material world in different bodies.
How devotional service helps
o Krishna consciousness immediately puts one in transcendental position
o His unlawful desire to control material nature is removed
o Practicing nine processes of devotional service in the association of devotees and under the influence of the spiritual master, removes one’s material desire to dominate and one becomes firmly fixed in devotional service
o One thus situated in Brahman conception becomes equal in quality to the Supreme Personality of Godhead

(a) One can transcend by understanding this science properly by learning from proper souls

(b) Real spiritual master is Krishna (Giving knowledge to Arjuna)

Therefore learn this science from one fully in Krishna consciousness
Otherwise one’s life will be misdirected
Know your real position and how you are entrapped in the modes and become fixed in Krishna consciousness, by the help of spiritual masters instructions
Ref. Bg. 7.14 – Surrender in Krishna consciousness helps to overcome modes

Text 14.20

THEME : Result of realizing this knowledge i.e. the result of transcending the modes

One becomes liberated (freedom from distress)
Devotional service in Krishna consciousness is a sign of liberation from material entanglement (Ref BG Chapter 18)
One can relish nectar even in this life (Enjoys life on spiritual platform)
Text 14.20 explains how to relish transcendental position even in this body
“Dehi” – Indicates that even within the material body, by advancement in spiritual knowledge, one can be free from the modes of material nature
o One can enjoy happiness of spiritual life even in this body
o Till one goes to spiritual sky, where there is full happiness available

NOTE: Points of Purport 14.20 have already been included in the subpoints under the Theme above, therefore there is no Focus of learning section for this verse.

Text 14.21

THEME : Three questions asked by Arjuna

What are the symptoms of one who has transcended the modes?
What is his behavior?
How does he transcend the modes?

Text 14.22 – 14.25

COMMON THEME : Answers to the first 2 questions – “Symptoms” and “Behavior”.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF TEXTS 14.22 – 14.25

When one desires neither attainment of pleasure, nor escape from pain, he has transcended the modes of nature.
The embodied soul will always undergo dualities of loss and gain, but the liberated soul can remain unaffected by these things due to focusing his identity within.

Learnings from Purport 14.22 – 14.25

(a) Symptoms of transcendence – Krishna first indicates that such a person is free from envy and hankering

No desire for or repulsion from manifestations of the modes – Illumination, attachment, delusion – This statement implies that:
o As long as one is in the body one has to act neutrally
o Engage in devotional service so that identification with the body will be forgotten
o One does not need this body nor need to accept the dictations of the body
Equiposed, transcendental and detached, knowing that the modes alone are active
o How does the soul become aloof – He neither desires to enjoy the body, nor desires to go out of the body

(b) Behavior/Dealings of one transcendental to the modes

Steady in all circumstances
o Praise and blame
o Honor and dishonor
o Happiness or distress
o Desirable or undesirable
Deals equally with everyone and everything
o Earth , Stone, Gold (Accepts whatever is favourable for his duty in Krishna consciousness)
o Friend or enemy (Takes anyone who helps him in Krishna consciousness as dear friend and not hates so-called enemies)
Equally disposed and sees everything on an equal level / Social and politicial issues do not affect him
o Knows that he has nothing to do with material existence
o Knows the situation of temporary upheavals and disturbances
Does not attempt anything for his own sake but can attempt anything for Krishna

Text 14.26

Method of transcending

THEME : Answers to the third question – By pure devotional service one can transcend and achieve Brahman liberation.

Learnings from Purport 14.26

(b) Transfer to any form – This includes not only Krishna, but all His plenary expansions. Service to any of these forms is transcendental.

(c) All the forms are equipotent – All the forms of Krishna are omnipotent, omniscient, transcendental and sac-cid-ananda

(d) Power of service – Service with unfailing determination to any form helps to overcome the modes (Ref. Bg. 7.14)

(e) Qualification to serve – To be in Krishna consciousness implies acquiring qualitative equality with Krishna (sac-cid-ananda)

Analogy: Gold mine and a particle of gold
Analogy: To be a personal assistant to the king one must acquire the qualifications
Qualification to serve Krishna is “to become Brahman”
To become Brahman implies to be freed from material contamination
Ref. Vedic literature – One can attain the Supreme Brahman by becoming Brahman, but not losing eternal individual identity

(f) Individuality in service is an eternal fact – Bhakti-yoga means individuality is maintained eternally – Bhakti-yoga means:

3 things – The lord, the devotee, The process of bhakti (All 3 must be there)

Text 14.27

THEME : Lord says: “And I am the basis of impersonal Brahman”

Learnings from Purport 14.27

(a) Characteristics of brahman

Immortal, Imperishable, Eternal and Constitutional position of ultimate happiness

(b) Brahman is the first stage of realizing the Absolute Truth. Both Brahman and Paramatma are within the realization of the Supreme Person. Different stages are as follows –

Living entity gets conditioned – Lord impregnates the spiritual living entity into the material nature (Bg. 7.4 – 7.5)
How living entity elevates – When a living entity thus conditioned begins cultivating spiritual knowledge, he gradually rises up to the Brahman conception of Supreme
Brahman conception as transcendental – At this stage he is transcendental to the material position
Perfect realization – Brahman realisation is not perfect in realisation of Absolute Truth – One may stay at this position or gradually elevate to the Supreme Bhagavan realisiation e.g. Four Kumaras

(c) Must elevate or fall down – If one does not elevate beyond impersonal conception of Brahman – “There is a risk of falldown”

Because the intelligence is not perfectly cleared

(d) Devotional service is the safest position – It includes all the characteristics of Brahman realization

Ref. Taittiriya Upanisad mentions Supreme Personality of Godhead is the reservoir of all pleasure
And when one understands this he actually becomes transcendentally blissful
Supreme Personality of Godhead is full of six opulences, when a devotee approaches the Lord there is exchange of six opulences
o Analogy: Servant of King enjoys equal opulence at the level of the King
Thus realisation of Brahman like eternity, imperishability and ultimate happiness are included in devotional service

(e) Summary of Chapter 14

Living entity, although Brahman in nature, has the desire to lord it over material nature
Desire to enjoy makes him fall down
Association with modes makes him desire to dominate the material world in different bodies.
How devotional service helps
o Krishna consciousness immediately puts one in transcendental position
o His unlawful desire to control material nature is removed
o Practicing nine processes of devotional service in the association of devotees and under the influence of the spiritual master, removes one’s material desire to dominate and one becomes firmly fixed in devotional service
o One thus situated in Brahman conception becomes equal in quality to the Supreme Personality of Godhead