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(a) Problem: They are too materially affected – They cannot understand personal nature of Lord as per Text 4.9
(b) Different degrees of affliction
- ‘Raga’: Strong attachment to material life – leads to negligence of spiritual life
- ‘Bhaya’: Fear of personal spiritual identity – For them merging into impersonal is highest,
o Because they are too absorbed in material bodily concept, concept of retaining personality after liberation from matter frightens them
o e.g. Analogy: Impersonalists compare living entities to the bubbles in the ocean which merges into the ocean
- ‘Krodha’: Conception of void resulting from frustration of life
o Become angry at all sorts of spiritual speculation out of hopelessness
o Takes to intoxications
o Accept hallucinations as spiritual vision
(c) Solution to get freedom from these three:
- Take complete shelter of Lord Krishna.
- Under the spiritual master’s guidance.
- Follow disciplines and regulative principles of devotional life.
(d) Different stages of bhakti – This is a progression to higher levels of purity, free from any of the above mentioned three diseases
- Sraddha to prema (study purport) (Ref. Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu 1.4.15 – 1.4.16).
o This explains the ‘Science of devotional service’.
(a) Liberation of living entity from material bondage is not very easy – Two paths are possible:
- Path of impersonalism and yoga
- Path of devotees
(b) Path of Impersonalists and yogis
- Endeavor – Not very easy – many, many births
- Goal – Only partial success, brahmajyoti
- Safety – Risk of fall-down
(c) Path of Devotees in Krishna consciousness
- Endeavor – Very easy, one has to simply understand the transcendental nature of Lord’s
birth and activities (4.9)
- Goal – Abode of Krishna – Thus complete success is assured
- Safety – Lord protects from falldown again into the material world
(d) Who can attain ‘Perfection of liberation’
- A faithful devotee, who accepts Krishna’s protection with faith
- One who accepts Krishna as Supreme Personality of Godhead
o He has many transcendental forms
o These forms have relations with unalloyed devotees
- One who does not waste time in philosophical speculations
o Ref. Brahma Samhita, Vedas, Svetasvatara Upanisad (study purport)
(e) Fate of other processes like empiric philosophers and puffed-up mundane scholars
- Waste of time
- May get important roles in material world, not liberation
- Analogy: licking the outer surface of a bottle of honey
(f) What is the hope for these speculators etc. – ‘Only causeless mercy of devotee of the Lord’.
(g) Conclusive suggestion – Cultivate Krishna consciousness with faith and knowledge and attain perfection.
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(a) Liberation of living entity from material bondage is not very easy – Two paths are possible:
- Path of impersonalism and yoga
- Path of devotees
(b) Path of Impersonalists and yogis
- Endeavor – Not very easy – many, many births
- Goal – Only partial success, brahmajyoti
- Safety – Risk of fall-down
(c) Path of Devotees in Krishna consciousness
- Endeavor – Very easy, one has to simply understand the transcendental nature of Lord’s
birth and activities (4.9)
- Goal – Abode of Krishna – Thus complete success is assured
- Safety – Lord protects from falldown again into the material world
(d) Who can attain ‘Perfection of liberation’
- A faithful devotee, who accepts Krishna’s protection with faith
- One who accepts Krishna as Supreme Personality of Godhead
o He has many transcendental forms
o These forms have relations with unalloyed devotees
- One who does not waste time in philosophical speculations
o Ref. Brahma Samhita, Vedas, Svetasvatara Upanisad (study purport)
(e) Fate of other processes like empiric philosophers and puffed-up mundane scholars
- Waste of time
- May get important roles in material world, not liberation
- Analogy: licking the outer surface of a bottle of honey
(f) What is the hope for these speculators etc. – ‘Only causeless mercy of devotee of the Lord’.
(g) Conclusive suggestion – Cultivate Krishna consciousness with faith and knowledge and attain perfection.
(a) Definition of Sadhu – A man in Krishna consciousness, apparently may be irreligious but if he is wholly and fully Krishna conscious, he is a sadhu.
(b) Definition of ‘Duskrtam’ – Does not care for Krishna consciousness
(c) Prime purpose of any Avatara
- To appease His unalloyed devotees e.g. Prahlada Maharaja and Devaki
- Otherwise the athiests can be dealt with by the Lord’s agents
(d) Ref. Caitanya-caritamrta on (Principles of Incarnation)
- The avatara, or incarnation of Godhead, descends from the kingdom of God for material manifestation.
- And the particular form of the Personality of Godhead who descends is called an incarnation, or avatara.
- Such incarnations are situated in the spiritual world, the kingdom of God. When they descend to the material creation, they assume the name avatara.
(e) Why specifically does Lord Krishna descend (Prime purpose) – To mitigate anxieties of pure devotees who are anxious to see His Vrindavana pastimes.
(f) Who is the ‘Avatara’ for Kali-yuga – Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu
- How does he spread religion and deliver miscreants – Propogated Sankirtan Movement throughout India.
- Sastric proof – This Avatara is mentioned secretly and not directly in Upanisads, Mahabharata and Srimad Bhagavatam.
- Mission
o He does not kill but delivers by causeless mercy
o Predicts the broadcast of Sankirtana movement all over the world
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(a) Definition of Sadhu – A man in Krishna consciousness, apparently may be irreligious but if he is wholly and fully Krishna conscious, he is a sadhu.
(b) Definition of ‘Duskrtam’ – Does not care for Krishna consciousness
(c) Prime purpose of any Avatara
- To appease His unalloyed devotees e.g. Prahlada Maharaja and Devaki
- Otherwise the athiests can be dealt with by the Lord’s agents
(d) Ref. Caitanya-caritamrta on (Principles of Incarnation)
- The avatara, or incarnation of Godhead, descends from the kingdom of God for material manifestation.
- And the particular form of the Personality of Godhead who descends is called an incarnation, or avatara.
- Such incarnations are situated in the spiritual world, the kingdom of God. When they descend to the material creation, they assume the name avatara.
(e) Why specifically does Lord Krishna descend (Prime purpose) – To mitigate anxieties of pure devotees who are anxious to see His Vrindavana pastimes.
(f) Who is the ‘Avatara’ for Kali-yuga – Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu
- How does he spread religion and deliver miscreants – Propogated Sankirtan Movement throughout India.
- Sastric proof – This Avatara is mentioned secretly and not directly in Upanisads, Mahabharata and Srimad Bhagavatam.
- Mission
o He does not kill but delivers by causeless mercy
o Predicts the broadcast of Sankirtana movement all over the world
(a) How the Lord incarnates – By His internal potency – This is indicated by the word ‘Srjami’
- Meaning of ‘Srjami’ – Lord is not created or born but “manifests” as per free will
- ‘Srjami’ is mentioned as “manifests” because Text 4.6 refutes the Lord being born or created, by calling Him as ‘aja’.
(b) When does the Lord incarnate – Usual schedule of Lord’s appearance
- End of Dvapara-yuga of 28th millennium of seventh Manu of a day of Brahma
- But no obligation to rule
(c) For what purpose does the Lord decend – Lord comes to establish “principles of dharma”
- What are the ‘principles of dharma’ – Direct orders of Supreme Personality of Godhead
o Ref. SB 6.3.19 “Dharmam tu…”
- What is ‘Highest dharma’ – Surrender unto Him only
(d) Certain facts about ‘Avatara’
- Mission: Comes with mission, e.g. Lord Buddha came to establish Vedic principles of ‘Nonviolence’
- Sanctioned: Mentioned in scriptures – criteria to accept
- Place: Can appear anywhere, not only on Indian soil
- Message: Speaks as per audience, e.g. higher and lower mathematics
- Common mission:
o To lead people to God-consciousness,
o Obedience to the principles of religion
(e) Bhagavad-gita is for highly advanced people, e.g. Arjuna (higher principles of religion begin with Varna-asrama).
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(a) How the Lord incarnates – By His internal potency – This is indicated by the word ‘Srjami’
- Meaning of ‘Srjami’ – Lord is not created or born but “manifests” as per free will
- ‘Srjami’ is mentioned as “manifests” because Text 4.6 refutes the Lord being born or created, by calling Him as ‘aja’.
(b) When does the Lord incarnate – Usual schedule of Lord’s appearance
- End of Dvapara-yuga of 28th millennium of seventh Manu of a day of Brahma
- But no obligation to rule
(c) For what purpose does the Lord decend – Lord comes to establish “principles of dharma”
- What are the ‘principles of dharma’ – Direct orders of Supreme Personality of Godhead
o Ref. SB 6.3.19 “Dharmam tu…”
- What is ‘Highest dharma’ – Surrender unto Him only
(d) Certain facts about ‘Avatara’
- Mission: Comes with mission, e.g. Lord Buddha came to establish Vedic principles of ‘Nonviolence’
- Sanctioned: Mentioned in scriptures – criteria to accept
- Place: Can appear anywhere, not only on Indian soil
- Message: Speaks as per audience, e.g. higher and lower mathematics
- Common mission:
o To lead people to God-consciousness,
o Obedience to the principles of religion
(e) Bhagavad-gita is for highly advanced people, e.g. Arjuna (higher principles of religion begin with Varna-asrama).
(a) Peculiarity of Lord’s birth
- Lord appears like an ordinary person
- But remembers many many past births
- Common man cannot remember past few hours, therefore no-one can claim to be God
(b) Lord has many incarnations but He is original
- Ref. Vedas – Analogy: Lord is like the Vaidurya stone which changes color but still remains
one (Lord manifests so many innumerable forms)
- Ref. Brahma-Samhita 5.33; 5.39
(c) Qualification to understand these multi-forms – and example of such a qualified person
- Only by pure unalloyed devotion and not by simple study of the Vedas, can one understand
- e.g. Arjuna incarnates as one of the associate devotees in all incarnations
(d) Difference between ‘devotee forgetting the nature of Lord’ and ‘demon not understanding’
- Devotee may forget but by His divine grace, one immediately understands the infallible nature of the Lord
- Non-devotee never understands
(e) Living entity can never equal the Lord (4.5)
- Lord is Achyuta (Infallible) – Never forgets Himself and His previous births even in material contact
- Lord is Advaita – There is no distinction between His body and Self, therefore He does not change His spiritual body and never forgets His past births
- Living entity, however great, spiritually liberated or materially great, can never equal the Lord, e.g. Arjuna
o Materially – He is famous as ‘Parantapa’ (Subduer of enemies)
o Spiritually – is one of the liberated associates
(f) ‘Atma-maya’ (4.6) – means
- Lord descends by ‘internal potency’ and not by ‘external potency’
o Lord’s body and intelligence never deteriorates (‘avyayam’) and is never contaminated by material nature (thus it defeats Mayavada teaching)
o Prakriti means nature or ‘svarupa’ (own form)
o Analogy: His appearance and disappearance are likes the sun’s rising and setting
o He is always the “Lord of all living entities” – evident by wonderful and superhuman acts on Earth
- ‘Atma-maya’ also means that Lord descends by ‘causeless mercy’ so that we can concentrate on His form as He is and not on ‘Mental concoctions and imaginations’
o Ref. Amara-kosa dictionary
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(a) Peculiarity of Lord’s birth
- Lord appears like an ordinary person
- But remembers many many past births
- Common man cannot remember past few hours, therefore no-one can claim to be God
(b) Lord has many incarnations but He is original
- Ref. Vedas – Analogy: Lord is like the Vaidurya stone which changes color but still remains
one (Lord manifests so many innumerable forms)
- Ref. Brahma-Samhita 5.33; 5.39
(c) Qualification to understand these multi-forms – and example of such a qualified person
- Only by pure unalloyed devotion and not by simple study of the Vedas, can one understand
- e.g. Arjuna incarnates as one of the associate devotees in all incarnations
(d) Difference between ‘devotee forgetting the nature of Lord’ and ‘demon not understanding’
- Devotee may forget but by His divine grace, one immediately understands the infallible nature of the Lord
- Non-devotee never understands
(e) Living entity can never equal the Lord (4.5)
- Lord is Achyuta (Infallible) – Never forgets Himself and His previous births even in material contact
- Lord is Advaita – There is no distinction between His body and Self, therefore He does not change His spiritual body and never forgets His past births
- Living entity, however great, spiritually liberated or materially great, can never equal the Lord, e.g. Arjuna
o Materially – He is famous as ‘Parantapa’ (Subduer of enemies)
o Spiritually – is one of the liberated associates
(f) ‘Atma-maya’ (4.6) – means
- Lord descends by ‘internal potency’ and not by ‘external potency’
o Lord’s body and intelligence never deteriorates (‘avyayam’) and is never contaminated by material nature (thus it defeats Mayavada teaching)
o Prakriti means nature or ‘svarupa’ (own form)
o Analogy: His appearance and disappearance are likes the sun’s rising and setting
o He is always the “Lord of all living entities” – evident by wonderful and superhuman acts on Earth
- ‘Atma-maya’ also means that Lord descends by ‘causeless mercy’ so that we can concentrate on His form as He is and not on ‘Mental concoctions and imaginations’
o Ref. Amara-kosa dictionary
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(a) Why does Arjuna question about this doubt
- To defy demoniac and atheistic people who say that ‘Krishna is ordinary’
- Wants Krishna to speak authoritatively
⇒ Benefits of Krishna’s speaking
▪ Krishna’s speech is auspicious for the whole world
▪ Devotees heartily welcome and worship such statements
▪ They are always eager to hear more and more about Krishna
- Wants demons to know that Krishna is superhuman, transcendental and above modes, time and space.
(b) Is Arjuna convinced of Krishna’s position – Yes, as evident from Chapter 10 mentioned in this purport.
(c) What is demoniac standpoint about Krishna’s position? (These points are similar to those mentioned in Purports of 4.1 – 4.3)
- Not like the idea that Krishna is Supreme Personality of Godhead
- Reject Him as ‘Supreme Authority’
- Distort Him according to their understanding
- Find such explanations strange, because they study from their own standpoint
(a) Importance of Bhagavad-gita for Royal order. Why? (4.1)
- To rule the citizens and protect them from material bondage to lust
- To impart “Krishna consciousness” and “value of human life” to citizens by education, culture and devotion
- Thus helps them pursue a successful path of human life
(b) Importance of Bhagavad-gita being given to the sun-god as the first disciple (4.1)
- This indicates that Bhagavad-gita is not a speculative treatise for insignificant mundane scholars but a standard book of knowledge from time immemorial
- Krishna did not give this knowledge to any ordinary person
- He selected sun god because the sun is the king of all planets and controls all planets and is rotating under Krishna’s order (Ref. Brahma Samhita 5.52)
(c) History of Bhagavad-Gita (4.1)
- Exists in human society since Maharaj Iksvaku (2,005,000 years)
- Given to Vivasvan at least 120,400,000 years ago
- Again spoken to Arjuna 5000 years ago. Why? – Because original purpose was scattered by motives of unscrupulous commentators (4.2 purport).
(d) Bhagavad-gita is ‘Apaurusheya’ (Superhuman) (4.1) Because
- Spoken by Supreme Personality of Godhead who is beyond the four defects of conditioned human being
- WARNING! One should accept without mundane interpretation, “as it is”
(e) What is demoniac spirit to approach Bhagavad-gita (4.2 purport)
- Not follow parampara
- Whimsical interpretation and thus they dissipate its value for no one’s benefit
- Using God’s property to make money
- To accept it as a treatise of philosophical speculation – This is simply a waste of time
- Not to accept Krishna as He is and concoct something about Krishna
(f) Importance of this edition (4.2 purport)
- Most of the present editions are not according to authorized disciplic succession
- Need of an edition in line with parampara
- To revive the original purpose of Bhagavad-gita
(g) Arjuna’s qualification (4.3)
- Arjuna is devotee and friend
- Accepts Krishna as Supreme Personality of Godhead
(h) What is real “devotional service to the cause of Bhagavad-gita” (4.3) – Any commentary on Bhagavad-gita in footsteps of Arjuna – This is the only way to benefit from Bhagavad-gita.
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(a) Importance of Bhagavad-gita for Royal order. Why? (4.1)
- To rule the citizens and protect them from material bondage to lust
- To impart “Krishna consciousness” and “value of human life” to citizens by education, culture and devotion
- Thus helps them pursue a successful path of human life
(b) Importance of Bhagavad-gita being given to the sun-god as the first disciple (4.1)
- This indicates that Bhagavad-gita is not a speculative treatise for insignificant mundane scholars but a standard book of knowledge from time immemorial
- Krishna did not give this knowledge to any ordinary person
- He selected sun god because the sun is the king of all planets and controls all planets and is rotating under Krishna’s order (Ref. Brahma Samhita 5.52)
(c) History of Bhagavad-Gita (4.1)
- Exists in human society since Maharaj Iksvaku (2,005,000 years)
- Given to Vivasvan at least 120,400,000 years ago
- Again spoken to Arjuna 5000 years ago. Why? – Because original purpose was scattered by motives of unscrupulous commentators (4.2 purport).
(d) Bhagavad-gita is ‘Apaurusheya’ (Superhuman) (4.1) Because
- Spoken by Supreme Personality of Godhead who is beyond the four defects of conditioned human being
- WARNING! One should accept without mundane interpretation, “as it is”
(e) What is demoniac spirit to approach Bhagavad-gita (4.2 purport)
- Not follow parampara
- Whimsical interpretation and thus they dissipate its value for no one’s benefit
- Using God’s property to make money
- To accept it as a treatise of philosophical speculation – This is simply a waste of time
- Not to accept Krishna as He is and concoct something about Krishna
(f) Importance of this edition (4.2 purport)
- Most of the present editions are not according to authorized disciplic succession
- Need of an edition in line with parampara
- To revive the original purpose of Bhagavad-gita
(g) Arjuna’s qualification (4.3)
- Arjuna is devotee and friend
- Accepts Krishna as Supreme Personality of Godhead
(h) What is real “devotional service to the cause of Bhagavad-gita” (4.3) – Any commentary on Bhagavad-gita in footsteps of Arjuna – This is the only way to benefit from Bhagavad-gita.