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ANNOUNCER: The following is a
class on the Bhagavad-gītā As It
Is, 2nd chapter, text number 7,
by His Divine Grace A. C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami
Prabhupāda, recorded March
1966, in New York.

PRABHUPĀDA: Now Arjuna is
perplexed. He is perplexed in the
matter, whether to fight or not to
fight. That was his perplexity.
After seeing his relatives in front
of him, with whom he was to
fight, he was perplexed. And
there was some argument also
with Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa, of course, did
not encourage him. Now, here is
a point, that Kṛṣṇa is the
Supreme Personality of Godhead.
What is that?

YOUNG MAN: WHAT?

PRABHUPĀDA: What is this book?

YOUNG MAN: Well, this is the,
the, the translation to the
Bhagavad-gītā.

PRABHUPĀDA: WELL, NO, YOU
CAN HEAR ME.

YOUNG MAN: I am hearing. I am
hearing.

PRABHUPĀDA: Yes. Don’t turn
your attention. Just hear me.
Kṛṣṇa, although He is present
there, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, but still, He did not
encourage him. From worldly
point of view, when somebody
says that “I’ll… I give it up. I
don’t want it. I don’t want to
fight with my friends or my
relatives. Better let them enjoy. I
shall forego my claim,” from
worldly point of view, this is a
very, I mean, gentlemanly
behavior, that one is foregoing
his claim for the matter of his
relatives or friends. But Kṛṣṇa is
not encouraging that proposal.
We have to mark it. Kṛṣṇa is not
encouraging. Kṛṣṇa is rather…
Kṛṣṇa is, rather, inducing Arjuna
that “It is not a very good
proposal. It is not befitting your
position. You belong to the Āryan
family. You belong to the
kṣatriya, royal family. And you
are denying to fight? No, no, this
is not good. And I am your
friend. I have taken the
responsibility of your chariot
driver, and, if you do not fight,
what people will say?” So He is
not encouraging. Just see.

Now, here is a good proposal
from the worldly point of view
that Arjuna does not want to
fight, and Kṛṣṇa is not
encouraging him. Now, what is
the point? Somebody may say
that “Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, why He
is encouraging in the matter of
fighting?” People, at the present
moment, when there is a
question of war, people want to
stop that war. At the present
moment, the movement is going
on between all nations that they
do not want war. But here we
see that Kṛṣṇa is not
discouraging war. We have to
mark this point. He is not
discouraging war, but He is,
rather, advocating, inducing
Arjuna that “No, no, no, this is
not befitting your position. You
must fight, must fight.”

So here is a point, that
sometimes we may do something
which is approved by the general
public, but it may not be
approved by the supreme
authority. Superficially it may
appear very appealing to the
sentiment of the public, but
factually such thing may not be
correct, may not be correct. If we
accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, and
“Why He was inducing Arjuna to
fight?” It does not mean that He
was inducing Arjuna to do
something wrong. But from
worldly point of view, Arjuna was
a very pious man and he was
declining to fight, not to kill his
kinsmen, not to kill his friends.
This… This is a very important
point. So he argued, “No, no, if I
fight, my people will die, and
their wives will become widow,
and they will be adulterated, and
then, by adulteration, unwanted
population will increase, and who
will offer śrāddha?” Śrāddha…
There is a ceremony of śrāddha
according to Hindu scripture. I do
not know whether you have in
your Christian religion, but
according to Hindu, a dead body
is offered some respect every
year. Just like death anniversary
observed, similarly, in the family,
the descendants, they offer some
foodstuff after some religious
ceremony. That is called śrāddha.
And it is believed that that
offering goes to the dead
forefathers. So that is a family
religious ceremony. So Arjuna
said that “These people will die.
Who will offer that ablution to
the forefathers?” So from
ordinary point of view, from the
point of view of a family man, he
argued with Kṛṣṇa in so many
ways. And after, at the end, he
decided that “I cannot fight. I
cannot fight.” Then Kṛṣṇa tried to
induce him, and he said that
“Yes, whatever You are saying,
that I am a kṣatriya and I am not
doing my duty, this is all right,
but My mind is perplexed.” So he
was at the same time conscious
that Śrī Kṛṣṇa only can make a
solution of this perplexity. So he
said,

kārpaṇya-doṣopahata-svabhāvaḥ
pṛcchāmi tvāṁ dharma-
sammūḍha-cetāḥ yac chreyaḥ
syān niścitaṁ brūhi tan me śiṣyas
te ’haṁ śādhi māṁ tvāṁ
prapannam

Kārpaṇya-doṣa. Kārpaṇya-doṣa
means a miserly man, miserly
man. He was conscious of the
fact that he was a great hero, he
was a great fighter, and, at the
same time, the enemies were
there. So his actual duty was to
fight with the enemy. They were
offering fight. For a kṣatriya there
are some obligations. If
somebody challenges that “I
want to fight with you,” a
kṣatriya cannot deny. If
somebody challenges, “Yes, I
want to bet with you, gambling,”
a kṣatriya cannot deny. And for
that reason, the Pāṇḍavas lost
their kingdom. The other side, his
cousins, offered them, that “All
right, let us come to betting.” So
betting, the bid was they offered
the kingdom. “Now, if you, if
you,” I mean to say, “defeated, if
you are defeated, then you lose
your kingdom.” So they lost their
kingdom. Then the next, next
offer was that “If you are
defeated, you lost your wife.” So
they lost their wife. And similarly,
they were put: “Now, this time, if
you are defeated, you have to go
to the forest for twelve years.” So
there was a great plan behind
them, and the Pāṇḍavas were
defeated in so many ways, and
they were harassed, embarrassed
for not less than twenty years.
And now they were to fight, face
to face. Now he is not prepared
to fight. That means he has
become miserly, mean he is
deviating from his duty. Now. So
he is conscious that “Practically, I
am deviating from my duty.”
Kārpaṇya-doṣa: “This is my
miserly behavior.” Doṣa. Doṣa
means “It is a fault on my part. I
should not have deviated from
this fighting, but my sentiment
does not allow me to fight with
my kinsmen.” So here is a
perplexity. So kārpaṇya-
doṣopahata-svabhāvaḥ, dharma-
sammūḍha-cetāḥ: “Not only I am
miserly, but I am deviating from
my duty, dharma.” Dharma. This
dharma means, according to
different position… Just like
brāhmaṇa, the intellectual
society; the kṣatriyas, the
administrator society; the
vaiśyas, the mercantile society;
and the śūdras. Śūdras means
the laborer class. So these four
divisions are always. Now you
can name in a different way.
That doesn’t matter. But in every
society and for all time these
divisions are there. So according
to Vedic system, this system is
observed by generation. So he
was a kṣatriya. Now, kṣatriya’s
duty was to fight with the
enemy, and he was not
executing that, I mean to say,
injunction. Therefore, he is
conscious that dharma-
sammūḍha-cetāḥ: “Oh, I am
deviating from my religion also. It
is the duty of kṣatriya. No. So I
am now perplexed.” So yac
chreyaḥ syān niścitam: “Now You
should kindly, definitely say.”
Now, here is a position: “I do not
understand what is to be done.
You kindly…” Yac chreyaḥ syān
niścitam. Niścitam means
definitely what is right. Brūhi tan
me. Now Kṛṣṇa can say, “Well, I
have already saying you that you
should fight, but you are not
carrying out the order.” So he
says that śiṣyas te ’haṁ śādhi
māṁ tvāṁ prapannam. So he
accepted that “All right, whatever
arguments we have done so far,
let us forget that. Now I accept
You as my spiritual master, not
my friend.”

Now, the idea of accepting
spiritual master, that is also very
obligatory. You see? As soon as
you accept one as the spiritual
master. First of all, we have
recorded in your… You have
heard it, that acceptance of
spiritual master must be selected,
you see, after careful
examination, just like one selects
his bride or bridegroom after
careful examination. And in India
they are very careful because the
marriage of the boys and girls
take place under the guidance of
the parents. So the parents very
carefully see. So similarly, if one
has to… The acceptance of
spiritual master is necessary.
According to Vedic injunction,
one, everyone, should have a
spiritual master. Perhaps you
have seen a sacred thread. We
have got sacred thread. Mister
Cohen, you have… This kind of…
Sacred thread. That sacred
thread is the sign that this person
has his spiritual master, has a
spiritual master. Just like… Here,
of course, there is no such
distinction. A married girl… And
according to Hindu system, they
have got some sign so that
people can understand, “This girl
is married.” They put on a red, I
mean to say, painting here so
that others know that “This girl is
married.” And, according to,
what is called this? The division
of the hair? What is this line? You
call?

YOUNG MAN: PART.

PRABHUPĀDA: Eh?

YOUNG MAN: PART.

PRABHUPĀDA: What is the
spelling?

YOUNG MAN: TO PART!

PRABHUPĀDA: To part. This
parting, this parting is also…
There is some meaning. When
the parting is here, in the middle,
then that girl has her husband
and she is coming from
respectable family. And if the, I
mean to say, partition is here,
then she is a prostitute. You see?
A prostitute cannot… There was
king’s ruling that a prostitute
cannot (laughs) part here. And
then again, when a girl is well
dressed, it should be considered
that she has got her husband at
home. And when she is not well
dressed, then it should be
understood that her husband is
out of home. You see? And a
widow’s dress… There are so
many. There are symptoms. So
similarly, this thread, sacred
thread, is a sign that this person
has accepted somebody as his
spiritual master. He has got his…
Just like this red mark symbolizes
that “This girl has her husband,”
similarly, this sacred thread is the
symbol that “This man has got
his spiritual master.” So there is a
ceremony. You see? So according
to Vedic system, one has to
accept a spiritual master in order
to make a solution of his life. In
every step of his life the spiritual
master guides him. He also
makes question to the spiritual
master and he guides him so that
he will, his life, his progress of
life, may be systematic.

Now, to take such guidance
means the spiritual master
should also be a very perfect
man. Otherwise, how can he
guide? Now, here Arjuna knows
that Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the perfect
person. So therefore he is
accepting Him as śiṣyas te ’haṁ
śādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam: “I
am just surrendering unto You,
You self, Yourself, and You
accept me as Your disciple
because friendly talks cannot
make a solution of the
perplexity.” Friendly talks may be
going on for years together, but
there is no solution. Here,
accepting Kṛṣṇa as the spiritual
master means whatever Kṛṣṇa
will decide, he has to accept. One
cannot deny the order of a
spiritual master. Therefore one
has to select a spiritual master
whose order, carrying, you’ll not
commit a mistake. You see?
Now, suppose if you accept a
wrong person as spiritual master,
and if you, if he guides you
wrongly, then your whole life is
spoiled. So one has to accept a
spiritual master whose guidance
will make his life perfect. That is
the relation between spiritual
master and disciple. It is not a
formality. It is a great
responsibility both for the disciple
and for the spiritual master.
And… Yes?

YOUNG MAN (2): But if the
disciple is in ignorance before…

PRABHUPĀDA: YES.

YOUNG MAN (2): …how does he
know which master to choose? I
mean, because he doesn’t have
the knowledge…

PRABHUPĀDA: YES.

YOUNG MAN (2): …to make a
wise selection.

PRABHUPĀDA: Yes. Yes. So the
first thing is that one should be
searching after a disciple, er, or
searching after a spiritual master.
Now, just like you search after
some school. You search after
some school. So when you are
searching after some school, you
must have at least some
preliminary knowledge what a
school means. You cannot search
after a school and go to a cloth
shop. If you are so ignorant that
you do not know what is a school
and what is a cloth shop, then it
is very difficult for you. You must
know, at least, what is a school.
So that knowledge is like this:
tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva
abhigacchet, samit-pāṇiḥ
śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham [MU
1.2.12]. The spiritual master is
required for a person who is
inquisitive to have transcendental
knowledge. He requires a
spiritual master. You see? So
there is another verse in Śrīmad-
Bhāgavatam: tasmād guruṁ
prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya
uttamam [SB 11.3.21]. Tasmād
guruṁ prapadyeta: “One should
search after a spiritual master
who is inquisitive about
transcendental subject matter.”
So unless one is at least
conversant with the preliminary
knowledge of transcendental
matters… That transcendental
matter here you can see. Arjuna
is perplexed, and now he wants a
definite answer. This is the
inquiry about transcendental
subject matter. So every human
being has to inquire. The inquiry
must be there. What is that
inquiry? That inquiry is that,
preliminary, that every human
being is suffering. A ignorant
man… Just like a cat and dog or
an animal. They are suffering,
but they do not understand.
Suffering they do not
understand. Just like we have
seen… Of course, here animals
are slaughtered in
slaughterhouse. In, according to
Hindu system, of course, cow
killing is not allowed. But there
are meat-eaters. So according to
Hindu system, if anyone wants to
eat meat, he should take a goat.
According to Hindu system, only
goats and lambs can be killed for
meat-eating, no other animals,
no other animals. Cow is not…
forbidden. Just like, in, in, the
Hindus, they do not eat cow’s
flesh. And the Muslims, they do
not eat, I mean to say, hogs.
Hog’s flesh they do not eat. They
have got some sentiment. But
meat-eating is also there in the
Hindu society, but that is only by
goat’s meat or lamb’s meat,
generally goat. Generally goat.
Now, these goats are sacrificed
before a goddess Kālī, Goddess
Kālī. So I have seen it, that one
animal is being killed,
slaughtered, and the, another
animal, which will be slaughtered
next, he’s… It has been given
some grass, and it is standing
there. You see? It has no
knowledge that “My next turn is
mine,” so it is not going away. So
this is animal. This is animal. A
human, human being, is not so
fool. If there is sign that “Next
time my killing is to be taken up,”
then he… At least he will protest
or try to go away, something like
that. But there is no such thing.
So the distinction between animal
and man is that that animal is
not aware of the sufferings he is
undergoing. There are sufferings
both for the animals and for the
man, but man is conscious. If a
man is not awakened to his
suffering, then he is in animal
consciousness. There are
sufferings both for the animals
and for the man, but man is
conscious. If a man is not
awakened to his suffering, then
he is in animal consciousness.

We should not forget that we are
always under suffering. There are
three kinds of sufferings. I don’t
say about this economic problem
or… That is also another
suffering. But according to Vedic
knowledge—or it is a fact—there
are three kinds of suffering. One
kind of suffering belonging to the
body and the mind… Now,
suppose I am getting some
headache. Now I am feeling very
warm, I am feeling very cold, and
so many bodily sufferings there
are. Similarly, we have got
sufferings of the mind. My mind
is not well today. I have been…
Somebody has called me
something. So I am suffering. Or
I have lost something or some
friend, so many things. So
sufferings of the body and mind,
and then sufferings by the
nature, nature. This is called
adhidaivika, which we have to
control. In every suffering we
have no control, especially…
Suppose there is heavy snowfall.
The whole New York City is
flooded with the snow, and we
are all put into inconvenience.
That’s a sort of suffering. But you
have no control. You cannot stop
snow falling. You see? If some,
some, there is wind, cold wind,
you cannot stop it. This is called
adhidaivika suffering. And the
suffering of the mind and
suffering of the body is called
adhyātmika. And there is other
sufferings, adhibhautika, attack
by other living beings, my
enemy, some animal or some
worm, so many. So these three
kinds of sufferings are there
always. Always. And… But we do
not want all these sufferings.
When this question comes… Now
here Arjuna is conscious that
“There is a fight, and it is my
duty to fight with the enemy, but
there is suffering because they
are my kinsmen.” So he’s feeling
that. So unless a human being is
conscious and awakened to the
fact that we are always in
suffering but we do not want all
these sufferings… This question…
Such a person is required to
approach a spiritual master,
when he is conscious. You see?
So long he is animal-like, that he
does not know that he’s always
in suffering… He does not know,
he does not care, or he does not
want to make a solution. And
here Arjuna is suffering, and he
wants to make a solution, and
therefore he accepts a spiritual
master. So when we are
conscious of our sufferings, we
are awakened to the suffering
situation… Suffering is there.
Forgetfulness or ignorance of
suffering is no meaning.
Suffering is there. But when one
is very serious to make a solution
of his suffering, then a spiritual
master required. Just Arjuna
requires now a spiritual master.
Is it clear? Yes. So that suffering
is there. It does not require any
education, simply thinking that, a
slight thinking, that “I do not
want all these sufferings, but I
am suffering. Why? Is there any
solution? Is there…?” But there is
solution. All these scriptures, all
these Vedic knowledge,
everything… And not only Vedic
knowledge… Now… Oh, why you
are going to school? Why you are
going to college? Why you are
taking scientific education? Why
you are taking law education?
Everything is meant for ending
our sufferings. If there was no
suffering, then nobody would
have taken education. You see?
But he thinks that “If I educated,
if I become a doctor or if I
become a lawyer or if I become
an engineer, I will be happy.”
Happy. That is the ultimate aim.
“I will get a good job,
government job. I’ll be happy.”
So happiness is the end of every,
I mean to say, pursuance. So…
But these mitigation of
sufferings, they are temporary.
Real suffering, real suffering is
due to our, this material
existence, these three kinds of
suffering. So when one is
conscious about his suffering and
he wants to make a solution of
this suffering, then there is
necessary of a spiritual master.
Now, if you want to make a
solution of your sufferings, and
you want to consult a person,
now what sort of person you
must meet who can end your all
sufferings? That selection must
be there. If you want to purchase
a jewel, diamond, and very
valuable thing, and if you go to a
grocer’s shop… Such kind of
ignorance—you must be cheated.
You must be cheated. At least
you must approach to a jewelry
shop. Jewelry shop, you see? So
much knowledge you must have.
So is that question solved?

YOUNG MAN (2): YES, YES.

PRABHUPĀDA: Yes. The, the
necessity of a spiritual master is
for him who is conscious of his
material suffering. If one is not
conscious of his material
suffering, then he is not even on
the human being status. He’s still
in the animal status. Animal
status, you see? Now, the
modern civilization… The modern
civilization is practically… They
are evading, evading the real
sufferings. They are engaged in
temporary sufferings. But the
Vedic system is Vedic knowledge.
They are meant for ending the
sufferings of…, for good,
sufferings for good. You see? The
human life is meant for that,
ending all suffering. Of course,
we are trying to end all kinds of
suffering. Our business, our
occupation, our education, our
advancement of knowledge—
everything is meant for ending
suffering. But that suffering is
temporary, temporary. But we
have to end the sufferings for
good. Suffering… That sort of
knowledge is called
transcendental knowledge, and if
anyone is seeking after that
transcendental… This Bhagavad-
gītā is not an ordinary thing. It is
transcendental knowledge. And
now here the ground is prepared.
Ground is prepared. Arjuna is
conscious of his suffering,
perplexity. Now he is seeking a
spiritual master.

So the, the… We should take the
position of Arjuna, disciple. When
a disciple is serious about
making, about making a solution
of the suffering, then he requires
a spiritual master. And what sort
of spiritual master? Kṛṣṇa, the
most perfect man, the most
perfect man. So a spiritual
master is representative of Kṛṣṇa.
Of course, Kṛṣṇa is not present
before us. But at least we must
have a person as our spiritual
master who represents Kṛṣṇa.
And who can represent Kṛṣṇa?
One who is devotee of Kṛṣṇa, in
the line, disciplic succession. You
see? So see here. Arjuna accepts
Kṛṣṇa as the spiritual master.
Now, question may be that “Why
Arjuna…? There was many
learned men, not only Kṛṣṇa, but
there were Vyāsadeva and other
great sages and brāhmaṇas.
Why…?” Kṛṣṇa was also kṣatriya.
Kṛṣṇa was not a brāhmaṇa. Of
course, He took His, mean… He
appeared in the family of a
kṣatriya. And they were cousin-
brothers. Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, they
were cousin-brothers. Kṛṣṇa was
the son of the brother, and
Arjuna was the son of the sister.
Arjuna’s mother and Kṛṣṇa’s
father, they were brother and
sister. So they are in the family
relation. They were intimately
related, and at the same time,
they were of the same age and
friends. Now, the question may
be: “Why Kṛṣṇa is accepted as
the spiritual master?” That is the
selection of the disciple, that
Arjuna says,

na hi prapaśyāmi
mamāpanudyād yac chokam
ucchoṣaṇam indriyāṇām avāpya
bhūmāv asapatnam ṛddhaṁ
rājyaṁ surāṇām api cādhipatyam

Now, he says that “I am so
perplexed that my lamentation
cannot be satisfied even if I get
the kingdom of the universe. I
am going to fight for the
kingdom only of this earth, or the
India.” Of course, formerly, India
means Bhārata. Now India is a
name given by the foreigners.
The real name of this planet is
Bhāratavarṣa, this planet. Now,
gradually, it has been cut up. It
has been cut up, just like we
have got immediate experience
that some portion of India is now
cut up, and that is named
Pakistan. You know, all. Similarly,
this whole planet, five thousand
years before, this whole planet
was known as Bhāratavarṣa.
Bhāratavarṣa. And before that,
thousands and millions of years
before, this planet was known as
Ilāvṛtavarṣa. Ilāvṛtavarṣa. And
now, since the time of Emperor
Bharata… There was an emperor
whose name was Bharata. So
from the name of Bharata, this
planet’s name became
Bhāratavarṣa. So up to five
thousand years before… Why five
thousand years before? Say, up
to four thousand years before,
although the modern history
cannot give account,
chronological account, more than
2,500 years, but we are
speaking… About four thousand
years before, this planet was
called Bhāratavarṣa. Now, Arjuna
says that “We are going to fight
for the matter of this
Bhāratavarṣa planet. This is one
of the planet in the universe. But
if I get the whole planets of this,
the complete planets of this
universe, and without any
competitor, still, the perplexity
which has arisen in my mind,
that cannot be mitigated.” So…
Now, see what sort, what sort of
responsibility is given to the
Kṛṣṇa. Sañjaya uvāca. Now,
Sañjaya said,

evam uktvā hṛṣīkeśaṁ guḍākeśaḥ
parantapaḥ na yotsya iti
govindam uktvā tūṣṇīṁ babhūva
ha

“Just saying this, Arjuna became
silent: ‘Oh, I cannot fight.’ ”

tam uvāca hṛṣīkeśaḥ prahasann
iva bhārata senayor ubhayor
madhye viṣīdantam idaṁ vacaḥ

Now here Kṛṣṇa is addressed as
Hṛṣīkeśa. Hṛṣīkeśa… We should
always remember that Kṛṣṇa is
the Supreme Personality of
Godhead.He is present as
incarnation. Now, God is all-
powerful. God is all-powerful. So
if He comes before you, you
cannot deny, that “How is that,
God has come?” You cannot say
that. If God is all-powerful, then
it is His choice. It is His free will.
He can come before you, come
before you, provided you are
such qualified devotee. So there
cannot be any solid argument
that “God cannot come” or
“God…” Of course, so far Vedic
literatures are concerned, they
accept the incarnation of God. So
Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, and so He is
addressed as Hṛṣīkeśa. Hṛṣīka…
Hṛṣīkeśa, it has got a significant,
significant meaning. Hṛṣīka.
Hṛṣīka means the senses, hṛṣīka.
And īśa. Īśa means Lord. Īśa
means Lord. So He is the Lord of
the senses. He is the Lord of the
senses. Similarly, Govinda,
Govinda… Here also, Govinda
name is also there. Yes. Na
yotsya… Na yotsya iti govindam
uktvā tūṣṇīṁ babhūva ha.
Govindam. Govinda. Go means
also senses. Go means cow, go
means land, and go means
sense. And inda. Inda (?) means
pleasure. One who gives pleasure
to the cow, one who gives
pleasure to the land, one who
gives pleasure to the senses—so
His name is Govinda. Now, two
things, two names, are used
here. So we should try to
understand what is the meaning
of Hṛṣīkeśa. Hṛṣīka means
indriya, and īśa means Lord. So
whatever senses we have got,
the actually the proprietor of the
senses—not myself. The
proprietor of the senses is God.
Just like we are sitting in this
room. This room is allotted for
our sitting under some
consideration of rent or whatever
it may be, but this room is not
ours. That’s a fact. We should
not consider that “This is… I am
the proprietor of the room.”
Although I am using it to my
heart’s desire, as I like, that is a
different thing. But as soon as
there is some misunderstanding
or the landlord says, “Now you
cannot room in this room.
Vacate,” I have to vacate. You
see? Similarly, this is also just like
room, this, our body. This body is
given to us by God under certain
condition, and as soon as God
likes that “You should vacate
from this body,” I have to vacate.
Nobody can allow us to stay
here. And besides that… Just like
my hand, my hand, this hand…
Now, suppose if this hand is
paralyzed… the power of this
hand is so long, so long there is
power from the Supreme.
Otherwise, if my hand is
paralyzed, there is no remedy.
There is no remedy. You see? So
we are not the owner of this
body, not the owner of the
senses. The senses are just like
hired, hired from the Supreme
Lord. This is a very subtle
understanding. One should know.
So therefore actually the
proprietor of the senses is God.
Now, if I am the proprietor of this
tape recorder, then it should be
utilized for my purpose. Anything
which I own, that should be
utilized for my purpose. Your
things should be utilized for your
purpose. So if God is the
proprietor of our senses, then
these senses must be used for
God’s purpose. That is the
constitutional position. That is
the constitutional position. Now,
when these senses are used for
other than God’s purpose, that is
bondage, conditioned life. When
the senses are purified and it is
used for God’s purpose, that is
natural life. That is natural life.
So whole trouble is that although
our senses and everything,
whatever we have got… There is
Īśopaniṣad, a part of Vedas. It is
stated there that īśāvāsyam idaṁ
sarvam: “Everything, whatever
you see, that belongs to God.”
That belongs to God. Now, it is
our misunderstanding that we
are claiming… All the people of
the world, they are claiming as
proprietor. Now, just like this
American land. American land,
now you are claiming as the
proprietor. But is it a fact?
Actually are you proprietor? Eh?
Now, say, some hundreds and
hundreds years, when Columbus
came, so there were no
Americans here, and so you were
not proprietor. The land was
there. Now, when you shall go
away, the land will also be there.
So the land belongs to God, and
everything… Now, we say that
we have manufactured this
typewriter. Now, this typewriter,
the now ingredient, the iron,
have we manufactured iron? No.
Iron is received from the mines.
It is given by God. Nobody can
manufacture iron. Nobody can
manufacture anything. They can
transform from one thing to
another. They can bring out the
iron from the mine. They can
melt, and they can transform the
shape of the metal in a different
way. So that they can do, but
they cannot produce iron. They
cannot produce anything—wood,
iron, earth, anything, whatever.

So real proprietor is God. Real
proprietor is God, everything.
Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam. This is
God consciousness. This is God
consciousness. One who is in God
consciousness, he is a perfect
man. He is a perfect man. So
here, the significant word,

tam uvāca hṛṣīkeśaḥ prahasann
iva bhārata senayor ubhayor
madhye viṣīdantam idaṁ vacaḥ

Now, Kṛṣṇa is smiling. Kṛṣṇa is
smiling because that “Just see.
Arjuna is such a hero. He is My
friend, and now he is so much
perplexed.” Now, when he sat
down and he, Arjuna, accepted
Kṛṣṇa as the spiritual master,
now Kṛṣṇa begins to speak. Śrī-
bhagavān uvāca. Śrī-bhagavān
uvāca. Here the book does not
say, kṛṣṇaḥ uvāca. Śrī-bhagavān
uvāca. Now, we should
understand what is the meaning
of bhagavān. Bhaga… Bhaga
means opulence. Opulence.
There are six kinds of opulence.
And what are…? Yes.

YOUNG MAN (2): IT MEANS
WHAT?

PRABHUPĀDA: Opulence.

YOUNG MAN (2): OPULENCE.

PRABHUPĀDA: Do you follow,
opulence?

YOUNG MAN (2): YES, I DO.

PRABHUPĀDA: Yes. So what are
these opulences? Wealth is
opulence. Then strength is
opulence. Then… Aiśvaryasya
samagrasya vīryasya. Strength
and fame. Fame is also opulence.
Just like Lord Jesus Christ. The
whole Christian world knows.
Lord Kṛṣṇa everyone knows. Or
the, apart from them, President
Johnson. Now the whole America
and the whole world knows who
is President Johnson. Mahatma
Gandhi. The famous. So fame is
also opulence. And nobody
knows me, but he is also a
person. He is known throughout
the whole world. So this is an
opulence. Just like your
Rockefellers. They are very rich.
So everyone knows in the world.
So they are opulent, opulent by
wealth. Similarly, somebody is
opulent by fame, and somebody
is opulent by strength. And so
strength is opulence, wealth is
opulence, and fame is opulence.
And then beauty; beauty is also
opulence. If one, one man or
woman, is very beautiful, he
attracts persons. He attracts. So
anything that attracts, that is
called opulence. A wealthy man
attracts. A strong man attracts. A
famous man attracts. If
somebody, famous man, comes
here, oh, so many people will
gather to receive him.

So these are opulences: wealth,
strength, fame, beauty,
knowledge and renunciation—six
things.