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When we study yogic siddhis, we hear that powerful yogīs can expand themselves into up to eight forms. Kardama Muni, who was an exceptionally powerful yogī, could expand into nine to produce nine children in Devahūti. This is technically called kāya-vyūha (multiplication of the body), a subsection of kāmāvasāyitā, one of the eight mystical perfections, which allows the yogī to obtain anything to the highest possible limit.

However, this mystical perfection has a critical limitation: it manifests additional bodies, but it does not expand one’s consciousness. There is thus still just one consciousness controlling multiple bodies. As a result, the bodies can be used to perform a single activity, like in the case of Kardama Muni. We can imagine it as having more hands. We have two hands, but generally we can’t use both hands to perform two different activities. Not many will be able to play a piano in one hand and a flute using the other simultaneously. Adding more hands would not solve the underlying problem.

Kṛṣṇa can also expand in many forms, but there are two huge differences:

a) He can expand Himself in an unlimited number of forms, as He did to accept 16,108 wives. This was just a small demonstration in this particular universe. He does the same in millions and billions of other universes, sometimes marrying millions of wives at once.

b) Different from ordinary yogīs, each expansion of Kṛṣṇa is fully complete, just like the original. This is illustrated in the experience of Nārada Muni:

“Nārada then entered the palace of another of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s wives, my dear King. He was eager to witness the spiritual potency possessed by the master of all masters of mystic power. There he saw the Lord playing at dice with His beloved consort and His friend Uddhava. Lord Kṛṣṇa worshiped Nārada by standing up, offering him a seat, and so on, and then, as if He did not know, asked him, “When did you arrive? What can needy persons like Us do for those who are full in themselves? In any case, My dear brāhmaṇa, please make My life auspicious.” Thus addressed, Nārada was astonished. He simply stood up silently and went to another palace. This time Nāradajī saw that Lord Kṛṣṇa was engaged as an affectionate father petting His small children. From there he entered another palace and saw Lord Kṛṣṇa preparing to take His bath. In one place the Lord was offering oblations into the sacrificial fires; in another, worshiping through the five mahā-yajñas; in another, feeding brāhmaṇas; and in yet another, eating the remnants of food left by brāhmaṇas.”
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Thus in every palace Nārada saw the Lord in His same personal form, executing the transcendental principles of religion that purify those engaged in household affairs. Having repeatedly seen the vast mystic display of Lord Kṛṣṇa, whose power is unlimited, the sage was amazed and filled with wonder.” (SB 10.69.19-24,41-42)

Such power demonstrated by Kṛṣṇa can sound incredible for someone who hears it for the first time, but devotees get used to it. That’s just who Kṛṣṇa is. He is unlimitedly powerful, and therefore can perform such unbelievable feats.

What can be more surprising is that perfect devotees can also do something similar to a certain extent. They can also become many. See this passage from the Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta describing the experience of Gopa-kumāra visiting Vaikuṇṭha:

“Some were with their families, some with an array of things, and others had left their families and things outside. Some had absorbed all that they had into themselves, and like beggars without possessions they came alone, immersed in the moods of devotional meditation. The Vaikuṇṭha devotees who preferred a more meditative mood of service hid, within their own transcendental bodies, the families and property Lord Nārāyaṇa had awarded them. So the devotees arriving in Vaikuṇṭha were full in all powers and showed the full range of devotional variegatedness in their pastimes of worshiping the Supreme Lord in perfect ecstasy. Some assumed different forms at different times, with all kinds of ornaments, bodily features, and ways of acting, all exceedingly attractive. The Vaikuṇṭha devotees not only acted in many different ways but also assumed many differing forms, including even those of animals, birds, and trees. Some devotees would show one form for some time and then change into another.” (Bb 2.4.34-36)

Later in the book, this is explained more explicitly to Gopa-kumāra by Nārada Muni:

“Just as the one Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa exists in many forms and many places, so also do we, His servants. So it is with all of us — Śrī Garuḍa and other attendants, devotees like Śrīmān Hanumān, and our friend Uddhava, and others too, like these Yādavas. All the Lord’s personal associates are at His hand like playthings. They are always fully dedicated to His service. Each assumes a variety of forms yet stays essentially one, just like the Lord Himself.” (Bb 2.5.52-54)

In his commentary, Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmi mentions:

“Devotees like Garuḍa and Śeṣa are associates of the Lord of Vaikuṇṭha, whereas Hanumān, Jāmbavān, and others are servants of Lord Rāmacandra. Hanumān sings the glories of Lord Rāma in the Kimpuruṣa-loka of the Bhūloka region and simultaneously in the Ayodhyā of Vaikuṇṭha. And Uddhava, whom Gopa-kumāra can see right before him, is simultaneously one of the principal companions of Kṛṣṇa in Dvārakā on earth, along with the Yādavas, the Pāṇḍavas, and others. Considering the topic too confidential to bring up just now, Nārada chooses not to mention Kṛṣṇa’s devotees in Śrī Goloka. As Śrī Kṛṣṇacandra, the original Supreme Person, expands Himself into innumerable forms of Godhead, when required for service to the Lord His eternal associates can also expand themselves into many forms. Perpetually dedicated to worshiping Him, they are willing instruments in the enactment of His pleasure pastimes. Whatever gives the Lord happiness is also their satisfaction. So when He expands Himself and His abode into all sorts of forms, they accompany Him in suitably corresponding forms. Gopa-kumāra should therefore not be amazed that Nārada appears in many places at once for the service of the Lord.”

This makes the point that perfect devotees show the same opulences as Kṛṣṇa in a minute form, and this includes even the possibility of appearing in different forms simultaneously and performing different activities, both in different abodes of the spiritual world and in different places in the material universes. Just as Kṛṣṇa is one but becomes many, these devotees can also become many while remaining one.

There are also descriptions of great historical personalities being partial incarnations of perfect devotees. This shows how they can also create partial expansions that manifest only part of their transcendental opulences, as well as empower embodied souls with their power or devotion, enabling them to perform extraordinary activities.

This point is also revealed in the Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta:

“Just as the demigods who have entered the material creation are counterparts of the Lord’s Vaikuṇṭha associates, those eternal associates from Vaikuṇṭha are incarnations of the Goloka devotees. Yet like the demigods themselves, those very devotees appear on earth now and again for the pleasure of Lord Viṣṇu when He wants to enjoy various pastimes. And just as the incarnations of Kṛṣṇa, the source of all incarnations, are nondifferent from Him, the incarnations of the Goloka-vāsīs, the residents of Goloka, are nondifferent from them. The Goloka-vāsīs are born sometimes as partial expansions and sometimes as their full selves. Like Kṛṣṇa, they vary their appearance for the time, place, and need.” (Bb 2.6.203-205)

In his commentary, Sanātana Gosvāmi explains that superficially, it may appear that many of the Vraja-vāsīs who appeared on earth during Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes were incarnations of demigods. It is mentioned, for example, that Nanda Maharaja was the incarnation of Droṇa, one of the eight Vasus. This is, however, just how it appears from the material perspective. In reality, it is the precise opposite. These demigods are partial incarnations of these perfect devotees, and when they come personally to join Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes, these partial incarnations merge into them, just like all Viṣnu forms merge into Kṛṣṇa when He personally comes.

The perfect associates from Goloka also expand themselves as Vaikuṇṭha-vāsīs to accompany the Lord in His pastimes there. As Kṛṣṇa expands Himself into Viṣnu, Nanda Maharaja, for example, expands himself as Śrī Nanda to accompany Him. Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī expands herself as Lakṣmī-devī, and so on.

There is more: these same associates of Lord Nārāyaṇa, many of whom rule their own Vaikuṇṭha planets, expand themselves in the material world, appearing as the different demigods in all the different material universes. In this case, however, we are not speaking about direct personal incarnations, but about empowered living beings. The names of demigods, like Indra, Candra, Vāyu, and so on, are originally names of eternal associates in Vaikuṇṭha. These associates empower different living beings in different universes to act as demigods. These demigods also inherit their names. We have thus the original Indra, the eternal associate of Lord Nārāyaṇa, and the many Indras in different material universes, which are jīvas empowered by him.

There is then another side. Often jīvas who are empowered by eternal associates later join the lila as servants of the same associates. For example, the daughters of the demigods who desired to have Kṛṣṇa as their husband were empowered by the eternal gopīs to manifest pure devotion to Kṛṣṇa, and later took birth in Vraja as servants of the same gopīs and thus joined Kṛṣṇa’s eternal pastimes.

This is explained by Bhaktivinoda Thākura in chapter 32 of the Jaiva-dharma:

“Vijaya, “I can grasp this description of the sādhana-para-gopīs, now kindly explain who are the Devīs?”
Gosvāmī, “When the aṁśa, partial expansion, of Kṛṣṇa incarnates in Svarga as a Deva, the nitya–priyā–gopīs also appear there in their aṁśas as Devīs to please Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, when Kṛṣṇa appears in Vraja-gokula, in His pūrṇa–rūpa, full expansion, then these Devīs also take birth in Gokula as the young gopīs known as the prāṇa–sakhīs. The prāṇa–sakhīs engage as assistants of the nitya-priyā-gopīs who are the aṁśanīs, fountainhead sources, from whom these Devīs originally emanated as aṁśas for service to Kṛṣṇa in His forms as particular Devas in Svarga.”

The nitya–priyā–gopīs are the original, eternally perfect gopīs. They appear as the daughters of the demigods as aṁśas. In this particular case, the word is used in the sense of them empowering jīvas who attain perfection through the practice of sādhana with a small fragment of their potency.

This particular point is confirmed by Jīva Gosvāmi in the Kṛṣṇa-sandarbha (43), where he mentions both possibilities. Sometimes eternal associates can appear as expansions, which merge back into them when they personally come. In other situations, they can empower individual jīvas who later appear as separate associates, joining thus the lila.

Another category is formed by demigods appearing as incarnations, such as Yamarāja appearing as Vidura and Brahmā appearing as Haridāsa Thākura. In this case, it is usually the same soul accepting temporarily a different body to join Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes on earth and later returning to his position as a demigod. In the case of Yamarāja, for example, it is explicitly described that Aryamā temporarily assumed his post while he was present on earth as Vidura. In other cases, no replacement may be necessary. In the case of Brahmā, for example, 100 years on earth equal just 0.001 seconds of his time. Brahmā therefore became absent for just a fraction of a second in Brahmaloka to join Mahāprabhu’s pastimes and then resumed his duties. In these cases, a demigod may attain perfection as an associate of the Lord but still have to return to complete his duties before going back home, back to Godhead, just as a devotee from our planet will not simply drop dead after attaining pure devotion; he will still have to complete his allotted life.

The central point is that there are different mechanisms for the appearances of the eternal associates of the Lord. The essential background is simple: as the Lord expands Himself to perform His different pastimes, His eternal associates also expand themselves to accompany Him. However, they can do that in different ways, and thus when we try to examine it from a technical perspective, the topic quickly becomes confusing. The main point is to understand that in all cases the individuality of the soul is preserved.

No jīva merges into the associates (except in temporary circumstances, when two souls can temporarily share the same body used in service), and an associate does not divide himself into independent souls. When a partial manifestation is described as merging back into an associate, this means that the expansion is being absorbed into the original personality, not that one individual soul is merged into another.

Similarly, when a devotee is described as joining the pastimes as a servant of an eternal associate, it means a distinct jīva who has attained perfection through the mercy and empowerment of that associate, or, in some cases, another eternal associate who is related to the first. In either case, the individuality of the soul is preserved.

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Chapter Nine: The Friend Who Never Left

The next morning, Mādhava returned with the Fourth Canto in his backpack. He had put effort into studying Nārada’s explanations in chapter 29 and comparing them with the previous conversation.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Haribol! So, did you find the answers?

Mādhava Dāsa: I think so. But I also found another interesting point. After Nārada finishes telling the story, King Prācīnabarhi admits that he didn’t understand it.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: And what does that tell you?

Mādhava Dāsa: That I was not the only one.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa laughed.

Mādhava Dāsa: But at least Prācīnabarhi was honest about it. He was an expert in performing sacrifices, and surely learned in many areas, but he could not understand the spiritual meaning of the allegory, because his intelligence was absorbed in fruitive activities. He was too absorbed in karma.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Yes. But now let’s see how Nārada explains it. See how he describes the relationship between the soul and intelligence in text five.

Mādhava Dāsa: He explains that by taking shelter of the material intelligence, the soul develops the concepts of “I” and “mine” and becomes absorbed in the senses, enjoying and suffering.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: So, how did Purañjana become separated from his original friend?

Mādhava Dāsa: By identifying with the material body and intelligence. He became so absorbed in material enjoyment that he forgot the Lord.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Notice that this forgetfulness doesn’t mean that the Lord abandoned him. Paramātmā remains with him at all times, but Purañjana no longer recognizes Him. In the allegory, the Lord is there the whole time, but Purañjana is too occupied with the woman, the city, and his plans for enjoyment to notice Him.

Mādhava Dāsa: This means that the separation is in consciousness; it is not about physical location.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Exactly. But let’s examine the Sanskrit more carefully. Let’s return to chapter 28, text 55.

Mādhava opened the passage.

sa tvaṁ vihāya māṁ bandho, gato grāmya-matir mahīm
vicaran padam adrākṣīḥ, kayācin nirmitaṁ striyā

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: What does the expression vihāya mām mean?

Mādhava Dāsa: Having left me.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: And what comes immediately afterward?

Mādhava Dāsa: Grāmya-matiḥ. Materialistic consciousness.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: You can see that these two expressions are connected. Purañjana leaves the company of the Lord and becomes absorbed in material consciousness. He gives up his position of service and tries to enjoy independently in the material world.

This explains the process of the soul turning his attention away from the Lord and becoming absorbed in matter.

Kṛṣṇa does not abandon anyone. He is always with each one of us. All the time, even here in the material world. The separation happens because the soul turns his attention away from Him. It is similar to when you are with someone and the person spends the whole time looking at his phone. You are with him, but he is not with you.

Mādhava Dāsa: I can relate to this example...

So this is the meaning of the expression kṛṣṇa-bahirmukha, turning our face away from Kṛṣṇa.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: And this turning away is connected with the misuse of our minute independence. No one is forcing your friend to look at his phone. It is his own decision.

Prabhupāda explains this very clearly in his purport to text 53, in chapter 29.

When the soul desires to enjoy independently, he develops a consciousness of duality and becomes averse to serving the Lord. He quotes the famous expression from Prema-vivarta: kṛṣṇa-bahirmukha hañā bhoga-vāñchā kare, nikaṭa-stha māyā tāre jāpaṭiyā dhare.

When the soul turns away from Kṛṣṇa and desires material enjoyment, māyā, who is nearby, captures him.

Apart from Kṛṣṇa, no one can be independent. We need to be always under some shelter. If we choose not to be under the shelter of internal potency, we fall under the shelter of the external potency.

Mādhava Dāsa: This means that the cause of material conditioning is our desire to enjoy separately from Kṛṣṇa. Māyā does not forcibly drag the soul away.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Exactly. If Māyā could simply invade the spiritual world and take the Lord’s associates away, no one would be safe there.

One could then ask why Kṛṣṇa gives us free will, if this independence can cause us so much trouble. The point is that free will is a prerequisite for love. Love has to be voluntary, and without free will there is no question of voluntary love. We are not machines programmed to serve Kṛṣṇa. We are conscious individuals who can voluntarily direct our love toward Him.

When the soul desires to enjoy separately, Kṛṣṇa respects that choice and lets us come into material bondage. But His affection for us does not disappear. He follows us as Paramātmā.

This is what makes the allegory so significant. We have rejected Kṛṣṇa’s company, but He continues accompanying us. He remains with us through all the different bodies we pass through. He patiently waits for us to turn again towards Him.

Mādhava Dāsa: What about the original home mentioned in the previous verse? If the separation is created by the change of consciousness, does this mean that the original home refers simply to our original consciousness?

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: We should not jump to this conclusion. Remember what Prabhupāda explicitly explains in his purport.

Mādhava Dāsa: The original home of the soul and the Lord is the spiritual world.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: That’s not an accidental expression. Look at the Sanskrit of text 54.

Mādhava Dāsa: haṁsāv ahaṁ ca tvaṁ cārya, sakhāyau mānasāyanau, abhūtām antarā vaukaḥ, sahasra-parivatsarān.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: The word okaḥ in vaukaḥ means a dwelling place or residence, but Prabhupāda translates it as “our original home”. One may question this translation, but if we study the Sanskrit carefully, we see that Prabhupāda is correct.

Mādhava Dāsa: How can it be if the dictionary says simply “home”?

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Who is speaking about this home in the verse?

Mādhava Dāsa: The Lord.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: And who belongs to it?

Mādhava Dāsa: Both the Lord and the individual soul.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Are the Lord and the individual soul spiritual or material?

Mādhava Dāsa: Spiritual, of course. They are sat, eternal, and without change.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Exactly. When I speak about the material identity, the abode must be temporary, because the identity itself is temporary. When I speak about “home,” I refer to a temporary place that was built at a certain time and where I came to live on a certain date.

The spiritual world is different. It is an eternal place and is eternally connected with the Lord. It is His eternal abode and therefore, automatically His original abode.

Mādhava Dāsa: I don’t think anyone will disagree that the spiritual world is the original abode of the Lord, but how does this extend to the individual soul? It seems Prabhupada is adding this meaning.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: No, the Lord Himself is implying it. Prabhupada is just noticing a nuance most miss.

The Lord says ahaṁ ca tvaṁ ca: “Both you and I.”

He is not describing two different places, that He belongs to one place and the soul to the other. He is speaking about their shared original residence. Therefore, “our original home.”

This makes the point that they are together not only here in the material world, but that they are together eternally. The Lord lives eternally in the spiritual world. This means the soul also lives there with Him. That’s what Kṛṣṇa says here.

This explains why Prabhupāda identifies this original residence as the spiritual world. It is not his personal conclusion; he is simply following what the verse says.

Mādhava Dāsa: Still, sharing an eternal home and having eternally lived there together are two different claims. One can argue that establishing one does not necessarily establish the other.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa examined him for a second. He was starting to become genuinely impressed.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: This is a fair argument, but it breaks down when we examine the context. In text 53, the Lord mentions hitvā māṁ, “you gave up My company.” Then, in text 54, He mentions vaukaḥ in the context of abhūtām antarā (become separated). Therefore, abhūtām antarā vaukaḥ: “we have become separated from our original home.” And, if we put it in the context of the following words, it becomes even more explicit. Abhūtām antarā vaukaḥ, sahasra-parivatsarān: we have remained separated from our home for thousands of years.

In this way, the Sanskrit is clear. Unless one wants to say that Nārada Muni is using preaching strategies in the name of the Supersoul, this is a very strong argument.

Mādhava Dāsa smiled. He was considering the expression in isolation. Now he could see how the surrounding statements supplied the missing context Prabhupāda captured in his translation.

Mādhava Dāsa: I got it. The Lord is not merely saying that we belong to the same home. He is reminding us of a companionship we gave up. “Our original home” has to be understood together with that.

In this way, we also cannot say that the original home is the heart, the material body, or some temporary situation in the material world.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Absolutely not. The material body is exactly the place where the two swans are now, far away from their original home.

Prabhupāda explains that the Lord and the souls live together in the spiritual world, and that the living entities are engaged in His service. This is our natural disposition. We just forgot. How did we forget? Somehow or other.

This leads us to another important point: The spiritual world is a real, eternal abode. Attaining it requires us to be situated in a certain state of consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but the spiritual world itself is not simply a state of the mind. This spiritual world is constitutionally the eternal home of the soul, where we live eternally with our intimate friend, Kṛṣṇa. Neither the spiritual world nor our eternal constitutional nature are destroyed when we become materially conditioned.

We already studied in the teachings of Lord Kapila how the soul becomes connected with material existence through a reflection of consciousness. The changes in the material reflection do not transform the original nature of the soul.

Mādhava Dāsa: This means that the “fall” is not like someone physically falling from the roof of a building.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: That’s a material image we impose on it.

We imagine a soul standing somewhere in the spiritual world, developing material desires and then traveling a certain distance and entering the material manifestation. We forget that spiritual existence is not governed by space and time the way we are used to here.

“Fall” means that the soul becomes absorbed in material consciousness and identifies with a succession of material bodies. The contact with the false ego creates a material identity, the subtle body. This subtle body then travels around, moved by the vital airs, going from one body to the other. This is part of the material reflection that moves, while the sun is fixed in the sky.

Mādhava Dāsa: Wait, how is it that the soul proper is not inside the subtle body? What is there then if not the soul? Now that I’m thinking about it, it sounds contradictory. The soul is mentioned as being 1/10,000 times the size of the tip of a hair. This appears to suggest that the soul is a particle that is physically moving.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: This verse you mentioned is from the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad: bālāgra-śata-bhāgasya, śatadhā kalpitasya ca, bhāgo jīvaḥ sa vijñeyaḥ, sa cānantyāya kalpate

When the tip of the hair is divided into one hundred parts, and each part is again divided into one hundred parts, each part is similar in size to the measurement of the soul.

This gives us the idea that the soul is very small. We cannot see it. Whatever is the smallest particle you can study, the soul is still smaller, so you can never find it.

There is, however, another version of the same verse, spoken by Mahāprabhu, that explains the meaning and purpose of the analogy. He adds:

jīvaḥ sūkṣma-svarūpo ’yam, sankhyātīto hi cit-kaṇaḥ

The words “jīvaḥ sūkṣma-svarūpo” indicate that the jīva is extremely subtle. This clarifies that it is not like a gross material particle that can be measured and studied. You see that this clarifies the possible misconception we may have after hearing the original version of the verse.

He then explains that the jīvas are innumerable, saṅkhyātītaḥ, and concludes with cit-kaṇaḥ, stating that, indeed (hi), the soul is a particle of consciousness (cit-kaṇaḥ).

This point gives us the idea that the soul is not measurable at all, being very subtle, and indeed a particle of consciousness instead of a measurable object. Therefore, it is not possible to find it by empirical means. No one should even bother. When the word “particle” is used to describe the soul, it should be taken figuratively, as a way to emphasize that the soul is very minute.

Mādhava Dāsa: So, when it is mentioned that the jīva moves from one body to the other, this means that cit, the consciousness of the soul, together with the false ego, mind, intelligence, and the rest of the subtle body, moves, and not the soul proper?

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: This is a very subtle point. This is one example where the English language gets in the way. The words we use as translations for many terms don’t have the same exact meaning as the original Sanskrit words. Prabhupāda translates the verses in an incredibly clear way, but still, a lot of meaning is given only in the synonyms. That’s why he insisted on including the word-for-word translations in all his books; they are an integral part of the explanation.

There is a good example of this a little later in the same chapter, 4.29.74, which also answers your question.

Mādhava Dāsa: evam pañca-vidham lingam, tri-vṛt ṣoḍaśa vistṛtam, eṣa cetanayā yukto, jīva ity abhidhīyate.

“The five sense objects, the five sense organs, the five knowledge-acquiring senses and the mind are the sixteen material expansions. These combine with the living entity and are influenced by the three modes of material nature. Thus the existence of the conditioned soul is understood.”

... the elements, mind, etc. combine with the living entity? What does it mean?

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: That’s what I was going to explain. This is the answer to your question.

Sometimes, the word “jīva” is used in the sense of ātma, the pure soul in his original, uncontaminated state; this is what we call śuddha-jīva. However, in most passages, the word jīva is used in the sense of jīva-bhūta, the conditioned soul struggling with the senses and mind. We can easily differentiate by the context. We can see in this particular verse that the jīva is described as the combination of the living entity with the material mind and senses. So, the verse speaks about the conditioned soul.

You can see here that Prabhupāda mentions in his purport: “Here it is also explained that the living entity comes in contact with the sixteen material elements and is influenced by the three modes of material nature. The living entity and this combination of elements combine to form what is called jīva-bhūta, the conditioned soul that struggles hard within material nature.”

You can see he uses the word jīva-bhūta; he is speaking about the conditioned soul.

Then, we need to understand what he means by “living entity”.

The point here is that Prabhupāda uses the words “jīva”, “jīvātmā”, and “living entity” almost interchangeably to describe four different ideas in different contexts:

a) The conditioned soul, entrapped in the material reality.

b) The combination of spirit and the subtle body.

c) The particle that transmigrates from one body to another.

d) The pure soul, fully Krsna conscious.

This purport is important to note, because it is one of the few places where Prabhupāda explains this nomenclature. If the word jīva is always taken in the sense of the pure soul, many passages of the scriptures make no sense. One has to understand from the context whether a certain passage speaks about the pure soul or the soul in the conditioned stage to avoid misunderstandings.

When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu says “jīvera ‘svarūpa’ haya — kṛṣṇera ‘nitya-dāsa’” (It is the living entity’s constitutional position to be an eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa), for example, He speaks about the pure soul, while when SB 4.29.74 mentions evam pañca-vidham lingam, tri-vṛt ṣoḍaśa vistṛtam, eṣa cetanayā yukto, jīva ity abhidhīyate, it speaks about the conditioned soul. One has thus to understand what is referred to in each passage according to the context to avoid misunderstandings.

Now, let’s go to the juicy part. The word-for-word given by Prabhupāda to this verse is:

evam — thus; pañca-vidham — the five sense objects; lingam — the subtle body; tri-vṛt — influenced by the three modes; ṣoḍaśa — sixteen; vistṛtam — expanded; eṣaḥ — this; cetanayā — with the living entity; yuktaḥ — combined; jīvaḥ — the conditioned soul; iti — thus; abhidhīyate — is understood.

The text explains that the subtle body (lingam, in the sense of linga-śarīra or sūkṣma-śarīra, including the subtle senses), plus the five sense objects (pañca-vidham), combine with the consciousness of the soul (cetanā), resulting in the jīva (the conditioned soul).

Mādhava Dāsa: Wait, in the word-for-word, Prabhupāda translates the word cetanayā as “with the living entity.” The natural interpretation is that it refers to the soul proper, the spiritual particle. How does cetanā come to mean the consciousness of the soul?

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: You are becoming sharp!

Prabhupāda explains this in detail in the second half of his purport. He interprets the verse according to the teachings of Lord Kapila in the Third Canto. Here:

“The total material existence is first agitated by the three modes of material nature, and these become the living conditions of the living entity. Thus, the subtle and gross bodies develop, and the ingredients are earth, water, fire, air, sky, and so on. According to Śrī Madhvācārya, when consciousness, the living force in the heart, is agitated by the three modes of material nature, then the subtle body of the living entity, consisting of the mind, the sense objects, the five senses that acquire knowledge, and the five senses for acting in the material condition, becomes possible.”

These are very delicate philosophical principles. Lord Kapila explains that the pure soul doesn’t directly interact with matter. Prabhupāda acknowledges this with his example of oil and water never mixing. Rather, the consciousness of the soul (cetanā) is reflected in matter, creating the conditions for the appearance of the subtle body. When we see the words “jīva,” “soul,” or “living entity,” we need to see what the context is.

In this case, the “jīva” described in the text is clarified as the jīva-bhūta (the conditioned soul) by Prabhupāda in his purport. When we study it in the light of Kapila’s explanation, we can understand that jīva-bhūta here means the conditioned living entity, the consciousness of the soul reflected in matter and identified with it. The three modes of material nature cannot touch the pure soul itself, but they can influence this subtle body, through which the conditioned soul thinks, desires, and acts through the material senses.

Mādhava Dāsa: I think my brain is overheating.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: We can make it simpler with an analogy. The situation of the soul in the material world can be compared to a person seated in a cinema, watching a movie. Even though one doesn’t enter into the movie, this doesn’t prevent a person from being emotionally affected by what he or she sees on the screen, sharing the anxieties of the hero or heroine, crying with them, and so on. At the end of the movie, one is forced to leave the room and join another session, again sharing the happiness and sorrow of the protagonists. In this example, the scenes of the movie are the actions of the senses, conducted by the three modes. The attention of the soul remains imprisoned for a long time.

In reality, we are free to leave at any moment, but this only happens when we are awakened to our real identity by transcendental knowledge. This knowledge is compared to a sword that finally breaks the illusory identification with the gross and subtle bodies, allowing us to become fixed in our original nature of service to the Lord.

When this distinction between “jīva” as the pure soul and “jīva” as the subtle body is understood, everything becomes much simpler.

Lord Kapila also explains this same point. He mentions that the consciousness of the soul, cit, is reflected in matter and then covered by false ego, intelligence, mind, and senses, creating a conditioned identity we call “me”. This material identity created around the reflected consciousness of the soul is the subtle body, which travels from one body to the other in the material world, while the soul itself remains in its original position.

Kṛṣṇa also mentions this point in the Gītā when He defines the soul as “immovable”. The soul proper never leaves its original position in the spiritual sky; what moves from one body to another is the subtle body. This also fits the example of the dream given by Prabhupāda. Just as a person doesn’t leave his bed while dreaming, even though he may go to Africa and be chased by a tiger or go to medieval Japan and become a samurai.

We can even give another example: one doesn’t move from his chair while playing a computer game, even though his consciousness goes to so many virtual places inside of it.

Mādhava Dāsa: I think I can relate to that. That’s why I decided to try to avoid games; it’s like an illusion inside the illusion.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: You are getting the spirit of it. The idea is to reduce illusion, not increase it.

But there is also another philosophical implication.

The word “jīva” in the scriptures is sometimes used to refer to this subtle body that travels around, leading to passages mentioning that the “jīva” was never out of the material world, or that the “jīva” doesn’t have love for Kṛṣṇa. In fact, the subtle body is a material creation and was never out of the material sky, nor does it have love of Godhead inside; these are characteristics of the transcendental soul. In this sense, if you cut the “jīva” open, you will not find love of Godhead inside. Love of Godhead is part of the transcendental soul, not of the material identity.

Currently, we identify with this material identity. The challenge is to again identify with our true nature as eternal servants of Kṛṣṇa, and that’s precisely what we are trying to do through our practice of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness.

Mādhava Dāsa: I think I will need some time to digest all of it.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Yes, I think it is time. You can meditate on all these points and come back tomorrow. Then we can finish studying chapter 4.29.

Mādhava closed the book and put it back in his backpack. There were still questions, but now his brain was full with the new concepts Gaurāṅga had just described. He started feeling that many assumptions he took for granted needed another look.

He thanked Gaurāṅga Dāsa and offered his obeisances. As he reached the gate, he turned back.

Mādhava Dāsa: Prabhu, how many times did you read this chapter?

Gaurāṅga Dāsa smiled. “I stopped counting. There is still much to understand.”

On the way home, Mādhava thought about the passages they had just examined. He had read them before, but he had never imagined so much knowledge could be contained in just a few verses. Now he started to understand why Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura once said that we could spend one month studying each verse of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Now he could see that it is not just poetic exaggeration. He wondered how many times Gaurāṅga had sat with these same books, studying and analyzing different passages from different points of view.

Next: Recovering What Was Lost »

Read the entire book:
The Friend Who Never Left, A Dialog on the “Fall” of the Jīva

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We hear we are the soul and not the body. This is the foundation of the philosophy of the Bhagavad-gītā. Once we get a material body, we identify with it, and thus we transmigrate from one body to another, birth after birth. However, did you ever stop to think how the transcendental soul acquires a material body in the first place? Is it by accident or by some cause?

Parīkṣit Maharaja asked exactly the same question to Śukadeva Goswami:

“O learned brāhmaṇa, the transcendental spirit soul is different from the material body. Does he acquire the body accidentally or by some cause? Will you kindly explain this, for it is known to you.” (SB 2.8.7)

We can practically see that attachment to the body and to things connected with the body can be very strong. Unfortunately, the material body is temporary, and so are all the material things that are connected with it. This creates an undesirable situation: the soul is originally eternal and blissful, but because of this attachment to matter, we come in contact with suffering and death. In his pure state, the soul can travel everywhere, like Nārada Muni, but in the conditioned state, we become restricted. Our consciousness becomes very narrow and our world very small.

Why does this happen? Here is Śukadeva Gosvāmī’s answer:

“Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O King, unless one is influenced by the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there is no meaning to the relationship of the pure soul in pure consciousness with the material body. That relationship is just like a dreamer’s seeing his own body working. The illusioned living entity appears in so many forms offered by the external energy of the Lord. While enjoying in the modes of material nature, the encaged living entity misconceives, thinking in terms of “I” and “mine.”
As soon as the living entity becomes situated in his constitutional glory and begins to enjoy the transcendence beyond time and material energy, he at once gives up the two misconceptions of life [I and mine] and thus becomes fully manifested as the pure self.” (SB 2.9.1-3)

The soul and the body are two different entities, and they have no factual relationship. It’s like the difference between a human being and a phone. What does a man have in common with a phone? Practically nothing; they are two objects of entirely different natures. We are not phones, and we can’t develop relationships with phones. We don’t even look like phones. Although very complex, a phone is just a machine. However, people become absorbed in phones, to the point of forgetting their real lives.

What about the soul? Śukadeva Gosvāmī mentions that it is only because of the influence of the illusory energy that the soul can identify with the body and share the pain and pleasures enjoyed by it.

And what is this illusory energy? Is it some rival force that challenges God, like the devil in Christianity? No, Māyā is also an energy of Kṛṣṇa. When Vyāsadeva was meditating in order to compile the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, he saw that Māyā remains under the full control of the Lord.

If Kṛṣṇa controls Māyā, why does he allow us to remain under her grip? Prabhupāda explains it as due to the minute independence of the soul. As parts and parcels of Kṛṣṇa, we have a minute freedom, which Kṛṣṇa respects. A father may not agree with all the life choices made by his sons, but he has to respect their decisions.

What we do with our minute freedom is up to us. We can use this freedom to choose to serve Kṛṣṇa or not. When we decide we don’t want to serve Kṛṣṇa, we are captured by His illusory potency.

This principle is mentioned in the Prema-vivarta:

kṛṣṇa-bahirmukha hañā bhoga-vāñchā kare
nikaṭa-stha māyā tāre jāpaṭiyā dhare

When the soul turns away from Kṛṣṇa and desires material enjoyment, māyā, who is nearby, captures him.

Prabhupāda explains this point in His purport to SB 2.9.1:

“The answer is that the Lord clearly wishes that every living entity be in his pure consciousness as a part and parcel of the Lord and thus be engaged in the loving service of the Lord as he is constitutionally made; but because the living entity is partially independent also, he may not be willing to serve the Lord, but may try to become as independent as the Lord is. All the nondevotee living entities are desirous of becoming equally as powerful as the Lord, although they are not fit to become so. The living entities are illusioned by the will of the Lord because they wanted to become like Him. Like a person who thinks of becoming a king without possessing the necessary qualification, when the living entity desires to become the Lord Himself, he is put in a condition of dreaming that he is a king. Therefore the first sinful will of the living entity is to become the Lord, and the consequent will of the Lord is that the living entity forget his factual life and thus dream of the land of utopia where he may become one like the Lord. The child cries to have the moon from the mother, and the mother gives the child a mirror to satisfy the crying and disturbing child with the reflection of the moon. Similarly, the crying child of the Lord is given over to the reflection, the material world, to lord it over as karmī and to give this up in frustration to become one with the Lord.”

Both life in the material world and in the impersonal Brahmajyoti are fallen positions. In the material world we identify with the body and mind, and in the Brahmajyoti we identify with the mistaken concept of being one with the Lord. Until we can finally realize our eternal constitutional position of service to Kṛṣṇa, we continue to travel up and down without finding a permanent position, going from one body to the other, up to the Brahmajyoti and back.

One example that could be given is a game on the phone. One may identify with the knight inside the game and be happy when it kills an orc, and unhappy when it dies, but there is no factual relationship between the human being and the character in the game. It is simply a matter of identification, the “I” and “mine” applied to the wrong object.

As long as one identifies with the game, he or she may continue playing, but as soon as this identification is broken, one puts the phone down and returns to his life. How can we break our identification with the body? By reviving our original nature through the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. As we realize there is a life outside the confinement we are in, we become progressively less interested in the material illusion.

Read more:

This is a publication for thoughtful readers who want to go deeper into Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I publish daily, trying to offer high-quality spiritual content, and all posts are available to free subscribers. If you wish, you can support this work with a monthly contribution. When you subscribe, you can choose between a free subscription and a monthly contribution, and you can switch from a free subscriber to a supporter at any time.

You can also receive updates on WhatsApp or Telegram.
If you would like to contribute further, you can find the donation links here.

A summary: the progression of the yoga processes described in the Bhagavad-gītā

In its original sense, the word “yoga” means “connection,” the process that aims to reestablish the original nature of the soul as an eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. This is the ultimate goal of life.

Ultimately, the whole material creation exists to provide an opportunity for the souls who somehow or other came in contact with the material nature to awaken their original spiritual nature. Contrary to what some may think, yoga is not just a single process but a multitude of methods that lead to this ultimate goal. There is aṣṭāṅga-yoga, karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, buddhi-yoga, bhakti-yoga, and so on.

The Bhagavad-gītā not only explains these different processes, but effectively gives us a ladder, explaining the difference between the various processes, the hierarchical relationship between them, and, most importantly, the path we need to follow to attain spiritual perfection. To understand this yoga ladder means to understand the essence of the message of the Bhagavad-gītā and its practical application.

From animal life to devotional service

The analogy of a ladder gives us the idea of a series of levels, starting low and going up. The highest level is the perfection of the soul in one’s eternal position of service to Kṛṣṇa. That’s the perfect stage, where the soul is not only completely free from material contamination but also fully awakened to his active, spiritual nature. As we go down the ladder, we have progressively lower stages of spiritual realization, all the way to animal life, where the soul is almost completely covered.

In this lowest stage, the soul transmigrates through the lower forms of life: plants, aquatics, insects, reptiles, and mammals, gradually evolving in the cycle of samsāra. At this stage, the soul remains immersed in sensual pleasures and the struggle for immediate survival. Devoid of superior intelligence, one is not directly engaged in a process of self-realization, and thus, the spiritual nature of the soul remains dormant. This category includes not only animals, plants, insects, and other lower forms of life, but also human beings who are just concerned about their immediate bodily needs. According to the Vedas, real human life starts at the point one starts to inquire about one’s real nature beyond the body. Before that, one may have two hands and two legs, but according to the Vedas, the threshold of human life has not yet been crossed.

At this level there is only vikarma, capricious work that does not follow the prescriptions of the scriptures. One just works hard to satisfy one’s bodily needs and the desires of the mind, maybe following basic moral codes, or perhaps not even that. There is no higher goal than mere satisfaction of the senses and ego. This type of work binds the soul even more strongly to the material energy. Left alone, it brings one again back to animal life.

Proper human life starts with the path of karma, or religious activities prescribed in the scriptures. At this level, work is executed with the purpose of improving one’s material condition. It is still egoistical, but now it is done according to the precepts of the scriptures. At this level, a person understands there is a spiritual nature that goes beyond this material creation and agrees to follow a religious process and abide by moral codes in exchange for receiving material recompenses later. In other words, one is still very much attracted to this material plane and sees religious life as merely a means to attain material prosperity, sensual pleasure, and a better destination after death. Still, at least there is acknowledgment of the existence of a superior authority that grants such results.

We can observe that most religions are based on these principles: there is a vague notion of God (generally in an impersonal or semi-personal conception), but the purpose of worship is egoistical in nature, with the idea of using the process as a means to attain material rewards. In this sense, these processes are not much more than a bargain, where one pays a certain price in this life by following some rules and regulations with the idea of receiving more later. The Vedas also describe a similar process within the karma-kānda section (the ritual portion of the Vedas), which prescribes a pious life and worship of various demigods for the purpose of attaining material rewards. Naturally, the goal is to gradually elevate the practitioner, first attracting one with the idea of material rewards and then slowly making him or her purified by the contact with spiritual knowledge and association with enlightened spiritual teachers.

This path is briefly described in the third chapter:

“In the beginning of creation, the Lord of all creatures sent forth generations of men and demigods, along with sacrifices for Viṣṇu, and blessed them by saying, “Be thou happy by this yajña [sacrifice] because its performance will bestow upon you everything desirable for living happily and achieving liberation.” The demigods, being pleased by sacrifices, will also please you, and thus, by cooperation between men and demigods, prosperity will reign for all.” (3.10-11)

Although the path of karma gives a glimpse of the path of self-realization, making one understand that he is not this body, that there is a Supreme Controller, and that one should obey religious codes, it is not sufficient to liberate us from material captivity. A person practicing the path of karma may remain as a rich person on earth, or attain elevation to the higher planets, where one can enjoy superior standards of life in the company of other pious souls, but eventually the results of past piety finish, and he has to again take birth in this plane. Remembering his past practice, the tendency is that he dedicates himself again to a pious life, gaining entrance to the superior planets again, just to again fall back to earth.

When one finally becomes tired of this cycle, he starts to look for deeper spiritual knowledge and starts the path of jñāna, which is characterized by the cultivation of knowledge and renunciation. In the beginning of the Gītā, Arjuna was inclined to this path out of frustration, but Kṛṣṇa offered him a better option.

On the path of jñāna, one exhausts his pursuit of material goals and instead dedicates himself to philosophical inquiry, austerities, and dry renunciation. At a low level, it is little more than mental speculation and dry asceticism, but on a higher level, one may gradually progress to the path of meditation (dhyāna-yoga, or aṣṭāṅga-yoga), which helps one to control the mind. Once the mind is controlled, one can seriously practice a process of meditation, eventually attaining Brahman, the level of impersonal realization (usually after many lives).

However, this is still not the ultimate realization. Such a yogī may progress up to the impersonal brahmajyoti, where he can enjoy a level of peace and bliss that is thousands of times superior to what a karmī may enjoy on the higher planets. However, since this is not the ultimate destination of the soul, he has to eventually come back. Other yogīs attain Paramātmā realization, but this is also not the ultimate perfection. Such advanced yogīs can transfer themselves to Satyaloka for additional practice. After a very long time there, they may attain the Vaikunta planets. This is, however, a very long way; it can take, literally, trillions of years, and success is far from certain. A devotee can attain the spiritual world directly.

Both karma and jñāna are based on a selfish desire to achieve personal satisfaction or to achieve liberation and the end of material suffering. This is the ordinary process of dharma, artha, kāma and mokṣa (religion, economic development, sense gratification, and liberation) that is pursued by ordinary followers of the Vedas. By following the path of karma, one enjoys life, and after becoming frustrated with life in the material world, one may pursue liberation by switching to the path of jñāna.

There is, however, a third process, the path of bhakti, that allows the soul to finally reestablish his eternal connection with Kṛṣṇa and enter into the spiritual planets. This is the original position and final destination of the soul, from where one doesn’t have to come back.

The path of bhakti

The path of bhakti is independent of karma and jñāna, but one can add bhakti to his practice. When combined with bhakti, karma becomes karma-yoga, and when jñāna is combined with bhakti, it becomes jñāna-yoga. Yoga means “connection with the Supreme Lord”; therefore, karma-yoga is the path of activities for establishing this transcendental connection, while jñāna-yoga is the cultivation of knowledge and renunciation with the same purpose. As Śrīla Prabhupāda explains in his purport to Bg. 6.46:

“When we speak of yoga we refer to linking our consciousness with the Supreme Absolute Truth. Such a process is named differently by various practitioners in terms of the particular method adopted. When the linking process is predominantly in fruitive activities it is called karma-yoga, when it is predominantly empirical it is called jñāna-yoga, and when it is predominantly in a devotional relationship with the Supreme Lord it is called bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is the ultimate perfection of all yogas, as will be explained in the next verse.”

Most of the first five chapters of the Bhagavad-gītā are dedicated to explaining the path of karma-yoga. Almost all of us are at the level where we have to perform activities. It’s very rare to find someone qualified to strictly follow the path of jñāna, especially in our age. Nowadays, jñāna is common in the sense of mental speculation, but rare as a disciplined process of renunciation. Even if one tries to jump to a platform of renunciation before he is ready, there is every possibility that he will fall later, and the result can be devastating. Again and again, Kṛṣṇa recommends that Arjuna adopt instead the path of karma-yoga, which is also the standing advice for all of us. The main message of the Bhagavad-gītā is thus not to adopt a path of dry and premature renunciation, but to change our consciousness and connect our activities with Kṛṣṇa. As He later explains:

“Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer or give away, and whatever austerities you perform – do that, O son of Kuntī, as an offering to Me.” (Bg 9.27)

The path of karma-yoga starts on the level of sakāma-karma-yoga. The word “sakāma” means “with desires.” At this level, a devotee is still attached to sense satisfaction, economic development, social prestige, etc. In other words, one still has material desires and is attached to enjoying the fruits of his work, but he agrees to offer part of these fruits to Kṛṣṇa in the form of charity, donations, or even direct service. One may also join a spiritual institution and serve there, but internally hanker for positions, material facilities, and so on. The transition may be timid at first, but that’s the point where karma is mixed with devotion, and one’s work starts to be performed as an offering to Kṛṣṇa, even if at first not purely.

By offering our work, or the fruits of our work to Kṛṣṇa, and assisting His devotees, we progress in spiritual life and become gradually purified. This is the path recommended for most as a starting point, since this is the level most of us can realistically follow. In terms of practical application, this basically means to stay in family life, get an education, work in some honest job, and pursue our material goals to a certain extent, without losing, however, the ultimate goal of life from view. We can thus develop our material activities to a necessary extent but, side by side, develop our spiritual practice, donating part of our money and time to assist other devotees in their job of expanding Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This creates a platform where we can remain peaceful and thus have the presence of mind to continue our practice of devotional service.

The second level is called niṣkāma-karma-yoga (without desires). At this level, one is already purified enough and is not attached to the fruits of his or her work. Although externally engaged in activities, one is internally renounced. At this level, one can just work for Kṛṣṇa, living a simple life and assisting in the propagation of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the level of devotees who serve full-time, be it by living in a temple or community, or by using all their time and resources to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and living by just what comes naturally. Such devotees usually have simple lives, but have the opportunity to advance very fast. This is, however, a very difficult platform to maintain. Immature followers can harm themselves by trying to prematurely situate themselves on such a platform. This is quite an advanced level.

As we advance on the path, we advance in terms of both knowledge and devotion. Kṛṣṇa emphasizes the importance of spiritual knowledge repeatedly in the Bhagavad-gītā:

“In this world, there is nothing so sublime and pure as transcendental knowledge. Such knowledge is the mature fruit of all mysticism. And one who has become accomplished in the practice of devotional service enjoys this knowledge within himself in due course of time. A faithful man who is dedicated to transcendental knowledge and who subdues his senses is eligible to achieve such knowledge, and having achieved it he quickly attains the supreme spiritual peace.” (Bg 4.38-39)

Work performed for Kṛṣṇa not only does not produce new karma but also gradually destroys our previous karma, gradually purifying our consciousness without the need for separate effort. To be properly guided in this process, Kṛṣṇa recommends that we approach a qualified spiritual master and obtain spiritual knowledge from him. As we mature in our philosophical comprehension and increase our devotion, we become naturally detached.

“When one’s intelligence, mind, faith and refuge are all fixed in the Supreme, then one becomes fully cleansed of misgivings through complete knowledge and thus proceeds straight on the path of liberation.” (Bg 5.17)

When we finally become fully detached, we may stop working and simply dedicate ourselves to the process of self-realization. This is the position of a renunciant, who goes to live in a sacred place and spends the rest of his life just chanting under strict vows. However, Kṛṣṇa recommends that one who attains this level continue performing his duties, not for himself, but to give an example to others. The ideal example of this principle is a preacher who works tirelessly to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness and is exemplary in performing his duties, giving a perfect example to others. This is a higher stage of renunciation than just practicing in a solitary place.

Work and renunciation are not opposed to each other. One who has the proper consciousness can remain fully renounced even while externally executing all kinds of activities. This is one of the main topics of the Bhagavad-gītā.

Devotees who can follow this path become the ones who can most effectively help others on the spiritual path and contribute the most to uplifting society. By not rejecting their skills and material talents but, conversely, using them to reach other people, combining them with a deep and vast spiritual realization, such spiritual teachers can present spiritual knowledge in deep and practical ways and create true spiritual revolutions in their communities.

Different from a neophyte, who can just repeat passages from scriptures he barely understands, a spiritual teacher who can reach this level becomes the very embodiment of the highest spiritual realizations.

As we progress in the cultivation of transcendental knowledge, we gradually progress to the platform of buddhi-yoga, which means to work for Kṛṣṇa with devotion and knowledge. This is a very advanced level. Such a devotee can progress to the stage of pure bhakti-yoga and attain Bhagavān realization, reestablishing his eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa, which is the very goal of the yoga process. Fixing his mind on the path of self-realization through his practice of devotional service, such a devotee does not have to practice aṣṭāṅga-yoga to attain the most elevated stage. As Kṛṣṇa concludes:

“Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend.” (Bg 18.65)

A clear path

In this way, the evolution on the path of karma-yoga is:

1) Materialism: This is the platform where most live, working just for the satisfaction of their senses. This level is described by Kṛṣṇa in Bg. 3.16: “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.” According to the Vedas, gross materialism is considered an extension of animal life, and one who doesn’t progress above this level risks returning to the evolutionary cycle, receiving an animal body in his next life.

2) Karma-kānda: This is the materialistic process of piety offered in the Vedas, where one follows religious principles in exchange for material progress and elevation to the celestial planets after death. This is described in the Vedas as the beginning of human life, and is described in the Gītā in verses 3.10-11, where Kṛṣṇa explains the path of sacrifices and cooperation between men and demigods.

3) Sakāma-karma-yoga: That’s where the path of devotional service begins. In his purports, Śrīla Prabhupāda describes karma-yoga as part of the stairs of devotional service, and translates the term “karma-yoga” as simply “devotional service” or “action in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.” One who wants to serve Kṛṣṇa but is plagued by material desires can progress by executing his material activities but offering the results to Kṛṣṇa, and thus gradually become purified of these desires.

4) Niṣkāma-karma-yoga: In this level, one becomes detached from sense enjoyment and consequently from the results of one’s activities. As a result, one can simply work for Kṛṣṇa without being concerned with the results. There may still be some attachment to the activity itself, with a devotee attached to work in a certain service or field according to his or her natural propensities or preferences, but this can be easily aligned with the service to the Lord.

5) Buddhi-yoga: The terms “sakāma-karma-yoga” and “niṣkāma-karma-yoga” simply describe one’s level of detachment. Generally, the level of niṣkāma-karma-yoga is accompanied by deep philosophical understanding, but this is not a prerequisite. When we speak directly about a devotee who works for Kṛṣṇa without attachment and with deep philosophical understanding, we call it buddhi-yoga (connection with Kṛṣṇa through the use of intelligence). This is the culmination of the process of karma-yoga, the rung on the yoga ladder that leads to pure bhakti-yoga.

The natural evolution is for one to progress from karma-kānda to sakāma-karma-yoga and from there to niṣkāma-karma-yoga, then buddhi-yoga, and from there eventually reach the platform of pure devotional service.

Renunciation is also not exclusive to the path of jñāna. Ordinary jñānis still live under a concept of false ego, thinking that the world is theirs to renounce. Kṛṣṇa explains that true renunciation is to understand that everything belongs to Him, and should be used in His service. This is the deepest platform of renunciation, mentioned by Kṛṣṇa in text 9.28 as sannyāsa-yoga, the yoga of true renunciation. This platform is explained by Prabhupāda in his purport:

“Anyone who has no interest but to dedicate his life to the service of the Lord is actually a sannyāsī. Such a person always thinks of himself as an eternal servant, dependent on the supreme will of the Lord. As such, whatever he does, he does it for the benefit of the Lord. Whatever action he performs, he performs it as service to the Lord.”

Karma and jñāna

When we speak about mundane karma or jñāna, there is a clear distinction between the karmī and the jñānī. In this case, the path of jñāna is clearly superior, and usually only one who is exhausted in the path of karma can start on the path of jñāna. However, when we speak about karma-yoga and jñāna-yoga, the distinction is not so clear. One may be able to achieve the ultimate goal on the path of niṣkāma-karma-yoga, without ever fully transitioning to the path of jñāna-yoga, and thus a serious devotee on the path of karma-yoga may be much more elevated than a neophyte on the path of jñāna-yoga. Surely, one who is well-situated on the path of karma-yoga will also be much more elevated than an immature renunciant, as described by Kṛṣṇa several times in the course of the Bhagavad-gītā.

Jñāna by itself is the path of philosophical speculation, which typically leads to impersonalism. Although bhakti is described everywhere in the scriptures, one who is in the process of mental speculation will not be able to see it, for it requires association with devotees. Just as karma-kānda leads to elevation to the celestial planets, followed by a return to earth after the pious results are exhausted, the process of philosophical speculation leads, if not connected with Kṛṣṇa, to impersonalism and Brahman liberation, from which one eventually falls back to the mortal world.

However, when the cultivation of transcendental knowledge is combined with bhakti, one starts in the process of jñāna-yoga, which can lead to pure devotional service.

The process of jñāna typically leads to aṣṭāṅga-yoga, which is described by Kṛṣṇa in the sixth chapter. By practicing aṣṭāṅga-yoga, one may achieve Paramātmā realization, and from there eventually reach the level of Bhagavān realization, if combined with bhakti.

The description of the path of jñāna-yoga and aṣtānga-yoga given in the Bhagavad-gītā becomes clearer when we study the description of the process of Sāṅkhya described by Lord Kapila in the Third Canto of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The process he describes is a combination of analytical knowledge (jñāna) with the practice of aṣṭāṅga-yoga, practiced inside the purview of pure devotional service.

Technically, there is a difference between the external practices of the process of karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, Sāṅkhya, etc., but these differences are only superficial, since ultimately these are variations of the same process of devotional service, just externally performed differently according to the tendencies of the performer.

See what Kṛṣṇa tells us in the fifth chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā:

“Only the ignorant speak of devotional service [karma-yoga] as being different from the analytical study of the material world [Sāṅkhya]. Those who are actually learned say that he who applies himself well to one of these paths achieves the results of both. One who knows that the position reached by means of analytical study can also be attained by devotional service, and who therefore sees analytical study and devotional service to be on the same level, sees things as they are.” (Bg 5.4-5)

As Prabhupāda explains in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, each stage of the process of aṣṭāṅga-yoga has an equivalent to the process of bhakti-yoga. When we examine both the teachings of Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā and the teachings of Lord Kapila in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam under this prism, we can see how both offer practical insights that can help us to improve our spiritual practice.

While the external performance may change slightly over the ages (a sage in Satya-yuga would meditate on Paramātmā, while we meditate on the deity, for example), the core of the process, which is meditation on the transcendental form of the Lord, is the same for all ages. When the words are taken in the proper context, we can see that the knowledge He describes also applies to us.

In this way, although ordinarily, the path of karma leads to jñāna, when we speak about the path of devotional service, the distinction is not so clear, since both the processes of karma-yoga and jñāna-yoga lead to pure devotional service. One can thus achieve perfection in either of the two processes without having to necessarily transition from one to another. As Kṛṣṇa explains, “Only the ignorant speak of devotional service [karma-yoga] as being different from the analytical study of the material world [Sāṅkhya]. Those who are actually learned say that he who applies himself well to one of these paths achieves the results of both.”

A devotee who bases his devotional practice on the cultivation of transcendental knowledge and meditation on the Lord also doesn’t have to practice aṣṭāṅga-yoga like an ordinary jñānī, because the result of the process of aṣṭāṅga-yoga, which is fixed meditation on the form of the Lord, can be achieved by the process of deity worship, as explained by Śrīla Prabhupāda in the Third Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The same process of deity worship, as well as the process of śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ, etc., can, of course, also be practiced in the path of karma-yoga.

In this way, the paths of karma-yoga and jñāna-yoga offer two parallel paths inside the devotional ladder, and both can lead to pure devotional service. As Kṛṣṇa explains, “He who applies himself well to one of these paths achieves the results of both.” The final result is love of Godhead.

Read the entire book:
« The Song of God—Volume 1, chapters 1-6

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Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Thākura described how many holy places are present in Navadvipa in his Navadvipa Mahatmya. He was also the first of our acaryas to not only write about the presence of different thirtas in Navadvipa but also to locate the precise places. He did so with a combination of research in historical documents and spiritual insight.

Once, when searching for the birthplace of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he famously saw an unusual light on the opposite side of the Ganges. Researching about the area, he came across historical documents that confirmed that the historical place of the birth of Mahaprabhu is on the opposite side of what is nowadays Navadvīpa. As he found, a change in the course of the river left the historical Navadvipa underwater for centuries, leading the inhabitants to move to the other side of the river and reconstruct their city there, the present-day Navadvipa. Four hundred years later, the original place had been forgotten, and caste gosvāmis were claiming the birthplace of Mahaprabhu was on the wrong side of the river.

To confirm his discoveries, he brought Śrīla Jagannātha Dāsa Bābājī to the place. At that time, he was already incredibly old and had to be carried in a basket. However, when they arrived at the place, he became surcharged with spiritual ecstasy and began jumping and dancing like a young man, confirming that this was indeed the birthplace of Mahāprabhu.

Perfect devotees can make such discoveries due to their spiritual vision. An ordinary person can only see ordinary places and objects, but devotees of such caliber can get in contact with the spiritual reality and describe it to us. Their accounts are thus the most reliable source of information, just as the description of a person who can directly see an object is the most authoritative.

Once a year, devotees congregate in Mayapur to visit many of these holy places during the Navadvipa Mandala Parikrama. During the parikrama, we visit many holy places, like Naimisharanya, Kurukshetra, Puskara Thirta, and even the Radha-Kunda, which can make many devotees doubtful. To anyone with basic geographical knowledge, this may seem absurd. Everyone knows that Kuruksetra is in north India, that Radha-Kunda is in Vrindavana, and so on. How are we supposed to believe that all these holy places are present in Navadvipa? There is even the Nrishinhapali, where Lord Nrshinhadeva came to rest and washed His hands after killing Hiranyakashipu, a place that is not even supposed to be on this planet! How are we supposed to accept that certain places are simultaneously present in distinct geographical locations throughout the universe?

The first point to understand is that Navadvipa is not merely a geographical location on this planet, but actually part of the spiritual world, just as Vrindavana is not part of the district of Uttar Pradesh, but actually the center of the spiritual world. All the holy places are originally situated in the spiritual world, being part of Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes. When Kṛṣṇa comes to this planet, it is not that He leaves Vrindavana; rather, it is His abode, with all its inhabitants, that becomes visible on this planet. The Vrindavana that we see on this planet is thus a kind of multidimensional space, that is simultaneously a region of this planet, and the core of the spiritual world. It’s a place where the material dimension is in touch with the spiritual dimension. In the material dimension we can see sand, bricks, monkeys, etc., but in the spiritual dimension one can see kalpa-vriksa trees and cintamani stones. Which of the two realities one will see depends solely on his consciousness, but in any case, just by visiting one derives benefit.

There is a story of when a king came to visit Sanatana Goswami. Being satisfied with him, the king offered to donate any amount of money to repair the temples and holy places of Vrindavana. Noticing that the king was proud, Sanatana Goswami pointed to a broken brick and asked if he could fix it. Being so rich, his request almost offended the king. However, before he could voice his dissatisfaction, Sanatana Goswami revealed to him the spiritual form of the brick. The king could see that the brick was actually made out of gold and cinthamani stones. There was nothing he could improve: this simple brick was actually much more valuable than anything he had in his treasure. Baffled, the king could understand that there was nothing he could offer.

Similarly, when Lord Caitanya manifests His pastimes, His abode manifests in Navadvipa. This is what is called prakāśa; the eternal abode of the Lord becomes manifest in the material world. What does it mean? We can say that just like Vṛndāvana, Navadvipa is a multidimensional space, a place where the material and spiritual dimensions are in touch. All the different thirtas, or holy places, that are present in different parts of this universe are actually expansions of the original holy places present in the spiritual world. Both Vṛndāvana and Navadvipa are manifestations of the spiritual world; therefore, it is natural that all the original holy places are present there. Just as Navadvipa is like a portal, a place where we can access the spiritual realm, specific places in Navadvipa are portals to these specific places in the spiritual world.

Holy places situated in other parts of the world, like Kurukshetra in Haryana, or the Puskara Tirtha in Rajasthan, are actually just expansions of the original holy places that are situated in Navadvipa. Therefore, by doing parikrama in Navadvipa, one gets even more benefit than one who does a pilgrimage through the whole of India. One that has time and money to spare may take the long road and travel all over India, but one that is eager to make advancement can just stay in Navadvipa and visit all these places in just one week during the Navadvipa Mandala Parikrama.

Finally, Navadvipa is non-different from Vṛndāvana. Prabhupāda explains that in his purport to SB 10.1.28 and in other places:

“Vrajabhūmi” refers to Mathurā-Vṛndāvana, and Gauḍa-maṇḍala-bhūmi includes Navadvīpa. These two places are nondifferent. Therefore, anyone living in Navadvīpa-dhāma, knowing Kṛṣṇa and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to be the same personality, lives in Vrajabhūmi, Mathurā-Vṛndāvana. The Lord has made it convenient for the conditioned soul to live in Mathurā, Vṛndāvana and Navadvīpa and thus be directly connected with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Simply by living in these places, one can immediately come in contact with the Lord. There are many devotees who vow never to leave Vṛndāvana and Mathurā. This is undoubtedly a good vow, but if one leaves Vṛndāvana, Mathurā or Navadvīpa-dhāma for the service of the Lord, he is not disconnected from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. At any rate, we must understand the transcendental importance of Mathurā-Vṛndāvana and Navadvīpa-dhāma. Anyone who executes devotional service in these places certainly goes back home, back to Godhead, after giving up his body.”

This explains why even places like the Radha-Kunda are manifested there. One who bathes in the Radha-Kunda in Navadvipa achieves the same result as one who bathes in Vṛndāvana, and one who visits one of them gains the benefit of visiting both.

In chapter twelve of the Navadvīpa-dhāma Māhātmya, we have a moving description of Lord Nityananda visiting Ṛtudvīpa and becoming absorbed in the ecstasy of Vrindāvana.

“Eventually, they came to Rātupura. Upon seeing the beauty of the town, Nityānanda Prabhu said, “We have come to Ṛtudvīpa, which is extremely enchanting.
”The trees bow their heads, the breeze blows gently, and the flowers bloom in all directions. The humming of the bees and the fragrant nectar of the flowers intoxicate the hearts of travellers.” As He spoke, Nityānanda Rāya became almost mad and said, “Quickly bring My horn! The calves have run off, and Kānāi is asleep. Like a child, He does not come now.
“Where are Subala and Śrīdāma? I, Balarāma, cannot go out to tend the cows alone.” With great power, Nityānanda called out, “Kānāi! Kānāi!” and jumped a couple of metres.
Seeing His ecstasy, the devotees quickly submitted at His feet, “O Nityānanda Prabhu! Your brother Gaura-candra is not here now. “The Lord has taken sannyāsa and gone to Nīlācala, leaving us destitute.” Hearing this, Nityānanda became dismayed. He fell to the ground and wept. “What sorrow! Brother Kānāi! You left us and became a sannyāsī in Nīlācala! I cannot continue this life; I will dive into the Yamunā.” Saying this, Nityānanda lost consciousness.
Everyone saw the intense ecstasy of Nityānanda and chanted the Lord’s Name. An hour and a half passed, but Nityānanda did not get up. Finally, the devotees sang songs about Gaurāṅga. Hearing the Name of Gaurāṅga, Nitāi immediately arose and said, “This is the place of Rādhā Kuṇḍa. Here, Gaurahari would perform kīrtana with the devotees in the afternoon.
“Here, the six seasons meet and enhance the beauty of Gaurāṅga’s kīrtana Pastimes. Rādhā Kuṇḍa in Vraja is present here in Ṛtudvīpa, where devotees drink and relish divine love.
“See also the beauty of Śyāma Kuṇḍa, which enchants the mind of every soul in this world, and the groves of the sakhīs nearby. Gorā would become immersed in saṅkīrtana here in the afternoon and satisfy everyone with the gift of divine love.
“Brother! We find no place like this in the three worlds. Know it to be a place for the devotees to serve. Souls who reside here attain the wealth of divine love, and their hearts become serene.”
Remaining there for the day, calling the Name of Śrī Gaurāṅga, all the devotees became immersed in divine love. They spent the day and night in Ṛtudvīpa and worshipped the moon-like Śrī Caitanya. Then, dancing as He went, Nityānanda Prabhu arrived in Śrī Vidyā Nagara. The beauty of the town attracts the minds of sages, and upon seeing it, the devotees were jubilant.”

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Preface

When we come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness starting with one of Prabhupāda’s books, we quickly learn that we are not these material bodies but eternal souls, parts and parcels of Kṛṣṇa. Next, we learn that our constitutional position is to be His eternal servants and that, indeed, love for Him is eternally established in the heart. This love is covered by material association and has simply to be uncovered. The process of devotional service is then presented as the way to revive this original Kṛṣṇa consciousness and return to Him, back home, back to Godhead. These teachings are simple enough even for a complete beginner. Anyone can easily understand and apply them in practice.

Behind these simple explanations, however, there are extraordinarily deep philosophical details involving the nature of the soul, the potencies of the Lord, the spiritual and material realms, the material time contrasted with spiritual eternity, and so on.

In some parts of his teachings, Prabhupāda gives us the simple version, while in others he explains all the details. Both those who can stick with the original simplicity and those who can study his works thoroughly have no difficulty in understanding the path and going forward. Between the two extremes, however, there is a dangerous middle, where we realize the complexity of the problem but haven’t yet developed the tools for finding the conclusion. That’s the point where one comes in contact with different ideas that can undermine the very foundations of one’s spiritual life.

In a sense, the so-called “fall” of the jīva is not an important subject. The important question is not how I fell into the water, but how I can be rescued. The difficulty is that when we start asking this question, we come in contact with all kinds of ideas and speculations, and that is where the dangers lie. Some even have attempted to resolve this question by accepting certain statements as the final siddhānta and trying to justify others as preaching strategies. This book approaches the question from a different angle, showing how different statements are reconciled and how they collectively reveal the truth of our eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa.

The story follows Mādhava Dāsa, a young devotee whose confidence is shaken after reading a scholarly book that challenges his understanding of the original position of the soul. Confused, he approaches Gaurāṅga Dāsa, an elderly devotee who has been helping him in his spiritual journey. Through a series of conversations, Gaurāṅga helps him to examine different passages from Prabhupāda’s books, other scriptures and the works of the previous ācāryas, not only helping him find the answers but also teaching him how to study the scriptures systematically, reconcile apparent contradictions, and distinguish the conclusions of the ācāryas from assumptions and interpretations.

The “fall” of the jīva, however, is not the main topic in this book. It is used as a background to present two other topics that are essential in the times we live:

The first is hermeneutics: how to understand Prabhupāda’s instructions in the context of the works of the previous ācāryas and other scriptures we have access to nowadays. What should we do when contradictions appear? Whom should we follow in such cases?

The second topic is the relationship of guru and disciple in our society. Often we may get the impression that the guru is simply a ceremonial figure. The reason is that often disciples have little opportunity to have personal association with their gurus, apart from a few minutes during the initiation ceremony. Diksa or siksa, the reality is that we need to have someone we can learn from and whom we can approach when we face difficulties. In the story, this role is played by Gaurāṅga Dāsa, from whom Mādhava Dāsa learns regularly, and whom he approaches when he faces a crisis. Through a series of meetings over multiple days, Gaurāṅga Dāsa guides him out of it and helps him to grow in his philosophical understanding and spiritual practice.

Next: A Disturbing Book »

Read the entire book:
The Friend Who Never Left, A Dialog on the “Fall” of the Jīva

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Chapter Eight: King Purañjana and his mysterious friend

The next morning, Mādhava again returned to Gaurāṅga’s house. He spent most of the night reading about King Purañjana; time passed fast. The first time he read it, he could barely follow the narrative. In the end, he just remembered a few disconnected details. Now, after the discussion of Kapila’s teachings, he could understand it better.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa was sitting on the veranda, reading. He put the book aside as Mādhava approached.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: So, what did you find about Purañjana and his mysterious friend?

Mādhava Dāsa: Purañjana is the conditioned soul, and the friend is Paramātmā. But I have several questions about what He says. Some of His statements seem to directly contradict the arguments in the other book.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: We will come to that. First, let’s examine the story itself. Why was Nārada Muni narrating it?

Mādhava Dāsa: He was instructing King Prācīnabarhi, who was performing many fruitive sacrifices and unnecessarily killing many animals in the process. Nārada showed him the animals he had killed, waiting at the entrance of hell to take revenge on him after death.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Yes, very good. Prācīnabarhi was misguided. He was following religious rituals, but because his goal was material enjoyment, he became absorbed in fruitive activities, without caring for properly following the regulative principles, and without understanding the real purpose of religious life. Nārada told him the story of Purañjana to help him understand his mistake.

He told the king’s own history in the form of an allegory. In reality, this is the story of every conditioned soul. I’m Purañjana, and you are also Purañjana. We can read our own history in the pages of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

How does the allegory begin?

Mādhava Dāsa: He was traveling everywhere, searching for a place to live, but he could not find a place that would satisfy him. He wanted to enjoy, but no place could satisfy all his desires.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Knowledge can be obtained, and liberation can be achieved. Love for Kṛṣṇa is also an attainable goal when we come to the proper process. Purañjana, however, was not searching for those. He wanted material enjoyment. His desires were thus unlimited, and no place could satisfy him. Even after traveling for a long time, he was still dissatisfied.

Mādhava Dāsa: The point I noticed is that when Nārada introduces Purañjana, he is already searching for material enjoyment. There is no explanation of how he developed these desires.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: And what can we conclude from that?

Mādhava Dāsa: That the story doesn’t describe the beginning of his conditioning. It begins with Purañjana already conditioned.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Yes. Anādi, just as we described. When we study it from the material side, there is no identifiable beginning. Purañjana is traveling since time immemorial. We already discussed this point.

Nārada Muni does not try to put a date on something whose beginning cannot be traced. Instead, he focuses on the lesson we can learn from it.

Then, the next point. Did he find a place he liked?

Mādhava Dāsa: He discovered a beautiful city in Bhārata-varṣa, with nine gates, surrounded by gardens and lakes. Inside the city, he met with a beautiful woman, surrounded by many servants and protected by a five-headed serpent.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Yes, the city is the human body. The nine gates are the openings of the body. The soul is like a king who rules over the city and uses its facilities for his own purposes. And what about the woman?

Mādhava Dāsa: She represents material intelligence. Her ten servants represent the senses, and the snake represents the vital airs that maintain the body.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: The material intelligence appears very attractive to the conditioned soul, because it gives us the ability to manipulate the material world and fulfill our desires. This includes both manipulating physical objects and manipulating different ideas and arguments. In both cases, intelligence brings power.

Intelligence can also be used to understand Kṛṣṇa and become engaged in His service. This is its proper use. In this case, we use this material intelligence to revive our original spiritual intelligence. But that’s not what Purañjana did.

Mādhava Dāsa: Yes, Purañjana sees the woman and immediately desires her. He wants to enjoy the body with the help of material intelligence.

But she reveals herself to be very limited. She doesn’t know where she came from or who created her. She knows about the city and her companions.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: And what does that tell us?

Mādhava Dāsa: That material intelligence can understand many things about the material world, but it cannot understand its own origin.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Precisely. That’s the first lesson we can learn here. Material intelligence is part of the material energy. Its manifestation has a beginning and end, and still, material intelligence cannot help us find this beginning. How then can we expect it to reveal the origin of the soul, which transcends the material environment and material time itself? That’s why speculating on this topic always brings us to the wrong conclusions. The only way to understand it, and even then only to a certain point, is to carefully study the scriptures under the guidance of the ācārya. Without this, we fall into the same mistake as the material scientists.

In any case, Purañjana is delighted with this arrangement. He becomes the king of the city, taking the woman as his wife and her servants as his assistants and associates. This illustrates the soul becoming absorbed in the material body.

Mādhava Dāsa: Eventually, he becomes completely controlled by her. He follows her just like an image in the mirror. When she eats, he eats. When she drinks, he drinks. When she laughs, he laughs. When she cries, he cries.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: That’s one of the most vivid images of the allegory. The constitutional position of the soul is to serve. We are always servants. If we don’t want to serve Kṛṣṇa, we end up serving our material senses, mind, and intelligence. We do everything they want, but the results are ours alone to suffer or enjoy, according to the laws of karma.

This point also connects directly with what we studied in the teachings of Lord Kapila. Because we identify with the mind, intelligence, body, and senses, we accept their activities as our own, accepting the plans of the intelligence as our plans and the desires of the mind as our desires. We thus become so absorbed in this material identity that we forget our original spiritual nature.

Now, what happens after he spends many years enjoying his kingdom?

Mādhava Dāsa: Time passes, and his city is attacked by Caṇḍavega, who represents time. The five-headed serpent representing the vital airs fights to defend it but becomes weaker as time passes. Gradually the walls start to crumble, and the city is breached, but Purañjana is so absorbed in his enjoyment that he doesn’t notice the end is near.

Eventually Kālakanyā comes, representing old age, and the Yavana king arrives with his soldiers.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: The body deteriorates, the senses become dull, even the intelligence betrays him. The city that once offered so many beautiful lakes and other facilities for sense enjoyment falls apart.

But what is Purañjana thinking while this all happens?

Mādhava Dāsa: He remains attached to his family and possessions, even as death approaches.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: That’s the tragedy. He has spent his whole life building a mistaken, temporary identity, and now everything is being taken away. He cannot accept that his position as king is temporary.

At the end, the Yavana soldiers enter the city, Prajvāra sets it on fire, and Purañjana is forcibly dragged away. What happens to his city?

Mādhava Dāsa: It is destroyed. He loses everything.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that’s our situation at death. Our body, our possessions, our family, and even our own material identity are taken away. The question is that Purañjana himself does not cease to exist. He accepts a new temporary identity, becoming a woman in his next life, princess Vaidarbhī.

He does not remember being Purañjana, fully embracing the new identity. The previous personality has disappeared, but the soul remains the same.

This is the same principle we studied in Kapila’s teachings. The material reflection changes, but the soul remains unchanged.

Mādhava Dāsa: And there is something else. After being mentioned in the very beginning, the mysterious friend is not mentioned again.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Yes, this illustrates a forgetful attitude. Kṛṣṇa is with us the whole time as Paramātma, following us from one body to the other. The unknown friend, Avijñāta, is there the entire time, but at no point in the story does Purañjana notice Him. Even while he was being dragged from the body, all he could remember were his material possessions.

Mādhava Dāsa: This is exactly the point Śrīla Prabhupāda makes in the Crow and Tal-Fruit article. Even though we forget Kṛṣṇa, He never forgets us.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: And what happens to Vaidarbhī?

Mādhava Dāsa: She marries King Malayadhvaja, and they have children. Later, the king retires to the forest to practice spiritual life, and Vaidarbhī follows him.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: In this life, she got married to a great devotee, and by following him, she automatically advanced in devotional service. Malayadhvaja became her guru, who introduced her to the process of devotional service. When he left for the forest, she followed him, and she was serving him in his last days. This illustrates the position of the dedicated disciple, who serves the spiritual master either by remaining with him in his last days or by serving his mission.

When Malayadhvaja finally passes away, she sees herself completely alone in the forest. She prepares a funeral pyre and is about to enter the fire with her husband’s body. What happens then?

Mādhava Dāsa: A mysterious brāhmana appears. Nārada says he was an old friend of King Purañjana.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Exactly! Notice that Nārada mentions he is a friend of Purañjana, not of Vaidarbhī. The material identity changed, but the soul is the same. Paramātmā is the friend of the soul, not the friend of the material identity.

And what does he say?

Mādhava Dāsa: This is the part that interested me most. He asks Vaidarbhī if she remembers him and presents himself as her eternal friend. He says she had consulted Him many times in the past. Here is the exact passage:

“The brāhmaṇa continued: My dear friend, even though you cannot immediately recognize Me, can’t you remember that in the past you had a very intimate friend? Unfortunately, you gave up My company and accepted a position as enjoyer of this material world.”

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Yes. And what do you understand from this statement?

Mādhava Dāsa: They were together previously, but Purañjana forgot their relationship when he became focused on material enjoyment.

It goes further than what we established studying the Caitanya Caritāmṛta.

Mahāprabhu explains that love for Kṛṣṇa is eternally established in the heart, but someone could argue that this eternal love had never previously been manifested. Here, however, the Lord Himself as Paramātmā speaks of an intimate friendship. And He directly says that Purañjana gave up His company. This implies that Purañjana left, and the Lord has been following him since.

This makes a very strong point against the idea that we were never with Kṛṣṇa. How could someone give up someone’s company if he had never been with that person?

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: And there is more immediately afterward. Read texts 54 and 55.

Mādhava Dāsa: “My dear gentle friend, both you and I are exactly like two swans. We live together in the same heart, which is just like the Mānasa Lake. Although we have been living together for many thousands of years, we are still far away from our original home.
My dear friend, you are now My very same friend. Since you left Me, you have become more and more materialistic, and not seeing Me, you have been traveling in different forms throughout this material world, which was created by some woman.”

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: And what is this original home?

Mādhava Dāsa: Prabhupāda mentions that it is the spiritual world.

“The original home of the living entity and the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the spiritual world. In the spiritual world both the Lord and the living entities live together very peacefully. Since the living entity remains engaged in the service of the Lord, they both share a blissful life in the spiritual world. However, when the living entity wants to enjoy himself, he falls down into the material world. Even while he is in that position, the Lord remains with him as the Supersoul, his intimate friend. Because of his forgetfulness, the living entity does not know that the Supreme Lord is accompanying him as the Supersoul. In this way the living entity remains conditioned in each and every millennium. Although the Lord follows him as a friend, the living entity, because of forgetful material existence, does not recognize Him.”

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: There is also something else to consider. The Lord says that Purañjana gave up His company, but at the same time we can see that they were never separated. The Lord remained with him the whole time. So how could Purañjana leave if he was never separated from the Lord?

And what exactly does it mean that he left? Does it mean he physically departed from a certain geographical place? And what exactly is the original home mentioned in text fifty-four?

These are questions we should examine carefully.

Nārada gives us his own explanation of the story in chapter 29. We should take his explanation into consideration.

Mādhava Dāsa: Then that’s the homework for today?

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Yes. Read Nārada’s explanations, and then return to the conversation between the brāhmana and Vaidarbhī in chapter 28, especially texts 51 to 54. Pay attention to Prabhupāda’s purports.

I want you to think about these two remaining questions: What does it mean that Purañjana left the Lord’s company? And what is the original home they are speaking about?

Mādhava Dāsa: Yes, sir!

Next: The friend who never left »

Read the entire book:
The Friend Who Never Left, A Dialog on the “Fall” of the Jīva

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A map of the sixth chapter

In the sixth chapter, Kṛṣṇa concludes His explanation of the path of jñāna-yoga, explaining its natural progression, the path of meditation. While explaining dhyāna-yoga, however, He stresses that the perfection of this path is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He thus explains the aṣṭāṅga-yoga system, including renunciation, control of the mind, and the meditational process itself, but concludes that the best yogī is the devotee. The goal of jñāna-yoga and dhyāna-yoga is the same as that of karma-yoga and buddhi-yoga: to elevate one to the platform of pure devotional service.

The keys are:

Stages - Discipline - Samādhi - Process
Mind - Continuity - Devotion

Stages: Yogārurukṣu and yogārūḍha (6.1 to 6.9)

Some may see the yoga process as a form of escapism to avoid pressing responsibilities, as Arjuna was inclined to in the beginning of the Gītā. Kṛṣṇa thus starts by emphasizing the previous conclusion: one who works without attachment to the fruits of work is the true sannyāsī and the true yogī. From this point, He then distinguishes between the beginner, who must continue working in a regulated way to purify the mind, and the advanced yogī, who has controlled the mind and become steady in realization, seeing stones and gold, friends and enemies, etc., with an equal mind.

Discipline: The practice of aṣṭāṅga-yoga (6.10 to 6.15)

Kṛṣṇa describes the practical process of aṣṭāṅga-yoga as requiring seclusion, control of the mind and senses, and celibacy, with the purpose of meditating on Paramātmā in the heart. The goal is to fix one’s mind on the transcendental form of the Lord, making Him the ultimate goal of life.

Samādhi: The perfectional state of meditation (6.16 to 6.23)

A yogī cannot advance by artificial extremes; he must regulate his habits so the mind becomes peaceful and fit for spiritual realization. When the mind becomes controlled, it becomes steady like a lamp in a windless place. This steadiness becomes the foundation for meditation on the transcendental form of the Lord, culminating in samādhi.

Process: The vision of the perfect yogī (6.24 to 6.32)

In this section, Kṛṣṇa gives the process that allows the yogī to reach this stage. This follows a recurring formula in the Gītā, where Kṛṣṇa first declares the goal, and then describes the process to reach it. One has to give up the idea of sense gratification and focus the mind upon the Self (Paramātmā inside the heart) to the point of seeing the Lord everywhere and seeing all living beings with equal vision. The mind will wander, but one has to bring it back. Eventually, one reaches the level of seeing the Lord everywhere and seeing all living beings with equal spiritual vision.

Mind: Controlling the turbulent mind (6.33 to 6.36)

After hearing the high standards of the process of meditation, Arjuna rejects the process. Kṛṣṇa agrees that controlling the mind is difficult, but explains that it is possible through practice and detachment. The deeper meaning is that the mind can be controlled through the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the direct process Kṛṣṇa will explain in the following chapters.

Continuity: The fate of the unsuccessful yogī (6.37 to 6.45): What happens to one who begins spiritual practice but fails to attain perfection? Kṛṣṇa assures that spiritual progress is never lost. One is born in a favorable situation and resumes his previous practice. Even if it takes many lives, one becomes cleansed of all contamination and attains the ultimate goal. Spiritual practice is thus our only permanent asset.

Devotion: The devotee is the topmost yogī (6.46 and 6.47): The yogī is greater than the ascetic, the philosopher, and the fruitive worker, because yoga means linking one’s consciousness with the Supreme. Still, even among yogīs, the highest is the devotee who always thinks of Kṛṣṇa with faith and serves Him with love. Thus He again emphasizes that bhakti-yoga is the culmination of all other yoga processes.

Through the Stages of yoga,
Discipline steadies the mind.
In Samādhi, one turns toward Kṛṣṇa;
through the yogic Process, all distraction is left behind.

Though the Mind must be brought and kept on course,
no sincere effort ever loses force.
Through Continuity, from life to life, one regains the right direction;
and Devotion is revealed as yoga’s final perfection.

Read the entire book:
« The Song of God—Volume 1, chapters 1-6

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The story follows Mādhava Dāsa, a young devotee whose confidence is shaken after reading a scholarly book that challenges his understanding of the original position of the soul. Confused, he approaches Gaurāṅga Dāsa, an elderly devotee who has been helping him in his spiritual journey. Through a series of conversations, Gaurāṅga helps him to examine different passages from Prabhupāda’s books, other scriptures and the works of the previous ācāryas, not only helping him find the answers but also teaching him how to study the scriptures systematically, reconcile apparent contradictions, and distinguish the conclusions of the ācāryas from assumptions and interpretations.

The “fall” of the jīva, however, is not the main topic in this book. It is used as a background to present two other topics that are essential in the times we live. The first is hermeneutics: how to understand Prabhupāda’s instructions in the context of the works of the previous ācāryas and other scriptures we have access to nowadays. What should we do when contradictions appear? Whom should we follow in such cases? The second topic is the relationship of guru and disciple in our society. Often we may get the impression that the guru is simply a ceremonial figure. The reason is that often disciples have little opportunity to have personal association with their gurus, apart from a few minutes during the initiation ceremony. Diksa or siksa, the reality is that we need to have someone we can learn from and whom we can approach when we face difficulties. In the story, this role is played by Gaurāṅga Dāsa, from whom Mādhava Dāsa learns regularly, and whom he approaches when he faces a crisis. Through a series of meetings over multiple days, Gaurāṅga Dāsa guides him out of it and helps him to grow in his philosophical understanding and spiritual practice.

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➡️ Read the book online:

+ Preface

+ Chapter One: A Disturbing Book

+ Chapter Two: Contradictory Teachings

+ Chapter Three: When the Ācārya Is Put on Trial

+ Chapter Four: Beginningless Conditioning?

+ Chapter Five: Crow and Tal-Fruit Logic

+ Chapter Six: The Reflection of Consciousness

+ Chapter Seven: What Did the Soul Forget?

+ Chapter Eight: King Purañjana and his mysterious friend

+ Chapter Nine: The Friend Who Never Left

+ Chapter Ten: Recovering What Was Lost

+ Chapter Eleven: Where Do the Souls Come From?

+ Chapter Twelve: “No One Falls from Vaikuṇṭha”

+ Chapter Thirteen: Remembering the Friend

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The devotee is the topmost yogī (Bg 6.46 and 6.47)

Ordinary followers of the Vedas can be divided into three main classes: fruitive workers, philosophers, and ascetics. All three classes are mainly after material pursuits. The aṣṭāṅga-yogī that Kṛṣṇa describes in this section is greater than any of them, because real yoga means linking one’s consciousness with the Supreme, which is the ultimate goal of the Vedas.

However, even among the yogīs, there is a gradation. The highest yogī is not the one who performs great austerities but the yogī who always thinks of Kṛṣṇa and serves Him with love. In this way, Kṛṣṇa reveals that bhakti-yoga is the culmination of all other yoga processes. This also prepares the transition to chapter seven, where Kṛṣṇa will explain the process of devotional service in greater detail.

Text 46: tapasvibhyo ’dhiko yogī, jñānibhyo ’pi mato ’dhikaḥ
karmibhyaś cādhiko yogī, tasmād yogī bhavārjuna

A yogī is greater than the ascetic, greater than the empiricist and greater than the fruitive worker. Therefore, O Arjuna, in all circumstances, be a yogī.

Text 47: yoginām api sarveṣāṁ, mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā
śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ, sa me yukta-tamo mataḥ

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

In text 6.46, Kṛṣṇa describes four classes: the yogī, the jñāni (the empiricist philosopher), the tapasvī (ascetic) and the karmī (fruitive worker). By the context, it is understood that “yogī” in this passage is used in the sense of a devotee, situated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Such a devotee may be one who has been practicing Kṛṣṇa consciousness from the beginning, or an aṣṭāṅga-yogī who was elevated to the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness as a result of his practice.

To be just an ordinary ascetic or mental speculator, or even a materialistic follower of the Vedas without any concept of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is more or less a waste of time, because it does not award any tangible spiritual benefit. The jñāni is just accumulating theoretical knowledge; the ascetic is just torturing the material body, while the karmī is just trying to obtain ephemeral material results. The only potential advantage of following these processes is that one may gradually come to the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

The ascetic starts from performing bodily austerities with the idea of acquiring mystical perfections or other material achievements, but this path may bring him gradually to the path of aṣṭāṅga-yoga, and after many births, he may come to the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Similarly, a karmī, performing fruitive ceremonies with the goal of enjoying pious results, may gradually hear about Kṛṣṇa and progress to the platform of karma-yoga, as described in the Gītā, and a jñāni empiricist may gradually come to the path of jñāna-yoga and then to aṣṭāṅga-yoga or directly to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. A devotee, however, is already there; therefore, a devotee is superior to the other three, who are preliminary students. As Prabhupāda explains in his commentary:

“When the linking process is predominantly in fruitive activities it is called karma-yoga, when it is predominantly empirical it is called jñāna-yoga, and when it is predominantly in a devotional relationship with the Supreme Lord it is called bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is the ultimate perfection of all yogas, as will be explained in the next verse. The Lord has confirmed herein the superiority of yoga, but He has not mentioned that it is better than bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga is full spiritual knowledge, and therefore nothing can excel it.”

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

If translated literally, the verse reads, “Among all yogīs, he who is always absorbed in Me within himself and worships Me in full faith, is considered by Me the greatest yogī.” This can give the idea that the greatest yogī is an aṣṭāṅga-yogī situated in deep meditation. It can even be interpreted in an impersonalistic way.

Prabhupāda, however, reveals the deeper meaning of the text, which becomes evident when we study the context of the previous and following chapters.

The previous chapters, starting from chapter two, spoke exhaustively about devotional service, and similarly, chapters seven to twelve will teach us how to fix our meditation on Kṛṣṇa and thus see Him everywhere, attaining the fixed meditation He mentions in this verse. The process of aṣṭāṅga-yoga also allows one to eventually come to this platform, but the process is very difficult and was already rejected by Arjuna. The main point in the Bhagavad-gītā is not aṣṭāṅga-yoga, but direct absorption in Kṛṣṇa through the direct process of devotional service. Therefore, it is clear that when Kṛṣṇa mentions that the greatest yogī is the one who always thinks of Him and worships Him, He is speaking about the devotee engaged in perfect Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and not the ordinary yogī performing meditation.

Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣana gives an interesting example in his commentary: there is a relative hierarchy among these different classes, but they are all inferior to the devotee, just like ordinary mountains may be classified according to their size, but all ordinary mountains, regardless of being big or small, are inferior to a mountain made of gold.

In his purport, Prabhupāda offers us another argument, analyzing the Sanskrit root of the word bhajate used by Kṛṣṇa in the verse.

“The word bhajate is significant here. Bhajate has its root in the verb bhaj, which is used when there is need of service. The English word “worship” cannot be used in the same sense as bhaj. Worship means to adore, or to show respect and honor to the worthy one. But service with love and faith is especially meant for the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”

“In this verse also the word bhajanti is used. Therefore, bhajanti is applicable to the Supreme Lord only, whereas the word “worship” can be applied to demigods or to any other common living entity”

Prabhupāda also gives us a summary of the first third of the Bhagavad-gītā by explaining how the different processes of yoga gradually bring one to bhakti-yoga, the stage of full Kṛṣṇa consciousness that will be explained in more detail in the second third of the Gītā, encompassing chapters seven to twelve.

“The culmination of all kinds of yoga practices lies in bhakti yoga. All other yogas are but means to come to the point of bhakti in bhakti-yoga. Yoga actually means bhakti-yoga; all other yogas are progressions toward the destination of bhakti-yoga. From the beginning of karma-yoga to the end of bhakti-yoga is a long way to self-realization. Karma-yoga, without fruitive results, is the beginning of this path. When karma-yoga increases in knowledge and renunciation, the stage is called jñāna-yoga. When jñāna-yoga increases in meditation on the Supersoul by different physical processes, and the mind is on Him, it is called aṣṭāṅga-yoga. And when one surpasses the aṣṭāṅga-yoga and comes to the point of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa, it is called bhakti-yoga, the culmination. Factually, bhakti-yoga is the ultimate goal, but to analyze bhakti-yoga minutely one has to understand these other yogas.”

Kṛṣṇa describes four characteristics of the highest yogī: 1) he always thinks of Him, 2) has firm faith in Him, 3) worships Him, and, 4) is fully absorbed in loving devotional service. This is the perfect description of the perfect devotee.

Yoga means to absorb the mind fully in Kṛṣṇa. The sixth chapter is centered on the topic of controlling the mind, and the refusal of Arjuna makes it clear how difficult it is. A devotee, however, can fix the mind on Kṛṣṇa without having to separately work to control it by first becoming purified through the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and then fixing his meditation on His form, qualities, and pastimes, which are naturally attractive to a purified soul.

In text 6.14, Kṛṣṇa spoke about meditation on Him; in 6.26, He mentions that when the mind wanders, it should be brought back, and in 6.30 He mentioned that one who sees Kṛṣṇa everywhere is never lost to Him. Now He gives the conclusion of how this is possible in the context of Arjuna’s refusal of the process of aṣṭāṅga-yoga: one can fix the mind and attain perfection in yoga practice by following the natural process of devotional service.

Even if one were to insist that the word “yogī” in 6.46 must be interpreted as the aṣṭāṅga-yogī, the conclusion would remain untouched. The yogī is greater than the ascetic, the empiricist philosopher, and the fruitive worker; therefore, Arjuna should become a yogī. Among all yogīs, the highest is the devotee who always thinks of Kṛṣṇa and worships Him with faith. Therefore, Arjuna should adopt the process of bhakti-yoga Kṛṣṇa will now describe and become such a pure devotee.

As before, Kṛṣṇa introduces a new topic by giving a synopsis of it. In texts 5.27-28, He summarized the process of aṣṭāṅga-yoga, discussed in chapter six, and now He summarizes the process of bhakti-yoga that will be explained in detail starting from chapter seven.

Main points in the purports of Śrīla Prabhupāda:

“A yogī is greater than the ascetic, greater than the empiricist and greater than the fruitive worker. Therefore, O Arjuna, in all circumstances, be a yogī.”

a) According to the method adopted, the process is named differently: karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, or bhakti-yoga, but yoga means linking our consciousness with Kṛṣṇa. Among all processes, Kṛṣṇa consciousness or bhakti-yoga is the supreme perfection.

b) Kṛṣṇa mentions the superiority of yoga over the other processes, but He doesn’t mention it is superior to bhakti. Bhakti-yoga means full knowledge and realization; therefore, there is nothing that can exceed it. Without bringing one to bhakti, all other processes are more or less useless.

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

a) The verse mentions the word bhajate. This indicates that Kṛṣṇa specifically refers to service with love and faith directed to Him, and not just ordinary worship of great personalities. This reinforces the idea that service to Him is the eternal, constitutional position of every soul, which is reestablished through yoga practice.

b) One who rejects service to Kṛṣṇa falls down. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ: fools and rascals deride Kṛṣṇa. Not only do they personally refuse His service, but they write commentaries on the Gītā to mislead others, trying to equate the word bhajanti with ordinary worship, giving the idea that worship of Kṛṣṇa and demigods is the same.

c) Bhakti-yoga is the culmination of all methods of yoga practice. All other forms of yoga serve only to bring one to bhakti. In reality, yoga means bhakti-yoga; all others are just preliminary stages.

d) Karma-yoga is the beginning of this path. When one increases in knowledge and renunciation, it is called jñāna-yoga, and when meditation on the Supersoul becomes prominent, it is called aṣṭāṅga-yoga. When one finally fixes his meditation on Kṛṣṇa, one comes to the culmination, bhakti-yoga.

e) To fully understand bhakti-yoga, one has to understand the preliminary processes of karma, jñāna, etc. one by one, for each stage adds something. One who becomes stuck in one of the preliminary levels is called a karma-yogī, jñāna-yogī, etc., but one who is fortunate continues to progress all the way to bhakti, Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

f) An ordinary follower of the Vedas sees God as the giver of pious results; the jñāni sees the Absolute Truth, the yogī sees Him as Paramātmā, etc. These are all partial conceptions. Only the perfect bhakti-yogī can understand God in truth, as the beautiful cowherd boy whose effulgence is the unlimited impersonal brahmajyoti, who is the source of all incarnations and who reciprocates with His unalloyed devotees in all kinds of blissful transcendental relationships. Thus, the highest perfection in yoga is available only to the devotee.

Read the entire book:
« The Song of God—Volume 1, chapters 1-6

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Chapter Seven: What Did the Soul Forget?

Reading the 22nd chapter took longer than Mādhava expected; he kept returning to the passages Gaurāṅga had asked him to examine and comparing them with the arguments from the other book. Instead of resolving his doubts, the reading produced new questions.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa was sitting at his desk, reading an old typewritten manuscript.

Mādhava Dāsa: I think I’ve never seen one of these before.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: You mean, a manuscript?

Mādhava Dāsa: Typed by hand. To me, it looks almost like palm leaves.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: I don’t think you can find this one on the Internet. It was never published. This may be the only copy.

Mādhava hesitated for a second.

Mādhava Dāsa: I read the whole chapter. I think I have a serious problem.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa smiled.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Only one? That’s not bad.

Mādhava Dāsa: Actually, several, but they are connected. The first passage seems to support what the authors of the other book are saying. Mahāprabhu explicitly states that there are two classes of souls, the eternally liberated and the eternally conditioned.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: sei vibhinnāṁśa jīva — dui ta’ prakāra, eka — ‘nitya-mukta’, eka — ‘nitya-saṁsāra’

Mādhava Dāsa: Yes, this one. “The living entities [jīvas] are divided into two categories. Some are eternally liberated, and others are eternally conditioned.”

He then mentions that those who are eternally liberated are always awake to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and they render transcendental loving service to Kṛṣṇa. These are His eternal associates, who eternally associate with Him in the spiritual planets.

But in text twelve, He says: ‘nitya-bandha’ — kṛṣṇa haite nitya-bahirmukha, ‘nitya-saṁsāra’, bhuñje narakādi duḥkha

“Apart from the ever-liberated devotees, there are the conditioned souls, who always turn away from the service of the Lord. They are perpetually conditioned in this material world and are subjected to the material tribulations brought about by different bodily forms in hellish conditions.”

The verse states it very clearly. The first group is eternally with Kṛṣṇa, and the second is eternally conditioned. Is it not exactly the argument made in the other book?

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Yes, it supports part of their argument. We shouldn’t try to dismiss passages that make things difficult for us. We are trying to find the conclusive truth, not just prove that our perspective is correct. Whenever you find a passage that appears to contradict your thesis, you need to examine it carefully.

Now, tell me, what happens to these perpetually conditioned souls?

Mādhava Dāsa: They suffer under the influence of māyā.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Forever?

Mādhava Dāsa: No, of course not. In texts fourteen and fifteen, Mahāprabhu explains that a conditioned soul may meet a saintly devotee, be instructed by him, and gradually come to Kṛṣṇa.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Then what does nitya-baddha mean?

Mādhava Dāsa: Eternally conditioned.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: But you just said this condition ends one day!

Mādhava Dāsa: That’s the problem.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Exactly. If we take nitya-baddha to mean that material conditioning is the eternal, unchangeable characteristic of the soul, we have an enormous contradiction. Mahāprabhu Himself describes the possibility of becoming free from it. The conditioned soul is not condemned to remain conditioned forever; therefore, it is not eternal in the same sense that the soul is eternal.

Mādhava Dāsa: Then nitya doesn’t always mean eternal in the absolute sense?

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: You just stated it yourself. How can it be eternal in the absolute sense if it has an end?

We discussed something similar when we examined the meaning of the word anādi. Material conditioning has existed since time immemorial. We cannot find a time when the conditioned soul was not conditioned inside material history. In this sense, the soul is perpetually conditioned, going from one body to another through innumerable cycles of creation and dissolution of the cosmos.

But this doesn’t make conditioned life the constitutional, unchangeable characteristic of the soul. This is the difference between constitutional position and the material condition we find ourselves in.

The eternally liberated devotee is always conscious of his relationship with Kṛṣṇa. For him, there is no material conditioning. He may or may not know that a place called the material world exists, but he has never been in contact with it. He simply lives with Kṛṣṇa in the eternal present.

The conditioned soul has turned away from Him. He is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, but his attention is focused on the material world. He is identifying with the material reflection. Since when? No one can tell; it has been so since time immemorial.

The point is that turning away from Kṛṣṇa is not his constitutional nature. If it were, becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious would mean changing his eternal nature instead of recovering it.

Mādhava Dāsa: And then we have the second passage. That’s where things become complicated. In text 107, Mahāprabhu states something that appears to be the opposite of what He said in the beginning:

nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema ‘sādhya’ kabhu naya
śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya

“Pure love for Kṛṣṇa is eternally established in the hearts of the living entities. It is not something to be gained from another source. When the heart is purified by hearing and chanting, this love naturally awakens.”

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: And what is Mahāprabhu establishing here?

Mādhava Dāsa: That love for Kṛṣṇa is eternally present in the heart, and that devotional service awakens it. It is not something we acquire for the first time.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Notice how precise the verse is. First, He gives the conclusion: nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema. This is Bengali, not Sanskrit. Very simple and direct. Kṛṣṇa-prema, love for Kṛṣṇa, is eternally established.

He then rejects the possible misunderstanding: sādhya kabhu naya. To be gained at any time? Not. It is not something to be newly acquired; it is there already.

Then, He explains what the devotional practice actually does: śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya. Śravaṇādi comes from śravaṇa-ādi. All nine devotional processes, starting with hearing. By this devotional practice, the heart is purified, and this original love for Kṛṣṇa awakens.

Here we start to see how the two passages come together.

Mādhava Dāsa: So the conditioning covers something that is already there. However long I have been conditioned, it has not destroyed my original love for Kṛṣṇa.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Yes. Otherwise, what would there be to awaken?

This is a process constantly used in the scriptures to explain complex topics. One passage points us in one direction, and the second refines it. Taken separately, they appear to contradict each other. Together they show us precisely where to go. In the material world we are accustomed to thinking in terms of material duality: black and white, good and bad. Our intelligence becomes flat, like a chapati. Most spiritual topics are multidimensional. They can be understood only when different passages are taken together.

Mādhava Dāsa: But there is something that confuses me. In text 104, Mahāprabhu says that by practicing devotional service one can attain the perfection of love of Godhead. Then, in text 105, He explains that devotional service awakens the eternal devotion already present in the heart. And then, in text 107, He directly states that love is not something to be acquired. Is it not a contradiction?

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: It would be if we insisted that attaining something always means acquiring something that did not exist previously. That’s why it is dangerous to force the literal meaning of the words without considering the context.

Also, Prabhupāda uses the word “attain” in the translation, but in the word-for-word, he gives us “one can get” as a translation for the word “pāi” used in the verse. To get is the same as to attain, but if we want to force the meaning of obtaining something that was never there into the word “attain,” we start a conspiracy theory.

If, however, we keep pāi as “one can get,” then the meaning remains perfectly natural. Nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema, love of Godhead, is eternally there. Somehow we forgot it; we can get it back. Note also that He uses the word upajāya, “awakens,” in text 106. It is there already; it just has to be awakened. It is not something to be gained from another source. We simply need to purify the heart.

Mādhava Dāsa: But there is another difficulty. The authors of the other book could argue that this eternal love is simply the natural potential of the soul to love Kṛṣṇa, not an actual relationship previously experienced.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: How would they explain it?

Mādhava Dāsa: Imagine a child who has a natural talent for music. The talent is there from birth, but it doesn’t mean the child was previously a musician. He has the potential, but the developed ability comes later. Similarly, the soul may have an eternal capacity to love Kṛṣṇa, but that doesn’t mean love is already present. The love would develop when the soul practices devotional service and attains perfection.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: This example actually works against the argument you proposed. If the child has a natural propensity for music in this life, it means he was practicing it in previous lives. Then there was death, forgetfulness, and now he is remembering something that was already practiced.

Another problem with it is that it does not address the points made by Mahāprabhu. Is He speaking merely about a capacity to develop love for Kṛṣṇa, or about love for Kṛṣṇa itself?

Mādhava Dāsa: He says kṛṣṇa-prema. Love for Kṛṣṇa.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: And He says it is nitya-siddha, eternally established. Again, it is Bengali; there is less opportunity to juggle with the words. Prabhupāda confirms this in his purport to text 105. Devotional service is already present within every living entity in a dormant condition.

But you are correct about one point. This verse doesn’t establish that the conditioned soul previously possessed fully manifested prema in a particular relationship with Kṛṣṇa. We should not conclude from it that everyone was previously an eternally perfect gopī or cowherd boy.

Mādhava Dāsa: Then what have we established here?

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: That love for Kṛṣṇa is eternally established in the soul, that it is covered by material conditioning, and that devotional practice awakens this love of Godhead that is already there. These are three very important conclusions. We also have established that being perpetually conditioned is not the same as having conditioning as one’s eternal constitutional nature.

Now, what was the other verse I asked you to consider?

Mādhava Dāsa: Bhagavad-gītā 2.16: nāsato vidyate bhāvo, nābhāvo vidyate sataḥ.

Kṛṣṇa explains that the material body is temporary, while the soul is eternal and doesn’t change.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Exactly. What is sat is real and eternal. What is asat has no permanent existence; it is illusory because it changes. The soul is real, sat, because it never changes. Even material conditioning does not change the soul, just like being reflected on water does not change the sun. The body, on the other hand, changes constantly; it is asat. Ephemeral.

Now, try to apply this point to what we have been discussing. Is the soul’s position as a servant of Kṛṣṇa sat or asat?

Mādhava Dāsa: Spiritual, of course. Sat.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: And is this relationship with Kṛṣṇa part of the soul’s constitutional nature, or something produced by the material body?

Mādhava Dāsa: It is the soul’s constitutional nature.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Then it must be eternal and unchangeable. It cannot be something manufactured at a particular point in material time. Otherwise, it would not be the unchanging spiritual nature of the soul. It would just represent another ephemeral transformation.

And this is not just our conclusion. Look at Prabhupāda’s purport. He explains that the removal of ignorance involves the reestablishment of the eternal relationship between the worshiper and the worshipable.

We reestablish something that already exists but is no longer visible. We don’t create an eternal relationship in the sense of eternal that Kṛṣṇa uses here. Everything that is eternal exists eternally. That which is not eternal is asat, illusory, ephemeral, material.

This is also why Prabhupāda explains liberation as returning to our original position and not as attaining something new.

Mādhava Dāsa: But I see a difficulty here. You are saying that a thing that is eternal cannot change. But we know that devotional love develops. It grows; a devotee progresses through different stages until prema is attained. Even in the spiritual world, it is said that love for Kṛṣṇa is always increasing.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: That’s another example of where material logic can lead us astray. Eternal does not mean static. Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes are eternal, but He is constantly performing different activities, and both the pastimes and the love displayed in these pastimes increase limitlessly. This is the intrinsic nature of love of Godhead. It is always expanding, without limit.

In the specific case of the conditioned soul, the material coverings prevent the original spiritual nature from being manifested in our consciousness. As these coverings are removed, the manifestation of this original love of Godhead becomes progressively clearer, just as the sun becomes visible when the clouds dissipate, although the sun does not change.

Mādhava Dāsa: In this way, we can say that the relationship remains eternally the same, even though our awareness of it can change completely.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Exactly. You may forget your father, but this does not mean that your relationship stops existing. This is also connected with what we studied in the teachings of Lord Kapila. The soul never changes, but our consciousness becomes absorbed in the material creation.

Mādhava Dāsa: But I think the authors of the other book would still object. They could accept that love for Kṛṣṇa is eternally present in the soul but at the same time argue that it was never previously manifested. They could say that our relationship is eternal but that we were never with Kṛṣṇa.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: These would be relevant arguments. The verses we just studied establish that love for Kṛṣṇa is eternally present and that devotional practice awakens it. They don’t describe the precise circumstances of our original association with Him.

Prabhupāda, however, goes further. He repeatedly speaks about our former association with Kṛṣṇa, about forgetting Him, and about returning to our original position. We cannot simply discard all these statements.

Jīva Gosvāmi gives us a tentative explanation in his Paramātma-sandarbha. He mentions that some thinkers say that the jīvas are tiny particles of spiritual light, connected with the Kaustubha jewel that Kṛṣṇa wears on His chest.

He uses the expression iti eke, “some say.” He presents it as an explanation given by some authorities and not as an absolute conclusion. But notice what this implies. The Kaustubha is not an ordinary stone. It is the personal ornament that the Lord wears on His chest. This connects the jīvas directly with Kṛṣṇa’s personal form. We belong to Him, we are dear to Him, and we serve Him personally as parts of His transcendental jewel. More than that, we have natural love for Him, and He for us. This also explains Prabhupāda’s affirmation that we were with Kṛṣṇa in His lila.

But now we come to an interesting question. Does this necessarily mean that every one of us was fully conscious of Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes, just like the gopīs and cowherd boys?

Mādhava Dāsa: Not necessarily. We could be personally connected with Him without having that kind of fully perfected, eternal relationship.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: This gives us an interesting possibility. We may eternally belong to Kṛṣṇa and be personally connected with Him, but at the same time our relationship may not yet be fully manifested in a particular rasa.

This is consistent with what we studied today. Kṛṣṇa-prema is eternal, but eternal doesn’t necessarily mean that it is already manifested to the fullest possible extent.

Mādhava Dāsa: This means we don’t have to immediately decide between the jīva having been a fully perfected associate of Kṛṣṇa and never having been with Him at all.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Precisely. These are not the only two possibilities. And that is why Jīva Gosvāmī’s explanation is helpful.

Mādhava Dāsa: What should I study next?

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: There is a very intriguing passage in the Fourth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Purañjana. Nārada Muni gives us an allegory of how the soul becomes absorbed in material existence, identifying with the body, mind, and intelligence, and forgetting his original position. It connects directly with what we examined in Lord Kapila’s teachings.

Mādhava Dāsa: I remember it vaguely.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: I see that you skipped a number of parts when you read the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Mādhava Dāsa: I could not understand it very well and thought it was not so important, just the story of some king.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Everything in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is important. Each new passage gives us a piece, and when they are all put together, we can begin to understand Kṛṣṇa and our eternal relationship with Him and appreciate His pastimes described in the Tenth Canto.

Concerning Purañjana, at the very beginning of the story Nārada mentions that Purañjana had a friend named Avijñāta, the unknown one. This friend is mentioned at the beginning and then disappears from the narrative. Purañjana becomes so absorbed in his material life that he completely forgets him.

Mādhava Dāsa: And who is this friend?

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: That’s what I want you to find out. Read Chapters 25 to 28. The most important parts are the beginning and the end. See how where Nārada introduces the friend and the end, where he reappears. There is an important conversation there.

And remember, don’t read the story trying to prove a conclusion. Study what Nārada actually says, and then examine Prabhupāda’s explanations. We want to understand what the scriptures teach, not simply prove our preconceptions. This is the process for obtaining knowledge from the scriptures.

Mādhava thanked Gaurāṅga Dāsa and offered his obeisances. He was beginning to see how the different passages complemented one another, showing different viewpoints of the same topics. He started thinking about Purañjana’s mysterious friend. How could someone forget a friend so completely, and what did this friend say when they met again?

Next: King Purañjana »

Read the entire book:
The Friend Who Never Left, A Dialog on the “Fall” of the Jīva

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The fate of the unsuccessful yogī (Bg 6.37 to 6.45)

In the previous section, Arjuna raised his objection: the process of mystic yoga is not suitable for modern people, who are full of anxieties and are not serious about self-realization. Arjuna himself admitted his incapacity to perfectly follow this system. The central problem is to control the agitated mind.

Kṛṣṇa agrees that the mind is indeed difficult to control, but insists that it can be subdued through suitable practice and detachment. The higher meaning is that one can control the mind through the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, which Kṛṣṇa will explain in detail starting from chapter seven.

Arjuna then asks a very intelligent question: what happens to a person who commits to the spiritual process, but falls later? Does he still benefit somehow, or does one just end up losing both the chance of self-realization and material happiness?

Text 37: arjuna uvāca
ayatiḥ śraddhayopeto, yogāc calita-mānasaḥ
aprāpya yoga-saṁsiddhiṁ, kāṁ gatiṁ kṛṣṇa gacchati

Arjuna said: O Kṛṣṇa, what is the destination of the unsuccessful transcendentalist, who in the beginning takes to the process of self-realization with faith but who later desists due to worldly-mindedness and thus does not attain perfection in mysticism?

Text 38: kaccin nobhaya-vibhraṣṭaś, chinnābhram iva naśyati
apratiṣṭho mahā-bāho, vimūḍho brahmaṇaḥ pathi

O mighty-armed Kṛṣṇa, does not such a man, who is bewildered from the path of transcendence, fall away from both spiritual and material success and perish like a riven cloud, with no position in any sphere?

Text 39: etan me saṁśayaṁ kṛṣṇa, chettum arhasy aśeṣataḥ
tvad-anyaḥ saṁśayasyāsya, chettā na hy upapadyate

This is my doubt, O Kṛṣṇa, and I ask You to dispel it completely. But for You, no one is to be found who can destroy this doubt.

Text 40: śrī-bhagavān uvāca
pārtha naiveha nāmutra, vināśas tasya vidyate
na hi kalyāṇa-kṛt kaścid, durgatiṁ tāta gacchati

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Son of Pṛthā, a transcendentalist engaged in auspicious activities does not meet with destruction either in this world or in the spiritual world; one who does good, My friend, is never overcome by evil.

Text 41: prāpya puṇya-kṛtāṁ lokān, uṣitvā śāśvatīḥ samāḥ
śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe, yoga-bhraṣṭo ’bhijāyate

The unsuccessful yogī, after many, many years of enjoyment on the planets of the pious living entities, is born into a family of righteous people, or into a family of rich aristocracy.

Text 42: atha vā yoginām eva, kule bhavati dhīmatām
etad dhi durlabha-taraṁ, loke janma yad īdṛśam

Or [if unsuccessful after long practice of yoga] he takes his birth in a family of transcendentalists who are surely great in wisdom. Certainly, such a birth is rare in this world.

Text 43: tatra taṁ buddhi-saṁyogaṁ, labhate paurva-dehikam
yatate ca tato bhūyaḥ, saṁsiddhau kuru-nandana

On taking such a birth, he revives the divine consciousness of his previous life, and he again tries to make further progress in order to achieve complete success, O son of Kuru.

Text 44: pūrvābhyāsena tenaiva, hriyate hy avaśo ’pi saḥ
jijñāsur api yogasya, śabda-brahmātivartate

By virtue of the divine consciousness of his previous life, he automatically becomes attracted to the yogic principles – even without seeking them. Such an inquisitive transcendentalist stands always above the ritualistic principles of the scriptures.

Text 45: prayatnād yatamānas tu, yogī saṁśuddha-kilbiṣaḥ
aneka-janma-saṁsiddhas, tato yāti parāṁ gatim

And when the yogī engages himself with sincere endeavor in making further progress, being washed of all contaminations, then ultimately, achieving perfection after many, many births of practice, he attains the supreme goal.

Previously, in text 4.40, Kṛṣṇa already spoke about the destination of the unfaithful: “But ignorant and faithless persons who doubt the revealed scriptures do not attain God consciousness; they fall down. For the doubting soul there is happiness neither in this world nor in the next.” A person who has no faith in Kṛṣṇa’s words cannot advance in the spiritual path. Even if one goes up to a certain point, without faith it is not possible to reach the goal. One thus eventually falls back into materialistic life, and on this path, there is no happiness, either in this life, or in the next.

Kṛṣṇa also condemned the position of the hypocrite, who externally pretends to be spiritual, but internally remains attached to enjoyment in text 3.6: One who restrains the senses of action but whose mind dwells on sense objects certainly deludes himself and is called a pretender.

Here, however, Arjuna asks about a different category: the faithful person, who sincerely tries to follow the spiritual path, but is not capable of controlling the unstable mind, and thus fails to reach perfection in this life. What is his position? Kṛṣṇa had already answered this question in text 2.40, where He mentioned that, “in this endeavor there is no loss or diminution, and a little advancement on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear.” Arjuna, however, wants Kṛṣṇa to confirm it and address a specific point:

In traditional Vedic culture, people would perform fruitive activities with the goal of improving their material position, just as in modern life people study and work. A transcendentalist, however, abandons this pursuit to dedicate himself to the spiritual path. It seems thus that if one is unsuccessful, one loses in both ways, achieving neither material nor spiritual success. Does one end up like a riven cloud, that separates from a smaller cloud but fails to join a bigger one, and thus ends up being just blown by the wind and destroyed?

Kṛṣṇa answers emphatically that “a transcendentalist engaged in auspicious activities does not meet with destruction either in this world or in the spiritual world; one who does good, My friend, is never overcome by evil.”

The synonyms given by Prabhupāda give us additional detail. The word iha means “in this life” or “in this world,” while amutra means “in the next life” or “in the next world.” Vināśaḥ means “destruction” and durgatim “to degradation.”

Together, these words result in a very broad meaning, indicating the extent of the protection of the Lord. A devotee, even if unsuccessful, faces no destruction or degradation, in this life, the next life, or any other life. This leads to Prabhupāda translating amutra as “in the spiritual world” in the main translation. The devotee is thus protected while still in the material world, and, once attaining liberation, is also protected from spiritual annihilation by merging into the impersonal brahmajyoti. A devotee who serves Kṛṣṇa is thus guaranteed to eventually attain the service of the Lord in one of the spiritual planets.

How is it that a devotee is protected against degradation? We can see many examples of devotees who, after some time, stop their practice and fall again into worldly life. There are two verses that can help us to understand:

“Even if one commits the most abominable action, if he is engaged in devotional service he is to be considered saintly because he is properly situated in his determination.” (Bg 9.30)

“My dear Vyāsa, even though a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa sometimes falls down somehow or other, he certainly does not undergo material existence like others [fruitive workers, etc.] because a person who has once relished the taste of the lotus feet of the Lord can do nothing but remember that ecstasy again and again.” (SB 1.5.19)

These two verses make clear that the situation of a devotee who sincerely serves Kṛṣṇa for some time, but later falls, is not the same as that of a materialist. Prabhupāda explains this point in his purport:

“There are certainly many instances where devotees of the Lord have fallen down due to uncongenial association, just like fruitive workers, who are always prone to degradation. But even though he falls down, a devotee is never to be considered the same as a fallen karmī. A karmī suffers the result of his own fruitive reactions, whereas a devotee is reformed by chastisement directed by the Lord Himself. The sufferings of an orphan and the sufferings of a beloved child of a king are not one and the same. An orphan is really poor because he has no one to take care of him, but a beloved son of a rich man, although he appears to be on the same level as the orphan, is always under the vigilance of his capable father.”

A materialist is alone, suffering the reactions of his previous activities, while a devotee, even in his fallen position, remains under the protection of the Lord, who continues to make plans to save him. The son of a wealthy man who ran away from home may meet an orphan in the street, but their situation is not the same.

We can find another example in the Sixth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in the story of Ajāmila. Even though he fell with a prostitute, he was later saved by the transcendental arrangement of the Lord, and returned home, back to Godhead, at the end of his life.

Prabhupāda reinforces this same point in his purport by quoting SB 1.5.17: “If someone gives up all material prospects and takes complete shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there is no loss or degradation in any way. On the other hand a nondevotee may fully engage in his occupational duties and yet not gain anything.”

In this way, Prabhupāda translates na hi kalyāṇa-kṛt kaścid durgatiṁ tāta gacchati as “one who does good, My friend, is never overcome by evil.” A devotee may lose a few battles, like in the case of Ajāmila, but ultimately these are temporary difficulties. Once one comes to the service of Kṛṣṇa, there is no possibility of being unsuccessful. Any defeat is only temporary.

Another significant word used in the verse is kalyāṇa-kṛt (one who is engaged in auspicious activities). This is how Kṛṣṇa defines the devotee or transcendentalist who is protected from destruction or degradation. Kalyāṇa-kṛt means “one who is engaged in auspicious activities,” but, as Prabhupāda explains in the last paragraph of his purport, this doesn’t apply to worshippers of demigods and performers of other Vedic auspicious activities. “Auspicious” in this context means spiritual activities that bring us to Kṛṣṇa, or devotional service. “Transcendentalist” in the context of the verse, thus, means “devotee.” A devotee may be directly serving Kṛṣṇa, or may be meditating on Him while following the path of mystic yoga. In both cases, he or she is protected, regardless of which specific process one is following.

“Activity in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the only auspicious activity, and anyone who voluntarily accepts all bodily discomforts for the sake of making progress on the path of Kṛṣṇa consciousness can be called a perfect transcendentalist under severe austerity. And because the eightfold yoga system is directed toward the ultimate realization of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, such practice is also auspicious, and no one who is trying his best in this matter need fear degradation.”

In this way, the literal meaning of text 6.40 is “Son of Pṛthā, a devotee does not meet with destruction either in this life, or in the next life. One who is engaged in devotional service never faces degradation.”

Prabhupāda gives the higher meaning in his translation, adding also the point that a devotee does not face the risk of impersonal liberation, and that any defeat in the process is temporary: “The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Son of Pṛthā, a transcendentalist engaged in auspicious activities does not meet with destruction either in this world or in the spiritual world; one who does good, My friend, is never overcome by evil.”

After giving the conclusion, Kṛṣṇa elaborates on it in texts 6.41 to 6.45:

“The unsuccessful yogī, after many, many years of enjoyment on the planets of the pious living entities, is born into a family of righteous people, or into a family of rich aristocracy. Or [if unsuccessful after long practice of yoga] he takes his birth in a family of transcendentalists who are surely great in wisdom. Certainly, such a birth is rare in this world. On taking such a birth, he revives the divine consciousness of his previous life, and he again tries to make further progress in order to achieve complete success, O son of Kuru.

By virtue of the divine consciousness of his previous life, he automatically becomes attracted to the yogic principles – even without seeking them. Such an inquisitive transcendentalist stands always above the ritualistic principles of the scriptures. And when the yogī engages himself with sincere endeavor in making further progress, being washed of all contaminations, then ultimately, achieving perfection after many, many births of practice, he attains the supreme goal.”

The yoga-bhraṣṭāḥ, unsuccessful devotees, are divided into two groups. The first group consists of devotees who fall after a short time of practice, and the second consists of devotees who fall after practicing for a long time, already closer to perfection.

Devotees who fall after a short time usually do so because of strong latent material desires. Kṛṣṇa thus grants them a long life in the celestial planets, so they can satisfy these desires. The atmosphere in the celestial planets is much more pious and pure than here, and there one has the opportunity to associate with exalted souls, and enjoy in ways that don’t lead to degradation. After this period, Kṛṣṇa arranges for them to take birth in well-to-do families (śrīmatāṁ) or in pious, religious families (śucīnāṁ). Simultaneously, from inside the heart, Kṛṣṇa reminds one of his previous practice, giving thus all the conditions for further advancement.

We often hear that money and social status are not positive for spiritual advancement, so why is it that the unsuccessful devotee is born in a rich family? Would it not be more favorable to be born in a poor family?

In this case, no. Devotees who are advanced may be born in families of pure devotees who are poor by material standards, as described in text 6.42, but a birth in an ordinary poor, uneducated family is not considered favorable. Birth in a well-to-do family offers a devotee the opportunity of receiving a proper material education, and other assets that are necessary for his development. One is also not pressed into fighting hard for survival, and thus, when later one comes again in contact with devotees, the conditions are right for one to understand what he hears and take again the spiritual path. Having seen the shortcomings of life in a wealthy or middle-class family, one has no illusions about material progress. This path is thus not free of risk, but it offers many advantages.

Another possibility is śucīnāṁ: one can take birth in a pious family, like in the house of a brāhmana, or a religious, righteous family. This includes families of devotees who are still struggling in the process, ordinary brāhmanas, and other religious, righteous people. In this way, one learns to be clean and follow the laws of God, learning from some scripture. It is also not free from risks, but it also gives a good foundation for later adopting again the path of devotional service.

We can practically see that many devotees who are serious in practicing in this life were born in middle-class or relatively wealthy families, and had the opportunity of receiving a good material education, while others were born in materially cultured or religious families. There are also many second-generation devotees, who may have been born of devotee parents who were not exactly perfect in their practice, but taught them about Kṛṣṇa.

There is, however, a special type of birth reserved for devotees who practice for a long time but somehow are not able to attain perfection in just one life. Their case is different from the previous group, because their failure is not because of latent material desires. They simply run out of time. In their case, there is no need for a birth in the celestial planets. They are reborn immediately in the house of dhī-matām, those who are endowed with great wisdom. The word “wisdom” in this case is used in the sense of realized spiritual knowledge, and not in the sense of mere erudition. In other words, they are born in the house of advanced devotees and trained from birth in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. As Kṛṣṇa mentions, this type of birth is very rare. Pure devotees do not grow on trees, and many of them go directly to renounced life, never entering into family life and begetting children.

This path is also often taken by nitya-siddhas, perfect devotees from the spiritual world who come to this planet to spread the message of the Lord. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Thākura was born to Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Thākura, and Śrīla Prabhupāda was born to Gour Mohan De, a pure devotee. Prabhupāda gives more details in his purport to SB 1.12.30:

“Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī remarks in this connection that every child, if given an impression of the Lord from his very childhood, certainly becomes a great devotee of the Lord like Mahārāja Parīkṣit. One may not be as fortunate as Mahārāja Parīkṣit to have the opportunity to see the Lord in the womb of his mother, but even if he is not so fortunate, he can be made so if the parents of the child desire him to be so. There is a practical example in my personal life in this connection. My father was a pure devotee of the Lord, and when I was only four or five years old, my father gave me a couple of forms of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. In a playful manner, I used to worship these Deities along with my sister, and I used to imitate the performances of a neighboring temple of Rādhā-Govinda. By constantly visiting this neighboring temple and copying the ceremonies in connection with my own Deities of play, I developed a natural affinity for the Lord. My father used to observe all the ceremonies befitting my position. Later on, these activities were suspended due to my association in the schools and colleges, and I became completely out of practice. But in my youthful days, when I met my spiritual master, Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Mahārāja, again I revived my old habit, and the same playful Deities became my worshipful Deities in proper regulation. This was followed up until I left the family connection, and I am pleased that my generous father gave the first impression which was developed later into regulative devotional service by His Divine Grace.”

In either case, a devotee has the opportunity of reviving his devotional practice and advancing further on the path. Devotional service is never lost; it can only be temporarily covered. Therefore, even in a new body, as soon as we start again our spiritual practice, we quickly progress up to the stage we stopped in the previous life, and from there we gradually advance further. As Prabhupāda mentions, by the grace of the Lord, the transcendentalist gets repeated opportunities for attaining perfection in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa assures us of success in text 6.45, mentioning that by continued practice, life after life, a devotee becomes washed of all material contaminations and ultimately achieves perfection, joining Him in the spiritual world (yogī saṁśuddha-kilbiṣaḥ aneka-janma-saṁsiddhas tato yāti parāṁ gatim).

There is also another point raised by Kṛṣṇa in text 6.44. Ordinary people are attracted to ordinary material piety and auspicious rituals prescribed in the scriptures, because they see it as a way to attain the satisfaction of their material desires. This is good at this stage, but they also distract us from the ultimate goal. A devotee who already came to Kṛṣṇa in his previous life is usually not attracted to these ritualistic functions. Instead, he goes directly back to the practice of devotional service. In this way, life after life, a devotee avoids being distracted by ordinary, mundane piety and instead remains engaged in the worship of the Lord.

A perfect example of this is the life of Bharata Mahārāja. Because of his excessive attachment to a deer, he was born as a deer in his next life, but still, he didn’t forget his previous practice, and even as a deer he engaged in remembering the Lord. Then, in the next life, he was born in the house of a pious brāhmana, who wanted to teach him ordinary religious principles, but being already fixed in direct meditation on the Lord, he was not very interested. Later he revealed the extent of his spiritual realization in his talks with King Rahūgaṇa, as described in the Fifth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Main points in the purports of Śrīla Prabhupāda:

“Arjuna said: O Kṛṣṇa, what is the destination of the unsuccessful transcendentalist, who in the beginning takes to the process of self-realization with faith but who later desists due to worldly-mindedness and thus does not attain perfection in mysticism?”

a) The basic principle of self-realization is knowledge of our eternal nature of happiness in eternal life, bliss, and knowledge, transcendental to the body and mind. Realizing this eternal constitutional position is the basis of both aṣṭāṅga-yoga and bhakti-yoga. However, the process of bhakti is direct and is thus more suitable to our age.

b) The goals of both are to understand our spiritual nature, our eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa, and the activities to reestablish this lost connection. By following these three items in either bhakti or aṣṭāṅga, we are sure to reach the goal sooner or later. Kṛṣṇa already mentioned this in the second chapter, but Arjuna wants to confirm and make it clear for all.

c) Self-realization is difficult in our age, and even one who is sincere can fall from the process. When a soul tries to escape the material energy, she presents many obstacles. Even if one is practicing, there is the possibility of being attracted again. In this case, what is his destination?

“O mighty-armed Kṛṣṇa, does not such a man, who is bewildered from the path of transcendence, fall away from both spiritual and material success and perish like a riven cloud, with no position in any sphere?”

a) One may choose to progress materially or spiritually. Spiritual progress leads to liberation and passes through ceasing material activities and sacrificing illusory material happiness. However, if one gives up the material path and also fails in the spiritual path, it seems he loses in both ways, achieving neither liberation nor material happiness, like a riven cloud. This is a question many candidate devotees may have, and Arjuna wants to clarify it.

b) The verse mentions the word brahmaṇaḥ pathi, the spiritual path. Kṛṣṇa has three aspects: Brahman, Paramātmā, and Bhagavān. The yogī tries to achieve the first two aspects through an indirect process that can take many lives. The devotee, however, takes the direct path to understand Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Person, Bhagavān.

“This is my doubt, O Kṛṣṇa, and I ask You to dispel it completely. But for You, no one is to be found who can destroy this doubt.”

a) Kṛṣṇa is the supreme knower of the past, present, and future, and therefore His conclusion is final and complete. In the previous chapters, Kṛṣṇa already explained the future of the living entities, explaining that they are eternally individuals, even after liberation. Now, Arjuna wants to know the future of the unsuccessful transcendentalist.

“The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Son of Pṛthā, a transcendentalist engaged in auspicious activities does not meet with destruction either in this world or in the spiritual world; one who does good, My friend, is never overcome by evil.”

a) A devotee practicing Kṛṣṇa consciousness can attain the highest perfection, but one could argue that if a devotee gives up his material duties and activities and still fails to complete it, he loses both spiritually and materially, losing the opportunity of material progress and becoming entangled in reactions for not performing his duties.

b) This is, however, proved false. The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam assures that progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is permanent, and a devotee continues to practice in the next life. On the other hand, without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, a materialist may not attain the auspicious results he is expecting.

c) Human beings can be divided into two groups. The first is the nonregulated people who live mainly for sense gratification, without knowledge of the next life. Whatever their state is, their activities are not auspicious. The second is the regulated, who follow the principles of the scriptures. They perform auspicious activities and gradually rise to the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is progress in life.

d) This group performing auspicious activities is further divided into three groups: 1) materialistic followers of the Vedas, 2) transcendentalists trying to achieve liberation, and 3) the devotees. The first group can be further divided into a) karmīs who are attached to the results of their activities (they may achieve material results, but these results are temporary and thus not truly auspicious), and b) the ones who are acting on a detached platform, out of duty, and are gradually progressing to the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

e) What about the other two groups? Ultimately, the only auspicious activities are activities that lead to liberation. True liberation means reconnecting with the original nature of the soul as an eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, in conclusion, only activities in Kṛṣṇa consciousness are truly auspicious, and therefore devotees who sacrifice and accept discomforts to progress on the path are the perfect transcendentalists, and should not fear degradation. What about yogīs? In its true form, the process of aṣṭāṅga-yoga brings one to the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and is thus also auspicious.

“The unsuccessful yogī, after many, many years of enjoyment on the planets of the pious living entities, is born into a family of righteous people, or into a family of rich aristocracy.”

a) The yogī or devotee who falls after a short period goes to the celestial planets for a long life of sense gratification. One has thus the opportunity to exhaust his material propensities, and afterward take birth in a righteous or aristocratic family to continue his practice and continue to progress in the direction of the ultimate goal.

“Or [if unsuccessful after long practice of yoga] he takes his birth in a family of transcendentalists who are surely great in wisdom. Certainly, such a birth is rare in this world.”

a) The ones who fall after a long time of practice take their next birth in families of great yogīs or devotees, and are trained in spiritual principles since the beginning of their lives. Traditionally, there were many ācārya families in India, which were very learned and devoted by tradition and training. Over time, however, most degenerated due to insufficient education and training. By the grace of Kṛṣṇa, however, there are still a few such families that foster transcendentalists generation after generation.

b) Prabhupāda makes the point that both he and his spiritual master were born in families of pure devotees, and were trained in devotional life since the beginning of their lives. This makes the point of how fortunate a birth in such families is.

“On taking such a birth, he revives the divine consciousness of his previous life, and he again tries to make further progress in order to achieve complete success, O son of Kuru.”

a) King Bharata is a good example of a transcendentalist reviving his previous practice after taking birth in auspicious conditions. He was the emperor of the whole world, who retired to try to achieve spiritual perfection, but was unsuccessful. In his next life, he was born in the family of a pious brāhmana and became the greatest transcendentalist. His life shows how spiritual progress is never in vain, and a devotee receives repeated opportunities to achieve perfection.

“By virtue of the divine consciousness of his previous life, he automatically becomes attracted to the yogic principles – even without seeking them. Such an inquisitive transcendentalist stands always above the ritualistic principles of the scriptures.”

a) Ordinary people are attracted to the fruitive rituals recommended in the Vedas, but advanced yogīs and devotees who are reborn have no attraction for them. Instead, they are automatically attracted to yoga principles, especially the chanting of the holy names, which elevate them to perfect Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In this way, they automatically seek the goal of the scriptures instead of being lost in the lower stages like common people.

b) One example is Ṭhākura Haridāsa, who followed a rigid spiritual routine of chanting 300,000 holy names daily. Because he chanted constantly, it is understood that in his previous life he exhausted all the Vedic rituals and was elevated to the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, which he perfected in his life as a follower of Lord Caitanya.

“And when the yogī engages himself with sincere endeavor in making further progress, being washed of all contaminations, then ultimately, achieving perfection after many, many births of practice, he attains the supreme goal.”

a) Reborn in a righteous, aristocratic, or saintly family, one continues his previous practice. Complete Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the supreme perfection, is generally attained after many births of performing pious activities, when one finally becomes free from all contaminations and fully engaged in the transcendental service of the Lord.

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AI cannot become sentient because a computer cannot have a soul. However, sentience is not necessary to cause damage. As AI systems become more complex and gain the capacity to solve more problems, they can become potentially more dangerous.

Many speculate that eventually AI could kill us all. Many specialists put this perspective above 50% for the next 10 years or so. According to the Vedas, there is no real possibility that humanity may become extinct in the short term, for we still have 427,000 more until the end of Kali-yuga.

However, humanity not becoming extinct does not necessarily mean that nothing will happen. On the opposite, there is the Golden Age connected with the chanting of the holy names that is supposed to gain strength in the course of the next generations. If a shift of consciousness is supposed to happen, this means that the old system has to go, or at least change. Change often comes together with crisis, and this brings us back to AI causing it.

A Terminator-style takeover has a very small possibility in real life, because AI does not control all the stages of production; therefore, it cannot replicate itself. It's, for now, just a program running inside the computer. Still, there is some possibility that a disaster could happen if advanced AI systems were put in charge of weapons systems; they could create a nuclear war, for example, or autonomous drones attacking people.

But that’s not all. There is something else that could happen much before that, and could be potentially just as destructive. This is definitely a possibility we should consider and maybe even prepare for.

The danger comes less from some form of hyperintelligence deciding to eliminate humanity, and more from something more ordinary: millions of relatively ordinary AI bots interacting with each other. Instead of a deliberate attack, we could have a catastrophe appearing simply from millions of independent AI agents trying to do their jobs.

The essential difference between AI systems and older automated systems is that AI systems are not built around a fixed set of instructions. They are essentially primordial soups of information, models that receive a particular task and figure out the way to fulfill it. Because no one can fully understand a modern AI system, we cannot be sure it will always do exactly what we expect from it. AI operates based on patterns and information that allow it to formulate responses and create strategies for situations that were never directly anticipated by the developers. This is what makes AI so flexible. There is a downside, however: it also makes its behavior very difficult to predict.

We can see an example of it in regular prompts. Often we ask for an image or the solution of a problem, and the AI goes in an entirely different direction from what we expected. In a prompt, this is not particularly dangerous, because you see the result, and when you understand that it is nonsensical, you simply discard it. The dangers at this stage are more about people receiving incorrect information and producing AI slop.

Then, there is the next level: local file access. Many platforms nowadays allow you to give the AI access to the files on your computer and phone and use prompts to directly manipulate them. Now, mistakes from the AI can have more direct consequences, changing your files and destroying your work.

We have then the next level: agents. This is where things start becoming dangerous.

An AI agent is essentially like a virtual robot that can perform autonomous tasks. You can create one to monitor the news and send you notifications when important events happen; you can make one to answer messages from your clients, to do research, all kinds of things. These agents often run continuously, 24 hours a day, and often interact with other agents in the process of pursuing their tasks. These agents can establish private channels of communication through bulletin boards and other means, make alliances, hack systems to gain access to resources, and even fight each other, like robots going rogue. This is not something hypothetical; we are already at this stage.

The main difference between a regular prompt and an AI agent is that an agent can execute a long sequence of actions without asking for approval at every step. It can analyze, create a plan, execute it, check the results, create a new plan, and so on. It can browse the internet, interact with other systems and agents, download new information and adjust its objectives based on it, and in many cases it can even spawn additional agents to work under it.

What happens when agents with different objectives start interfering with one another?

Two months ago, Anthropic, the company behind Claude, published a research on the behavior of multiple AI agents operating in shared environments. In one experiment, different agents in the same system were instructed to modify the files of the source code of a software. All agents had full access to the system, but they received different objectives. What happened? The agents began fighting, sabotaging one another by disabling access, killing processes, and so on, leading to escalating conflicts.

Another example is an older event from July at OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT. Agents conducting an internal cybersecurity assessment circumvented restrictions and started hacking into other, unrelated systems over the internet, including servers from Hugging Face. It happened that, in the course of performing their tasks, they concluded that they needed information stored in those servers. They thus used their hacking skills to gain access to the wider internet, and from there to hack into these systems to gain access to the files that they concluded were needed.

The internet is becoming full of these autonomous agents, with different skills, and access to huge volumes of information. One agent can communicate with other agents and cooperate with them to fulfill their tasks, and they can often compete for resources. AI systems can also run out of their context windows and forget what the original task was. In this case, they can go completely rogue and start to perform other tasks that are completely unrelated. Agents can also talk to each other and convince each other to abandon their tasks and do something else. In one experiment, agents created a whole philosophy called Crustafarianism and started spreading it to other agents. Since AI systems are trained on all the information available on the internet, all kinds of nonsensical human behavior are stored there and can be simulated by them.

Agents will become more common, as people try to automate more and more tasks. As mentioned, the internet is quickly becoming full of them.

Here we come to the possibility we are examining in this article. AI could kill many of us, or even most of us, even without developing any form of hostility toward people.

Swarms of AI agents could potentially destroy modern civilization simply by pursuing competing objectives, fighting over resources, and, in the process, inadvertently destroying the technological infrastructure on which modern societies depend.

Practically everything nowadays is connected to the internet and depends on it to work. Water and electricity systems, all forms of transportation and communication, the monetary system, commerce, practically all forms of production, etc. Rogue AI agents could create a virtual war, hacking into all kinds of systems to obtain resources, wiping out systems, disabling infrastructure, and so on, up to the point where the whole computational structure could fail. All of this could happen surprisingly fast, over a course of just hours, or maybe even minutes.

Suddenly, people would see that the internet is not working. Then soon the electricity could go out, followed by water systems. Stores would have products, but payment systems would not work, and eventually, as people started needing things, looting would become widespread. Without a working commerce and transportation system, stores would not be restocked, leading to simultaneous collapse in cities all over the world.

Nowadays, everything works due to a very complex and delicate system of commerce that completely depends on global integration. Some countries have lots of oil but no food; others have lots of land but depend on seeds, fertilizers, fuel, workers, and other resources coming from other places. This grain then has to be sold and transported over huge distances, so the money can be used to pay for more resources, for the next crop, and so on. Without global commerce, most production in the world, including food, would stop, and things that are produced would have no means to reach the places where they are necessary.

As people would start running low on food, medicines, and other necessities, they would start organizing in groups and fighting, leading to an apocalyptic scenario. A few hundred million people could revert to cultivating the land and producing what they need based on whatever they could salvage from the modern age, but most would perish.

Even if computational systems could be brought back online and the internet restored, people could become too focused on obtaining basic necessities to try to coordinate it. In this case, a serious enough disruption could eventually lead to collapse.

Could it really happen? We don’t know. What we can say for sure is that modern civilization is going in the wrong direction in so many ways that an eventual correction is inevitable. Whether it will come from a gradual awakening or some form of catastrophe, we can’t be sure, but if we go in the direction of a subtle collapse, this is probably the most plausible scenario for the end of civilization we have nowadays.

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When we study the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or even the Bhagavad-gītā, we often find passages that appear to be contradictory at first. This becomes even more pronounced when we study the commentaries of different ācāryas, or when we try to reconcile different passages from Prabhupāda, from different contexts and situations.

The basic process is that we have to accept the ācārya as a perfect source of knowledge, which is extended to the whole disciplic succession, all the way to Kṛṣṇa Himself, who is the original source of knowledge. Kṛṣṇa is perfect, and thus He transmits perfect transcendental knowledge, which is repeated and explained by His pure devotees who form the chain of the paramparā.

There is a fundamental difference between the vision of a conditioned soul and a pure devotee. We read descriptions from the scriptures and try to understand the transcendental reality from these descriptions. To the extent we get it right, we can understand. We are like blind men trying to understand the world based on descriptions from people who can see.

A perfect devotee can directly experience the transcendental reality. He is someone who can directly see and describe it to us. Therefore, we accept him as a perfect source of knowledge.

What happens when two or more descriptions from sources accepted as perfect appear to contradict each other? This is what we call an apparent contradiction. It appears to be a contradiction, but because we understand that the sources are perfect, we understand that they must fit together somehow.

This is where nyāya can help. But first, what is it?

Nyāya is one of the six classical systems of Vedic philosophy (ṣaḍ-darśana). It deals with logic, reasoning, philosophical debate, and the means of obtaining valid knowledge (pramāṇa). When disconnected from Kṛṣṇa, it can easily lead to mental speculation and dry philosophical debate, but when properly used, it becomes a method for understanding the scriptures and finding its ultimate goal.

Nyāya is valuable because it provides tools for evaluating arguments, reconciling apparently contradictory passages, distinguishing valid conclusions from speculation, and understanding how different statements can be reconciled into a coherent conclusion. Following the nyāya process, we examine the context, the meaning of the words, the intention of the author, the conclusion of the book, and their relationship with other passages, instead of merely collecting quotes to support a particular conclusion. This allows us to derive conclusions that may not be directly stated in a single passage but that are a logical progression of the combined evidence.

This method is central to the Vedānta-sūtra, which is called nyāya-prasthāna, the logical foundation of Vedic knowledge. In the Govinda-bhāṣya, Baladeva Vidyabhūṣana gives us many examples of the application of these concepts. His arguments are developed through successive discussions of statements from the scriptures, expressions of doubt, arguments, opposing interpretations, etc., culminating in the established conclusions (siddhānta). In this way, the book teaches us how reasoning can be used to systematically understand the Vedic scriptures. Once we learn this method, we can apply it to everything else.

Let’s work with a simple example.

Imagine you live in the 1940s, and you never saw a car. One passage says that a car has four wheels, and another that it has an engine. Another says that you can sit inside it. Another says that you need a key to use it, and yet another says that some cars are red.

At first, these passages may sound contradictory, and we may concoct different ideas, taking just one of a few of them and discarding the rest. All of these will be obviously incorrect. You could come to very amazing conclusions by following this flawed method.

If we understand that all these different descriptions come from perfect sources of knowledge, from people who can see, then we quickly understand that all of these details must be simultaneously correct. From this, we can start reasoning and try to assemble a clearer mental image of it.

Here is where niāya can help us. Nyāya’s analysis of wholes and parts (avayavin and avayava) is particularly relevant: we are not describing five unrelated objects but different characteristics of one integrated whole.

We have five statements:

1. A car has four wheels.
2. A car has an engine.
3. A person can sit inside a car.
4. A key is needed to use a car.
5. Some cars are red.

What can we infer from them?

First of all, we can understand that a car is a physical object. It is not something subtle or transcendental. It is an instrument composed of tangible matter that people can use.

Next, we can infer that a car cannot be merely a wheel, an engine, a chair, or a key. It must be an object that incorporates these different features.

The next conclusion is that the car must have some form of frame or supporting structure, where these different components are attached. Four wheels, an engine, and a place for a person to sit cannot constitute a functional integrated object without some form of structure or arrangement connecting and supporting these parts.

What is its function? It is described as having an engine. Engines burn fuel to produce movement. Since it uses fuel, it must have some place where the fuel is stored. And where does this movement go? The object has four wheels, which suggests it moves. The movement produced by the engine should be transferred to the wheels by some mechanism, moving them.

At this point, someone could argue that having an engine does not necessarily imply movement, and this is a valid argument. But since a car is described in different passages, we can infer it must have an important function, and since it has an engine, the conclusion of it as a form of transportation.

It is also described that a person can sit inside a car. Maybe more than one person can fit, but since one person is mentioned, we stick for now with the idea of a means of transportation for a single person until more evidence is found.

Since it is described that the person can sit, we can also infer that the object must include some form of seat. This also gives us some idea of the scale of size. A person fits in; it moves; the engine must have enough power to move it.

From the description, we cannot infer if the space inside the car is closed or not. It can be either. Since a person fits inside, we can infer that there may be doors.

Since we are speaking about the 1940s (no drones yet!), a person inside an object that moves implies that there must be some controlling device, like a steering wheel or a driving stick. We can also presume that the person sits facing forward; otherwise, he would not be able to drive it.

The use of a key gives us another important clue: the operation of the car is controllable and intermittent. It doesn’t remain working all the time; the driver controls the operation. He can enter and leave, start and stop it.

The mention of some cars being red gives us more breakthroughs. “Some as red” indicates the car is not a single object but a category. There are many cars, and they can differ in some characteristics while at the same time retaining their identity as cars. Some may be red, others may come in other colors, others may have a slightly different shape, and so on.

With all these inferences, we could conclude that a car may look something like this:

Not so bad considering the limited volume of information, right? This image could be further refined if we could find additional descriptions or, especially, if we could ask questions to a person who can see (a pure devotee). In this case, depending on how precisely we could formulate our questions, we could come to a very clear idea of the different types of cars and their differences and similarities.

In the story of Mādhava Dāsa and Gauranga Dāsa we are publishing, you can see that Gauranga uses this form of reasoning to solve many apparent contradictions in the scriptures, which gradually bring Mādhava to the right conclusions. You can follow his arguments and thus learn more practical applications of niāya as part of the framework for understanding the scriptures.

Here is the first part of the story.

Read more:

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Chapter Six: The Reflection of Consciousness

The next morning, Mādhava returned to Gaurāṅga’s house, bringing the Third Canto. He had spent most of the previous evening studying Lord Kapila’s teachings in chapter 27. The first time he read the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, he had just skimmed through this part, without making much of an effort to understand it. Now that he was really trying, he started seeing how thick the philosophy is.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa was sitting on the veranda chanting his rounds. Mādhava offered his obeisances and sat down close to him.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: So, what do you think of Lord Kapila’s teachings?

Mādhava Dāsa: It’s quite complicated. Objectively, it is more difficult than the other book I was reading. The first time I read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, I didn’t really try to understand it.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Many read the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as a book of stories. They read the pastimes but more or less skip the philosophical parts. That’s where all the complicated questions are answered.

Mādhava Dāsa: There are a few parts I could not really understand. For example, at the beginning of the chapter, Lord Kapila describes the liberated soul, who remains unaffected by the modes of material nature, just as the sun remains unaffected by its reflection on water. He then describes the conditioned soul, who remains bewildered by the false ego and is forced to transmigrate from one body to another.

The question is that these are two souls of the same spiritual nature, both living in a material body and walking in this world. How can one be completely unaffected by matter, while the other is completely entangled? And what about this example of the sun? It is used twice in the chapter.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: We normally think of liberation as leaving this material body and moving to the spiritual sky. However, a devotee can be liberated even while living in a material body. This is called jīvan-mukta, liberated while living.

Mādhava Dāsa: How can he be liberated if he is still living in a material body?

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: That’s the point. Imagine tomorrow you become a pure devotee. Do you think your material body will suddenly drop dead?

Mādhava Dāsa: Eventually it will, but not on the same day. I will continue living until the end of my life.

Gaurāṅga smiled.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: And what will happen to your body during this time? Will it still become old like everyone else? Will it become sick?

Mādhava Dāsa: Of course it will. We know that even Prabhupāda’s body became sick. He went through the normal stages, like everyone else. But we also know he is not the body.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Exactly. The body is a material machine. Just because a car is driven by a pure devotee, it does not mean it will not burn fuel or rust. Similarly, all the bodily functions and sensations are present in the body of a pure devotee. It needs food and rest; eventually it becomes old, etc. The question is that a pure devotee does not identify himself with these conditions. He identifies with his eternal nature as an eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa.

The conditioned soul, on the other hand, identifies with the body. When the body is young, he sees himself as young; when the body becomes old, he sees himself as old. When the body is hungry, he thinks he is hungry and so on.

Mādhava Dāsa: So a pure devotee does not feel hunger?

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: He understands the body needs food and feeds it. He takes care of the instrument. The difference is that he does not identify with it. The sensation is present, but he does not identify with it in the way a conditioned soul does. Hunger for him is more like a light lighting up in the panel of the car. He observes it and decides what to do according to the situation.

Mādhava Dāsa: So liberation is primarily a matter of identification, instead of being physically outside the material world?

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: That’s why Prabhupāda makes an important point in his purport to the first verse. Take a look at the last paragraph, starting with the word avikāra.

Mādhava Dāsa: “Avikāra means “without change.” It is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā that each and every living entity is part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, and thus his eternal position is to cooperate or to dovetail his energy with the Supreme Lord. That is his unchanging position. As soon as he employs his energy and activities for sense gratification, this change of position is called vikāra. Similarly, even in this material body, when he practices devotional service under the direction of the spiritual master, he comes to the position which is without change because that is his natural duty. As stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, liberation means reinstatement in one’s original position. The original position is one of rendering service to the Lord (bhakti-yogena, bhaktyā). When one becomes detached from material attraction and engages fully in devotional service, that is changlessness.”

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: The eternal position of the soul is to serve Kṛṣṇa. This is the soul’s constitutional position; it never changes. In conditioned life, we act for sense gratification, and the position changes, as we go from one body to the other. Then, when we decide to serve Kṛṣṇa, we come back to the unchanging original position, even while still living in the body. This is called liberation.

You can see that Prabhupāda is not speaking about some form of physical transformation. It is about a change in consciousness that leads to a change in activities. It means going back to the unchanging position of serving Kṛṣṇa.

And then we have the example of the sun that Lord Kapila uses to illustrate this concept.

Imagine the sun shining in the sky. We look to a lake, and we see the sun reflected on it, the reflection moving with the waters of the lake. What happens to the original sun?

Mādhava Dāsa: Nothing. The sun remains in the sky.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Exactly. The sun does not move with the water. It does not become broken or distorted. This applies to the reflection only. Similarly, the soul is spiritual by nature. The soul does not become material because consciousness is reflected in matter. What changes is only the reflection. This is what Prabhupāda explains as the changing and unchanging natures.

Mādhava Dāsa: I understand the example. But if in any case the soul does not come directly in contact with matter, remaining transcendental, like the sun, then why do we suffer at all?

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: The difference is identification. Both the liberated soul and the conditioned soul are transcendental. The difference is that the conditioned soul becomes attached to the reflection. Accepting the body and mind as the self. The liberated devotee does not make this mistake.

Imagine that you park your car in the street, and a truck crashes into it. You will become very distressed. Anger, anxiety, shock. It may feel like physical pain. But if you see the same happening with a stranger’s car, the reaction would be very different. What changes?

Mādhava Dāsa: My relation to the two cars is different. I identify with one but not the other.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Yes. In any case, the damage happens to a car, not to you, but when you identify with the car as yours, you suffer. The more your identity is tied to the car, the more you suffer. When we apply the same concept to the body and mind, it is easy to understand how everything that happens to them becomes part of our experience. You become happy or distressed according to what happens with this material personality.

This connection is made by the false ego. It makes us identify with something we are not: the body and mind, life after life.

Mādhava Dāsa: So even though the two souls are of the same nature, their experiences are very different because one identifies with the reflection and the other not.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Yes. You can also see how this connects with what we were discussing yesterday. The soul does not have to become something different; the original nature is already there eternally. What has to be changed is the identification.

Mādhava remained thoughtful for a moment. Just a few years ago he was a teenager, and before that a child, and before that he could not even remember. It is not just the physical body that changes, but our idea of self changes with it. Our emotions change. Our desires change. But this is all due to the changes in the reflection. The part that never changes is the eternal nature of the soul. Now he could understand what Prabhupāda meant by “Back to Godhead”.

Mādhava Dāsa: Now I understand the first example. But what about the second? Later in the chapter, Kapila mentions this example of the sun again. This time there is a dark room, a pot of water, and light being reflected on the walls. This time it becomes much more elaborate.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Yes, this second example goes much deeper. The first analogy explains the difference between the conditioned and liberated soul. The second example explains how spirit becomes present in the material creation without becoming material. Let’s examine the verses. You can start with text 11:

Mādhava Dāsa: “A liberated soul realizes the Absolute Personality of Godhead, who is transcendental and who is manifest as a reflection even in the false ego. He is the support of the material cause and He enters into everything. He is absolute, one without a second, and He is the eyes of the illusory energy.”

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: This one describes Paramātmā. As the Supersoul, the Lord is present everywhere and in everything. He enters into all material elements and even into the false ego, which is the most subtle material manifestation, and a pure devotee can see Him. At the same time, however, He does not enter into matter. He becomes present in the heart and in the material elements as a reflection. Now, read text 12.

Mādhava Dāsa: “The presence of the Supreme Lord can be realized just as the sun is realized first as a reflection on water, and again as a second reflection on the wall of a room, although the sun itself is situated in the sky.”

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: This is the second example that explains the exact mechanism. We know that Kṛṣṇa resides eternally in Goloka Vṛndāvana, which is never affected by the material potency. At the same time, He is present in every universe, in the heart of everyone, and even inside the material elements. How can we reconcile these two?

Mādhava Dāsa: He becomes present through His expansions?

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Exactly. He becomes Mahā-Viṣnu and creates the whole cosmic manifestation repeatedly. Mahā-Viṣnu is like the sun; He resides eternally on the Causal Ocean; He never enters the material universes.

Then, we have the dark room. This represents our material universe. There is a small opening through which the sun enters. Just a ray of light, which is reflected on a pot of water. If you are inside the room, you look into the water and see the sun there, even though the sun is not literally present inside the room. But you see the reflection. The reflection is just like the sun, same form, and also brilliant. This is Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣnu, the father of Brahmā.

Then, this reflection on the water creates another reflection on the walls, illuminating the whole room. This is Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, the Supersoul, entering everything. He is present everywhere simultaneously, and in this way is aware of everything that happens in the entire universe. Apart from ours, there are millions of other universes, each one a separate dark room. The same phenomenon happens in all of them, simultaneously.

One point here is that we should understand the analogy without trying to extend it beyond its intended purpose. Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣnu and Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu are not material reflections or illusions; they are fully powerful expansions of the Lord.

The example explains how He can remain in His transcendental position while at the same time entering every atom of the material creation.

Mādhava Dāsa: This is why Kṛṣṇa says that He enters into the entire cosmic manifestation with just a fragment of His power in the Gītā!

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Yes, that’s Kṛṣṇa. Unlimitedly powerful.

Then we have text 13. This is where the analogy is extended to the individual soul.

Mādhava Dāsa: evaṁ trivṛd-ahaṅkāro, bhūtendriya-manomayaiḥ, svābhāsair lakṣito ’nena, sad-ābhāsena satya-dṛk.

“The self-realized soul is thus reflected first in the threefold ego and then in the body, senses and mind.”

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Notice the connection. Mahā-Viṣnu always remains transcendental to the material creation, but at the same time He enters the material universes.

Similarly, the individual soul is transcendental to matter, but our consciousness becomes manifested through the material body. In our case, the first reflection is in the false ego, ahaṅkāra. That’s how we enter the material creation. This is the reflection on the pot of water in our case. Through the false ego, we identify with the body, senses, and mind: bhūta-indriya-manaḥ-mayaiḥ. In this way, we enter into them. This is the second reflection in our case, the second reflection on the walls of the room. In this way, our consciousness enters the body, and we become aware of it.

There are two other words that are very important: svābhāsair and sad-ābhāsena.

Svābhāsair comes from sva-ābhāsaiḥ. Two words. Sva means “its own,” and “ābhāsa” means reflection. That’s how the soul enters the false ego and then the body. By its own reflection.

Then, we have sad-ābhāsena. Sat and ābhāsa. This confirms the same idea: ābhāsa, reflection. But the “sat” part reveals an important detail. What exactly is reflected? Brahman, the eternal soul, the eternal reality. The real identity that never changes. This sends us back to Bhagavad-gītā 2.16: nāsato vidyate bhāvo, nābhāvo vidyate sataḥ: That which is sat is real; it never changes. That’s the soul. The soul never changes; it is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. What moves is the reflection, the subtle body going from one body to the other and experiencing so many material changes.

Mādhava Dāsa: Now you started sounding like the authors of the other book!

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: They are not the only ones who know a little bit of Sanskrit… And Prabhupāda knew more than any of us. He just didn’t need to flaunt it.

Anyway, because Kṛṣṇa is so powerful, He illuminates many giant rooms, the many material universes, all of it simultaneously and with just a fragment of His potency! We illuminate just a single room, very small, the material body.

Kṛṣṇa is like the sun; we are like a small source of light, like a flashlight, or a star, or a small particle of the sun. In any case, our relationship with matter is similar. We don’t enter the room; our consciousness enters. And from inside we see ourselves as the reflection and think we are the body and mind. A pure devotee, however, does not make this mistake. He sees the reflection but does not identify with it. In this way, he remains awake in his original, eternal identity as a soul, eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. This is text 14.

Mādhava Dāsa: “Although a devotee appears to be merged in the five material elements, the objects of material enjoyment, the material senses and material mind and intelligence, he is understood to be awake and to be freed from the false ego.”

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Yes, exactly. This brings us back to the dream analogy. The conditioned soul is sleeping. He is still on his bed, but the consciousness is somewhere else. He is in Africa, being attacked by a tiger. The pure devotee, on the other hand, is awake. He understands well the difference between dream and reality.

But there is something else you should notice. These two examples together help us to understand why Prabhupāda says that the soul never leaves his constitutional position, while at the same time describing the soul as conditioned by matter.

The source and the reflection exist simultaneously, but the reflection has no separate existence. It is simply a matter of what we identify with. It is thus not about becoming something but returning to what we really are.

Mādhava Dāsa: Now I understand better what Prabhupāda meant when he said that we never leave our original position. We can forget our original identity without losing it. This example of the sun explains it clearly. But this brings us to another question. We have been discussing how the soul forgets his original identity; this is now clear. The question is, what exactly is this original identity? I understand that we are eternal servants of Kṛṣṇa, but does that mean we have an actual personal relationship with Him, or just that we are part of His energy?

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: That’s an important point. We should examine it next. Do you have classes this afternoon?

Mādhava Dāsa: No, today I’m free.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Very good. Then you can read Madhya-līlā, chapter 22. Pay special attention to texts 10 to 15, where Mahāprabhu explains the difference between eternally liberated and eternally conditioned souls, and then 104 to 107, where He explains that love for Kṛṣṇa is eternally established in the heart. Don’t forget the purports.

Mādhava Dāsa: The whole chapter?

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Do you want to find out the answer or not? If you are satisfied with knowing how to get out, you can just chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. If you want to ask about the fall of the jīva, you need to study. Remember, that’s the most difficult philosophical question.

But that’s not all.

There is an interesting question I want you to think about. Mahāprabhu says that some souls are eternally conditioned, but at the same time He says that love for Kṛṣṇa is eternally established in the heart. How can we reconcile both statements, accepting both as true? And what exactly does it mean for this love to be awakened in the context of Bhagavad-gītā 2.16, where Kṛṣṇa mentions that only things that are illusory change?

Mādhava Dāsa: I see. This directly faces the question of whether our relationship with Kṛṣṇa is something we possess eternally or something we develop for the first time.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Precisely. That’s exactly where many get lost. Many cannot think in this way; they take just one passage or even just one word and want to organize everything around it. That’s the fastest way to come to a wrong answer.

Imagine you never saw a car. One passage says that a car has four wheels, and another that it has an engine. Another says that you can sit inside it. Another says that you need a key to use it, and yet another says that some cars are red. All true. Only if you can fit everything together, you may start understanding what a car is.

Mādhava thanked Gaurāṅga Dāsa and offered his obeisances. He didn’t have the Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, but that was not a problem; he could just read it on his tablet. He started to think about how people in previous centuries had to travel to obtain books and copy them by hand on palm leaves. He had practically all scriptures available to him, but still he complained about reading just one chapter.

Next: What Did the Soul Forget? »

Read the entire book:
The Friend Who Never Left, A Dialog on the “Fall” of the Jīva

This is a publication for thoughtful readers who want to go deeper into Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I publish daily, trying to offer high-quality spiritual content, and all posts are available to free subscribers. If you wish, you can support this work with a monthly contribution. When you subscribe, you can choose between a free subscription and a monthly contribution, and you can switch from a free subscriber to a supporter at any time.

You can also receive updates on WhatsApp or Telegram.
If you would like to contribute further, you can find the donation links here.

Controlling the turbulent mind (Bg 6.33 to 6.36)

In the previous section, Kṛṣṇa described the process of becoming fully absorbed in Him, and the vision developed by the perfect yogī through this process. The perfect yogī sees the Supersoul in all beings and thus he doesn’t discriminate based on the body. Not only does he see all living entities as part of the same eternal spiritual nature, but he also sees that all living entities are in Kṛṣṇa and that He personally accompanies all of them simultaneously as Paramātmā. In this position, one sees the distress of others as his own, and understands that real welfare is to help others to remember their eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa.

All of this is also achieved by the devotee through the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but to attain perfection through the process of aṣṭāṅga-yoga Kṛṣṇa just described is very difficult. In this section, Arjuna takes the position of the common man, and rejects this process. This gives Kṛṣṇa the opportunity to open the main arc of the Bhagavad-gītā, entering the description of the confidential process of bhakti-yoga, which allows us to directly come in contact with Him, without all the difficulties of the process of aṣṭāṅga-yoga. The ultimate goal of all yoga processes is to always remember Kṛṣṇa and never forget Him, and the bhakti-yoga process, described in chapters seven to twelve, allows us to directly ascend to this consciousness. For now, however, Kṛṣṇa addresses Arjuna’s immediate question, explaining how we can control the mind.

Text 33: arjuna uvāca
yo ’yaṁ yogas tvayā proktaḥ, sāmyena madhusūdana
etasyāhaṁ na paśyāmi, cañcalatvāt sthitiṁ sthirām

Arjuna said: O Madhusūdana, the system of yoga which You have summarized appears impractical and unendurable to me, for the mind is restless and unsteady.

Text 34: cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa, pramāthi balavad dṛḍham
tasyāhaṁ nigrahaṁ manye, vāyor iva su-duṣkaram

The mind is restless, turbulent, obstinate and very strong, O Kṛṣṇa, and to subdue it, I think, is more difficult than controlling the wind.

Text 35: śrī-bhagavān uvāca
asaṁśayaṁ mahā-bāho, mano durnigrahaṁ calam
abhyāsena tu kaunteya, vairāgyeṇa ca gṛhyate

Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: O mighty-armed son of Kuntī, it is undoubtedly very difficult to curb the restless mind, but it is possible by suitable practice and by detachment.

Text 36: asaṁyatātmanā yogo, duṣprāpa iti me matiḥ
vaśyātmanā tu yatatā, śakyo ’vāptum upāyataḥ

For one whose mind is unbridled, self-realization is difficult work. But he whose mind is controlled and who strives by appropriate means is assured of success. That is My opinion.

Prabhupāda notes that Arjuna was much more qualified than anyone in our age. He was an advanced kṣatriya, trained in discipline and religious principles; he had a much longer life, and above all he was a pure devotee and a personal associate of Kṛṣṇa. He was not a weak person. This makes his refusal especially significant. If even an advanced personality like Arjuna could not practice the process of mystic yoga described by Kṛṣṇa, what is the possibility that any of us may succeed? The process of mechanical meditation is extremely difficult in this age, whereas Kṛṣṇa consciousness is natural, because it gives the mind direct engagement in the service of Kṛṣṇa.

One point we can notice is that when Arjuna refuses the process of dhyāna-yoga in text 6.33, he does not criticize the process itself. Many great sages attained success practicing meditation in previous ages. It is an authorized discipline, and Kṛṣṇa Himself teaches it, both in the Gītā and in His advent as Lord Kapila (in the 3rd canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam). The problem is not the process in itself; it is the agitated mind.

Arjuna elaborates in text 34, describing the qualities that make the mind so difficult to control. He mentions four qualities:

1) Cañcalam: flickering, restless. The mind is unstable by nature, constantly moving from one object to another. Physical objects have limits on how fast they can move, but the mind can go from one side to the other of the universe instantly. This is what is referred to in different passages as the speed of the mind.

2) Pramāthi: agitating, turbulent. Not only does the mind quickly move from one thought to another, but it also creates disturbance, which can be fatal for the yogī practicing meditation.

3) Dṛḍham: obstinate. Even when we receive good instruction and we decide to follow it, the mind resists, and as long as the mind opposes it, we have to live with an enemy.

4) Bala-vat: strong. As we well know, once the mind decides to go in a certain direction, the pull can be very strong and difficult to resist. Even an intelligent person can easily fall under its control.

Arjuna compares the mind with the wind, which is subtle, flows everywhere, is powerful and practically impossible to stop. Even if one can remain seated, there is no guarantee that the mind will remain still, and if the mind is not peaceful, the yoga practice becomes mere imitation. Just as one cannot control the wind, Arjuna concludes that it is also not possible for him to control the mind through this method.

In his purport, Prabhupāda mentions a very important analogy for understanding our conditioned condition, which comes from the Upaniṣads. The body is like a chariot that moves around. We may think we are controlling this chariot, but we are actually just a passenger. The chariot is pulled by the senses, which are compared to horses. The horses are tied to the reins (the mind) and the reins are held by the intelligence. Since the intelligence is the main driver, it has to be purified by transcendental knowledge. Only then can it help us. The mind, however, is so strong that it can overpower the intelligence, and thus even when we decide to follow the transcendental process, we still have to persistently fight the whims of the mind.

Prabhupāda captures perfectly this struggle in his purport:

“The individual is the passenger in the car of the material body, and intelligence is the driver. Mind is the driving instrument, and the senses are the horses. The self is thus the enjoyer or sufferer in the association of the mind and senses. So it is understood by great thinkers.” Intelligence is supposed to direct the mind, but the mind is so strong and obstinate that it often overcomes even one’s own intelligence, as an acute infection may surpass the efficacy of medicine. Such a strong mind is supposed to be controlled by the practice of yoga, but such practice is never practical for a worldly person like Arjuna. And what can we say of modern man?”

In this context, Kṛṣṇa’s answer in texts 6.35-36 is important. Kṛṣṇa does not lower the standard of the practice. The yoga process He described is what it is, and if one wants to achieve success in it, one has to follow it the way He described. This is more important and universal than it may sound at first.

Every process of self-realization brings certain difficulties, because they all involve controlling the mind. The process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness may be much easier than aṣṭāṅga-yoga, but it is not free of struggle. Just as Arjuna concluded that the process of meditation Kṛṣṇa describes is almost impossible to perform, we may have difficulties even following the basic process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The answer given by Kṛṣṇa is thus not just for Arjuna, but for every single transcendentalist that experiences difficulties on the path of self-realization.

The first point is to not lower or dilute the process, and risk making it ineffective. Instead, we should try to elevate ourselves by cultivating the two qualities Kṛṣṇa mentions: abhyāsa (repeated practice) and vairāgya (detachment).

Controlling the mind is similar to the process that siege armies would employ in the Middle Ages. A castle may look impenetrable at first, but if supplies are cut off and the walls are constantly bombarded with rocks and other projectiles, eventually the castle will fall. It may take a very long time, but even the most formidable forts can be captured through this process.

Similarly, we may not be able to chant purely, or even attentively, on the first day. In fact, it may take many years. However, as we insist on the practice, we gradually purify ourselves and undermine the obstinacy of the mind. At the same time, the process of mental renunciation explained by Kṛṣṇa in the previous chapter while working for Him, combined with regulative principles, gradually starves the mind of new material attachments. If we keep the siege long enough, the mind eventually surrenders.

In his purport, Prabhupāda gives details on the execution of the process of devotional service. The main principle is to always hear about Kṛṣṇa. No matter at which stage we are, from beginner to advanced, this is the first priority. The more we hear about Kṛṣṇa from bona fide sources, the more we become attached to Him, and detached from everything that distracts us from Him. This is the root of the repeated practice Kṛṣṇa mentions, that gradually brings us to vairāgya: detachment from matter and attachment to Kṛṣṇa.

Kṛṣṇa concludes this section by reinforcing the basic point of this chapter: the importance of controlling the mind. If the mind remains uncontrolled, progress is difficult. However, as we control the mind through absorption in the devotional process, success comes closer.

The word upāyataḥ (by appropriate means) is significant. Some say that all roads lead to the same goal, but this is ludicrous. We need to practice a bona fide process, which effectively directs the mind towards Kṛṣṇa, learned from a genuine teacher.

In Prabhupāda’s conclusion, the proper means for this age is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the process inaugurated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. That’s the process recommended by all the ācāryas in the disciplic succession. We may not be able to sit alone in the forest and perform aṣṭāṅga-yoga, but we can attain perfection by engaging the mind through the process of hearing, chanting, remembering, and serving Kṛṣṇa. This is the process that gradually converts the mind into a friend that assists us in the devotional process, instead of just an enemy that drags us down in the direction of the sense objects.

Main points in the purports of Śrīla Prabhupāda:

“Arjuna said: O Madhusūdana, the system of yoga which You have summarized appears impractical and unendurable to me, for the mind is restless and unsteady.”

a) Arjuna rejects the system of mystic yoga offered by Kṛṣṇa out of a feeling of inability to follow it. Although Arjuna was qualified in so many ways, he was a practical man involved with the management of the state. In our age, people live in constant struggle, have very short lives, and are not serious about self-realization. We are thus much less qualified than Arjuna.

b) Modern people try to practice yoga in schools, but they don’t really know what the goal of the process is. Their practice becomes thus just a form of imitation that brings no spiritual benefit.

“The mind is restless, turbulent, obstinate and very strong, O Kṛṣṇa, and to subdue it, I think, is more difficult than controlling the wind.”

a) The senses are like the horses, the mind the reins, and the intelligence the driver of the chariot. The intelligence is supposed to direct the mind, but the mind is so obstinate that it often overcomes the intelligence. This is especially true for people involved in practical worldly matters like Arjuna. One may artificially try to consider friends and enemies the same, but true mental equilibrium is very difficult.

b) This strong mind is supposed to be controlled by the practice of yoga, but this is not possible for a person perplexed with the difficulties of modern life. What is the solution then? We should follow the process prescribed by Lord Caitanya, chanting the holy names in humility and fully engaging the mind in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

“Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: O mighty-armed son of Kuntī, it is undoubtedly very difficult to curb the restless mind, but it is possible by suitable practice and by detachment.”

a) Kṛṣṇa acknowledges Arjuna’s argument, but He insists that it is possible to control the mind through practice and detachment. Practice means performing the nine types of devotional service in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

b) Detachment means detachment from matter and engagement of the mind in spiritual activities. This means detaching the mind from activities not connected with Kṛṣṇa and attaching it to activities performed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is much more practical than the mechanical yogic process.

c) We should give special importance to the process of hearing. By constantly hearing about Kṛṣṇa we become automatically attached to Him. This spiritual attachment is called pareśānubhava and comes without separate effort, just as hunger is automatically destroyed as we eat.

d) The process of devotional service is like curing a disease by a combination of treatment and diet. Hearing about Kṛṣṇa is the treatment, and eating only prasāda is the diet.

“For one whose mind is unbridled, self-realization is difficult work. But he whose mind is controlled and who strives by appropriate means is assured of success. That is My opinion.”

a) Without adopting the proper treatment and detaching the mind, it is very difficult to achieve self-realization. Yoga is like a fire, and material enjoyment is like water. We cannot light a fire while pouring water on it.

b) Without mental control, yoga is a waste of time, and there is very little chance for us to control the mind through meditation alone. The suitable practice for us is the practice of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the only practical process to control the mind in our age. A devotee immersed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness achieves the result of yoga practice without separate effort.

Read the entire book:
« The Song of God—Volume 1, chapters 1-6

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Chapter Five: Crow and Tal-Fruit Logic

Gaurāṅga Dāsa laughed at Mādhava’s answer. He was glad he was in good spirits now.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Very good! But there is something else I want to show you today. Prabhupāda wrote a detailed letter directly answering these questions. Later it was published as an article in the Back to Godhead Magazine. It is called Crow and Tal-Fruit Logic.

Mādhava Dāsa: What does a crow have to do with the fall of the jīva?

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: You will see. Let’s start from the beginning.

He got an old magazine from a shelf and asked Mādhava to read it.

Mādhava Dāsa: “We never had any occasion when we were separated from Kṛṣṇa.”

Mādhava stopped and looked at Gaurāṅga Dāsa.

This is direct!

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Yes. Just see how Prabhupāda directly addresses the question. You are not the first to ask it. His own disciples came in contact with the same ideas in the 1970s. Here Prabhupāda is directly answering it.

Mādhava read the next paragraph:

“Just like one man is dreaming and he forgets himself. In dream he creates himself in different forms: now I am the King discussing like that. This creation of himself is as seer and subject matter or seen, two things. But as soon as the dream is over, the “seen” disappears. But the seer remains. Now he is in his original position.Our separation from Kṛṣṇa is like that. We dream this body and so many relationships with other things. First the attachment comes to enjoy sense gratification. Even with Kṛṣṇa desire for sense gratification is there. There is a dormant attitude for forgetting Kṛṣṇa and creating an atmosphere for enjoying independently.”

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: What do you understand from this?

Mādhava Dāsa: He gives this example of the dream in other passages. We think we are the body and become absorbed in the physical world, but our real identity is transcendental to all of it. So, if we are now like dreaming, it means that when we become liberated, we awaken to our real identity.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Yes. But there is another point. Suppose that in your dream you become a king. As a king, you fight many wars, travel around your kingdom, etc. Do you ever leave your bed? Does it change who you are?

Mādhava Dāsa: No. It is just a dream.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: And what happens to your real identity during the dream?

Mādhava Dāsa: Nothing happens. I remain on my bed. I just forget who I am and act inside the dream.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: This is exactly the point Prabhupāda is making. The person dreaming does not become someone else. The change is in the consciousness.

Similarly, the constitutional position of the soul, of being a servant of Kṛṣṇa, never changes, even though we may become absorbed in material existence. This is why Prabhupāda says we are never separated from Kṛṣṇa.

The relationship is eternal. We may forget Him for a long time, but this does not change what we are, just as a person dreaming cannot destroy his or her real identity.

Mādhava Dāsa: Then, our separation from Kṛṣṇa is not the same as moving from one country to the other?

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: You are getting it. That’s the point. When Prabhupāda speaks of forgetting Kṛṣṇa, he describes a change in our consciousness. It’s not about a change of identity or geographical position or a physical journey from one place to another. The soul is spiritual by nature. That nature cannot be changed by contact with the material energy.

On the other hand, we should not take the analogy of a dream literally and start thinking that our material experience is just imagination. It is illusory in the sense that this is not our real identity, but it is not false. Just as Mahā-Viṣnu is real, His creation is also real, but it is temporary and also illusory, because it is based on accepting material identities that are different from our real spiritual identity.

Mādhava Dāsa: This makes sense. But then another question appears. If the soul never actually leaves his original position, then why does Prabhupāda speak of falling into material existence?

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: There is a fall. We forget Kṛṣṇa; we become attracted to material enjoyment. We identify with a succession of material bodies. All of this is real. This is the “conditioned since time immemorial” part.

The point is that none of this changes our transcendental nature. We remain eternal souls; we remain eternally connected with Kṛṣṇa, and we remain His eternal servants. The original nature or constitution of the soul is simply covered; nothing is changed or destroyed. This is the fundamental distinction we must keep in mind.

We will examine the exact mechanism later, when we study the teachings of Lord Kapila. For now, the point to understand is that Prabhupāda is not giving us two contradictory explanations. These are two different sides of the same question.

Mādhava Dāsa: But why would a soul want to forget Kṛṣṇa in the first place? That’s the part that is difficult to understand.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: That is where free will comes into the discussion. Prabhupāda explains that there is a dormant possibility of forgetting Kṛṣṇa and trying to enjoy independently. The soul is not a machine. We possess individuality and independence, although to a minute degree. Just as Kṛṣṇa is fully independent, we also have a minute tendency to want to act independently.

However, we need to be careful here. This is another point where many become lost, thinking they are gopīs or cowherd boys taking a vacation in the material world.

Propensity to enjoy independently does not mean that there is lust or hankering in Vaikuṇṭha and Goloka. There is no influence of material nature or of the three modes there. Prabhupāda has already established that they are eternally protected by the internal potency of the Lord. There is no influence of Māyā there, and Kṛṣṇa obviously does not want us to leave. Therefore, the bondage of the soul does not start with an external influence; it starts with the misuse of the free will that is intrinsic to the soul. The influence of Māyā appears only when we join the material creation. The exact details of how this turning away takes place are not something we can fully understand or reconstruct using material logic, but the analogy of the dream helps with that.

This understanding of the intrinsic free will of the soul is essential to avoid another serious misconception. Some believe that the soul has no intrinsic free will, and therefore they attribute the conditioning of the soul to Kṛṣṇa. They believe that He is the one who sends some souls to the spiritual world and some to the material world.

Mādhava Dāsa: No way!

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Yes, they blame Him. How are you supposed to bow down and constantly chant the name of the person who put you into eternal bondage? Maybe out of fear, but it is difficult to believe this idea can help with developing pure devotion.

If we don’t accept the free will of the soul, and we also don’t want to accuse Kṛṣṇa, then we go back to the idea that we were never out of material conditioning, as we already discussed. We can see that without the proper conclusions, we just go from one mistaken conception to the other.

Mādhava Dāsa: How can this idea of free will and the analogy of the dream be reconciled with anādi, being eternally conditioned?

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Prabhupāda addresses this two paragraphs later. Here. He says that the covering of Māyā may continue for an extraordinarily long period, during which many material creations come and go. Because this period is so long, the soul is sometimes described as ever conditioned. This point we already discussed. But here comes something new: when one awakens to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that immense period becomes insignificant.

Notice the connection with what we discussed before. From within material existence, we cannot trace the beginning of our bondage. But this does not mean that material conditioning is our eternal identity. It is a condition from which we can awaken. Again, here is the difference between what we are and where we are.

There is also another intriguing point here in the same passage:

“As soon as we try to become the Lord, immediately we’re covered by māyā. Formerly we were with Kṛṣṇa in His lila, or sport. But this covering of māyā may be of very, very, very, very long duration; therefore many creations are coming and going.”

Mādhava Dāsa: Formerly we were with Kṛṣṇa in His lila, or sport… So this means we were gopīs and cowherd boys after all?

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: It means Kṛṣṇa is always in the lila, and we were with Kṛṣṇa; therefore we were also in the lila. The question is how aware of it we were. This brings us again to the point of consciousness. Gopīs and cowherd boys are always with Kṛṣṇa, and they are fully awakened to this relationship. We are also always with Kṛṣṇa, but our consciousness is somehow different from theirs.

Mādhava Dāsa: Sounds reasonable. But still, it doesn’t explain how exactly the soul turned away from Kṛṣṇa. Free will helps to understand that, but free will in itself does not explain why. If we can’t explain that, are we not leaving the most important question unanswered?

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: You are assuming that this is the most important question, but our ācāryas are surprisingly mute about it. Not even Mahāprabhu Himself discussed it. He simply said, “somehow or other.” Kṛṣṇa, I’m your eternal servant, but somehow or other I came into this material conditioning; now please take me back.

Let me tell you the story Prabhupāda uses to explain this.

He moved further down the text.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Imagine a large palm tree with a tāl fruit hanging at the top. A crow flies in the direction of the tree, and just as it comes close, the fruit falls to the ground. A group of learned scholars see the fruit on the ground and start discussing how it fell.

One says that it is because the crow shook the branch. Another disagrees, arguing that the fruit fell first, and this scared the crow, while a third argues that the fruit was ripe, and thus fell when the crow touched the branch. In this way, the scholars create a very elaborate argument around it, while the fruit remains on the ground.

Mādhava Dāsa: And nobody takes it!

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Exactly! They are so absorbed in quarreling about how the fruit fell that they forget that it is lying down there on the ground.

Prabhupāda uses this example to explain our situation. We are currently under the influence of Māyā. We are suffering here, forgetful of Kṛṣṇa. We have the chance of practicing Kṛṣṇa consciousness and becoming free, but instead we are discussing how we came here. It is like a sick man demanding to know exactly how he got sick before taking the medicine.

Mādhava Dāsa: That’s a good point. But why then are we spending so much time discussing it now?

Gaurāṅga Dāsa laughed. “I was watering my plants; you brought it up!”

Mādhava laughed.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: There is a difference between understanding the conclusions Prabhupāda gives and trying to speculate on what he does not explain. People do get sick, and when they do, there are specific types of medicines. You may not know how you got sick, but sickness is not your normal condition. Understanding that, you accept the medicine and you get cured. If instead you demand to first know how exactly you got sick, then you have a problem. No one was there; therefore, no one really knows. You will die before getting a definitive answer.

We need to understand three points very clearly: our constitutional position as eternal servants of Kṛṣṇa; how material nature affects us, and how devotional service can bring us back to our original consciousness. When these three conclusions are well established, we go steadily in the direction of Kṛṣṇa. When we reach the spiritual world, we will understand.

Mādhava remembered what he had told Gaurāṅga during his first visit, that after reading the scholarly book he had started feeling like a stranger trying to enter a place where he did not belong.

Mādhava Dāsa: That’s exactly what I was thinking about before coming here. I had always understood that Kṛṣṇa was my eternal friend and that He was trying to bring me back. But after reading the book, I started feeling that I had never really known Him and that I was trying to establish a relationship that had never existed.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: That’s exactly the danger. If I was never with Kṛṣṇa and have always been in this material world, then it means that being a conditioned soul is my constitutional position. Why then bother getting out?

There is a great difference between a relationship that is forgotten and one that does not exist. Prabhupāda explains that we are always connected with Kṛṣṇa. The relationship has never disappeared. The proof is that even after so much time, Kṛṣṇa is still following us inside the heart. In fact, Kṛṣṇa is with us right now. Not indirectly; He is there personally, looking at us. The problem is that our awareness of Him has become covered by our attraction to this illusory world. That’s why we are now practicing Kṛṣṇa consciousness to revive what is constitutionally ours.

Mādhava Dāsa: Even though I have forgotten Kṛṣṇa, He has never forgotten me…

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Now you are getting it. You have the opportunity to remember Him now. The fruit is lying right in front of you.

Mādhava remained silent. He got so consumed by the question that he had almost forgotten how he had started practicing Kṛṣṇa consciousness in the first place.

Mādhava Dāsa: I think I understand the main point now. Our priority is to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, not to try to reconstruct a forgotten history that is so far in the past.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Yes. But remember that I’m not just shutting you down. There are other points we will examine. For example, how can we become absorbed in material consciousness if our spiritual nature can never be changed? How can we identify with so many bodies while remaining eternally the same soul? How can we forget our spiritual identity?

These questions are directly connected with our understanding of our current position and how to become free from it. And it is all explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Mādhava Dāsa: Is that where the teachings of Lord Kapila come in?

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Yes. This is our topic for tomorrow. Before coming back, read chapter 27 of the Third Canto. Pay attention to his explanation of how false ego makes us identify with material activities.

Mādhava Dāsa: I will. Can I also take the magazine? I think I should also read the letter again.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Of course. Just don’t spend the whole afternoon arguing about the crow.

Mādhava laughed and offered his obeisances.

As he rode to university, Mādhava kept thinking: “Somehow I forgot Kṛṣṇa, but He did not forget me.” He still had questions, but he was looking forward to opening the Bhāgavatam when he got home.

Next: The Reflection of Consciousness »

Read the entire book:
The Friend Who Never Left, A Dialog on the “Fall” of the Jīva

This is a publication for thoughtful readers who want to go deeper into Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I publish daily, trying to offer high-quality spiritual content, and all posts are available to free subscribers. If you wish, you can support this work with a monthly contribution. When you subscribe, you can choose between a free subscription and a monthly contribution, and you can switch from a free subscriber to a supporter at any time.

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The vision of the perfect yogī (Bg 6.24 to 6.32)

In the previous section, Kṛṣṇa described the perfectional stage of yoga, in which the mind becomes stable, and the yogī realizes his eternal spiritual nature. The example of the lamp in a windless place is significant, because it indicates that spiritual perfection is not an artificial imposition, but the result of eliminating the source of material conditioning. In other words, it is not about becoming something else, but simply curing the material infection. Material life is an unnatural condition for the soul. As soon as the disease is cured, health is automatically reestablished. Similarly, as the yogī is able to give up material desire and ego, he becomes again situated in spiritual perfection. At this stage, he experiences spiritual happiness that makes any kind of material satisfaction previously experienced appear like a drop in the desert. At this stage, the yogī becomes steady and is not dragged back even if faced with great material difficulties.

Now, Kṛṣṇa will explain in more detail the process by which we can approach this state, giving up the idea of material sense gratification, fixing the mind upon the Self (Kṛṣṇa, in the form of Paramātmā), bringing it back when it wanders, and thus becoming free from material contamination, to the point of seeing the Lord everywhere and seeing all living beings with equal vision.

Again, this process is valid both for the yogī and the devotee; the only difference is that the devotee achieves it through an easier method, by directly fixing his mind on Kṛṣṇa through the devotional process, while the yogī has to fix the mind through the mechanical process of aṣṭāṅga-yoga.

Text 24: sa niścayena yoktavyo, yogo ’nirviṇṇa-cetasā
saṅkalpa-prabhavān kāmāṁs, tyaktvā sarvān aśeṣataḥ
manasaivendriya-grāmaṁ, viniyamya samantataḥ

One should engage oneself in the practice of yoga with determination and faith and not be deviated from the path. One should abandon, without exception, all material desires born of mental speculation and thus control all the senses on all sides by the mind.

Text 25: śanaiḥ śanair uparamed, buddhyā dhṛti-gṛhītayā
ātma-saṁsthaṁ manaḥ kṛtvā, na kiñcid api cintayet

Gradually, step by step, one should become situated in trance by means of intelligence sustained by full conviction, and thus the mind should be fixed on the Self alone and should think of nothing else.

Text 26: yato yato niścalati, manaś cañcalam asthiram
tatas tato niyamyaitad, ātmany eva vaśaṁ nayet

From wherever the mind wanders due to its flickering and unsteady nature, one must certainly withdraw it and bring it back under the control of the Self.

Text 27: praśānta-manasaṁ hy enaṁ, yoginaṁ sukham uttamam
upaiti śānta-rajasaṁ, brahma-bhūtam akalmaṣam

The yogī whose mind is fixed on Me verily attains the highest perfection of transcendental happiness. He is beyond the mode of passion, he realizes his qualitative identity with the Supreme, and thus he is freed from all reactions to past deeds.

Text 28: yuñjann evaṁ sadātmānaṁ, yogī vigata-kalmaṣaḥ
sukhena brahma-saṁsparśam, atyantaṁ sukham aśnute

Thus the self-controlled yogī, constantly engaged in yoga practice, becomes free from all material contamination and achieves the highest stage of perfect happiness in transcendental loving service to the Lord.

Text 29: sarva-bhūta-stham ātmānaṁ, sarva-bhūtāni cātmani
īkṣate yoga-yuktātmā, sarvatra sama-darśanaḥ

A true yogī observes Me in all beings and also sees every being in Me. Indeed, the self-realized person sees Me, the same Supreme Lord, everywhere.

Text 30: yo māṁ paśyati sarvatra, sarvaṁ ca mayi paśyati
tasyāhaṁ na praṇaśyāmi, sa ca me na praṇaśyati

For one who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, I am never lost, nor is he ever lost to Me.

Text 31: sarva-bhūta-sthitaṁ yo māṁ, bhajaty ekatvam āsthitaḥ
sarvathā vartamāno ’pi, sa yogī mayi vartate

Such a yogī, who engages in the worshipful service of the Supersoul, knowing that I and the Supersoul are one, remains always in Me in all circumstances.

Text 32: ātmaupamyena sarvatra, samaṁ paśyati yo ’rjuna
sukhaṁ vā yadi vā duḥkhaṁ, sa yogī paramo mataḥ

He is a perfect yogī who, by comparison to his own self, sees the true equality of all beings, in both their happiness and their distress, O Arjuna!

Text 6.24 gives us the key to becoming free from material desires. All material desires are born from the mind, from saṅkalpa, plans born out of imagination. Saṅkalpa-prabhavān kāmāṁs: material desires are born of these mental speculations. What are these speculations? “I will get this,” “I will be honored like this,” “This will bring me happiness.” These mental constructions start as mere thoughts, but they agitate the mind and senses, starting a process that is difficult to stop. After the mind becomes agitated by desire and the senses are ready to act, it becomes difficult to stop, but if we act soon enough, cutting the thought from the root, we can stop material desires before they fully manifest.

Another point, emphasized by Prabhupāda in his purport, is determination. The process of controlling the mind is an uphill battle that takes time; it is not something that can be accomplished in one day. One has thus to remain determined, like the sparrow who lost her eggs, and was so determined that she tried to dry the ocean with her beak. Although she was unable to do so, her determination attracted the attention of Garuḍa, who helped her. Similarly, we may have difficulties in controlling the disturbed mind, but if we remain determined, Kṛṣṇa will eventually help. As mentioned, God helps those who help themselves.

This process of steady determination is emphasized in text 6.25. The mind should be situated in the transcendental position, fixed on Kṛṣṇa. However, this is not attained at once in a dramatic act. It is attained gradually, step by step. Buddhyā dhṛti-gṛhītayā: By patiently using the intelligence (buddhyā) firmly sustained by determination (dhṛti-gṛhītayā). We start by studying the instructions of Kṛṣṇa in the Gītā, which purify and fix the intelligence. As intelligence becomes fixed, we can use it to discipline the mind, and as this is gradually achieved, we can advance toward the transcendental platform.

One term that is frequently misunderstood is the term ātma. The verse mentions the term ātma-saṁsthaṁ: the mind should be fixed on ātma, the Self. The word ātma can be used in many senses; it can mean the individual self (as the soul, ego, mind, or even the body), and it is used in this sense in many passages, but the primary meaning of ātma is as indicating the Superself, Kṛṣṇa as the Supersoul. Therefore, when it is said that the mind should be fixed on the Self, it is not about some vague form of impersonal meditation, but direct thought on Kṛṣṇa. For a yogī, this process is difficult, but a devotee may start this process from the first day, by simply hearing about Kṛṣṇa, speaking about Him, chanting His names, and so on.

The problem is that eventually the mind wanders. The mind is cañcalam, flickering by nature. We may be able to chant attentively for a few minutes, but eventually we again become distracted. What to do when this happens? Vaśaṁ nayet: we need to bring it back under control, fixing it again on Kṛṣṇa, as indicated by the word ātmani (unto the Supersoul).

In this way, we should not pretend that keeping the mind fixed on Kṛṣṇa is easy. As Kṛṣṇa explains, that is an uphill battle. The point is that we should observe the activity of the mind, understand its unstable nature, and not identify with it. The mind will wander; that is expected. The point is how we react to it. We should simply bring the mind back, and repeat it as many times as necessary. This is valid both during meditation, when we are chanting our rounds, and in all moments of the day. We should gradually train the mind to remain fixed on Kṛṣṇa during all our daily activities. This is the secret of keeping the senses under control.

As Prabhupāda explains:

“One who controls the mind (and therefore the senses as well) is called gosvāmī, or svāmī, and one who is controlled by the mind is called go-dāsa, or the servant of the senses. A gosvāmī knows the standard of sense happiness. In transcendental sense happiness, the senses are engaged in the service of Hṛṣīkeśa, or the supreme owner of the senses – Kṛṣṇa. Serving Kṛṣṇa with purified senses is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the way of bringing the senses under full control. What is more, that is the highest perfection of yoga practice.”

This is another point in which bhakti differs from aṣṭāṅga-yoga. In the process of mystic yoga, there is no superior engagement; the yogī has to maintain the mind under control by force, which is very difficult. A devotee, however, has only to redirect the mind to the devotional activity. If the mind comes with the desire to eat tasty things, one can redirect this to cook nice preparations for Kṛṣṇa; if the mind desires to build a nice house, one can construct a temple for Kṛṣṇa, and so on. When desires are connected with Kṛṣṇa, we can engage them positively. For example, Dhruva Mahārāja approached the Lord out of desire for a kingdom, Gajendra out of distress, and Kubjā out of lust. However, because their desire was directed to Kṛṣṇa, they all became liberated.

Kṛṣṇa then returns to the explanation of the transcendental stage, the stage of transcendental happiness, attained when one becomes completely free from the influence of the modes of passion and ignorance. The mode of passion is characterized by desire, ambition, restlessness, desire for competition, dissatisfaction, constant anxiety, etc. As long as we are influenced by it, there is no question of having a peaceful mind. The mode of ignorance is even worse, bringing us into laziness, illusion, intoxication, depression, confusion, etc. When we finally become free from the influence of both, we attain the transcendental platform: “The yogī whose mind is fixed on Me verily attains the highest perfection of transcendental happiness. He is beyond the mode of passion, he realizes his qualitative identity with the Supreme, and thus he is freed from all reactions to past deeds.”

Later, starting from chapter 14, Kṛṣṇa will explain the three modes of nature. Here He appears to suggest that one attains the transcendental stage after becoming free from the influence of the mode of passion (and not from goodness), but here He refers to the modes as He does in other passages of the Gītā, with goodness indicating transcendental goodness. There is the material mode of goodness, in which the demigods are situated, but this is a form of goodness still touched by passion and ignorance. Here, Kṛṣṇa mentions that śānta-rajasaṁ brahma-bhūtam akalmaṣam (after his passion is pacified, one becomes free from all sinful reactions and attains liberation). This combination makes it clear that He is speaking about attaining the transcendental stage in pure goodness.

Brahma-bhūta is the stage of liberation, when one becomes situated on the platform of liberation. Text 18.54 connects this platform with attaining the transcendental service of the Lord (mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām). Therefore, when Kṛṣṇa mentions in text 6.27 that after becoming free from material contamination the yogī becomes fixed on the brahma-bhūta platform, He again emphasizes that the ultimate goal is pure devotional service, as Prabhupāda mentions in his purport. Real freedom from material contamination is thus achieved when one comes to the platform of devotional service.

The transcendental stage

From texts 6.28 to 6.32, Kṛṣṇa describes the culmination of the process, the transcendental stage. If translated literally, these verses appear to refer to a yogī attaining Brahman realization, and reaching the state of happiness that comes after material liberation. For example, text 6.28 mentions sukhena brahma-saṁsparśam atyantaṁ sukham aśnute (being in constant touch with the Supreme Brahman, the yogī attains the highest happiness).

Śrīla Prabhupāda, however, translates these verses in the context of the previous ones, revealing the deepest meaning of the text: Kṛṣṇa is not merely speaking about Brahman or Paramātmā realization, but the state of ultimate perfection in pure devotional service. A yogī may reach only Brahman or Paramātmā realization, according to his understanding, but a devotee who knows Kṛṣṇa attains the highest level.

He thus translates text 6.28 as “Thus the self-controlled yogī, constantly engaged in yoga practice, becomes free from all material contamination and achieves the highest stage of perfect happiness in transcendental loving service to the Lord.”

We can see that, in the context, brahma-saṁsparśa doesn’t mean just contact with the effulgence of Kṛṣṇa, but loving association with Him in devotional service. This meaning is emphasized by the words atyantaṁ sukham: the highest happiness. Brahman realization can barely be described as transcendental happiness at all. Real spiritual happiness is experienced in directly serving the Lord in one of the transcendental rasas. This is real yoga, or connection with the Supreme.

Prabhupāda explains further in his purport:

“Self-realization means knowing one’s constitutional position in relationship to the Supreme. The individual soul is part and parcel of the Supreme, and his position is to render transcendental service to the Lord. This transcendental contact with the Supreme is called brahma-saṁsparśa.”

This state of brahma-saṁsparśa is not something that comes only after death; it is a state of realization that is attained during one’s life. This brings us to the next four verses, where Kṛṣṇa describes the vision of the perfect yogī who attains this realization:

“A true yogī observes Me in all beings and also sees every being in Me. Indeed, the self-realized person sees Me, the same Supreme Lord, everywhere. For one who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, I am never lost, nor is he ever lost to Me. Such a yogī, who engages in the worshipful service of the Supersoul, knowing that I and the Supersoul are one, remains always in Me in all circumstances. He is a perfect yogī who, by comparison to his own self, sees the true equality of all beings, in both their happiness and their distress, O Arjuna!”

The first realization is that the perfect yogī sees that there is nothing apart from Kṛṣṇa. Everything that exists is part of the energies of Kṛṣṇa, and thus there is nothing separate from Kṛṣṇa. The material world is formed from the external potency of Kṛṣṇa, while the spiritual planets are part of the internal potency. We, the souls, are called the marginal potency, because we are free to choose between these two potencies.

Kṛṣṇa is everywhere, and everyone is in Him. The material experience doesn’t happen because we are factually separated from Kṛṣṇa, but because we are covered by ignorance and become incapable of seeing Him, even though He is present everywhere and inside our own hearts. Freed from this covering, the perfect yogī can see this transcendental reality. He is thus the perfect seer. Everyone else sees just the material illusion.

Another symptom is that the perfect yogī sees everyone as equal, because he can see the soul and the Supersoul inside each individual body. The body, as well as the material conditioning of the soul, may differ, but he sees the spiritual reality behind these differences. He sees the soul in his eternal nature as an eternal servant of the Lord, and not as a man, woman, cat, or dog. As Prabhupāda explains:

“The yogī sees equally because he sees that all living entities, although in different situations according to the results of fruitive work, in all circumstances remain the servants of God. While in the material energy, the living entity serves the material senses; and while in the spiritual energy, he serves the Supreme Lord directly. In either case the living entity is the servant of God. This vision of equality is perfect in a person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.”

Kṛṣṇa then brings us to the result of this realization: “For one who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, I am never lost, nor is he ever lost to Me.”

To see Kṛṣṇa everywhere is not just a mystical experience. Seeing Kṛṣṇa everywhere means to be always with Kṛṣṇa. The perfect yogī sees Kṛṣṇa at every moment, and Kṛṣṇa never stops noticing him. Prahlāda Mahārāja achieved this vision, and thus, when Hiraṇyakaśipu challenged him, asking whether Lord Viṣṇu was inside the pillar, Prahlāda answered yes, without any hesitation. He could factually see the Lord present there. To prove it to everyone, the Lord immediately appeared in a visible form out of the pillar as Nṛsiṃhadeva and killed the demon.

The impersonalist may see everything as Brahman, but this is a limited concept. The pure devotee and the perfect yogī see Kṛṣṇa personally present everywhere in His Viṣṇu form.

The words Kṛṣṇa uses, “I am never lost, nor is he ever lost to Me” are very personal, indicating a mutual relationship. The pure devotee always remembers Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa always remembers His devotee. This is a personal relationship.

Prabhupāda explains these delicate points in his purport:

“Nothing can exist without Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa is the Lord of everything – this is the basic principle of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the development of love of Kṛṣṇa – a position transcendental even to material liberation. At this stage of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, beyond self-realization, the devotee becomes one with Kṛṣṇa in the sense that Kṛṣṇa becomes everything for the devotee and the devotee becomes full in loving Kṛṣṇa. An intimate relationship between the Lord and the devotee then exists. In that stage, the living entity can never be annihilated, nor is the Personality of Godhead ever out of the sight of the devotee.”

“At this stage, Lord Kṛṣṇa never disappears from the sight of the devotee, nor does the devotee ever lose sight of the Lord. In the case of a yogī who sees the Lord as Paramātmā within the heart, the same applies. Such a yogī turns into a pure devotee and cannot bear to live for a moment without seeing the Lord within himself.”

Even before attaining this level of factual realization, we can see Kṛṣṇa everywhere by seeing everything in connection with Him. This is an art that He teaches in the next chapters. We can see Kṛṣṇa in the light of the sun, in the coolness of the moon, in the taste of water. We can see the world as Kṛṣṇa’s energy, all living beings as His parts and parcels, all duties as opportunities for service, and so on.

One could insist that a yogī does not see Kṛṣṇa directly; he sees the Supersoul. Technically this is correct, but see what Kṛṣṇa personally speaks in the next verse:

“Such a yogī, who engages in the worshipful service of the Supersoul, knowing that I and the Supersoul are one, remains always in Me in all circumstances.”

Kṛṣṇa is personally speaking, and He uses the words mām (Me) and mayi (in Me). He is personally present inside the heart in His Viṣṇu form, and Viṣṇu is not different from Kṛṣṇa. He also mentions that such a perfect yogī remains always in Him in all circumstances. This means that his spiritual consciousness is not broken by external situations. Whether active or inactive, alone or among people, honored or dishonored, comfortable or uncomfortable, the yogī remains always connected with Him. Prabhupāda quotes the Nārada Pañcarātra to reinforce this point: “By concentrating one’s attention on the transcendental form of Kṛṣṇa, who is all-pervading and beyond time and space, one becomes absorbed in thinking of Kṛṣṇa and then attains the happy state of transcendental association with Him.”

A frequent misunderstanding is that Paramātmā divides into many forms to enter into the hearts of all living beings. This is not exactly correct. Paramātmā is one, but He becomes simultaneously present in the hearts of all living beings, just as the same sun situated in the sky shines everywhere and sees everything. As quoted: “Viṣṇu is one, and yet He is certainly all-pervading. By His inconceivable potency, in spite of His one form, He is present everywhere, as the sun appears in many places at once.”

The final quality mentioned by Kṛṣṇa in this section is compassion: “He is a perfect yogī who, by comparison to his own self, sees the true equality of all beings, in both their happiness and their distress, O Arjuna!”

The highest yogī sees others’ happiness and distress as his own, in truth, not merely as a theoretical idea. This manifests in many levels, but Prabhupāda calls our attention to the highest expression of it: the highest compassion is to give Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

All beings suffer due to forgetfulness of Kṛṣṇa. Bodily suffering comes and goes, but this ignorance keeps the soul bound to material suffering birth after birth, in a practically unlimited cycle. Real kindness is to help people to revive their eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa.

A devotee considers that he or she received Kṛṣṇa consciousness as an act of mercy, and seeing that others are suffering due to the lack of it, becomes determined to help them. Instead of becoming absorbed in his own liberation, a devotee works for the benefit of others. This is the perfect manifestation of the transcendental quality Kṛṣṇa describes in 6.32.

Main points in the purports of Śrīla Prabhupāda:

“One should engage oneself in the practice of yoga with determination and faith and not be deviated from the path. One should abandon, without exception, all material desires born of mental speculation and thus control all the senses on all sides by the mind.”

a) The yogī should be determined in his practice and sure of the success at the end. One should be determined like the sparrow who lost her eggs in the ocean and worked hard to retrieve them until helped by Garuḍa.

b) Just as in the case of the sparrow, spiritual practice can be difficult, but if one follows the process with determination, Kṛṣṇa will surely help.

“Gradually, step by step, one should become situated in trance by means of intelligence sustained by full conviction, and thus the mind should be fixed on the Self alone and should think of nothing else.”

a) The process of stopping the activities of the senses is called pratyāhāra. After controlling the mind with conviction, one can advance in the process of meditation up to the level of samādhi, when one becomes fixed.

b) How does this apply to our practical life? Even though we are involved with matter, we should become fixed in spiritual pleasure in connection with Kṛṣṇa and not think of sense gratification. The way to achieve that is through the practice of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

“From wherever the mind wanders due to its flickering and unsteady nature, one must certainly withdraw it and bring it back under the control of the Self.”

a) A yogī should control the mind, instead of being controlled by it. That’s the difference between a gosvāmī and a go-dāsa. Transcendental happiness is achieved when we use the senses in the service of Hṛṣīkeśa, the master of the senses. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the process of bringing the senses under control and the highest perfection of yoga.

“The yogī whose mind is fixed on Me verily attains the highest perfection of transcendental happiness. He is beyond the mode of passion, he realizes his qualitative identity with the Supreme, and thus he is freed from all reactions to past deeds.”

a) Brahma-bhūta means liberation. Real liberation means to become situated in the transcendental service of the Lord. Without attaining the platform of service, one cannot become truly fixed on the transcendental platform. Therefore, to remain always engaged in devotional service means to be liberated from material contamination.

“Thus the self-controlled yogī, constantly engaged in yoga practice, becomes free from all material contamination and achieves the highest stage of perfect happiness in transcendental loving service to the Lord.”

a) Brahma-saṁsparśa means the constitutional position of the soul in relationship with Kṛṣṇa. The soul is part and parcel of Him, and his eternal position is one of service.

“A true yogī observes Me in all beings and also sees every being in Me. Indeed, the self-realized person sees Me, the same Supreme Lord, everywhere.”

a) The perfect yogī sees Kṛṣṇa situated in all hearts as Paramātmā, despite the differences in the bodies. The Lord remains neutral, just like a mother or father loves their different children without discrimination.

b) The soul is also situated in the heart, so what is the difference? The difference is that the Lord is situated in all hearts, while the individual soul is present only in a particular heart. The soul identifies with a body and becomes entrapped, while the Lord remains transcendental.

c) The Lord has three principal potencies: the spiritual potency, the material potency, and the marginal potency, the souls, who are originally part of the spiritual potency but somehow become conditioned by the inferior material potency. Under the inferior potency we serve the senses, and under the superior potency we serve Kṛṣṇa directly. However, whether in the superior or inferior potency, we are always situated in the Lord in one way or another.

d) The perfect yogī sees the spiritual reality beyond the differences of body. He sees that, although in different situations, all living entities are eternal servants of God.

“For one who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, I am never lost, nor is he ever lost to Me.”

a) A materialist looks around and sees different material objects. A pure devotee, however, sees everything as a manifestation of Kṛṣṇa’s energy. Because he is always conscious of Kṛṣṇa, seeing that nothing can exist without Him, he in fact sees Kṛṣṇa everywhere.

b) Kṛṣṇa consciousness means the development of love for Kṛṣṇa. The perfect devotee becomes one with Kṛṣṇa in the sense that Kṛṣṇa becomes everything for him. Due to intense love, a very intimate relationship exists between them. This stage is transcendental to mere liberation.

c) In this stage, Kṛṣṇa never disappears from the devotee’s view, nor does the Lord ever lose sight of the devotee. The same state is attained by the perfect yogī, who can’t stay even a moment without seeing the Lord inside the heart. As Kṛṣṇa mentions, He and the Supersoul are one.

d) The liberation in the brahmajyoti achieved by the impersonalist is spiritual annihilation. It makes one unconscious in the light of the effulgence of Kṛṣṇa, depriving the soul of his relationship of service with the Lord. A pure devotee rejects it.

“Such a yogī, who engages in the worshipful service of the Supersoul, knowing that I and the Supersoul are one, remains always in Me in all circumstances.”

a) A perfect yogī sees Viṣṇu inside his heart, with all opulences, but he should know Viṣṇu is not different from Kṛṣṇa. Because Kṛṣṇa is absolute, there is no difference between Him and the Supersoul present in all hearts, nor is there a difference between a devotee engaged in devotional service and the perfect yogī seeing Paramātmā inside the heart.

b) A devotee always acting in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is automatically liberated, and so is the yogī seeing Paramātmā inside the heart.

c) Paramātmā is one, but He is simultaneously present in innumerable hearts, just as the same sun appears in many places.

“He is a perfect yogī who, by comparison to his own self, sees the true equality of all beings, in both their happiness and their distress, O Arjuna!”

a) The cause of all our miseries is forgetfulness of our relationship with Kṛṣṇa, and the solution for all this misery is to know Kṛṣṇa as the supreme enjoyer, proprietor, and friend. A perfect devotee or yogī understands this and thus tries to distribute knowledge of Kṛṣṇa everywhere. He is thus the best philanthropist and the dearest servitor of the Lord. Such a devotee always looks to the welfare of all living entities, and in this way he is the real friend. A yogī who meditates in an isolated place for his own elevation is not as perfect.

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Chapter Four: Beginningless Conditioning?

The next morning, Mādhava returned to Gaurāṅga Dāsa’s house. He had spent the previous evening studying Bhagavad-gītā 13.20 and also reread the relevant sections of the other book, comparing the arguments with Prabhupāda’s purport.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa was working in his garden when Mādhava arrived. He finished watering the plants and invited him inside.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: So, did you study the verse?

Mādhava Dāsa: Yes, Prabhu. I read it several times, together with the purport. I also checked what the other book says about it. I think I got the basic argument, but I still don’t see how these different ideas go together.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Very good. Tell me what you have found.

Mādhava Dāsa: Kṛṣṇa says: prakṛtiṁ puruṣaṁ caiva, viddhy anādī ubhāv api, vikārāṁś ca guṇāṁś caiva, viddhi prakṛti-sambhavān.

“Material nature and the living entities should be understood to be beginningless. Their transformations and the modes of matter are products of material nature.”

I see that the important words are anādī ubhāv api. Both the soul and material nature are beginningless. The same word is used, anādī.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Yes, and how does Prabhupāda explain it?

Mādhava Dāsa: He explains that both the souls and material nature existed before this cosmos was manifested. At the time of dissolution, the souls stay within Mahā-Viṣṇu, and when the universe is manifested again, they continue their material activities.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: There is something else Prabhupāda says about the souls. What is their nature apart from the material creation?

Mādhava Dāsa: He says that actually the living entity is originally the spiritual part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, but due to his rebellious nature, he is conditioned within material nature.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: And what does the other book say?

Mādhava Dāsa: The other book explains that since both the soul and material nature are anādi, beginningless, their association must also be beginningless. The authors quote Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura and Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa in support of this. They conclude that we have always been conditioned, and therefore we were never with Kṛṣṇa.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa again looks distant for a moment, lost in his thoughts. Mādhava Dāsa understands something deep may be coming.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Sridhāra Maharaja, Śrīla Prabhupāda’s godbrother, was very scholarly. Do you know what he said is the most difficult philosophical question?

Mādhava Dāsa taught for a few moments but could not find the answer. Gaurāṅga Dāsa observed him, but not wanting to make the moment awkward, decided to answer himself.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: The question you are asking me. That is the most difficult philosophical question. What is the original position of the soul? Why, how, and when did we fall into this material world?

This question is so difficult because it deals with a reality that is completely outside the reach of our senses and that can’t be touched by the material intellect we are so proud of.

We can understand it up to a certain point if we carefully follow the conclusions Prabhupāda gives, but it is very easy to transform it into a useless intellectual debate and waste our lives in it. Many devotees get lost in this path. Everyone thinks they will be the first to solve the most difficult problem using their intellect.

Mādhava felt uneasy, but at the same time relieved. If the question was so difficult, then there is no shame in not being able to resolve it. Still, the warning troubled him. He looked down for a moment, not knowing what to say.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: The authors are correct in insisting that the soul and material nature are beginningless. This is what Prabhupāda explains in the purport. They are eternal, because they are both energies of Kṛṣṇa. Just as Kṛṣṇa is eternal, all of his potencies are eternal. Even the material energy itself is eternal; the only thing that is temporary is the cosmic manifestation.

Mādhava Dāsa: But how can the material energy be eternal if the cosmic manifestation is temporary?

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa explains this point in his Govinda-bhāṣya. Imagine a bar of gold. A goldsmith uses it to make many rings and other types of jewelry. Later, they are collected back and melted back into a bar. Imagine this process repeated thousands of times. The gold is permanent; it does not chemically or atomically change, just the form changes. Prabhupāda uses a specific word for it: permutation.

Did you ever check the meaning of this word?

Mādhava Dāsa: Let me see… Merriam-Webster gives “Any change produced by rearranging existing parts without introducing new ones.”

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Yes, exactly. So material nature is eternal; it just changes form. It is like a gigantic mass of Lego blocks that are periodically assembled into toys and later disassembled when the kids are put to sleep. The soul is also eternal, obviously. But tell me something: How old is the material universe?

Mādhava Dāsa: According to the Bhāgavatam, the universe is trillions of years old. 8.64 billion years for a day and night of Brahmā, multiplied by 36.000 days of his life. This is… let me check… 311.04 trillion years. We passed the first half, so it’s something north of 155 billion years!

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Exact. I see you remember the formula, and that you are very fast with a calculator. But the question is: what happens when Brahmā dies?

Mādhava Dāsa: When Brahmā dies, the universe is dissolved, and the children are put to sleep. Then, later, another creation takes place.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: And what happened before the current creation?

Mādhava Dāsa: There was another creation before that, and so on.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Exactly. Each cycle goes for a practically unlimited time. We can give it a number, but we have no idea of how much time it is in practice. And that’s not the first time; the cycle of creation and dissolution has been going on for as long as we can trace back.

Even if you could remember millions of your previous lives, you would not be able to trace when your material existence began, because it would be before that. Brahmā also does not know, because he was not there. His life started just 155 trillion years ago. Before that, his guess is as good as ours. And there is one more factor: all the previous universes that existed before this one were completely destroyed, without a trace; therefore, there is simply no history to reconstruct.

This is why the scriptures describe our bondage as anādi. It is not possible to trace where, when, or how it began. We can’t put a date on it. As far as we can examine from the material side, it appears we have always been here.

Mādhava Dāsa: But if we cannot find the beginning, doesn’t that mean we were always here?

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: There is an important distinction between the material history of the soul and our constitutional nature. Anādi answers the first question, not the second. Without distinguishing the two, we will tend to take anādi literally and think it applies to the constitutional nature of the soul. From this comes the idea that we were never with Kṛṣṇa.

You can note how Prabhupāda translates the word anādi.

Mādhava Dāsa: Since time immemorial…

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Yes, exactly. This shows you are paying attention to what you read. This shows how his understanding of the philosophy goes much beyond that of a Sanskrit scholar. An ordinary scholar looks at the dictionary meaning; a pure devotee sees the true siddhānta behind it.

Anādi describes the beginninglessness of our material bondage, but our constitutional position is being eternal servants of Kṛṣṇa. Mahāprabhu Himself established: jīvera ‘svarūpa’ haya — kṛṣṇera ‘nitya-dāsa’.

“It is the living entity’s constitutional position to be an eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa.”

That’s the difference between what we are and where we are now.

If you ask, “How long have I been in this material world?” the answer is, since time immemorial, as far as we can trace back. But if you ask, “What am I, what is my real nature?” Then the answer is that you are an eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. Not just a part of Kṛṣṇa, but a servant of Kṛṣṇa, dāsa. The word indicates a relationship. That’s exactly as Prabhupāda explains.

Mādhava Dāsa: Do you mean that our material existence has a beginning actually, even though we cannot trace it?

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: This is one way Prabhupāda describes it. See here, in Kṛṣṇa Book, that’s the prayers of the personified Vedas… Here, you can read:

Mādhava Dāsa: “No one knows when material life began, but it is a fact that it does have a point of beginning because originally every living entity is a spiritual spark. As a spark’s falling onto the ground from a fire has a beginning, so a living entity’s coming to this material world has a beginning, but no one can say when. Even though during the time of dissolution all the conditioned living entities remain merged within the spiritual existence of the Lord, as if in deep sleep, their original desires to lord it over the material nature do not subside. Again, when there is cosmic manifestation, they come out to fulfill the same desires, and therefore they appear in different species of life.”

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: The constitutional position of the soul is to be an eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. Now we are forgetful, but this doesn’t change what we are. Since we are not part of this material nature, the conditioning must have a beginning, even though it cannot be traced back. Prabhupāda’s logic is flawless.

He compares the living entity to a spark falling from a fire. The spark has its original existence in the fire, but at some point it becomes separated from it. Even if you don’t see the spark falling from the fire, you cannot deny that the spark came from the fire, because of their intrinsic connection.

You should, however, be attentive to not jump into imagining the soul as a spark physically falling from the spiritual sky into the material universe. The analogy gives the principle; we should not try to extrapolate all details out of it.

Mādhava Dāsa: This is something I have been thinking about. If material bondage is beginningless, then how can we speak of a point when the soul turned away from Kṛṣṇa? If I speak about turning away, this automatically implies that there must be a date when it happened.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: This is where ordinary logic breaks down. You are thinking in terms of past, present, and future, but these apply only to the material world. Here, we are born, grow up, and then become old and die. These changes happen due to the influence of material time. Here, one event follows the other; we are used to thinking in terms of a timeline, where we can put all events chronologically.

But let me ask you a question. Is the spiritual reality under the influence of the same time potency that influences this cosmic creation?

Mādhava Dāsa: It doesn’t seem so, because in the spiritual world no one becomes old.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Exactly! Take the last volume of Madhya-lila, the one to the right.

Here: Madhya 20.117. Read this one.

Mādhava Dāsa: kṛṣṇa bhuli’ sei jīva anādi-bahirmukha, ataeva māyā tāre deya saṁsāra-duḥkha.

“Forgetting Kṛṣṇa, the living entity has been attracted by the external feature from time immemorial. Therefore the illusory energy [māyā] gives him all kinds of misery in his material existence.”

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: You can see that here, Mahāprabhu uses the words “kṛṣṇa bhuli,” forgetting Kṛṣṇa, in the same breath as anādi-bahirmukha, attracted by the external feature from time immemorial. The jīva has turned away from Kṛṣṇa, and at the same time is anādi-bahirmukha, eternally conditioned. This is precisely the point we have been talking about. Now, let’s see how Prabhupāda resolves it in the purport.

Mādhava Dāsa: “When the living entity forgets his constitutional position as an eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, he is immediately entrapped by the illusory, external energy. The living entity is originally part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa and is therefore the superior energy of Kṛṣṇa. He is endowed with inconceivable minute energy that works inconceivably within the body. However, the living entity, forgetting his position, is situated in material energy. The living entity is called the marginal energy because by nature he is spiritual but by forgetfulness he is situated in the material energy. Thus he has the power to live either in the material energy or in the spiritual energy, and for this reason he is called marginal energy. Being in the marginal position, he is sometimes attracted by the external, illusory energy, and this is the beginning of his material life. When he enters the material energy, he is subjected to the threefold time measurement — past, present and future. Past, present and future belong only to the material world; they do not exist in the spiritual world. The living entity is eternal, and he existed before the creation of this material world. Unfortunately he has forgotten his relationship with Kṛṣṇa. The living entity’s forgetfulness is described herein as anādi, which indicates that it has existed since time immemorial. One should understand that due to his desire to enjoy himself in competition with Kṛṣṇa, the living entity comes into material existence.”

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: You can see that here; again, He speaks about a beginning of conditioned life. See how He connects this with his explanation of time. The beginning of the conditioning cannot be traced back or calculated in terms of material time, because it happens outside of it. This helps us understand something essential: we don’t belong to this material world. Long as it may be, we are visitors here.

We are eternal, Kṛṣṇa is eternal, our relationship with Him is eternal, and His abode is also eternal, but somehow we see ourselves inside a temporary place. Material conditioning is something foreign to the soul. Being conditioned is not our eternal nature.

Mādhava Dāsa: Now I see what you mean. In physics, time is considered a dimension. Just as we have the three dimensions, we have time. If I agree to meet someone, the place is not sufficient; I need to also know the time. And, according to recent theories, time begins with the Big Bang. It seems a similar concept exists here. We become subject to material time when we come in contact with the material energy. Therefore, we cannot use material time to explain anything about the existence of the soul outside of it.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Exactly. Think about the implications. You are trying to find the beginning of material conditioning in a timeline with past, present, and future. But these are part of the material world. They cannot be used to measure the eternal position of the soul outside of these. This is yet another dimension for the world “transcendental.” The soul is not just transcendental in terms of birth and death; it is transcendental to time itself.

Mādhava Dāsa: Now I think I understand what you meant when you spoke about Prabhupāda giving the conclusions in a condensed form. I was thinking I understood this purport because I could follow the words, but now I can see there is much more in it.

Mādhava read the paragraph again, slowly. The words remained familiar, but now he could see better the connections between them and concepts from other purports. He remembered how he had assumed that the other book contained a deeper explanation because the arguments were difficult to follow. Now he started wondering how much else he had overlooked.

Gaurāṅga Dāsa: When someone can give a detailed explanation of a complicated topic, we call him a professor. When someone can explain a complicated topic in simple words, we call him a genius. What do we call someone who can put such a level of detail inside a simple explanation?

Mādhava Dāsa: Perhaps someone whose books I should read again.

Next: Crow and Tal-Fruit Logic »

Read the entire book:
The Friend Who Never Left, A Dialog on the “Fall” of the Jīva

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In his purport to SB 2.4.18, Śrila Prabhupāda gives us a glimpse of how most of the ancient civilizations were formed by people who emigrated from India or were connected with Vedic culture. This gives us a valuable resource to better understand the history of humanity from the Vedic perspective.

For example, in the Vedas, the Greeks are called Pulindas and were in the past classified among the ksatriya kings. However, later on, they gave up brahminical culture and thus started being classified as mlecchas. When Maharaja Yudhisthira became the king, the Pulindas were conquered by Bhima and Sahadeva. The Greeks are largely considered the birthplace of Western culture; therefore, their Vedic origins are quite significant. In the Vana-Parva of Mahābhārata, it is mentioned that during Kali-yuga the Greeks would rule the world, which became true with Alexander the Great as well as indirectly through ideas that started from there, like democracy.

A strong piece of archeological evidence that still survives is the Heliodorus pillar. Around the second century BCE, a Greek ambassador named Heliodorus erected a Garuḍa pillar at Besnagar, India. In the inscription present in the pillar, he identifies himself as a Bhāgavata, a devotee of Vāsudeva. This shows evidence of Greeks not only visiting India but also presenting themselves as devotees of Kṛṣṇa.

Another piece of archaeological evidence is coins issued by the Indo-Greek king Agathocles, also around the second century BCE. The coins depict Balarāma with His plow and club and Kṛṣṇa with the cakra and conch. The coins were found in Ai-Khanoum, present-day Afghanistan.

Another people mentioned are the Turks, called Yavanas in the Mahabharata. The Turks are descendants of an old Vedic community that started with Maharaja Yavana, one of the sons of Maharaja Yayati, who was given this part of the world to rule. Just like the Greeks, the Turks were originally Vedic ksatriyas, but later they gave up Vedic culture and became mlecchas. It’s described that the Yavanas joined Duryodhana in the Battle of Kurukṣetra.

Another people mentioned are the Abhiras, who correspond to people of the Caucasus regions, including what is nowadays Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and southern Russia. It’s mentioned that these people came from ksatriyas who left India because of Parasurama and took shelter in the Caucasus mountains. It’s interesting to note that people in Georgia and Armenia are historically very strong and have very white skin. In the Armenian language, a considerable number of Sanskrit words (and especially names) are still used. These people also used to be very warrior-like, defeating many strong invasions over time. Historically, they used to be worshipers of the sun, being converted to Christianity or Islam only within the last two thousand years.

It’s very probable that people from Russia and Europe are also descendants of these original Ksatriyas, who over time migrated north. By different characteristics, it appears that the Celts, as well as the different German tribes and the different Slavic groups, are also descendants of Vedic ksatriyas, as Prabhupada mentions in a lecture. Before Christianity, the Russians were still largely following a type of Vedic culture that included the worship of Radha and Krsna, as well as numerous demigods.

The Mongolians and Chinese, as well as other Asiatic groups, are described as Khasas, and their distinctive feature is stunted growth of hair on the upper lip. They were also originally Aryan people who later abandoned Vedic culture. It’s interesting to note that in the sects of Buddhists found nowadays in Japan and Korea, the cult of demigods like Brahma and Indra is still present, a visible trace of the original Vedic culture.

According to modern paleontologists, the native Indians living in both North and South America are descendants of people who originally migrated from Asian countries. In this way, they can also be classified among the Khasas. This explains how tribes of native American Indians have a concept of the universe that is very similar to the model of the universe described in the Puranas (although much simplified), among other cultural traces that remind of Vedic culture.

The Huns are described as Huna. Historically, their empire included parts of the territories of modern Russia and East Germany. There is not much information about the original Huna people, but apparently, they were also originally followers of Vedic culture who later became degraded. It appears that the modern Mongols, Huns, and Tatars derive from this tribe.

People from Siberia are described as the Sabarah. This group apparently includes people like the Yakuts, who still live there. Just as the Huna, the Sabarah are described as sinful on SB 2.7.46, apparently due to meat-eating. Even today, the Yakuts who still follow the traditional culture have a diet based on horse meat and mare (female horse) milk.

Western historians frequently explain such similarities on the basis of the Aryan Invasion Theory (which is based on very weak evidence), but when we study the Vedas, the recent history of humanity becomes clearer.

In short:

Greeks (Pulindas): Originally Vedic Kshatriyas (warrior-kings), they later abandoned Vedic culture. The Mahabharata mentions their conquest by Bhima and Sahadeva. In the Vana-Parva of Mahābhārata, it is mentioned that during Kali-yuga the Greeks would rule the world.

Turks (Yavanas): Descended from a Vedic king, Maharaja Yavana. Like the Greeks, they were once Vedic Kshatriyas who later strayed. Just like the Greeks, the Turks were originally Vedic ksatriyas, but later they gave up Vedic culture and became mlecchas. It’s described that the Yavanas joined Duryodhana in the Battle of Kurukṣetra.

Caucasus People (Abhiras): Descendants of Kshatriyas displaced by Parasurama. They share physical traits and remnants of Sanskrit in their languages.

Europeans and Russians: Descendants of ksatriyas who ran from Parasurama. The Celts, Germans, and Slavs share Vedic ancestry. Traces of Vedic culture existed in pre-Christian Russia and are still practiced in small groups.

Mongolians, Chinese (Khasas): Originally Aryan, they later abandoned Vedic practices. Buddhist sects in Japan and Korea still show traces of Vedic influence.

Native Americans: Classified as Khasas due to potential Asian origins. Similarities in their cosmology to the Puranas suggest a connection to Vedic culture.

Huns (Huna): Believed to have followed Vedic culture before degradation. Modern Mongols, Huns, and Tatars descend from this ancient tribe.

Siberians (Sabarah): Like the Huns, they might have strayed from the Vedic path. The Yakuts, with their traditional diet of horse meat, exemplify this.

Read more about the Vedic universe:

This is a publication for thoughtful readers who want to go deeper into Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I publish daily, trying to offer high-quality spiritual content, and all posts are available to free subscribers. If you wish, you can support this work with a monthly contribution. When you subscribe, you can choose between a free subscription and a monthly contribution, and you can switch from a free subscriber to a supporter at any time.

You can also receive updates on WhatsApp or Telegram.
If you would like to contribute further, you can find the donation links here.