Bhagavad-gétä 3.

13–16
—
May 23, 1966, New York

660523BG-NEW YORK [90:27 Minutes]

Audio

Prabhupäda: [leads kértana] [prema-dhvani]. All glories to the assembled

devotees. All glories to the assembled devotees. Gaura-Premanandi. Hari
Haribol. Thank you very much.

[32:04]

yajïa-çiñöäçinaù santo
mucyante sarva-kilbiñaiù
bhuïjate te tv aghaà päpä
ye pacanty ätma-käraëät
[Bg 3.13]

[The devotees of the Lord are released from all kinds of sins because they eat
food which is offered first for sacrifice. Others, who prepare food for personal
sense enjoyment, verily eat only sin.]
This verse we are discussing last meeting, that we should eat after offering
sacrifice. Lord Kåñëa says that things which are eatable, we receive by the grace
of the Lord, we should acknowledge it. We should not be forgetful, that our
eatables which come to us, they can be manufactured by our sweet will. No.
The arrangement is so nice in the administration of nature that we shall get all
our necessities of life by the grace of God, and our duty is to advance ourself in

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the right knowledge of our spiritual existence, without unnecessarily engaging
ourself for sense gratification. That is the difference between human
civilization and animal life.
Beginning of our Bhagavad-gétä lesson is based on that we are spirit
consciousness. We are not this body. And the whole function of the human
society is to be enlightened in that spiritual consciousness of life instead of
wasting time in sense gratification like the animals, who are concerned with
eating, sleeping, fearing and mating. That is the background of our this
discussion, that we are different from the ordinary animals.
So the common factor of animal life and human life is these four principles of
bodily demands, namely that we require to eat and we require to sleep, we
require some defensive measures for protecting ourself from the enemies and
we require some extent of sense gratification. That is the needs of my body.
They are not the needs of my self as I am, spirit soul.
Now, if I want to get rid of this bodily encagement, or the threefold miseries of
material existence, then I must put myself under treatment. Just like a diseased
man goes to a physician for treatment to get out of..., get relief from the
sufferings of the disease, similarly, our material existence, consisting of
threefold miseries and birth, death, old age and diseases, if we are actually
conscious for our happiness, we must make a permanent solution of these
miseries. That is the mission of human life.
So for making that mission fulfilled, we have got developed consciousness than
the animals. That developed consciousness should not be misused only for the
animal propensities of life. That is the whole thing. And therefore, Lord Kåñëa
says that in order to reach to that stage of perfection, you should work. Your
work should not be stopped. We have already discussed this point, that niyataà
kuru karma tvaà karma jyäyo hy akarmaëaù [Bg 3.8],
[Perform your prescribed duty, for action is better than inaction. A man

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cannot even maintain his physical body without work.]
that "Your prescribed duty should be prosecuted nicely. Go on. Don't stop it,
but work for the life of karma-yoga. Karma-yoga. Ordinary work is called
karma. Ordinary work is karma. And when it is added with yoga, that means
spiritualized work. Yoga. Yoga means spiritual perfection, or linking up with the
Supreme.
So karma and karma-yoga, there is gulf of difference. Karma means ordinary
work. I work whole day; I get some remuneration and enjoy for my sense
gratification. That is called karma, in this life or that life or next life.
Somebody, they make charities and other pious acts, so that in their next life
they get good parentage, good education, opulence, so that they can also enjoy
life. There are others also who make more advanced karma to get himself
promoted in other planetary system, just like moon planet or Svargaloka,
heavenly planet. There are many planets in which the standard of life is far, far
comfortable than here.
So these are not required. To get yourself promoted in higher standard of life,
from A-class prisoner..., from C-class prisoner to become A-class prisoner, that
is not required. Bhagavad-gétä does not teach us that you improve your life in
the respect that you are now C-class prisoner; you become A-class prisoner. No.
You should not remain a prisoner. You should get yourself [out of] this prison
life.
This material life is prison life. Just like in prison house we are forced to
undergo some sort of miseries. We may agree or not agree; oh, we have to
undergo. In prison life you cannot deny. The state agents are there. He
prescribes some work; you must do it. If you say, "No, I cannot do it. I am not
accustomed to do it. No." Then you'll be again more punished.
Similarly, this is our prison life. This material existence is our prison life. And
prakåti, nature, is the forceful agent. She is always enforcing us to do, to act.

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Prakåteù kriyamäëäni guëaiù karmäëi sarvaçaù [Bg 3.27].
[The bewildered spirit soul, under the influence of the three modes of
material nature, thinks himself to be the doer of activities, which are in
actuality carried out by nature.]
So this is going on. Now, if you want to get rid of this imprisonment, then you
should begin this karma-yoga, karma plus yoga. Yoga means in connection with
the Supreme. That connection with the Supreme begins with this formula,
yajïa, sacrifice.
What you are going to sacrifice? What you have got? Everything is given by
God. Anything which you possess... You have not brought anything with your
birth. You have come naked from the womb of your mother. And when you
shall die, you shall go naked. So whatever you possess, that is given to you for
proper use. We should understand that.
The whole resources of material nature, they are under your control for making
proper use. You can live comfortably. You can eat comfortably. You can live
peacefully without any creating animosities or quarrel with your neighbors, and
prosecute your spiritual life so that you get rid of this material existence. That
is the whole program of material nature.
But misusing our developed consciousness, we are trying to misuse the
resources of material nature in a different way for aggravating the sense
gratification. That is the whole mistake. So Kåñëa says that "Whatever mistakes
you have done, I don't mind. But you act in this way." Yajïärthe: "You work."
Suppose you have misused your developed consciousness in so many ways, and
you are now entrapped. Suppose you have started a very complicated industry.
Now, if I say that "This complicated industry is not required by you. You simply
require some fruits and grains to eat. Why you are engaging yourself into this
complicated and dangerous form of earning your livelihood? Stop it." No, that
is not possible. That is not possible. Now you are entangled. You cannot stop.

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Çré Kåñëa says that "Don't stop your work, but by the result of your work, you
try to make sacrifice for the cause of the Supreme. Then your entanglement
will be automatically loosened." The whole energy which you apply in your
industry, if the result is offered to Kåñëa, that means that energy is utilized for
Kåñëa—not for that industry, but for Kåñëa. That is the thing.
Just like Arjuna. What was he? He was a military man. He was not a sage. He
was not a learned brähmaëa. He was ordinary, royal family, belonging to a royal
family, kingly order, and a householder, family man, having children, wife, and
a military man. But what...? How Arjuna became the greatest devotee of Lord?
The Lord certifies, bhakto 'si priyo 'si me [Bg 4.3]:
[That very ancient science of the relationship with the Supreme is today
told by Me to you because you are My devotee as well as My friend; therefore
you can understand the transcendental mystery of this science.]
"My dear Arjuna, you are My very dear friend as well as a great devotee." Now,
what is the reason? He was not a sannyäsé. He was not a Vedäntist. He was not
a philosopher. Nothing of the sort. Still, you will find in the Fourth Chapter,
Lord says, "Oh, My dear Arjuna, you are very dear to Me, and you are My great
devotee." Now, if a person becomes very dear to the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, then what else he wants more?
How he became so? He became by this karma-yoga. Karma-yoga. He was a
military man, and the problem was before him, whether to fight with his
kinsmen or not. That was his problem. Now, mind that. He was fighting man in
the beginning, before hearing the Bhagavad-gétä, and he remained a fighting
man after hearing Bhagavad-gétä.
Similarly, suppose you are engaged in some particular type of work before
hearing this Bhagavad-gétä. And after hearing, understanding Bhagavad-gétä,
you will have to remain in the same position, not that after hearing this
Bhagavad-gétä, as you are kindly coming here, you will have to take a dress like

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me and give up your family connection and become a mendicant like me. No,
no. It is not meant like that. You have to change your mentality. That's all.
What is that mentality? That mentality is that you are working for your sense
gratification, and you have to change your mentality for gratifying the sense of
the Supreme Lord. That's all. We are working... Ordinary work means for...,
working for our own sense gratification. "I want to eat this," so I eat. I purchase
from the market. "Oh, this is very nice thing, very palatable to my tongue. Oh,
purchase it. I shall eat it." Now, when you become conversant with the
philosophy of Bhagavad-gétä, you have to think whether this thing is palatable
to the tongue of Kåñëa. That's all.
Now you are thinking, "Let me purchase from the store this nice thing. It is
very palatable to my taste." And when you actually become a learned scholar of
Bhagavad-gétä, at that time you will have to think whether this thing will be
palatable to Kåñëa. That's all. The whole thing is there. When you learn that
thing, when you want to please Kåñëa and not yourself, then you become an
expert spiritualist. That's all.
So it is not very difficult thing. Very easy. Simply we have to learn how to
reach that stage of life. You haven't got to change anything. The same thing,
example, that Arjuna was a military man, a householder, a family man, before
hearing Bhagavad-gétä, and he remained the same family man, the same
military man, but he became a great devotee of the Lord. That technique we
have to learn.
That technique is that Arjuna, in the beginning, he did not like to fight,
because he wanted to gratify his senses. He thought that "I shall be happy if I
do not fight with my kinsmen, because in the fighting my kinsmen will die, and
I shall be sorry. So what is the use of fighting like this?" That means the whole
thing, whole program, is according to his own sense gratification. He did not
know that this war field, this battle of Kurukñetra, was organized by Çré Kåñëa
to kill all unwanted men of the world at that time. All unwanted men of that

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world. That was His plan.
Now, this was disclosed to Arjuna. In the Eleventh Chapter you will find that
"My dear Arjuna, I have given you all kinds of instruction to induce you to
fight in this battle. But know you perfectly well that either you fight or do not
fight, I do not mind. All these men who have assembled here, they are not
going back home. They will be killed here. It is already settled. It is already
settled. Now if you want to take the credit, you can apply your hands for
fighting. That's all."
So anything that is going on in this world, it is under the supreme supervision
of the Lord. Mayädhyakñeëa prakåtiù süyate sa-caräcaram [Bg 9.10].
[This material nature is working under My direction, O son of Kunté, and it
is producing all moving and unmoving beings. By its rule this manifestation is
created and annihilated again and again.]
In every... There is a philosopher's saying, "Not a blade of grass moves without
the will of God." It is actually the fact. Everything... Now, we have to dovetail
ourself with that plan of the Supreme Lord. That is called karma-yoga. That is
called karma-yoga. So Arjuna understood it, and he dovetailed himself with the
supreme will of the Lord. And when he was inquired, "Whether you are going
or fight or not? What you have settled after hearing Bhagavad-gétä?" he said,
"Yes Kåñëa. My illusion is now removed by Your grace, and I have decided to
fight." That's all.
Now, that agreement of fighting, and in the beginning of Bhagavad-gétä not to
fight, that is the difference. In the beginning he was not in agreement with
Kåñëa. He made so many arguments with Kåñëa against fighting. And at the
end, he agreed. "Yes," he said. He became a "yes" man. So we have to become a
"yes" man to the Supreme Lord. That's all. That is the perfection of our spiritual
life.
Now we are all "no" men. God says this; I say "no." Stubborn. I say "no." Now

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simply we have to say "yes." That's all. In everything we say "no" at the present.
Present formation of our existence is to say "no." Anything godly, we say "no."
We shudder even by the name of God. We have come to this... We have come
to a certain stage of our civilized life that we want to banish God altogether.
Not only saying "no," but we now prepare to agree to the point that there is no
existence of God. So how much foolish we are becoming day by day in the
name of advancement of civilization. You see?
So we should correct this. Now, we shall try to understand our position and try
to say, "Yes, there is God, and I am servant of God." That's all. You have to
learn that thing only. No more we have to say that there is no God. We may
say there is no God, [chuckles] but that does not mean that there is no God.
You see? Just like a upstart. He says that "I don't believe in the government.
There is no government. I am all in all." So that madman say like that, that
does not mean that there is no existence of government. He is a madman who
says like that. So that sort of, I mean to say, madness, we should give up. We
should be submissive. There is God.
The only example—several times I have cited—that existence of God can be
perceived with very simple... What is that? Just like you can perceive your
existence in this body by the consciousness. You have got consciousness. That
point we have discussed several times, that consciousness is the symptom of
your existence in this body. So long that consciousness is there, this bodily
function is going on very nicely.
Now, you are eating. You do not know how your foodstuff is going to the
stomach, how it is being transformed into different kinds of secretion, how it is
being transferred from the stomach to the heart, how that secretion becoming
red, and that red blood is again circulated from the brain to the toe. These nice
machinery work is going on within your body.
This physiological condition is present in your body. You are taking your
foodstuff. The necessary juice, vitamins, are taken by the stomach. It is

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distributed, and the exhaustion of your body is supplemented, and the
unnecessary things evacuated by stool, urine. The nice thing is going on.
Now, as soon as this consciousness is stopped, will this function go any more?
No. You will find the same brain is there; the same heart is there; the same
stomach is there by dissection of the body. You will see the same veins.
Everything is there complete. But only thing is wanting—that consciousness.
Therefore everything is stopped. This is a common factor. Everyone can know
it.
Similarly, the whole cosmic manifestation which is present before you, so
nicely going on, don't you think there is a consciousness behind it? How can
you deny, that there is no consciousness in the matter of sun rising, moon
rising, seasonal changes, and so many planets floating in the air? So many
wonderful things are being done in the material nature. Do you think it is
without being done, consciousness? No. There is also consciousness.
Just like for the management of your own body, due to the consciousness
everything is being well done, similarly, everything that you see very nicely
well done in the material nature, that is also being done by superior
consciousness. This is human reasoning. How can you deny it? Can you deny
it? I don't think any sane man can deny it.
Similarly, as your consciousness is a symptom of your presence, you are spirit
soul, similarly, the supreme consciousness is the symptom of the supreme soul,
or God, the supreme God. This is the position. Now, as consciousness, we are
part and parcel of the supreme consciousness. Therefore, the whole business of
our life is to dovetail our activities with the supreme plan. That is called
karma-yoga. That is called karma-yoga.
Eko bahu syäma. In the Vedic literature you will find that God has expanded
Himself into many, just like the father expands himself into many children.
The children is nothing but expansions of the body of the father. Similarly we,
all living entities, spiritual parts or living souls, we are also expansion of the

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supreme spirit. Now, the reason is, why the supreme spirit soul expanded
Himself into so many? What is the purpose? We have to understand. Now, you
can take the example. What is the purpose of father's expanding himself into
children? A father takes the responsibility of maintaining the children. Why?
Why he takes such, I mean, a grave responsibility, a family man? That "why" is
answered—just to have happy and enjoyable life. That's all.
Similarly, God has expanded into so many living entities because He wants
enjoyment. He wants enjoyment. Because you will find in the Vedic literature
that the nature of God is sac-cid-änanda-vigraha [Bs 5.1].
[Kåñëa who is known as Govinda is the Supreme Godhead. He has an
eternal blissful spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin and
He is the prime cause of all causes.]
Änandamayo 'bhyäsät [Vedänta-sütra 1.1.12]:
[By nature, the Supreme Lord is blissful.]
"By nature He is enjoying." So we must understand that God has expanded
Himself into so many living entities just for His enjoyment. Now, we are meant
for... Just like father is a..., yes, sons, children are meant for satisfying the
father, similarly this is a commonsense affair, that we living entities, we are
meant for satisfying the Supreme. That satisfaction of the Supreme can be
done by performance of yajïa. That is the beginning.So here it is prescribed
that yajïärthät karmaëaù anyatra [Bg 3.9].
[Work done as a sacrifice for Viñëu has to be performed, otherwise work
binds one to this material world. Therefore, O son of Kunté, perform your
prescribed duties for His satisfaction, and in that way you will always remain
unattached and free from bondage.]
That is... We have discussed. Yajïa-çiñöäçinaù santo mucyante sarva-kilbiñaiù
[Bg 3.13].
[The devotees of the Lord are released from all kinds of sins because they eat

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food which is offered first for sacrifice. Others, who prepare food for personal
sense enjoyment, verily eat only sin.]
If we perform sacrifice for the satisfaction of the Supreme, then the result will
be that we shall be free from all reaction of our sinful life. And if we do not do
that, bhuïjate te tv aghaà päpä ye pacanty ätma-käraëät. Ätma-käraëät means
simply for his own sense gratification.
Now, that yajïa, I have several times before you I have explained. Açnäti.
Açnäti means one who eats. So our yajïa begins from the eating, because eating
is the first item of the necessity of our life. Eating, sleeping, fearing and
mating. Now, eating is essential. So here in the Bhagavad-gétä openly speaks
that just control your eating process in the yajïa. Just begin your karma-yoga
from the eating formula. Then, gradually, other things will develop.
Because our senses... There are so many senses. We have got the eyes, the ear,
the nose, the tongue, the hand, the leg and so many. We have got ten, ten
senses, sensory organs, and working organs. So these organs there are. Out of
all the organs, the tongue is the most uncontrollable organ. Tongue. When we
eat... Perhaps those devotees who eat with us, we chant this, that çaréra
abidyä-jäl joòendriya tähe käl:
[O Lord, this material body is a place of ignorance, and the senses are a
network of paths to death. Somehow, we have fallen into this ocean of material
sense enjoyment, and of all the senses the tongue is most voracious and
uncontrollable; it is very difficult to conquer the tongue in this world. But You,
dear Kåñëa, are very kind to us and have given us such nice prasäda, just to
control the tongue. Now we take this prasäda to our full satisfaction and glorify
You Lord-Rädhä and Kåñëa-and in love call for the help of Lord Caitanya and
Nityänanda.]
"This body is the encagement of our nescience, of our ignorance. And in that
body the senses are our greatest enemies. Out of that, the tongue is the most
powerful enemy." Tä'ra madhye jihwä ati lobhamoy sudurmati. Lobhamoy

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sudurmati. Because tongue is always hankering after palatable things, and it is
making me bound up in so many reactions of my life. That is the secret.
Therefore, in the Bhagavad-gétä, in the beginning, the karma-yoga begins with
the tongue. Yajïa-çiñöäçinaù santaù. We have to eat. Now, we have to control
the tongue first. How we can control the tongue? By offering sacrifice. By
offering, we have to take foodstuff for maintaining our body. Now, if we offer
the foodstuff, preparing to the Lord, that is called yajïa.
Yajïa is not very difficult thing. You are preparing foodstuff for eating at your
home. You have simply to prepare that foodstuff in a nice way, so that you can
offer to Kåñëa. That's all. Your process of eating or your process of securing
ingredients for eating, or your cooking, nothing is stopped. Only, only thing is
required that instead of cooking for yourself for the satisfaction of your tongue,
you please cook it for satisfaction of Kåñëa and take the prasädam afterwards.
Now, take for example the other day we had some feasting. We cooked it nicely
and offered Kåñëa, and then you took. What was the difficulty there? Was
there any difficulty? So many gentlemen you are present here who partook of
that prasädam. How nicely it was prepared, and how we enjoyed. So is yajïa a
very difficult thing? So it is not at all difficult. Simply we have to adopt the
principles. That's all.
And if we adopt that principle... Here it is clearly said that yajïa-çiñöäçinaù
santaù. Santa means these things are arranged by pious men and devotees of
the Lord. Ordinary men, they don't care: "What is this nonsense yajïa? Let us
go to the hotel and take to our palatable things." You see? That is another
thing. But those who are serious about solving the problems of life, let them
take to this yajïa principle. Is it very difficult? Not at all. It is rather
pleasurable.
What do you think, Mr. Green? You were also present that day. Did you not
like?

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Mr. Green: Oh, yes.
Prabhupäda: So yajïa is not difficult. Now, if by doing that yajïa, if we become
free from all reactions, then why should we not do it? Why should we not do it?
There is no difficulty. There is no question of difficulty. Rather, it is a thing of
pleasure, änanda. The whole thing is änanda. Änanda means pleasure,
enjoyment.
Spiritual life does not mean that void of enjoyment. No. It is full of enjoyment.
We are seeking after enjoyment, but that enjoyment is hampered by our
material existence. We do not know. We are trying to squeezing out the senses
and trying to have material pleasure. This is nonsense. Because we do not know
what is spiritual life. Spiritual life means unlimited, unlimited pleasure.
There is a verse describing about Räma. Hare Räma, Hare Räma, Räma Räma,
Hare Hare, we chant. Now, what is the meaning of Räma? That is described.

ramante yogino 'nante

satyänande cid-ätmani
iti räma-padenäsau
paraà brahmäbhidhéyate
[Cc Madhya 9.29]

[The Supreme Absolute Truth is called Räma because the

transcendentalists take pleasure in the unlimited true pleasure of spiritual
existence.]
Räma means ramaëa. Ramaëa means enjoyment. Yoginaù. Now, mind that,
karma-yogé. Those who are yogé, those who are trying to get spiritual life, regain
their spiritual vitality, they are called yogé. There are different kinds of yogé:
karma-yogé, jïäna-yogé, dhyäna-yogé, räja-yogé. The highest of all of them is the
bhakti-yogé, or the bhakta.

yoginäm api sarveñäà

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 mad-gatenäntar-ätmanä
çraddhävän bhajate yo mäà
sa me yuktatamo mataù
[Bg 6.47]

[And of all yogés, he who always abides in Me with great faith, worshiping
Me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me in yoga
and is the highest of all.]
You will find it. The highest yogé is he who is only Kåñëa conscious. Simply his
life is full of Kåñëa consciousness. He is always trying to satisfy Kåñëa. That's
all. And to satisfy Kåñëa is the easiest thing—is the easiest thing of all yogic
process. You haven't got to show your gymnastic power. No. Simply prepare
your good foodstuff, offer to Kåñëa, chant Hare Kåñëa and enjoy life. Yoginäm
api sarveñäm. He is the best yogé. Best yogé. That is... You will find it.
So begin it. What is the difficulty there? So far the techniques are required, we
are present. The books are there. The literature are there. The authorities are
there. Simply we have to agree, "Yes." "Yes" man. Simply you have to agree,
"Yes, henceforward we shall become karma-yogé." Then, from that very point,
your life begins. Karma-yoga. The "yes" man. Mind that, that instead of saying
no to Kåñëa... Just like Arjuna said no in the beginning: "No, Sir. I am not
going to fight. You don't try to induce me, my dear Kåñëa." He argued so many
things with Kåñëa. Then, at the last moment, he said, "Yes. I shall fight." So
from "no" man to "yes" man, that's all. So we have to agree. We are now "no"
men. We say everything about God, "no." Now we have to learn "yes."
So you become "yes" man and begin this karma-yoga, beginning from your life
of eating, because eating you require. Without eating, you cannot exist.
Therefore, Bhagavad-gétä teaches you that you begin your karma-yoga from the
point of eating.

yajïa-çiñöäçinaù santo

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 mucyante sarva-kilbiñaiù
bhuïjate te tv aghaà päpä
ye pacanty ätma-käraëät
[Bg 3.13]

[The devotees of the Lord are released from all kinds of sins because they eat
food which is offered first for sacrifice. Others, who prepare food for personal
sense enjoyment, verily eat only sin.]
Now, people may say, "Why shall we bother myself about this yajïa principle?"
No. You have to bother yourself in the yajïa principle if you actually want to
be happy. The next çloka explains like this:

annäd bhavanti bhütäni

parjanyäd anna-sambhavaù
yajïäd bhavati parjanyo
yajïaù karma-samudbhavaù
[Bg 3.14]

[All living bodies subsist on food grains, which are produced from rain.
Rains are produced by performance of yajïa [sacrifice], and yajïa is born of
prescribed duties.]
That... Now, why you should have to perform yajïa? That is obligatory. Not
that you are very kind to prepare your foodstuff and offering to Kåñëa, it is very
kind. No. It is for your interest. It is for your interest. Why? Now, annäd
bhavanti bhütäni. You have to eat. Can you say that "Without eating, I shall
continue my life"? No. That is not possible. You have to eat.
Annäd bhavanti bhütäni. If you want to exist, if you want to maintain your body
and soul together, then you have to take anna. Anna means foodstuff, or anna
means grains, natural food. Generally, anna means foodstuff, and another
technical meaning of anna—anna means grains, which is produced from the

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land for eating of the human being.
For human being, so many things are produced from the land: the grains, the
fruits, the vegetable, so many things. They are meant for human being. The
grains are not meant for the tigers. The grains are meant for the human being.
The fruits are [not] meant for the dogs. The fruits are meant for the human
being. The milk, the milk is produced by the cow, but it is not meant for the
cow; it is meant for the human being. If you offer the milk, 30 pounds of milk,
after milking the cow, and if you offer to the cow, it will refuse. It will refuse, "I
don't want it." Give it dry grass? Oh, it will be very glad. It will be very glad. So
everything is organized by the nature.
Now, there are so many scientist; they are discovering vitamin value from
foodstuff. Now, what is the vitamin value in the dry grass? Can any scientist
say that this is the vitamin value in dry grass? If there is no vitamin value in
dry grass, how the cow is producing so much milk, who is full of vitamins A and
D? How, from dry grass, vitamins coming out? Nowadays the physician
prescribes some artificial vitamins for maintaining your body. Now, what is the
vitamin there in the dry grass so that the cow is eating dry grass and giving you
nice milk full of vitamins A and D, essential for your life? So these are all
wrong theories, that "This contains this vitamin. This contains this..." Let
them go on. But natural foodstuff which is meant for human being, they are
full of vitamins already there by nature's law, by God's wish. So annäd bhavanti
bhütäni [Bg 3.14].
You will be surprised. In... When I was family man, I had a servant who was
only twenty-two years old. Oh, he was too stout and strong. You see? So one
day I asked him that... His name was Buddhu. So I asked him, "Buddhu, what do
you take that you are very stout and strong?" He said, "My dear sir, I take only
these corns." Corns. You know corns? A corns, and it is powdered. The
powdered portions used to make bread, and the grain portion he used to cook as
rice, and he was taking that. That's all.

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Mr. Green: Cornmeal?
Prabhupäda: Corn.
Devotees: Meal. Cornmeal.
Prabhupäda: Cornmeal, yes. And he was very stout and strong. He was deriving
all the vitamins. Because he was poor man, he could not eat any butter or milk
or any other things, meat also no, nothing of the sort. He was simply eating...
He was drawing, at that time, only twenty-two rupees from me. Twenty-two
rupees means... According to your American exchange, it comes to five
dollars—five dollars a month, his income. And what he could spend? So he was
taking the cheap food. But he was very strong and stout.
The whole idea is that these grains, these grains are meant for human being.
Coarse grain or fine grain, there are so many varieties of grain, varieties of rice,
varieties of däl, according... Now, the fine rice, the basmati rice... The laborer
class—in India, of course, we have got this distinction—they are not satisfied
for, with this white rice. They want coarse grain for satisfaction. While
gentleman class, they cannot eat coarse grain. They want finer grain. So all
these varieties of grains and vegetables and everything is there by nature's
arrangement, by God's arrangement.
Here it is said, annäd bhavanti bhütäni. Now, your body depends on the
foodstuff supplied by nature. Annäd bhavanti bhütäni parjanyäd
anna-sambhavaù. And these grains are produced by rains, parjanya. Parjanya
means regular rainfall from the sky by the arrangement of God. It is not your
arrangement. Rainfall is not your arrangement. It is supernatural arrangement.
If there is regular rainfall, then it can produce all the necessities of our life.
I think, Carl, you were reading from the Bhagavad-gétä about Mahäräja
Yudhiñöhira's reign, during his kingdom how rainfall was regular, and the
necessities of human being were being produced. So here is the same thing.
Annät. Anna, the grains... Grains are our life's subsistence, human being.

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Annäd bhavanti bhütäni. And grains are produced by regular rainfall. Parjanyäd
anna-sambhavaù. Parjanya means rainfall. And yajïäd bhavati parjanyaù: "And
rainfall is produced when you offer yajïa, sacrifice, to the Lord."
Regular rainfall will be possible when people are engaged in the yajïa.
Otherwise, nature will control rainfall. For want of rain, all your
arrangement—mechanical arrangement, tractors and all these things—will all
fail if there is rainfall..., if there is no rainfall. So control of the rainfall is not
in your hand; it is in supernatural power. So here it is said that rainfall is made
possible by offering yajïa, by sacrifice. Parjanyät... Or yajïäd bhavati parjanyo
yajïaù karma-samudbhavaù: "And yajïa is prescribed according to the Vedic
rituals."
Now, just see the link. Living entities, they can develop by eating grains.
Grains are produced by rainfall. Rainfall is made possible by offering sacrifice.
And the process of sacrifice is given in authoritative scriptures like
Bhagavad-gétä, Bhägavata and Vedic literature, what is the process. So because
the beginning is from the Brahman—Brahman means Veda, transcendental
sound—therefore, if we work according to the direction of this Bhagavad-gétä
or Veda, then the whole thing becomes, I mean to..., spiritualized. Whole thing
becomes spiritualized. Because... Karma-yajïa... Yajïaù karma-samudbhavaù.
Karma.
And if your karma is regulated by the direction of Kåñëa, just like Arjuna
regulated his karma, his warfare, by the direction of Kåñëa, then by regulation
of karma you perform yajïa, sacrifice, and from, for your performance of yajïa,
sacrifice, there is regulated rainfall, and from regulated rainfall there is
sufficient production of grains and foodstuff, and from your sufficient
foodstuff you can grow yourself, body, maintain your body very nicely. The
whole program is like that. Annäd bhavanti.

annäd bhavanti bhütäni

parjanyäd anna-sambhavaù

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 yajïäd bhavati parjanyo
yajïaù karma-samudbhavaù
[Bg 3.14]

[All living bodies subsist on food grains, which are produced from rain.
Rains are produced by performance of yajïa [sacrifice], and yajïa is born of
prescribed duties.]
Karma brahmodbhavaà viddhi. And the nature of our karma, how we should
work, that is directed. That is directed in Vedic literature, just like
Bhagavad-gétä, just like Arjuna was directed. Now,

karma brahmodbhavaà viddhi

brahmäkñara-samudbhavam
tasmät sarva-gataà brahma
nityaà yajïe pratiñöhitam
[Bg 3.15]

[Regulated activities are prescribed in the Vedas, and the Vedas are directly
manifested from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Consequently the
all-pervading Transcendence is eternally situated in acts of sacrifice.]
"Therefore, My dear Arjuna, if you begin your life by performance of yajïa,
then that means at once your life becomes spiritualized. At once your life
becomes spiritualized, that what you want."

evaà pravartitaà cakraà

nänuvartayatéha yaù
aghäyur indriyärämo
moghaà pärtha sa jévati
[Bg 3.16]

[My dear Arjuna, a man who does not follow this prescribed Vedic system of
sacrifice certainly leads a life of sin, for a person delighting only in the senses

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lives in vain.]
Now, here is injunction that "That is the circle." That is the circle, that how to
work. That injunction is there. Now, why your..., or this work? Any work.
Suppose you will drive a motorcar. That is a sort of work in the street. There is
injunction that "You should drive on the right. You should stop your car when
there is red light. You should not proceed an inch." So, so many regulation,
even for your driving car. Anything. Anything of your life you want to do,
there are directions, proper directions from the authorities. And why not for
your spiritual life? Why not for...?
For spiritual life you can do anything and everything, whatever you like, what
you manufacture in your own brain? No. How can you do it? In every field of
your work in practical life, you have got some direction that "You have to act in
this direction." Suppose you are working, running on a factory. Oh, there are so
many factory laws. Anywhere you go, there are direction from the superior
authorities.
So is there no direction for your spiritual realization of life? Yes, there is. We
have to abide by that. Therefore Lord says, evaà pravartitaà cakram: "This is a
circle, circle, that in Vedic literature, Vedic scripture, they give you direction
how to work." And by working you perform yajïa. By performing yajïa, you
have got regular rainfalls. By regular rainfalls, you get production of grains.
And by production of grains, you eat and live happily. So this is a circle. This is
a circle. So Lord says, Lord Kåñëa says, evaà pravartitaà cakram. Cakram
means circle. This is a circle.
Nänuvartayatéha yaù: "One who does not follow this circle of activity," aghäyuù,
"he is simply spoiling his life. He is is simply..." Aghäyuù. Aghäyuù means "His
duration of life, his duration of very valuable human form of life, he is simply
wasting." Why? Indriyärämaù: "Simply for sense gratification like the cats and
dogs and hogs." Aghäyur indriyärämo moghaà pärtha sa jévati: "His life is now
doomed. His life is now doomed."

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So this is the injunction of Lord Kåñëa. Evaà pravartitaà cakraà
nänuvartayatéha yaù: "Anyone who does not follow this circle of activities,
then it is to be understood that he is spoiling his valuable human life, and his
life is doomed."
Hare Kåñëa. Now if there is any question, you can ask. [end]

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