Bhagavad-gétä 4.

14–19
—
August 1, 1966, New York

660801BG-NEW YORK [61:57 Minutes]

Audio

Prabhupäda:

na mäà karmäëi limpanti

na me karma-phale spåhä
iti mäà yo 'bhijänäti
karmabhir na sa badhyate
[Bg 4.14]

[There is no work that affects Me; nor do I aspire for the fruits of action.
One who understands this truth about Me also does not become entangled in
the fruitive reactions of work.]
Now...
[aside:] You can come please forward. Yes. Yes. Come forward. There is... Sit
down.
Karmabhir sa na badhyate. Now, the whole world is bound by his own karma,
action. Everyone, every living entity... In the Brahma-saàhitä there is a nice
verse about this...
[children yelling in the background] [pause]
There is a nice verse, yas tu... Beginning from the germ... There is a germ which

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is called indra-gopa. You know that among the living entities, the germs are in
very minute form. You cannot see even with your microscope. In a, in a space
of one millimeter, you can find millions of germs. That is scientific truth. So
beginning from the germs, which are called...
[to children:] Please stop! Please stop!
Beginning from the germs up to the heavenly kingdom... The king of heaven is
called Indra, and the smallest, minutest germ, it is also called indra-gopa in
Sanskrit language. So in the Brahma-saàhitä [Bs 5.54] it is said that,
[I adore the primeval Lord Govinda, who burns up to their roots all fruitive
activities of those who are imbued with devotion and impartially ordains for
each the due enjoyment of the fruits of one's activities, of all those who walk in
the path of work, in accordance with the chain of their previously performed
works, no less in the case of the tiny insect that bears the name of indragopa
than in that of Indra, king of the devas.]
"Beginning from this indra up to that Indra..." That means "Beginning from the
germ which is known as indra-gopa up to the point of the king who is also
known as Indra, all of them are bound up by the reaction of his own karma, or
his own work."
Every work which you are doing, good or bad, we have to suffer or enjoy the
reaction of our work. And so long we have to suffer or enjoy the reaction of our
work, as long as we shall go on like this, so long we have to accept this material
body. This material body is just given to us by the arrangement of nature's law
for the exact status of suffering or enjoyment.
Just like you have seen different animals, they have got different process of
eating. Say for tiger. Tiger, they have bodies made for eating raw flesh and raw
blood. So all the body is so made that they have got particular nails and jaws
and teeth so that they can do that. Similarly, you can see the hog. They have to
eat the stool. Oh, they have got a particular shape of mouth so that they can

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easily do that. Now, we are human being. We are meant for taking vegetables
and fruits. Now, our teeth is just like knife which can cut the vegetables and
the fruits.
So all these bodies, I mean to say... I am giving particular stress to the body. A
king's body, a poor man's body. A poor man, he has to work very hard. His body
is very sturdy. He can work very nicely. But a son of very aristocratic family or
king, oh, his body is very delicate. He cannot work. He can apply his brain in
something else. So, so long we are... These bodies are made according to the
different status of our work we have done in our past life. And next body is
being prepared according to the work which we are doing now. But here Kåñëa
says that as soon as one can understand the transcendental nature of Kåñëa's
activities, he becomes free from the reaction of activities.
Now, here is the question, that because we are now preparing ourself to have
our spiritual body or spiritual life developed, and being freed from this material
existence, therefore our duty should be such so that we may not be entangled
again into this material body. That can be made possible if we are Kåñëa
conscious. If we study Kåñëa, what is Kåñëa, what are His transcendental
activities, how His energies are acting in this material world or spiritual world,
all this... It is a great science. Kåñëa is a great science.
So if we study Kåñëa science with great attention, then the result will be that
we shall be free from the reaction of our activities. This is clearly said here, na
mam karmäëi limpanti na me karma-phale spåhä [Bg 4.14].
[There is no work that affects Me; nor do I aspire for the fruits of action.
One who understands this truth about Me also does not become entangled in
the fruitive reactions of work.]
The Lord has nothing to do. He is full. He has nothing to do. But why He does?
Just to set example. Set example. He's not bound up by the works which He is
doing in the material world. This science has to be learned. Na me karma-phale
spåhä. And anyone who understands this transcendental nature of Kåñëa, he is

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also becoming free from the reaction of karma.

evaà jïätvä kåtaà karma

pürvair api mumukñubhiù
kuru karmaiva tasmät tvaà
pürvaiù pürvataraà kåtam
[Bg 4.15]

[All the liberated souls in ancient times acted with this understanding and
so attained liberation. Therefore, as the ancients, you should perform your duty
in this divine consciousness.]
Now, the whole spiritual process is to follow the example of the previous
äcäryas who have attained, I mean to..., success.
[boys making noise outside]
[aside:] These boys, wherefrom they come? They disturb.

evaà jïätvä kåtaà karma

pürvair api mumukñubhiù
kuru karmaiva tasmät tvaà
pürvaiù pürvataraà kåtam
[Bg 4.15]

Now, there are... Arjuna... Kåñëa is advising Arjuna that "If you act and follow
in the footprints of the previous äcäryas and previous great devotees and kings
who have done in their life karma-yoga, acting for Kåñëa, if we follow that
principle, then you shall also become free from the reaction of activities."
Because Arjuna was very much afraid for being entangled in the reaction of his
fighting, Kåñëa therefore assures that "You shall not be... If you follow, if you
act, if you fight for My sake, then you will not be entangled by the reaction of
karma."

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Kià karma kim akarmeti...,

kià karma kim akarmeti

kavayo 'py atra mohitäù
tat te karma pravakñyämi
yaj jïätvä mokñyase 'çubhät
[Bg 4.16]

[Even the intelligent are bewildered in determining what is action and what
is inaction. Now I shall explain to you what action is, knowing which you shall
be liberated from all sins.]
Now, people are misled what is karma, what is actually work, and what is not
work, akarma. Kià karma kim akarmeti kavayo 'pi. Kavayaù means great sages,
great saintly persons, great philosophers. They are also sometimes bewildered to
understand what class of activities are genuine and what class of activities are
nongenuine. Therefore Kåñëa says that "I shall teach you what are genuine
activities and what are nongenuine activities." Tat te karma pravakñyämi yaj
jïätvä mokñyase açubhät. Yaj jïätvä: "If you understand the principle of
working, then you shall get free from the bondage, material bondage."
We have to work in such a way that we may..., may not be entangled with this
material bondage. Otherwise, as we have explained, this body is our material
bondage, and it is the result of our activities. So we have to perform our
activities so nicely and so cautiously so that I may not be entangled, I may be
free even in this life, and tyaktvä dehaà punar janma naiti [Bg 4.9],
[One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities
does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but
attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.]
I can, after leaving this present body, I'll have no more to come into this
material world. This science is being taught by Kåñëa to Arjuna. And the
whole activity, the whole activity is that if we engage ourself, as we find it in

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the Eleventh Chapter, last verse,

mat-karma-kån mat-paramo
mad-bhaktaù saìga-varjitaù
nirvairaù sarva-bhüteñu
yaù sa mäm eti päëòava
[Bg 11.55]

[My dear Arjuna, one who is engaged in My pure devotional service, free
from the contaminations of previous activities and from mental speculation,
who is friendly to every living entity, certainly comes to Me.]
Now, this one verse is sufficient to teach the essence of Çrémad Bhagavad-gétä,
that "Anyone who is engaged in My work," "in My work," mat-karma-kåt... Then
what is that "My work"? That "My work" is explained in the last word of the...,
and the last instruction of the Bhagavad-gétä, that sarva-dharmän parityajya
mäm ekaà çaraëaà vraja [Bg 18.66]. Arjuna is taught—and with the example
of Arjuna, every one of us is taught—that we have to work only which is
sanctioned by Kåñëa. Sarva-dharmän parityajya mäm ekaà çaraëaà vraja [Bg
18.66].
[Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver
you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.]
That is the... That is the mission of human life. But we do not know that. We
do not know that. And because we do not know that, we engage ourself with so
many work which is concerned with the bodily and material conception of life.
So mat-karma-kåt. So one has to do what Kåñëa desires, just like Arjuna did.
Kåñëa desired that he should fight. Arjuna did not like to fight, but because
Kåñëa desired, he accepted to fight. This is Kåñëa's work. That we have to
select.
Now, what is the work at the present moment for us, Kåñëa's work? Kåñëa is not
present now to dictate that "This is My work." Just like Arjuna was fortunate

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enough. He was personally present before Arjuna. Lord Kåñëa was personally
present, and He was directing. But that does not mean that we have no
direction. We have direction. We have direction. In the Bhagavad-gétä you'll
find that anyone who preaches the gospel of Bhagavad-gétä to the people of the
world, he is the most dear, the dearest person in the world to Kåñëa. Kåñëa
accepts him the dearest person.
So therefore our duty is to preach the principles of this Bhagavad-gétä, to make
people Kåñëa conscious. People are suffering for want of Kåñëa consciousness.
Therefore each and every one of us should be engaged in the preaching work of
Kåñëa consciousness for the benefit of the whole world.
Lord Caitanya, whose picture you see in the front of our this store, Lord
Caitanya very nicely preached this philosophy of Kåñëa consciousness.

ämära äjïäya guru haïä tära' ei deça

yäre dekha täre kaha 'kåñëa'-upadeça
[Cc Madhya 7.128]

[Instruct everyone to follow the orders of Lord Çré Kåñëa as they are given in
the Bhagavad-gétä and Çrémad-Bhägavatam. In this way become a spiritual
master and try to liberate everyone in this land.]
The Lord says, ämära äjïäya. Because He came with this mission, to preach
Kåñëa consciousness, so He says, "Just take My order, and all of you, you become
the spiritual master." Guru haïä. Anyone who teaches people Kåñëa
consciousness, never mind what, what he is and where he is, he should be
understood the spiritual master.
So Lord Kåñëa, Lord Caitanya gives order to everyone that ämära äjïäya guru
haïä tära' ei deça: "Every country, every, I mean to say, province, you go
everywhere and just preach this Kåñëa consciousness."

ämära äjïäya guru haïä tära' ei deça

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 yäre dekha täre kaha 'kåñëa'-upadeça
[Cc Madhya 7.128]

Kåñëa-upadeça means this Bhagavad-gétä, the instruction given by Kåñëa. That

is kåñëa-upadeça. And kåñëa-upadeça is also Çrémad-Bhägavatam.
Çrémad-Bhägavatam is full of instruction by which one can become Kåñëa
conscious. Similarly, in the Bhagavad-gétä also, we receive the instruction how
we can become Kåñëa conscious. So Lord Caitanya selects these very two
particular books, Çrémad-Bhägavatam and Bhagavad-gétä, and He asks everyone,
in any part of the world, to take up this matter very seriously and preach in the
world. That is the direct order of Kåñëa.
So if we take up this missionary work, to preach Bhagavad-gétä as it is, without
any interpretation and without any motive behind it, as it is, as Kåñëa said...
We should present as it is. People misrepresent Bhagavad-gétä by their own
interpretation. That should not be done. Bhagavad-gétä as it is should be
presented before the people of the world. They are suffering for want of Kåñëa
consciousness, and as soon as they become Kåñëa conscious, their life becomes
happy. So this is the mission of this Society, International Society for Krishna
Consciousness.
As Kåñëa advises, saìga-varjitaù: "You should not have any attraction or any
attachment for these worldly activities." If you have got attachment or
attraction for these material activities, then you cannot have Kåñëa..., you
cannot become Kåñëa conscious. But that does not mean you should be
inimical to the people of the world. No. It is your duty to give them the highest
instruction, spiritual instruction, that "You become Kåñëa conscious." And try
your best. Try your best.
Nirvairaù. You should not be anyone's enemy. Others may become your enemy.
Because it is quite natural. Anyone who comes with the message of the
Supreme Lord, there are persons who become his enemy. Just like Lord Jesus
Christ, he came. His only fault was that he was preaching the message of God,

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and people—some people, not all people—become his enemy, and he was
crucified.
So this is the world. Anyone who comes as a most, I mean to say, beneficial
friend of the world, people take him as the enemy, and they do the same
mistake again so that they are bound up again by their own work and they
remain in this material world to repeat birth and death, one after another, one
after another.
So we should be very much cautious. We should not miss this chance of this
human body to become Kåñëa consciousness..., to become conscious of Kåñëa.
So therefore we must know how to work. How to work. Kià karma kim
akarmeti [Bg 4.16].
[Even the intelligent are bewildered in determining what is action and what
is inaction. Now I shall explain to you what action is, knowing which you shall
be liberated from all sins.]
If we do not know how to work, then we shall be entangled in these material
activities. Therefore Kåñëa says saìga-varjitaù. Of course, a Kåñëa conscious
person, he also acts just like another material actor, but because he works in
Kåñëa consciousness, therefore he's not bound up.
Just like take the example of Arjuna. He also fought just like ordinary military
man, but because he fought in Kåñëa consciousness, therefore he was not
bound up by the reaction of such fighting. Fighting is not necessary. Fighting is
not necessary. Peace, peace is necessary. But sometimes peace is disturbed. At
that time, fighting is also necessary. You cannot..., you cannot absolutely give
up the process of fighting in this material world. That is not possible. Because
there are persons who will create trouble. Just like we are experiencing. We are
not going to do any harm to anybody, but sometimes they are coming and
creating disturbance.
So these disturbing elements are there, and this is always there. The material

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nature is like that. Therefore fighting cannot be abolished in the..., when it is
necessary, absolutely necessary. In the Battle of Kurukñetra, Lord Kåñëa
advocated this fighting because it was absolutely necessary.
So anything—it does not matter what it is—when it is sanctioned by Kåñëa, it
has no reaction. That is the real work. Other, anything which we do which
may be very good work in the estimation of this material world, but that is
bound to make you entangled in this material world. This secret one should
learn.

karmaëo hy api boddhavyaà

boddhavyaà ca vikarmaëaù
akarmaëaç ca boddhavyaà
gahanä karmaëo gatiù
[Bg 4.17]

[The intricacies of action are very hard to understand. Therefore one

should know properly what action is, what forbidden action is, and what
inaction is.]
Karmaëo gatiù, the path of karma, is very intricate. Therefore one should
understand what is actually karma and what is akarma and what is vikarma.
And knowing this, one should perform karma. But one thing is that if we
simply engage ourself in Kåñëa consciousness, then everything becomes clear.
Otherwise, we have to make discrimination, "What I should do, what I should
not do, so that I may not be entangled."
Just like in ordinary life we, whatever we do, we sometimes, we may
unconsciously doing something which is against the law, and therefore we
become bound up by the laws of the state, and sometimes we are in trouble. So
similarly, in the laws of nature also, the laws of nature is very strict. There is no
excuse. The laws of nature is very stringent. Just like the fire. Fire, it burns.
That is natural. This is the law of nature. So even a child touches fire, the fire

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does not excuse, that "Because it is child, oh, his hand may be..., may not be
burned." No. That is not possible. So we have to make our work very cautiously.
We have to select our work very cautiously. Otherwise, the stringent laws of
nature will react, and we shall be bound by the laws of material nature and
suffer.
The Lord says that karmaëo hy api boddhavyam. One should understand how to
work and one should understand what is not to be done. Akarmaëaç ca
boddhavyam. Karmaëo hy api boddhavyaà boddhavyaà ca vikarmaëaù. Karma,
akarma and vikarma. There are three things. Karma means prescribed duties.
Prescribed duties. That is called karma. And akarma..., vikarma means doing
against the prescribed duties. That is called vikarma. And akarma means
something doing which has no reaction. That is not... Of course, in the
execution of such work, it appears to be working, but practically it has no
reaction. That is vikarma. And that vikarma is when we act on account of the
Supreme. That is when we... Kåñëa-karma-kåt. When we work under the
direction of Kåñëa, that has no reaction. Otherwise, karma, one should do
prescribed duties, and one should not do which is not prescribed.
For example, for example, just like the state. The state has got some laws. Now,
suppose if you commit murder, it will be hang..., you will be hanged. That is the
state law. So if you again, against the state law you commit some murder, you
will be hanged. This is vikarma, and I should be cautious. But when the state
orders, itself, that "You go and fight. Kill the enemy," that is neither karma nor
vikarma. So similarly, when we act under the direction of Kåñëa, that is
akarma. That means that karma, that kind of activities, has no reaction.
Otherwise, we shall have to act very cautiously so that I may not be entangled
with the reaction of my karma.

karmaëy akarma yaù paçyed

akarmäëi ca karma yaù
sa buddhimän manuñyeñu

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 sa yuktaù kåtsna-karma-kåt
[Bg 4.18]

[One who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction, is intelligent

among men, and he is in the transcendental position, although engaged in all
sorts of activities.]
Now here is a nice verse. The Lord says, "One who can see karmäëi, akarma,
any work which is being done, but it has no reaction..." Karmäëi, akarma yaù. "I
am doing something, but the ultimate result of that work has no reaction." One
who can see like that... Karmaëy akarma yaù paçyed akarmäëi ca yaù karma.
And akarmäëi means one who is trying to avoid the reaction of karma, but he
is being entangled in karma. Sa buddhimän manuñyeñu [Bg 4.18]: "He is the most
intelligent person." Sa yuktaù kåtsna-karma-kåt, sa: "He is dovetailed with
Kåñëa consciousness, and therefore, after doing so many work"—kåtsna mean
all sorts of work—"still, he is free," karmaëy akarma, "even working."
Just see, the Arjuna. Arjuna is fighting, and the other party, Duryodhana, is
also fighting. Now, how you can understand that Arjuna is free from reaction
but Duryodhana is not free from reaction? The fighting is both... Both parties
are fighting. Externally, ephemerally, we can see simply that they are fighting.
But who is bound up by reaction? Who is not bound up reaction? Arjuna is not
bound up by reaction. Why? He is fighting under the order of Kåñëa. So we
have to see like that, who is working with Kåñëa consciousness. Anyone who is
working Kåñëa consciousness, we should see that he is not being bound up.
This is called karmaëy akarma. Akarma means which has no reaction. So
although I see somebody is working, but because he is working in Kåñëa
consciousness, therefore it should be understood that his work is not producing
any reaction.
So this intelligent vision is recommended here by Kåñëa that sa buddhimän:
"Anyone who is working and who can see such work, who can understand such
work," sa buddhimän manuñyeñu [Bg 4.18], "in the human society, he is very

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intelligent." He is very intelligent. Otherwise, sometimes bhakti, the devotional
service of the Lord... Just like I'll give you a crude example. Just like a boy, he is
flying kite, and he is moving his reel containing the thread. Now, from a
distant place, you'll find that he is moving his thread, but, moving his reel, but
sometimes, moving his reel he is getting down the kite, and moving his reel he
is getting higher and higher the kite. So from distant place, we can see that
there is moving of the reel, but the action is different.
Similarly, simply by seeing the movement of a person, that he is also acting,
that is not final judgment. We have to see what sort of acting he is doing. If
he's acting in Kåñëa consciousness, if we can see a person is acting in Kåñëa
consciousness, then we can understand that he's free from the reaction. And if
he's not acting in Kåñëa consciousness, but externally, from our material
estimation, we can see that "Oh, he is doing very good work. He's very doing
good work..."
Just like Arjuna, when he first refused to work, refused to fight, that "My dear
Kåñëa, it is not possible for me to fight with my relatives, brothers. I am not
going to fight," but from material estimation, this conclusion, this decision of
Arjuna, is very good. Very good. So materially, from material standing of,
standpoint of view, that he is not going to commit nonviolence...,
violence—he is nonviolent—he's very good man. But from spiritual point of
view, it is not so. From spiritual point of view, it is not so.
So one has to see. Simply by external features, that one is working and one is
not working, that we cannot... What is the standard of work? Under what
consciousness he's working? If he's working in material consciousness, then he's
being bound up. However good may be that work, he's being bound up.
Now, what is the binding reaction of good material work? Just try to
understand. Good material work... Suppose you have done most charitable
work, munificent work, and you have started so many, I mean to say,
philanthropic institution. That's all right. These are... From material

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estimation, these things are very good work. But you are being bound up. You
are being bound up. In which way you are being bound up? That these things
are called puëya-karma, pious work. When you do pious work, you get four
results. What are the four results? Janma-aiçvarya-çruta-çré.
Janma-aiçvarya-çruta-çré. If you do pious work, you can get reaction in four
ways. You can get your birth in a very nice family, just like in the family of a
brähmaëa, in the family of a rich man. For pious work, one can get his janma.
And aiçvarya. Aiçvarya means you can become very rich man by pious work.
Janmaiçvarya-çruta [SB 1.8.26].
[My Lord, Your Lordship can easily be approached, but only by those who
are materially exhausted, because one who is on the path of [material] progress,
trying to improve himself with respectable parentage, great opulence, high
education and bodily beauty, cannot address You with sincere feeling.]
Çruta means you can become very learned scholar. These are the results of
pious work. Janmaiçvarya-çruta, and çré: you can become very beautiful by pious
work. These are the results of pious work.
Similarly, just the opposite: if you do vicious work, then you, you have to go to
the lower-class family or even the animal family, lower-class birth, or become a
fool, illiterate, and become not very good-looking. So many things. These are
the reaction of pious and vicious work.
Now, taking it for granted that I am doing all pious work, that's all right. And I
am getting my birth in a very rich family or very pure family, just like
brähmaëa family or something like that. I am getting myself very good
education. I am very beautiful to see. And I am very rich man, all these. But
our point is that suppose if you are rich man, suppose if you are very learned
man, but you are not free from the stringent laws of material world. The whole
point of vision should be targeted there, that "I am not going to be under the
stricture of this material world." If we miss that point, then we shall be
captivated by this aristocratic family or good education or beautiful body or

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richness. We shall be...
One should understand that "In spite of having all these facilities of material
life, I am not free from four things: janma-måtyu-jarä-vyädhi [Bg 13.9]."
[Humility, pridelessness, nonviolence, tolerance, simplicity, approaching a
bona fide spiritual master, cleanliness, steadiness and self-control;
renunciation of the objects of sense gratification, absence of false ego, the
perception of the evil of birth, death, old age and disease; nonattachment to
children, wife, home and the rest, and evenmindedness amid pleasant and
unpleasant events; constant and unalloyed devotion to Me, resorting to solitary
places, detachment from the general mass of people; accepting the importance
of self-realization, and philosophical search for the Absolute Truth—all these I
thus declare to be knowledge, and what is contrary to these is ignorance.]
Janma-måtyu-jarä-vyädhi. "I am not free from four, four these things, material
laws of nature." What is that? "I am not free from repeated birth and death. I
am not free from old age. I am not free from diseases." Therefore Kåñëa has
recommended in the Bhagavad-gétä that äbrahma-bhuvanäl lokäù punar
ävartino 'rjuna [Bg 8.16]:
[From the highest planet in the material world down to the lowest, all are
places of misery wherein repeated birth and death take place. But one who
attains to My abode, O son of Kunté, never takes birth again.]
"My dear Arjuna, if you go up to the highest planet, which is called
Brahmaloka, where there is long duration of life and all other
enjoyments—they are thousands and thousands times better than enjoyment
here—but still, äbrahma-bhuvanäl lokäù punar ävartino 'rjuna, then you have
to come again. The repetition of birth and death is there also. Therefore your
aim should be mad-dhäma..., yad gatvä na nivartante tad dhäma paramaà mama
[Bg 15.6]:
[That abode of Mine is not illumined by the sun or moon, nor by electricity.

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One who reaches it never returns to this material world.]
"You have to go back to My planet, My kingdom. That will make you perfect."
So this work, good work or bad work from the material point of view, may be
superficially very good. But what..., how long I shall remain a rich man? How
long I shall remain a beautiful man? This is not my permanent life. Suppose if
my life is for hundred years, say. I can remain a rich man, I can remain a
learned man, I can remain a beautiful man, say, for fifty or sixty or hundred
years. But your life is not for hundred years or sixty years or thousands years or
millions of years. You are eternal. You have to attain your eternal life. That is
the whole problem.
But, that problem you have to solve. That problem can be solved when you are
Kåñëa conscious, so that by Kåñëa conscious, when you leave this body, you will
no more have to come to this material world and accept this material body or
suffer and enjoy thereof. That is the point. The point is very difficult for
common men, but this is the point. This is the point. I have to avoid this
material existence altogether. That is the point. It is... It is not the question of
improving my material condition. That is not the solution.
If I... Just like in a prison house, if you want to improve your condition, you
become a very good prisoner, and the government gives you A-class status.
There are three classes of status in prison life. Some are suffering the prison
life in the A-class status. Some of them are suffering in the B-class status.
There are also classes. Just like when some political leader is put into prison,
they are given A-class status. But a sane man, a sane man should not be
satisfied by becoming an A-class prisoner, A-class prisoner.
So we are, in this material world, some of us are in the A-class prisoner, some of
us are B-class prisoner, some of us are C-class prisoner. So to become an A-class
prisoner from C-class prisoner is not the solution of our problem. The problem
should be solved that "Let me become completely free, completely free from the

16
prison life." That is the whole problem.

karmaëy akarma yaù paçyed

akarmäëi ca karma yaù
sa buddhimän manuñyeñu
sa yuktaù kåtsna-karma-kåt
[Bg 4.18]

[One who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction, is intelligent

among men, and he is in the transcendental position, although engaged in all
sorts of activities.]
"Anyone who can understand the process of karma, the process of work, in this
way, he is the most intelligent person in this world." Most intelligent person.
Not that a person who has passed M.A., Ph.D. examination from the university
de..., offering country. The person who understands this problem of life, he is
the most intelligent person. That we should learn. He is the most intelligent
person.

yasya sarve samärambhäù

käma-saìkalpa-varjitäù
jïänägni-dagdha-karmäëaà
tam ähuù paëòitaà budhäù
[Bg 4.19]

[One is understood to be in full knowledge whose every act is devoid of

desire for sense gratification. He is said by sages to be a worker whose fruitive
action is burned up by the fire of perfect knowledge.]
Paëòita. Paëòita means learned, and budha means one who is well-versed. He is
called budha. Budha, this very term you'll find in another place of
Bhagavad-gétä, in the Tenth Chapter, budhä bhäva-samanvitäù.

ahaà sarvasya prabhavo

17
 mattaù sarvaà pravartate
iti matvä bhajante mäà
budhä bhäva-samanvitäù
[Bg 10.8]

[I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates

from Me. The wise who know this perfectly engage in My devotional service
and worship Me with all their hearts.]
That budha you'll find in the Tenth Chapter, and the same budha, paëòita,
paëòita and budha. Paëòita, according to Bhagavad-gétä, paëòita, paëòita means
learned man. The Sanskrit word paëòita means... And budha is "well-versed."
Now who is well-versed? And who is paëòita? A very learned man from..., by
academic education may not be a learned man according to the view of
Bhagavad-gétä. Bhagavad-gétä says, "He is the learned man who can see
everyone on the equal footing, equal level."

vidyä-vinaya-sampanne
brähmaëe gavi hastini
çuni caiva çva-päke ca
paëòitäù sama-darçinaù
[Bg 5.18]

[The humble sage, by virtue of true knowledge, sees with equal vision a
learned and gentle brähmaëa, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater
[outcaste]]
A paëòita, paëòita can see... Paëòita means a learned man can see that "Here is
a learned brähmaëa." In India, according to Vedic civilization, a learned
brähmaëa is considered to be the topmost man in human society. So therefore
He is taking the example that "Here is a very learned brähmaëa."
Vidyä-vinaya-sampanne brähmaëe. Not only he is brähmaëa, but he is very
gentle. Vidyä means... What is the result of vidyä? Education means one

18
becomes gentleman. That is the result of vidyä. If one is not a gentleman, then
his learning is not accepted according to the Vedic literature. So paëòita means
that one who is learned and gentle.
So another paëòita sees vidyä-vinaya-sampanne, a brähmaëa, learned and
gentle, vidyä-vinaya-sampanne brähmaëe gavi, and a cow,
vidyä-vinaya-sampanne gavi ha..., and an elephant, and çva-päke... Çva-päke ca
çuni ceta. Çva-päke means there is a class of men who eats dog. They are
counted amongst the lower class in India. Çva-päke ca çuni ca. Çuni ca means
dog. So dog also, not taken very good animal in the society. But a
paëòita—either a dog, either a cow, either an elephant, either a, a, I mean to
say, dog-eater, or a learned brähmaëa—he sees all of them on the same level.
That is paëòita.
Why he sees on the same level? Do you mean to say that a learned brähmaëa, a
high-class brähmaëa, he is just like as good as a dog? No. A learned brähmaëa is
not as good as a dog. But how, how, then, the paëòita sees on the equal footing?
Oh, because he does not see on the skin, but he sees on the spirit. Therefore
he's paëòita. One who has learned this art, to see in any living being only the
spirit he sees, that "Here is a living being. He's a spiritual spark. He's a spirit
soul. But he has got a different covering, body, only."
Just like in the Bhagavad-gétä it is said that väsäàsi jérëäni [Bg 2.22]:
[As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, similarly, the soul
accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones.]
"This body is just like our dress." Suppose a very learned man has come in a
shabby dress. Do you think that he should be dishonored? If he's known, of
course[?]. Just like our this sannyäsé dress. It is not very costly dress. It is a
loincloth. It is very cheap. But sometimes people misunderstand that "Here is a
beggar." And sometimes we are respected. So simply by dress we should not see
any living entity. Whether..., either he's a dog, or he's a, in the estimation of
the society, a lower-class man, or a very high-class man, or a cow, but we shall

19
see that "Here is a spirit soul." Anyone who can understand the spiritual vision
of life, he is paëòita. He is paëòita.
And according to Cäëakya Paëòita... Cäëakya, he was a great politician, and
he says... Now, what is the standard of education? Standard of education. Now,
he has given very nice, three words, three words for standard of education, who
is perfect in education. He says,

mätåvat para-däreñu
para-dravyeñu loñöravat
ätmavat sarva-bhüteñu
yaù paçyati sa paëòitaù
[Cäëakya Paëòita]

[One who sees others' wives as his mother, who sees all others' possessions as
insignificant as a lump of clay, and who sees all living beings as himself—such
a person is considered a learned man.]
Paëòita. This paëòita. This paëòita, explanation of paëòita. Now, who is a
paëòita? Now, mätåvat para-däreñu: "He is the learned man who sees all women
as his mother." Except one's married wife, one should see every woman as his
mother. Mätåvat. Mätå means mother. Vat means just like. Mätåvat para-däreñu.
Para-däreñu means other women except one's own wife, married wife.
Mätåvat para-däreñu para-dravyeñu loñöravat: "And other's property should be
accepted just like refused garbage in the street." Just like we don't care for all
the garbages. Simply if others' money or others' property is there, sometimes we
hanker, we should think, "Oh, this all nonsense, just like garbage." Mätåvat
para-däreñu para-dravyeñu loñöravat, ätmavat sarva-bhüteñu. And loñöra means
that rubbles, just like stone rubbles. You see? There are so many rubbles and, er,
strewn over the street. Nobody cares for that. Similarly, if others' money is
thrown over the street, nobody... He should not care. He should not collect:
"Oh, here is some money. Let me take."

20
So mätåvat para-däreñu para-dravyeñu loñöravat, ätmavat sarva-bhüteñu. And he
should see everyone... This ätmavat sarva-bhüteñu was preached by Lord
Buddha, this philosophy. This one philosophy was, I mean to say, taught
throughout the whole world by Lord Buddha, that there should be no animal
killing. Ätmavat sarva-bhüteñu. No living entity should be given suffer, even by
words. That is real life. Ätmavat... Yaù paçyati. One who has such vision of life,
he is called learned. He is called learned—not by educational qualifications.
One who has acquired... Phalena paricéyate. Education is understood, how far a
man is educated, by his behavior. By his vision of life it will be estimated, not
by the degrees. Ätmavat sarva-bhüteñu yaù paçyati sa paëòitaù.
Similarly, here also, here also the word paëòita, paëòita, has been used. So I
have just given you some explanation of paëòita from different angle of vision.
And budha also. Budha. In the Bhagavad-gétä you'll find the definition of
budha. Budha means well versed. Well versed. Well versed means who has got...,
studied lots of books of knowledge. He is called budha. Now, how one becomes
budha? By studying, one should have concluded this. What is that conclusion?
That is stated in the Bhagavad-gétä by Lord Kåñëa, ahaà sarvasya prabhavaù.

ahaà sarvasya prabhavo

mattaù sarvaà pravartate
iti matvä bhajante mäà
budhä bhäva-samanvitäù
[Bg 10.8]

[I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates

from Me. The wise who know this perfectly engage in My devotional service
and worship Me with all their hearts.]
The well-versed person is he who has understood that Kåñëa is the original
fountainhead of all emanations. All emanations, whatever we see, they are all
emanations from Kåñëa. That is the sci... One who has understood this, this

21
fact, this transcendental fact, he is well versed, budha.
Ahaà sarvasya prabhavo mattaù sarvaà pravartate: "And everything is coming
out of Me." Just like the sunshine is coming out of the sun. Nobody knows for
how many years, how millions and millions of years, the sunshine is coming out
of the sun. But still, the sun is still as it is. Similarly, the all the energies—the
material energy, spiritual energy, lower energy, higher energy—everything is
coming out of Kåñëa.
So one who has understood this science, the Kåñëa science, budhä
bhäva-samanvitäù, then what he becomes? His sign that..., what is the sign that
he has understood? Oh, he becomes a devotee of Kåñëa. He becomes completely
Kåñëa consciousness. That is the sign of being well versed, well versed. And
this is the sign of becoming the paëòita, the learned. Paëòita, learned.
So,

yasya sarve samärambhäù

käma-saìkalpa-varjitäù
jïänägni-dagdha-karmäëaà
tam ähuù paëòitaà budhäù
[Bg 4.19]

[One is understood to be in full knowledge whose every act is devoid of

desire for sense gratification. He is said by sages to be a worker whose fruitive
action is burned up by the fire of perfect knowledge.]
One who has who is learned enough, one who has got this knowledge, that "We
have to work in Kåñëa consciousness," and he has no more lust to enjoy this
material world, one who has no more lust, käma-saìkalpa-varjitäù... Everything
what we do in this material world, we have got a determination that "I shall
enjoy the fruits of this work like this, the fruits of that work in that way." That
is called käma-saìkalpa, determination of lust. So one who is free from such
lust, käma-saìkalpa-varjitäù...

22
And how it is possible? Jïänägni-dagdha-karmäëam. Jïänägni. Just like fire, fire
burns everything which you put into it. Similarly, one has developed..., one
who has developed the sense, the real knowledge, that "My life's mission, the...,
is only to go back to Kåñëa and become Kåñëa consciousness," that is the
highest type of knowledge. They're just like fire. So in that fire of highest type
of knowledge, all lust is burned aside. Jïäna-agni-dagdha, tam ähuù paëòitaà
budhäù. And he's a learned, he's well versed. That is the explanation of this
Bhagavad-gétä.
And let us stop here. You have... If there is any question, you can put.
Guest (1): If you're rich... Were you saying if you're rich, you get knowledge...,
you get knowledge easier because you're rich?
Prabhupäda: No, no, no. I said that by your pious work you get four results. By
your pious work... Because every work, we have, we are just today discussing
what is real work and what are the reaction of the work and what is not, I mean
to say, prescribed work. These things are we have discussed. Now, so far the
pious work, which is called, in Sanskrit language, which is called puëya-karma,
we get four results, four kinds of results.
By pious work, we get very good birth. Good birth means to take one's birth in
aristocratic family or in rich family. That is, materially concerned, very good
birth. So by pious work, one can become a good birth, can get his birth in a
good family. And he can become a rich man also. Just, just like in this world we
see, somebody is working very little, but he's gaining much.
Another body is working very hard the whole day; still, he's not getting much.
Why? Because due to his pious work, he is getting very easily riches. So
richness is also result of pious work. And similarly, one student is becoming
very quickly a scholar; another, he cannot. So this is also result of pious work.
Similarly, beauty is also due to pious work. I discussed this point. And what was
your point?

23
Guest (1): Do you get more wisdom quicker or it's more to come by if you have
a lot of money?
Prabhupäda: Not necessarily. I don't say that. That is different thing. But
richness is due...
Guest (1): I understood what you said before.
Prabhupäda: Yes. Not necessarily that because a man is very rich, therefore he
has got a very good brain also. No, not necessarily. Neither good brain can
produce richness. Even there is one man, he's very intelligent man, but in the
field of activities, he remains a poor man. So neither intelligence is the cause of
richness, nor richness is the cause of intelligence. These are two different
things. But if one is pious, then his, as reaction of his pious acts, he becomes
rich, he becomes wealthy, he becomes beautiful, he becomes learned. These
things are stated in the scriptures. Janmaiçvarya-çruta-çrébhiù [SB 1.8.26].
[My Lord, Your Lordship can easily be approached, but only by those who
are materially exhausted, because one who is on the path of [material] progress,
trying to improve himself with respectable parentage, great opulence, high
education and bodily beauty, cannot address You with sincere feeling.]
Janma-aiçvarya, four things, janma-aiçvarya-çruta... Janma means birth,
aiçvarya means richness, and çruta means education. [sirens] Is that point clear?
[drunk begins yelling in background]
Is that point clear?
[aside:] Please hear. Stop! Don't talk. We are talking seriously. Don't disturb.
Is that point clear?
Guest (1): Yes. Yeah thank you.
Prabhupäda: Yes. Any other question?

24
Young woman: If one is really pious, why should he care about materialistic
things such as beauty and wealth?
Prabhupäda: Hmm? If one is pious, why he should...?
Young woman: Why should he care about things like beauty and wealth?
Prabhupäda: Oh. So war is not always impious. Do you understand? Sometimes
war, fighting... So far, so far the Vedic conception of life is concerned, there
are four classes, four classes: the intelligent class, the administrator class, the
mercantile class... Not only Vedic religion; this division is all over the world.
There are four classes of men.
So for administrative class of men, it is a duty to protect the weak. Sometimes
law and order requires violence. Just like the government maintains military,
police force, because sometimes they are required. So when government
employs some police force, some military force, that does not means impious.
That is required. Similarly, fighting or violence is not always impious. But a
responsible person, he does not take violence unnecessarily. He considers
things very nicely, and when there is no other alternative than to use violence,
then he uses violence. Just like the government sometimes takes violence on
the citizens. It is not the objective of the government to... [break] [end]

25