Bhagavad-gétä 7.

8–14
—
October 3, 1966, New York

661003BG-NEW YORK [47:13 Minutes]

Audio

Prabhupäda: [taps on microphone]

raso 'ham apsu kaunteya

prabhäsmi çaçi-süryayoù
praëavaù sarva-vedeñu
çabdaù khe pauruñaà nåñu
[Bg 7.8]

[O son of Kunté [Arjuna], I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and
the moon, the syllable om in the Vedic mantras; I am the sound in ether and
ability in man.]
Now, Lord Kåñëa is describing how you become Kåñëa conscious fully, in every
step of your life. This verse we have been discussing last day, that raso 'ham
apsu kaunteya. This glass of water, the taste, the juice of this water, is Kåñëa.
You cannot, when you are thirsty..., this water given by God; there is no other
replacement. If somebody offers me, "Instead of water, you drink gold," no, this
water is required. The taste of the water is so nice that when I am thirsty, I
require water. No manufacturer can create this taste of the water. Therefore,
which is not possible to produce by any human being, that is God.
So raso 'ham apsu kaunteya. We can remember Kåñëa, or God, when we drink

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water, because nobody can avoid drinking water. So the God consciousness is
there. How can you forget? Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhäsmi çaçi-süryayoù.
When there is some illumination, when there is some illumination...
[aside:] You want to come here? I ask this...
[indistinct reply by guest] All right.
When there is some illumination, that illumination is also Kåñëa. The original
effulgence is brahma-jyoti. That is in the spiritual sky. This material sky is
covered; therefore the nature of this material sky is darkness. Now, at night we
are experiencing the real nature of this material world—it is darkness.
Artificially, it is being illuminated by the sun, by the moon, by the electricity.
Otherwise, it is darkness. So this illumination is God, we have to understand.
This illumination.
Now, how this illumination is coming? Originally, in the spiritual sky, just like
the sun has the shining force which we call sunshine, similarly in the..., from
the kingdom of God, there is a shining which is called brahma-jyoti. The
brahma-jyoti is reflected by the sun; the moon is reflected by the sun. I mean to
say, sun is reflection of brahma-jyoti, and moon is reflection of the sun.
Everyone, you know, the stars, glittering stars, they are also reflection of the
sun. Similarly, this electricity is also reflection of sun. The diamond, the jewels,
everything, that is reflection of sun.
[some outside radio noise]
[aside:] That's all right.
So Kåñëa says, prabhäsmi çaçi-süryayoù. Çaçi. Çaçi means the moon, and sürya...
Sürya means the sun. And in the spiritual world there is no need of sun and
moon. Na tatra bhäsayate süryo na çaçäìko na pävakaù [Bg 15.6].
[That abode of Mine is not illumined by the sun or moon, nor by electricity.
One who reaches it never returns to this material world.]

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In the spiritual world there is no need of sun, there is no need of moon, there is
no need of electricity. Because in the spiritual sky everything is illuminated, so
there is no need. So we can remember God, or Kåñëa, when you see some
illuminating property.
Praëavaù sarva-vedeñu. When we chant Vedic mantra, oà tad viñëoù paramaà
padaà sadä paçyanti sürayaù... [Åg-veda 1.22.20].
[The lotus feet of Lord Viñëu are the supreme objective of all the demigods.
These lotus feet of the Lord are as enlightening as the sun in the sky.]
Oà bhür bhuvaù svaù tat savitur vareëyaà bhargo devasya dhémahi [Gäyatré
mantra].
[Let us meditate on that worshipable effulgence of the divine sun who
enthuses our meditation.]
Now, this oàkära, oà, that is the beginning. This oàkära is addressing. Just
like we are addressing, "Hare Kåñëa," this is also addressing, "O Harä, O Kåñëa."
This oàkära is also addressing. So this oàkära is Kåñëa, is God. Praëavaù
sarva-vedeñu çabdaù khe pauruñaà nåñu [Bg 7.8].
[O son of Kunté [Arjuna], I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and
the moon, the syllable om in the Vedic mantras; I am the sound in ether and
ability in man.]
And çabda means sound. Whenever you hear some sound, you should know,
"This is vibration of the transcendental sound." The sound which we are
vibrating, that is pure spiritual sound. But any sound in the material world,
that is reflection of that spiritual sound.
So when you hear sound, you can remember God. When you drink water, you
can remember God. When you see some illumination, you can remember God.
And when you chant some mantra, some hymn, that also you can remember
God. So where you cannot remember God? Everywhere. This is Kåñëa

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consciousness, God consciousness. Always, twenty-four hours, we can
remember Kåñëa.
That remembrance means that Kåñëa is with me. Kåñëa is already with me, but
as soon as we remember, that is factual. Because the devotional service,

çravaëaà kértanaà viñëoù

smaraëaà päda-sevanam
arcanaà vandanaà däsyam...
[SB 7.5.23]

[There are six principles favorable to the execution of pure devotional

service: (1) being enthusiastic, (2) endeavoring with confidence, (3) being
patient, (4) acting according to regulative principles [such as çravaëaà
kértanaà viñëoù smaraëam—hearing, chanting and remembering Kåñëa], (5)
abandoning the association of nondevotees, and (6) following in the footsteps
of the previous äcäryas. These six principles undoubtedly assure the complete
success of pure devotional service.]
There are nine different process of associating with God. The first, preliminary
association is çravaëam. Just like you are hearing. You are kindly hearing the
speeches of Lord Kåñëa. That means you are associating with Kåñëa, or God.
Always remember when we speak of Kåñëa, Kåñëa means God. So because we
are hearing, we are associating with God. And as we are associating with God,
then our material contamination is being reduced. Çåëvatäà sva-kathäù kåñëaù
puëya-çravaëa-kértanaù [SB 1.2.17].
[Çré Kåñëa, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramätmä [Supersoul] in
everyone's heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desire for
material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who has developed the urge
to hear His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard
and chanted.]
As you go on hearing, then the contamination which we have acquired in this

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material world, that is being reduced.
So by the association of God in this way, by consciousness, that "Here is God,
here is Kåñëa. In sound there is Kåñëa, in the taste of the water there is Kåñëa,
in the illumination there is Kåñëa," so how you can avoid Kåñëa? Every step you
can remember Kåñëa. And if you can remember in that way, then your
association is permanent, twenty-four hours, your association with Kåñëa.
So association with Kåñëa means just like association with daylight, sunshine,
there is no question of contamination. If you get sunshine always, oh, you will
never be... Ultraviolet rays, that is scientific truth. If you are always in the
sunshine, there will be no disease. This is a practical point. This is a practical
fact, that modern medical science, they approve a disease uncurable. They
recommend, "Just lie down on the sunshine." Yes. It is a fact. And the Vedic
rules, one man who is diseased, he worships sun. That means he has to come
into the sunshine, and naturally his disease will be cured.
Similarly, as you associate with sunshine you are cured of all diseases, similarly,
if you associate with Kåñëa always by consciousness, there is no trouble. There
is no material trouble. Try it. Simply by sounding Hare Kåñëa, Hare Kåñëa,
Kåñëa Kåñëa, Hare Hare. Not only sounding; this is also going on at the same
time, this consciousness: "This water is Kåñëa. The taste of the water is Kåñëa.
The sound is Kåñëa. This illumination is Kåñëa." In this way you have to
practice.
The only thing is that our present stage is forgetfulness. We have forgotten,
that's all. So we have to revive. We have to revive our spiritual life, our spiritual
consciousness. And the simple process is this çravaëam. This act, which you are
performing, is approved by Lord Caitanya. Sthäne sthitäù çruti-gatäà
tanu-väì-manobhiù [SB 10.14.3].
When Lord Caitanya was speaking with Rämänanda Räya... He is a great
friend of Lord Caitanya and great devotee, just like Kåñëa and Arjuna. So
Rämänanda Räya was explaining about gradual development of spiritual life.

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So he recommended so many things—varëäçrama-dharma, sannyäsa, and
renunciation of work. Lord Caitanya says, "No, it is not so good. It is not so
good. It is not so good."
In this way, when he was... Rämänanda Räya, he was proposing something, that
"This is the system of promoting spiritual consciousness," and Caitanya
Mahäprabhu was rejecting, "No, no. You say something more, better than."
Then he was proposing another, another, another.
When the eighth stage, when Rämänanda Räya cited one verse from the Vedic
literature... This literature is,

jïäne prayäsam udapäsya namanta eva

jévanti san-mukharitäà bhavadéya-värtäm
sthäne sthitäù çruti-gatäà tanu-väì-manobhir
ye präyaço 'jita jito 'py asi tais tri-lokyäm
[SB 10.14.3]

[Those who, even while remaining situated in their established social

positions, throw away the process of speculative knowledge and with their
body, words and mind offer all respects to descriptions of Your personality and
activities, dedicating their lives to these narrations, which are vibrated by You
personally and by Your pure devotees, certainly conquer Your Lordship,
although You are otherwise unconquerable by anyone within the three worlds.]
The purport of this verse is that jïäne prayäsam udapäsya: "One should give up
his unnecessary endeavor for philosophical speculation about God." One
should give it up, jïäne prayäsam, because by speculation you cannot reach to
the ultimate truth. How far... How can you... Just suppose we are speculating...
Very great scientists are speculating about the nature of the moon from here.
But they are speculating. They have not come to any conclusion. So you go on
speculating which you have no experience. You go on speculating, but the real
nature of that thing will never come to you.

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So jïäne prayäsam. Especially for understanding God, or God consciousness,
speculation is useless. So Lord Caitanya, I mean to say the Bhägavata, says that
jïäne prayäsam udapäsya, that that sort of endeavor, speculating, should be
given up. Namanta eva: "You just become submissive." Just become submissive,
that "What I am? I am insignificant creature in this universe." This world, this
earth, is an insignificant point in the universe. And within this earth, the
America is a small spot. And within America, this New York City is another
small spot. And in this New York City, I am there. So what is my importance?
So we should understand that we are very insignificant in comparison to the
creation of the whole cosmic situation and God. So we should be very
submissive. We should understand our position. Artificially, we should not be
puffed up, the frog philosophy.
The frog philosophy is that a frog in the well, he was informed about the
Atlantic Ocean by his friend, and the frog inquired from him, "Oh, what is
that Atlantic Ocean?" "Oh, it is a huge, vast span of water." Now, the frog is in
the well, he is thinking, "Oh, it may be double than this well or it may be triple
than this well, or a hundred times," in this way, calculating. But do you think
by such calculation the frog will ever come to the conclusion how length and
breadth is of an Atlantic Ocean?
So this is all frog philosophy. We are very teeny. Our knowledge, power of
speculating, is limited always. So we cannot speculate about the Supreme. It is a
useless waste of time. Therefore Bhägavata says, "You give up this. You give up
this process of speculating." Jïäne prayäsam udapäsya: "Give it up." Then what
is next? "Now, be submissive. Be submissive." Then? "All right, let me become
submissive. Then next?" Jïäne prayäsam udapäsya namanta eva
san-mukharitäà bhavadéya-värtäm: "You just try to understand, just try to hear
the message of God." The message of God is just like Bhagavad-gétä or Bible,
any, as you like. Just try to hear, san-mukharitäà värtäm, from realized soul.
Just like the truths of Bible were spoken by Lord Jesus Christ, or Kåñëa. Any,

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whatever you like, you hear. Jïäne prayäsam udapäsya namanta eva
san-mukharitäà bhavadéya-värtäm [SB 10.14.3]. But you must hear about the
Supreme Personality of Godhead and nothing more. That should be your
profession.
Then what will be the result? The result will be sthäne sthitäù: in whatever
condition you are, that doesn't matter. "Oh, I am a very poor man." That
doesn't matter. "Oh, I am a very rich man." That doesn't matter. "Oh, I am
European." It doesn't matter. "I am Indian." Doesn't matter. "I am born very
low." Oh, doesn't matter. Anything, unconditional. You remain whatever you
are; that doesn't matter. If you simply hear, sthäne sthitäù çruti-gatäm, if you
simply give your aural reception to these transcendental words, the result will
be that God, who can never be conquered, you'll conquer God. How you'll
conquer? You will conquer by love. God cannot be conquered, but He can be
conquered by love.
Just like Arjuna. Arjuna was a friend of Kåñëa. How he conquered? That Kåñëa
become his driver. The Personality of Godhead, who is the Supreme, everyone's
master, He became a menial servant of Arjuna. So God is so lovable, and He
reciprocates His love in this way. So you can conquer. Just like Kåñëa became
the son of Nanda Mahäräja, and when He was child, He took the shoes of
Nanda Mahäräja on His head just like child play. You see?
So these are symptoms of conquering God. What you... Because you are trying
to become one with God. Oh, you can become father of God. You can become
father of God. God has no father, but He accepts His devotee, His lover, "Oh,
you are My father." So that is the question. So if this process is followed, simply
hearing, aural reception, sincerely, then by this process, whatever position I
may be, in whatever position I may be, I can conquer the Supreme Lord. He
agrees to be conquered.
This Kåñëa consciousness should be spread. It is very easy. You drink
water—oh, you remember Kåñëa. You hear something—oh. Suppose there

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are... So many sounds are occurring in the street, but if you know that "This
sound is Kåñëa," then in every step you will feel Kåñëa.
Then again He says,

puëyo gandhaù påthivyäà ca

tejaç cäsmi vibhävasau
jévanaà sarva-bhüteñu
tapaç cäsmi tapasviñu
[Bg 7.9]

[I am the original fragrance of the earth, and I am the heat in fire. I am the
life of all that lives, and I am the penances of all ascetics.]
He is describing more elaborately. How is that? Now, puëyo gandhaù påthivyäà
ca. Puëyo gandhaù means flavor, the flavor. Any flavor, that is Kåñëa, that is
God. You cannot create any flavor. Synthetically we may create some scent,
but that is not as good as natural scent. So that is... When you have a good
flavor, you can remember, "Oh, here is God. Here is Kåñëa." When there is
some natural beauty, oh, you can understand, "Here is Kåñëa." And when there
is something uncommon, very powerful, wonderful, oh, you can understand,
"Here is Kåñëa." And when there is life, jévanam... As long a tree lives, as long a
man lives, as long a animal lives, so you understand, "This life, this life is part
and parcel of Kåñëa."
As soon as the part and parcel of Kåñëa, the spark, is taken away from that
body, oh, everything goes. No meaning. So nice brain, we are acting—Sir Isaac
Newton, Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose. But as soon as that small particle of
Kåñëa's part and parcel is removed from this body, no more Sir Isaac Newton
working. Finish.
So jévanaà sarva-bhütänäm: He is the life. He is the life. We can see in every
step God. People say, "Can you show me God?" Yes. God is seen in so many
ways. You just try to see. If you close your eyes, that "I shall not see God," then

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who can show you? But you can see God in every step. Jévanaà sarva-bhüteñu
tapaç cäsmi tapasviñu. Tapaç cäsmi, any kind of penance, any kind of
perseverance, that is also God. Tapaç cäsmi tapasviñu.
Béjaà mäà sarva-bhütänäà viddhi pärtha sanätanam [Bg 7.10].
[O son of Påthä, know that I am the original seed of all existences, the
intelligence of the intelligent, and the prowess of all powerful men.]
And béjam. Béjam means seed. The seed is sanätana, that is eternal. Sanätana
means eternal. There is a gigantic tree, but what is the platform, what is the
background of this gigantic tree? Seed. That small seed, that mustard like grain,
seed. That is the background of this large tree.
Béjaà mäà... Béjaà mäà sarva-bhütänäà viddhi pärtha sanätanam. And that
seed is eternal. The seed within me, within you, everyone, the seed is there.
And as soon as the seed takes place in the mother's womb, the seed begins to
fructify, little by little. Then it comes out. When it is properly developed, with
hands and legs and eyes, it comes out from the mother's womb. Then again
develop, again develop. He becomes a boy, he becomes a youth, he becomes a...
So many things, changes everything. But that seed is permanent. The body is
changing, but the seed is there. Therefore it is sanätana.
It is very easy to understand how we change our body. We are changing our
body every moment, imperceptibly. Imperceptibly, we are changing our body
every..., every moment, every second. So change of body is a fact. Therefore
that béjam, that small particle, spark of spirit, that is sanätana. This body is
changing. Now, when it is changed to another body, that means transmigration
of the soul from one body to another. This is a fact, and it is not very difficult
to understand.
We are changing our body every moment. Béjaà mäà sarva-bhütänäà viddhi
pärtha sanätanam, buddhir buddhimatäm asmi [Bg 7.10]. One who is very
intelligent, that intelligence, extraordinary intelligence, must be considered,

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"Oh, he is Kåñëa." Without being especially favored by Kåñëa, nobody can
become extraordinarily intelligent. Anyone... Everyone is trying that "I shall be
more intelligent than my friend, my others," but without Kåñëa's, I mean to say,
special favor, nobody can become extraordinarily intelligent. Therefore,
wherever you find extraordinary intelligence, you should consider, "Oh, there
is Kåñëa." This is Kåñëa consciousness.
Buddhir buddhimatäm asmi tejas tejasvinäm aham. One who is very influential,
that influence is Kåñëa. That influence, that particular influence of a
particular man, that is also Kåñëa. Balaà balavatäà cäham [Bg 7.11].
[I am the strength of the strong, devoid of passion and desire. I am sex life
which is not contrary to religious principles, O Lord of the Bhäratas [Arjuna]]
And one is very strong, stout and strong, that particular strength is also Kåñëa.
Just like an elephant is very strong. And more than elephant, the gorilla is still
more strong. That strength, wherefrom..., wherefrom he gets strength? Now,
suppose I am a human being. I cannot get such strength by my own endeavor,
but I can get strength ten thousand times more than the elephant if Kåñëa
favors. Therefore strength.
Just like Bhéma. Bhéma had strength ten thousand times than an elephant. He
was so strong. There is no question of not believing. Because as I find you are
stronger than me and he is stronger than you, oh, similarly, there are many
degrees of strength. Now, these degrees of strength is Kåñëa. So you can
understand Kåñëa. Without Kåñëa's favor, nobody can be stronger than the
others. So balaà balavatäm asmi.
Hmm. Käma-räga-vivarjitam. Käma. Käma means desire. Räga-vivarjitam:
without attraction. Desire with[out] attraction, that is Kåñëa. Desire with[out]
attraction, how it can be possible? Desire with[out] attraction. Whenever we
desire something... I want some young girl; I desire. Desire means I have got
attraction. But desire without attraction, how it is possible? Can you explain?
Yes. Desire without attraction means Kåñëa consciousness. I desire for Kåñëa's

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benefit, not for my benefit. That is desire without attraction. So that
käma-räga-vivarjitam.
Käma-räga-vivarjitam, dharmäviruddho bhüteñu kämo 'smi bharatarñabha. "And
lust, lust which is not against religious principle, that is also I am." What is that
lust? Lust means, generally means, sex, sex life. Sex life which is not against
religious principle, that is Kåñëa. How it is religious principle, sex life? Yes. Sex
life is religious principle in this way, that when you want a good child, in that
sense if you undertake sex life, that is sanctioned. That is religion. And
without that, everything sex life is nonreligion. If you can produce a good
child, you can have thousand times sexual intercourse. But if you produce cats
and dogs, don't take. That is irreligious.
So here it is stated that dharmäviruddho bhüteñu. Therefore, for sex life, dharma
is marriage. In the human society there is marriage. In the animal society there
is no marriage. They indulge in sex life any way, because they are animal. But
in human society, either Hindu society or Muslim society or Christian society
or any society, any civilized society, there is the marriage. So the marriage, sex
life by marriage, is religious, and sex life without marriage, that is irreligious. So
here Kåñëa says that "Sex life," dharmäviruddhaù, "which is not against religious
principle, that is I am."
So there is no harm to become a householder. It is not that... I am a sannyäsé; I
have given up household life. And one person who is a householder... There is
no difference, provided it is on the principle of religion. I am a sannyäsé. I am
forbidden to make any association with woman. I cannot talk even with woman
in a lonely place. That is forbidden. I cannot talk with a woman.
I give you one practical example. When my Guru Mahäräja, my spiritual
master, was living... I am speaking about fifty years before. We were all young
men at that time, and one of my Godbrother, he was also young man, Dr. Oudh
Bihari Kapoor, and his wife was also young. So his wife wanted to speak with
my Guru Mahäräja. My Guru Mahäräja was at that time not less than sixty, or

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more than that, and the girl, my friend's wife, [s]he was not more than
twenty-two years. But actually, she was just like his granddaughter. But she
proposed, "Sir, I wanted to speak with you something confidentially."
My Guru Mahäräja said, "Oh, no, no. I cannot speak with you confidentially.
You can speak whatever you like here." Just see. "I cannot speak." Now the so
much age difference, so much, I mean to say, affection, still, he refused: "No,
no. I cannot talk with you confidentially, because you are woman."
So a sannyäsé is forbidden not to talk even in private place with woman. But a
householder, he, if he associates woman under marriage tie, then it is religious.
And without this, this is irreligious. And that religious sex life is God.
Religious sex life is God. This should be followed. If we, every one of us reading
Bhagavad-gétä, every one of us, at least... So far India is concerned, that is a
different thing. In America also, I find so many American gentlemen, they
read Bhagavad-gétä. But I am afraid if they are reading Bhagavad-gétä so
scrutinizingly, as it is stated here, dharmäviruddho bhüteñu kämo 'smi
bharatarñabha: "Sex life which is not against religious principle, that is I am."
So in, I mean to say, regulated sex life, married life, that is Kåñëa. So that is not
without Kåñëa. That is Kåñëa.
Then He says,

ye caiva sättvikä bhävä

räjasäs tämasäç ca ye
matta eveti tän viddhi
na tv ahaà teñu te mayi
[Bg 7.12]

[All states of being-be they of goodness, passion or ignorance-are manifested

by My energy. I am, in one sense, everything—but I am independant. I am not
under the modes of this material nature.]
Now, one may question, "Then if You are particularly—You are Personality of

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Godhead, Supreme God—You are speaking that You are sound, You are this
light, You are this praëava, You are this béja, You are also käma, so many
things. So do You mean to say that You are simply in goodness? And what
about the other things?" Because there are three qualities of the material world:
the modes of goodness and the modes of passion and the modes of darkness.
Now, so far Kåñëa has described Himself, that any good thing... Just like sex life
with marriage is a good. "That's all right. You are. What about other things?"
Then Kåñëa replies. He automatically says that, that ye caiva sättvikä bhävä
räjasäs tämasäç ca ye. Whatever there are in this material world, we find
interaction of three qualities only: goodness, passion and ignorance. All
manifestations that you are observing, they are different combination of these
three qualities. Now that can be made into nine. Three into three equal to
nine; nine into nine equal to eighty-one; and so on—go on diluting. But the
main background is that three qualities.
So Lord says that "Whatever qualities are there," ye caiva sättvikä bhävä räjasäs
tämasäç ca ye, "either goodness or passion or ignorance," matta eveti tän viddhi,
"they are all produced from Me." "They are all produced from Me." How is that?
Na tv ahaà teñu te mayi, that "Because they are produced from Me, therefore
they are standing, their position is in Me, but I am not there. I am
transcendental." So in another sense, even the bad thing, evil things, which is
produced out of ignorance, that is also Kåñëa. But when? When it is applied by
Kåñëa.
How it is that? Practical example: Now, an electrical engineer, he is producing
electricity, energy. Now, you are feeling at your home in the refrigerator it is
cold and in the heater it is hot. But in the original generating station, it is
electricity. It is neither cold, neither hot. So these qualitative manifestation of
the world, they are different for me. For Kåñëa, there is no difference.
Therefore sometimes, if Kåñëa acts on the principle of this ignorance, for
Kåñëa it is Kåñëa. Just like for the electric engineer—the whole energy is
electricity. Nothing. He has no distinction, "This is cold and this is hot." This is
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the philosophy.
Matta eveti tän viddhi na tu..., na tv ahaà teñu te mayi [Bg 7.12].
[All states of being-be they of goodness, passion or ignorance-are manifested
by My energy. I am, in one sense, everything—but I am independant. I am not
under the modes of this material nature.]
Everything is being generated. And the Vedänta-sütra confirms it: janmädy
asya yataù [SB 1.1.1]. Everything. "That is the Supreme Truth from where
everything is emanating." That is Supreme Truth. So what we are thinking
bad, good, that is bad and good for me, because I am conditioned. But because
He is not conditioned, therefore for Him, there is no bad and good. He is not
conditioned. I am conditioned; therefore I am feeling heat and cold. But
because He is not conditioned, everything is all right for Him. So such is Kåñëa.
Now how Kåñëa has described Himself as He is. But why we are not attracted to
Kåñëa? That is explained in the next:

tribhir guëamayair bhävair

ebhiù sarvam idaà jagat
mohitaà näbhijänäti
mäm ebhyaù param avyayam
[Bg 7.13]

[Deluded by the three modes [goodness, passion and ignorance], the whole
world does not know Me who am above the modes and inexhaustible.]
"Because they are illusioned by the intermixture of these three qualities..."
Mohita: "They are illusioned." Tribhir guëamayair bhävair ebhiù sarvam idaà
jagat. Idaà jagat. This material world is spread all over with these three guëas,
or three qualities of material nature.
Now, from here you can understand that the division of social orders, as it is
confirmed in the Bhagavad-gétä, cätur-varëyaà mayä såñöaà

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guëa-karma-vibhägaçaù [Bg 4.13],
[According to the three modes of material nature and the work ascribed to
them, the four divisions of human society were created by Me. And, although I
am the creator of this system, you should know that I am yet the non-doer,
being unchangeable.]
that "The four division of human society is made by Me." How it is that? That
guëa-karma-vibhägaçaù: "According to the material qualities and work." So in
the Vedic literature in India you find there are four division of human society:
the brähmaëa, the kñatriya, the vaiçya and the çüdra. So that is natural. That is
not artificial.
People misunderstand that Indians have created a caste system. No. That caste
system is everywhere—sarvam idaà jagat. Not only India; all universe is being
conducted by that process. Even here also, you have got that caste system.
Some of you are in the modes of goodness, some of you are in the modes of
passion, some of you are in the modes of ignorance and some of you are in the
mixed quality.
So that is prevailing all over the world. And those who are in the modes of
goodness, they are brähmaëa. Oh, name may be another thing. You may say,
"Oh, this person, this man is very intelligent, very moralist." That means he is a
brähmaëa. Or "This man is very good administrator." Oh, that means he is
kñatriya. "Oh, this man is very good industrialist, merchant." Oh, that means he
is vaiçya. "This man cannot do anything." Oh, he is çüdra.
So Lord Kåñëa says that tribhir guëamayair bhävaiù: "By these three qualities,
everywhere, all over the universe..." You must know whenever Kåñëa says
something, it is nothing limited. Universally true, He says. When He says
sarva-yoniñu kaunteya [Bg 14.4],
[It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kunté, are made
possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father.]

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He claims to be father of all living entities. Even the animals, even the
aquatics, even the trees, plants, worms, birds, beasts, this human being, that
human being—all He claims. He's the father of everyone. So similarly, tribhir
guëamayair bhävaiù, mohitaà sarva-jagat [Bg 7.13]:
[Deluded by the three modes [goodness, passion and ignorance], the whole
world does not know Me who am above the modes and inexhaustible.]
"The whole world is," I mean to say, "illusioned, or covered by these reactions of
these three qualities." And we are under the spell of that illusion; therefore we
cannot understand what is God. What is God.
Tribhir guëamayair bhävair ebhiù sarvam idaà jagat, mohitaà näbhijänäti:
"Because they are now illusioned, under the spell of the intermixture of these
three qualities, they cannot understand Me, Kåñëa." Mäm ebhyaù param
avyayam: "I am the supreme eternal being. Oh, they cannot understand." So
this illusion... What is the nature of this illusion? How it can be overcome?
That is also explained here.

daivé hy eñä guëamayé

mama mäyä duratyayä
mäm eva ye prapadyante
mäyäm etäà taranti te
[Bg 7.14]

[This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material

nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can
easily cross beyond it.]
Oh, you cannot do it by mental speculation. You cannot get rid of this
entanglement of three qualities. It is not possible. It is very strong. Don't you
think how we are in the grip of the material nature? It is not possible. Daivé hy
eñä guëamayé mama mäyä. Guëa. Guëa means this quality, and another
meaning of guëa is rope. Just like we have seen rope: one rope, two rope, three

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rope. When three ropes are, I mean to say, bound up, twisted in one, oh, that
becomes very strong. So guëa means rope also.
So we are tied up hands and feet with that rope of these qualities, three. You
see? It is very difficult to get out of it. Then? Hopelessness? No. No
hopelessness. How can I get rid out of it? Mäm eva ye prapadyante mäyäm etäà
taranti te: "Anyone who surrenders unto Me, he is at once free." Anyone who
becomes Kåñëa conscious by this way or that way, he becomes free.
Thank you very much. Any question?
Yes.
Student: Did you say you're supposed to have sex... [end]

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