God
looks after everyone, just as government looks after prisoners Lecture
on Bhagavad-gita 1.15, London, July 15, 1973
If
one, anyone says, "Oh, what God? We are creating our own food"—just
like the communist says—they are dushkritina, rascals. But if
anyone even goes to the church and temple for asking something to God,
he is pious. At least, he has approached God. So one day when he will
be advanced devotee, he will not ask any more. He knows that "Why shall
I bother God? He is supplying everyone food, so why shall I ask Him
food? My food is also there. Let me serve Him." That is his higher
intelligence. That is higher intelligence, that "Why shall I ask food
from God? God is supplying food to the cats, dogs, ants, elephants, and
I want little food, he will not supply me? And especially when I engage
myself in His service? Ordinary man pays to his servant, and I shall
starve if I am engaged in the service of God?" This is intelligence.
This is intelligence. "Why shall I bother God? If He likes, I will
starve. That doesn't matter. But I must engage myself in the service of
the Lord." This is intelligence. Bahunam janmanam ante
jñanavan mam prapadyate [Bhagavad-gita
7.19]. This intelligence comes after many, many births of endeavoring
for self-realization. It is not easily coming.
To
get yourself promoted in higher standard of life, from C-class prisoner
to become A-class prisoner, that is not required. Bhagavad-gita 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 from 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; 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. more
So
there is no question of scarcity for devotee. Just like this morning I
was discussing with a gentleman. So a devotee is not in need of
everything. Why he should be? He cannot be. Even one who is not
devotee, if he is getting supplies from God, how is it that the devotee
will not get? Just like the government. The government, although there
is prisonhouse, the government supplies the food. Not that because they
have gone to the prisonhouse, they are starving. Rather, those who are
unemployed, they prefer prisonhouse, that without any service, they
will get free food.
So anyone within this material world, they are prisoners. Bhramayan
yantrarudhani mayaya. Ishvarah sarva-bhutanam hrid-deshe 'rjuna
tishthati [Bg. 18.61]. Ishvara, the Supreme Lord Krishna as
Hrishikesha ["master of the
senses"], He is sitting in everyone's heart as Paramatma ["Supersoul"], and He is
guiding. This is confirmed in the Vedas that two birds
are sitting on one tree. These two birds, one is Krishna and another,
the living entity, Paramatma and jivatma. The jivatma
is eating the fruit, and Paramatma is simply becoming witness. Anumanta
upadrashta. Paramatma is seeing, Hrishikesha is seeing that you
are doing this. So we may forget what nuisance we had done in our last
life, but Paramatma is there, witness; you have to get a body according
to your work. Karmana daiva-netrena [Srimad-Bhagavatam
3.31.1]. You are working, that is being witnessed by the Paramatma. And
He is also giving advice. Because we have forgotten Krishna, we have
rebelled against Krishna. We want to act according to our whims.
Just like a child wants to do something according to his whims. Father
checks him, "My dear child, do not do this." But if he likes, if he
persists, father says, "All right, you do it." This is the position.
The Hrishikesha, Paramatma, He is always guiding us, but we do not
accept His guidance. This is our position. Arjuna has accepted Krishna,
that "I shall be guided by You. Although You'll not fight." Therefore
here it is said, Hrishikesha, He's guiding Arjuna. Hrishika
means the senses. Hrishika-isha. Isha means Lord, master, ishvara
or isha. So Hrishikesha. Actually, He is the master of
the senses. In the Bhagavad-gita you will find. In the
Eleventh
Chapter it is said, sarvatah pani-padam tat, "God has His
hands and legs all over the universe." What is that? This, our hand,
our legs, this is God's hands, God's leg. He is the master. I am
claiming, "This is my hand," but as soon as God withdraws the power of
your hand, it is paralyzed, you cannot repair. Therefore the real
proprietor is Krishna. You are not proprietor. You have been given the
facility to use it, for..., use it not for your sense gratification,
but for the satisfaction of the Lord. Then your life is perfect.
Because the things belongs to Krishna. He is Hrishikesha. He is the
master. Just like we are sitting in this house. Somebody has given us.
Similarly, everything belongs to God. This is self-realization. My body
belongs to God, my mind belongs to God, my intelligence belongs to God,
I am spirit soul, I am part and parcel of God. Therefore everything
belongs to... Ishavasyam idam sarvam [Ishopanishad
mantra 1]. Everything belongs to God. So if you don't use it for God,
that is called demonism. And if you use it for God, that is devotion.
That's all.
One must realize that "Everything belongs to God; nothing belongs to
me. Even this body is given to me by God. "Why a different body? The
different body is... God gives us different body according to our karma.
That is explained. Karmana daiva-netrena jantur dehopapattaye
[SB 3.31.1]. How we get a different type of body? We have got different
types of body. Because according to our past karma, we have
created a certain type of body and now we have entered into that body
and working according to past karma.
The Christian theologicians, they do not believe in the karma.
I was student in Christian college, Scottish Churches College. So in
our younger days, the Professor, Dr. W.S. Urquhart. So I heard his
lecture, that he did not believe in the karma. He said that "If
I am suffering or enjoying for my last karma, who is the
witness? Because some witness must be there that I have done this." But
at that time we were not very expert. But this Hrishikesha is the
witness, anumanta upadrashta. Upadrashta. He is simply seeing.
So the Christians, they have no Paramatma idea. Sometimes they say holy
ghost. Means a clear idea. But this Hrishikesha is clear idea. Hrishikesha.
Hrishika-isha.
So this bhakti, devotional path, is meant for satisfying the
master of the senses, Hrishikesha. Hrishikena
hrishikesha-sevanam bhaktir
uchyate [Chaitanya-charitamrita Madhya 19.170].
Hrishikesha, by your senses, when you serve the Hrishikesha, the master
of the senses, that is called bhakti. This is the definition of
bhakti. Hrishikena hrishikesha-sevanam bhaktir
uchyate
(Narada-pañcharatra). So that is our business. We should
understand that is self-realization. Ishavasyam idam sarvam [Isho
mantra 1]. Everything belongs to God; nothing belongs to us. This is
Bhagavata communism. As the communists, they say, "Everything belongs
to the state," we say "Everything belongs to God." We never say that
anything belongs to anyone. No. This is Bhagavata communism. So
everything belongs to God. So one can utilize God's property as much as
he requires, not more than that. Then he will be thief, he will be
punishable. Just like father's property. Each and every son has got the
right to live at the father's protection. Ma gridhah kasya svid
dhanam.
That is spiritual communism. Whatever wealth is there within this
universe, all belong to God, and we are, as sons of God, we have got
right to take advantage of this wealth, but not more than what I
require. That's all. This is spiritual communism. If you take more,
then you become punishable. This is the law of nature.
Therefore our aim of life should be to understand that everything... to
know... This is self-realization: that everything belongs to God.
Nothing belongs to us. This is self-realization. I also belong to God.
My body made of five elements, gross body... Bhumir apo 'nalo
vayuh [Bg. 7.4], earth, water, fire, air, sky. This is gross
body. And subtle body, kham mano buddhir eva, mind,
intelligence, ego. These eight. Krishna says, bhinna me
prakritir ashtadha: "These eight kind of prakriti, they
are My energy. They are My energy." So this whole universe is creation
of Krishna's material energy.
We are marginal energy of Krishna. So we are now put into this material
energy because we wanted to enjoy this material world. In the spiritual
world the only enjoyer is Krishna, either in spiritual or material
world, He is the only enjoyer. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita,
bhoktaram yajña-tapasam sarva-loka-maheshvaram
[Bg. 5.29]. "I am the enjoyer." So this is to be understood, that He is
the supreme enjoyer. He is also enjoyer of My energy. Because my energy
is derived from Krishna's energy. Just like master and servant. The
master is paying him food, anything for comforts. He is getting energy.
So how the energy should be utilized? For the master, not for his sense
gratification. This is perfection of life. You produce anything by your
energy, but you cannot use it for your sense gratification. Then you
become perfect. And if you want to do it, then Hrishikesha, the master
of the senses, will give you intelligence how to do it. Just like He is
giving Arjuna intelligence. Therefore He is mentioned as Hrishikesha.
How to win victory? How to utilize his energy for Krishna? Krishna
wanted the battle. Arjuna was a military man. He utilized his military
strength for Krishna's purposes. That is the perfection of life.
So whatever you have got, if you utilize it for Krishna's sake, Hrishikesha-sevanam
bhakti... [Cc. Madhya 19.170], that is bhakti. Even by
fighting, you can be a great devotee, just like Arjuna. He was not
chanting on the beads, but he was fighting. But still, bhakto
'si priyo 'si me [Bg. 4.3]. Krishna says, "Oh, you are My great
devotee." Now people, may say that "He was not chanting. He was
fighting. How he became a great devotee?" But Krishna says, bhakto
'si priyo 'si me: "You are My dear friend. You are My devotee.
Because you are utilizing your energy for Me." So bhakti[devotion] means
you utilize your energy for Krishna. Then your life is perfect.
