Bhagavad-Gita Chapter 3, Verse 1


Chapter 3: Karma-yoga
Verse: 1
arjuna uvaca
jyayasi cet karmanas te
mata buddhir janardana
tat kim karmani ghore mam
niyojayasi kesava

Translation:
Arjuna said: O Janardana, O Kesava, why do You want to engage me in this ghastly warfare, if You think that intelligence is better than fruitive work?

Explanation:
Previously, in 2.49 Krishna had instructed Arjuna to "keep all abominable activities far distant by buddhi-yoga." Taking the meaning of buddhi as intelligence, Krishna's order would mean that Arjuna, by the use of intelligence, should avoid all abominable activities. Krishna repeatedly emphasizes on intelligence by repeating the word "buddhi" ten times in the last thirty-three verses of the second chapter. Statements like this reinforce Arjuna's mis-understanding that all activities have sinful reactions and the only way to avoid material bondage is to leave the society, give up the prescribed duties and take up penance. Yet in the very next verse (2.50) Krishna had encouraged Arjuna to "strive for the art of work." Arjuna is therefore confused between karma (action) and jnana (inaction) - since he seems them as mutually exclusive.

Arjuna addresses Krishna first as Janardana which means the "maintainer of all living entities." The implicit message here is that why should Krishna, the maintainer of all living entities want to engage Arjuna in such a large scale genocide. Arjuna later addresses Krishna as Kesava which also means "one who controls Brahma and Shiva." (Ka means Brahma, Isa means Shiva and va is vayase means 'you control'). Arjuna is thus expressing his dilemma here - that since Krishna controls even Brahma and Shiva, it is impossible to disobey Him - yet he is not clear what Krishna really wants him to do.

Srila Prabhupada explains about Arjuna position, "In other words, he wanted to skillfully avoid the fighting by using Krishna consciousness as an excuse. But as a sincere student, he placed the matter before his master and questioned Krishna as to his best course of action. In answer, Lord Krishna elaborately explained karma-yoga, or work in Krishna consciousness, in this Third Chapter."

Please read the Sanskrit Verse and the Prabhupada's Purport.

"We should always be very grateful to Krishna for giving us the Hare Krishna mantra, and we should show our gratitude by chanting it as much as possible. That way we will bond with Him, which is our heart’s greatest desire. 
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
 Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare."

Bhagavad-Gita Chapter 2, Verse 72


Chapter 2: Contents of the Gita Summarized
Verse: 72
esha brahmi sthitih partha
nainam prapya vimuhyati
sthitvasyam anta-kale 'pi
brahma-nirvanam ricchati

Translation:
That is the way of the spiritual and godly life, after attaining which a man is not bewildered. If one is thus situated even at the hour of death, one can enter into the kingdom of God.

Explanation:
In this verse Krishna provides a summary of this chapter - a description of spiritual life and the result of following it. Srila Prabhupada elaborates on this verse to make several important points about spiritual life.

In the original Sanskrit, Krishna uses the term "brahma nirvanam." Nirvanam means ending the process of materialistic life. Thus following the spiritual path allows one to end the material conception of life. The result of this is that one gets immediate entrance into the spiritual life. The primary difference between material and spiritual lives is that in the former all activities are for sense gratification which results in misery and in the later all activates are for service of the Lord which gives one happiness.

One may inquire, for how long would one have to follow this path of spirituality to qualify? Krishna responds by saying "even at the hour of death." In other words even a moment is sufficient to liberate us. Of course we should not wait for the last moment but prepare for it as early as possible - for death can come any moment without warning.

What does entering into the kingdom of God really mean? Srila Prabhupada explains, "There is no difference between the kingdom of God and the devotional service of the Lord. Since both of them are on the absolute plane, to be engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord is to have attained the spiritual kingdom."

This concludes the second chapter of the Bhagavad-gita. In this chapter the Lord explains to Arjuna the knowledge (jnana) to distinguish between the body and the soul. He talks about the different kinds of activities (karma) - pious and sinful. He then puts together karma and jnana to introduce the concept of working with detachment (buddhi yoga). Finally Krishna describes the symptoms of a person situated in this consciousness. Each of these concepts - karma yoga, jnana yoga, bhakti yoga and the entanglements between matter and sprit will be explained more elaborately in subsequent chapters.

Please read the Sanskrit Verse and the Prabhupada's Purport.


"We should always be very grateful to Krishna for giving us the Hare Krishna mantra, and we should show our gratitude by chanting it as much as possible. That way we will bond with Him, which is our heart’s greatest desire. 
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
 Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare."

Srila Prabhupada speaks on May 24

PRABHUPADA'S QUOTE OF THE DAY

"It is the duty of the spiritual master to find fault with his students so that they may make progress, not that he should always be praising them. So if you find some criticism, kindly accept it in that spirit. I am only interested in that you along with all my other students should become Krishna Conscious."


Letter to Giriraja, May 24, 1972

--


"We should always be very grateful to Krishna for giving us the Hare Krishna mantra, and we should show our gratitude by chanting it as much as possible. That way we will bond with Him, which is our heart’s greatest desire. 
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
 Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare."

Bhagavad-Gita Chapter 2, Verse 69

Chapter 2: Contents of the Gita Summarized
Verse: 69
ya nisa sarva-bhutanam
tasyam jagarti samyami
yasyam jagrati bhutani
sa nisa pasyato muneh

Translation:
What is night for all beings is the time of awakening for the self-controlled; and the time of awakening for all beings is night for the introspective sage.

Explanation:
In the last four verses Krishna spoke about one who is attached and one who is detached. They have two opposing types of intelligence: that which is directed towards soul and that which is directed towards matter. In this verse, Krishna contrasts the intrinsic nature of these two types of intelligence. He uses the day and night analogy to indicate that the meditation of these two types of people is completely opposite.

At night a person who is dreaming is unaware of what is really happening. For instance there may be a fire in the house, or an intruder - but a sleeping person is completely unaware of this reality and is instead focusing on the preceived reality he is experiencing in his dreams.

Similarly, materialists, with intelligence directed towards material sense objects, directly realize the happiness, lamentation and bewilderment of those sense objects upon which their intelligence is fixed. For them that is real. The reality of the spiritual nature of the soul is ignored because for them, it simply does not exist. For a spiritualist this is dreaming, since for him these sense objects have no factual reality. For him the reality is the bliss derived on fixing the intelligence on the spiritual aspect of one's existence.

Please read the Sanskrit Verse and the Prabhupada's Purport.


"We should always be very grateful to Krishna for giving us the Hare Krishna mantra, and we should show our gratitude by chanting it as much as possible. That way we will bond with Him, which is our heart’s greatest desire. 
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
 Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare."

Bhagavad-Gita Chapter 2, Verse 71

Chapter 2: Contents of the Gita Summarized
Verse: 71
vihaya kaman yah sarvan
pumams carati nihsprihah
nirmamo nirahankarah
sa santim adhigacchati

Translation:
A person who has given up all desires for sense gratification, who lives free from desires, who has given up all sense of proprietorship and is devoid of false ego -- he alone can attain real peace.

Explanation:
This is the last verse in Krishna's response to Arjuna's question about how does a transcendentally situated person conduct himself. There are three important points that Krishna's makes here.

First, that the person gives up the desire for sense objects - not the sense objects themselves. Krishna repeatedly makes this distinction to discourage external or false renunciation where the senses are artificially restrained from their objects but the mind continuously meditates on these objects. This is condemned because it is only a matter of time before the intelligence follows the mind and the senses begun to actively engage with their objects.

The second point is to give up the sense of proprietorship. This can only be achieved by recognizing that Krishna is the true proprietor.

Finally Krishna recommend being free of false ego. By definition, ego gives us the sense of our self-identity. It is the subtlest part of our subtle body, and through the ego the living entity identifies himself. When asked the question "Who am I," the ego either answers "You are the enjoyer and controller," or it answers "You are the eternal servant of Krishna." In the first case the answer bewilders the mind of the living entity because it is not true - which is why this ego is called "false ego." In the later case the answer situates the person in his constitutional position and is called the "true ego," or simply ego.

In this summary verse Krishna succinctly summarizes the three essential characteristics of the stitha-pranja - he does not desire personal sense gratification, he understands that he owns nothing and every thing factually belongs to Krishna and finally he understands that his real position is to enjoy with Krishna and not separately from Him. Srila Prabhupada summarizes, "This understanding of Krishna consciousness is the basic principle of real peace."

Please read the Sanskrit Verse and the Prabhupada's Purport.


"We should always be very grateful to Krishna for giving us the Hare Krishna mantra, and we should show our gratitude by chanting it as much as possible. That way we will bond with Him, which is our heart’s greatest desire. 
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
 Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare."

Srila speaks on May 23


PRABHUPADA'S QUOTE OF THE DAY

"You cannot stop fighting between the dogs and cats. Why there is fighting? Because the dog is thinking, "I am dog." The cat is thinking, "I am cat." Similarly, if I think as Irishman, or "I am Englishman," it is the same thing. As the dog is thinking, "I am dog," so if I think, "I am Irishman," "I am Englishman," I am no better than the dog. As we cannot stop the fighting between dogs, similarly, so long people will remain in bodily concept of life, the fighting cannot be stopped."


Rome, May 23, 1974


Srila Prabhupada speaks on May 22

PRABHUPADA'S QUOTE OF THE DAY

"A spiritual master is not a fashion, that "Oh, I should have a spiritual master." People after fashion. No. One must be very much inquisitive to know what is the highest perfection of life. If one is actually inquisitive to understand about the highest perfectional stage of our life, then he should search after a spiritual master."


New Vrindavan, May 22, 1969


Bhagavad-Gita Chapter 2, Verse 70

Chapter 2: Contents of the Gita Summarized
Verse: 70
apuryamanam acala-pratishtham
samudram apah pravisanti yadvat
tadvat kama yam pravisanti sarve
sa santim apnoti na kama-kami

Translation:
A person who is not disturbed by the incessant flow of desires -- that enter like rivers into the ocean, which is ever being filled but is always still -- can alone achieve peace, and not the man who strives to satisfy such desires.

Explanation:
In the last verse Krishna contrasted the nature of a materialist and a spiritualist. Now He continues to expand on this using another analogy, that of an ocean.

There are two important points to note in this analogy. First the fact that rivers never cease to flow into the ocean. Similarly desires never cease to come up in the mind of a person. Second, despite the incessant flow of desires, the ocean does not become agitated. The ocean is always full in itself. It does not become agitated if the rivers enter or dry up if they do not.

Similarly a transcendentally situated person is peaceful whether or not he gets the objects of enjoyment. The desires may be there, but he does not get agitated by them. The desires may or may not be fulfilled, but he does not enjoy or lament because of this. Srila Prabhupada comments, "That is the proof of a Krishna conscious man-one who has lost all inclinations for material sense gratification, although the desires are present. Because he remains satisfied in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, he can remain steady, like the ocean, and therefore enjoy full peace. Others, however, who want to fulfill desires even up to the limit of liberation, what to speak of material success, never attain peace."


Please read the Sanskrit Verse and the Prabhupada's Purport.

Ancient Idol of Lord Vishnu found during excavation in an old village in Russia’s Volga Region

MOSCOW: An ancient Vishnu idol has been found during excavation in an
old village in Russia’s Volga region, raising questions about the
prevalent view on the origin of ancient Russia. The idol found in
Staraya (old) Maina village dates back to VII-X century AD. Staraya
Maina village in Ulyanovsk region was a highly populated city 1700
years ago, much older than Kiev, so far believed to be the mother of
all Russian cities.

“We may consider it incredible, but we have ground to assert that
Middle-Volga region was the original land of Ancient Rus. This is a
hypothesis, but a hypothesis, which requires thorough research,”
Reader of Ulyanovsk State University’s archaeology department Dr
Alexander Kozhevin told state-run television Vesti .

Dr Kozhevin, who has been conducting excavation in Staraya Maina for
last seven years, said that every single square metre of the
surroundings of the ancient town situated on the banks of Samara, a
tributary of Volga, is studded with antiques.

Prior to unearthing of the Vishnu idol, Dr Kozhevin has already found
ancient coins, pendants, rings and fragments of weapons.

He believes that today’s Staraya Maina, a town of eight thousand, was
ten times more populated in the ancient times. It is from here that
people started moving to the Don and Dneiper rivers around the time
ancient Russy built the city of Kiev, now the capital of Ukraine. An
international conference is being organised later this year to study
the legacy of the ancient village, which can radically change the
history of ancient Russia.

Some Conclusions by others:

The discovery of an ancient Vishnu idol in an excavation in Russia
only confirms certain ideas I have always had about the Vedic ancient
and glorious land and culture.

The report says that the area in which the idol was found is called
Staraya Maina. In the Rig Veda, there is a passage that goes, Itham
ascati pasyat syantham, ekam starayath mainaa-kaalam. This translates
into Staraya Maina is the name of the land of the 45 rivers (on whose
banks the noble Rishis conducted the famous Horse Sacrifices), where
the sun god descends into one fifty two forty seven. While the first
line identifies a location, the second line talks about the exact
latitude and longitude at which the solar spectrum produces
interference lines at one, fifty two, and forty seven.
The extreme precision of the calculations show the advanced science of
the Vedic period, and also a thorough knowledge of SI units (it has
been conclusively proven that French scientists stole the system from
the Indians.

The discovery of the idol confirms the location in Russia, identified
in the Rig Veda as rus soviath sapthamahanagaratham (the ancient and
holy land of the 722 flying vehicles). The ancient connections between
the Russians and the Indians has been unequivocally confirmed. In
Russian orthodox Christianity, worship is conducted very much like in
Vishnu temples. The Russians refer to the feast of Vizhnyir Ekoratsya
Vikhunh, directly corresponding with Vaikhunda Ekhadasi.

The Russian language also owes a lot to Sanskrit, whose origins 50,000
years ago roughly correspond with the language of the people of the
Smritzyi archaeological site, along the banks of the now-dried up
Vernstokhlin (Varnasatyakhalini) river system.

It is common knowledge in the archaeological community that the
Parashurama Sutra, the basis of all government policy in the erstwhile
Kerala kingdom of Vaazhappazhaa, contains the lines Sthulyam
Kaamyunishancha kalanam brighahaha. The links between the ancient
Russians and Indians almost certainly aided by the 60,00 odd scholars
of the University of Vexalate (Sk. Vekhshalatha, Ru. Vekholotsla), in
modern-day Central Afghanistan, in the 17th Century BCE, is said to
have transferred political ideas through the land of the Vanga (Ru.
Vangnya) in modern-day West Bengal.

The Vishnu idol is depicted with a hammer in one left hand while the
deconglated seventh arm on the right side holds a reticulated sickle.
This hammer and sickle imagery is also found in the Parashurama Sutra,
conclusively placing the origin of great and popular Russian political
ideology in Vedic India.

The Bringdunthaladeena Upanishad also mentions Kaamyunishcham in its
list of land sacrifices, where under the directions of the King, all
the land in the country was donated to the performance of sacrifices
where Brahmins continuously tickled horny silk-rats
(Gandharvamooshicam) until they collapsed in orgiastic exhaustion. The
text also clearly identifies a group of scholars referred to as the
Paalita Buryam, who oversaw the functioning of the King.

For years, western historical study dominated by Greco-Capitalists,
has sought to undermine the Vedic Indian contributions to what came to
be 19th and 20th Century world politics. The Greco-Capitalists also
attributed the ideology of Communism to the work done by Karl Marx,
one of their own. It has been well documented that Marx indeed visited
Kerala and West Bengal, and had thorough understanding of the
Parashurama Sutra, a copy of which he picked up in the old-book-stall
near the Cochin airport. Later on, as part of the larger Greco-centric
Capitalist conspiracy, Marx took all the credit himself.

In 1952 in Soviet Russia, an archaeologist, Prof. Varely Smirzkoff of
Odessa University found artefacts near the ancient Belarussian town of
Kozhikodz. He was the first to speculate that the ruling political
ideology of his country could well have had its origins in Vedic India
rather than Modern Europe. Stalin funded Smirzkoff’s research until
Smirrzkoff was suddenly found to have stolen over 500,000 paper clips
from work over the course of his tenure at Odessa University. He was
sent to Siberia, and with him went almost all academic proof that
would have certainly brought Russia and India closer together.

This recent discovery should resurrect the pioneering work started by
Prof. Varely Smirzkoff, who died of Contracted Poloniumitis of the
nose, in 1964.