The Knowledge that Brings One

Closer to Krsna
 oà saha nävavatu
saha nau bhunaktu
saha viryaàkaravävahai
tejasvi nävadhétamastu
mävidvi ñä vahai

oà çäntiù çäntiù çäntiù

Introduction
 October 6, 1969,
Convey Hall, London

Ladies and gentlemen, today's subject

matter is the teachings of the Vedas.
What are the Vedas?

The Sanskrit verbal root of veda can be

interpreted variously, but the purport is
finally one. Veda means knowledge.

The Vedas are not compilations of human

knowledge. Vedic knowledge comes
from the spiritual world, from Lord
Krsna.
How can one know the
Absolute Truth?
• What is the best process for
acquiring knowledge?

• What are the characteristics of

pure knowledge?

• How has knowledge reached

us from time immemorial?

• What is the essence of all

Vedic literature?
There are three ways of knowing the truth or three
evidences
• pratyaksha
• anuman
• shabda

Aaroh

Avroh
Nowadays in this world
only pratayaksa and
anuman are famous
 4 Defects
Human beings have 4 defects which
prevent them from acquiring complete
knowledge

To err is human

To commit
mistakes
Imperfect Senses
Knowledge
acquired by
senses is limited
Visible range

R V
Radio waves X rays
Electro-magnetic spectrum
 Pa[Maad
Illusion

If I ask you ,”who are you “. You will answer

‘I am Mr.John’
 Cheating propensity

He writes philosophical books although he is full of defects

 Therefore it is stated in the
vedas that knowledge should
be acquired from
authoritative source
 If you want to know something beyond your
experience, beyond your experimental knowledge a
beyond the Activities of the senses , then you have
accept the vedas
“These natural classifications are found everywhere. . .
Vedic principles are accepted as axiomatic truth,
for there cannot be any mistake.”
 “In one place you'll find the Vedic injunction that if you
touch stool, you have to take a bath immediately.
But in another place it is said that the stool of a cow is
pure. If you smear cow dung in an impure place, that place
becomes pure. With our ordinary sense we can argue,
"This is contradictory." Actually, it is contradictory from the
ordinary point of view, but it is not false. It is fact.
In Calcutta, a very prominent scientist and doctor
analyzed cow dung and found that it contains
all antiseptic properties.”
 Originally there
was only one
veda

Contemplating on the qualities

of people in the age of Kali,
Srila Vyasadeva divided the
one Veda into four and put it
 The Tree of
Vedic Knowledge
Nigama Kalpa Taru
 Revealed absolute Truth
Every word unchanged eternally SRUTI
SRUTI

VEDAS
VEDAS UPAVEDAS
UPAVEDAS
Rg,
Rg, Yajur,
Yajur, Dhanurveda
Dhanurveda VEDANGAS
VEDANGAS
Sama, Atharva
Sama, Atharva Ayurveda,
Ayurveda,etc.
etc.

Samhitas
Samhitas Kalpa
Kalpa
mantras
mantras ritual
ritualdetails
details

Brahmanas
Brahmanas Siksa
Siksa
ritual
ritual explanation
explanation pronunciation
pronunciation
ofofmantras
mantras

Aranyakas
Aranyakas Vyakarana
Vyakarana
esoteric
esoteric explanation
explanation grammar
grammar
ofofmantras
mantras

Upanisads
Upanisads Nirukta
Jnana-kanda
Nirukta
Jnana-kanda etymology
philosophy
philosophyofofBrahman
Brahman
etymology

Chandas
Chandas
meters
meters

Jyotisa
Jyotisa
astronomy-time
astronomy-time
calculation
calculation
When the activities for
sense gratification,
namely the karma-
k€Ša chapter, are
finished, then the
chance for spiritual
realization is offered in
the form of the
Upanisads, which are
part of different Vedas.
The Upanisads mark
the beginning of
transcendental life.
 isa

kena

katha

prashna

mundaka

mandukya

taittiriya

etareya

wR
XaaePaiNaz d (
chandyog

SRUTI
Brhad
Yajur Veda
aranyak
Jnana Kandha

isa-upa-nisat
"The knowledge that brings us closer to God"
svetasvatar
Supports the personal aspects of the Absolute Truth presented in the Smrti such as Srimad Bhagavatam
 Composed by sages
SMRTI
SMRTI Wording may change from age to age

Ritual
Ritual Sutras
Sutras Tantras
Tantras
Connected
Connectedto
to Spoken
Spokenby by Lord
Lord Pancaratras
Pancaratras Puranas
Puranas Itihasas
Itihasas Six
Six Darshanas
Darshanas
Kalpa-vedanga
Kalpa-vedanga Siva to Parvati
Siva to Parvati

Srauta
Srauta Sutras
Sutras Vaisnava
Vaisnava 18
explains
explains worship 18Major
Major
public
public yajnas
yajnas
worship

Grhya
Grhya Sutras
Sutras
explains
explains 18
18Minor
Minor
home
homeyajnas
yajnas Tamasic
Tamasic

Dharma
Dharma Sutras
Sutras
Law
Lawbooks
books
Rajasic
Rajasic

Dharma
Dharma Sastras
Sastras
including
includingManu-
Manu- Sattvic
Sattvic
samhita
samhitaand
andothers
others

Vedanta Mimamsa Nyaya

Nyaya Vaisesika
Vedanta Mimamsa (Gautama) Vaisesika
((Vyasa) (Jaimini) (Gautama) (Kanada) Yoga
Yoga Sankhya
Sankhya
Vyasa) (Jaimini) (Epistemology, (Kanada)
(Epistemology,logic)
logic) (Metaphysics) (Patanjali) (Atheist
(Metaphysics)
(Metaphysics) (Hermeneutics)
(Hermeneutics) philosophy (Metaphysics) (Patanjali) (AtheistKapila)
Kapila)
theology philosophy ofof
theology ofof interpreting
interpreting knowledge
philosophy
philosophy ofof (Sadhana)
(Sadhana) (Metaphysics)
(Metaphysics)
Upanisads scriptural knowledge
Upanisads scripturaltexts
texts including
existence
existence
includinglogic
logic

sisters sisters sisters

Smruti prasthan and

Nyaya prasthan
 chaturved smruti
 
vedasir-upanisad  
 Puran itihas
Vedanta sutra  
  
srimad bhagvatam Srimad bhagvatam mahabharat
 
govind bhasya Gitopnisad

The Essence of all Vedic Literature

 All the Vedic literature
combine to reveal the
Absolute Truth as Sri Krsna

• That Sri Krsna is the Supreme

Absolute Truth is accepted by all
classes of transcendentalists—
Personalists and Impersonalists
 Contents of the Text

● Section 1:
Invocation to Mantra 3
The Laws of Nature
● Section 2:
Mantras 4 to 8
The Vision of the Maha-
bhagavata
● Section 3:
Mantras 9 to 14
The Absolute and the Relative
9 - 11: In Terms of Knowledge
12-14: In Terms of Worship
● Section 4:
Mantras 15 to 18
Revelation by prayer
 Section 1
The laws of nature
 Invocation

The Completeness of the Lord

oà pürëam adaù pürëam idaà

pürëät pürëam udacyate
pürëasya pürëam ädäya
pürëam evävaçiñyate

The Personality of Godhead

is perfect and complete, and because He is
completely perfect, all emanations from Him,
such as this phenomenal world,
are perfectly equipped as complete wholes.
Whatever is produced of the Complete Whole
is also complete in itself.
Because He is the Complete Whole,
even though so many complete units
emanate from Him,
He remains the complete balance.
The completeness of the human life
can be realized only when one
engages in the service of the
complete whole
 Human life:
Complete manifestation of the
consciousness of the living being
 Expressions of Incomplete consciousness

Mayavada (I am God) & atheism (There is no God) Animal or plant life

Incompleteness
Mundane service (Social, political, communal, etc.) Life of sense enjoyment

Incomplete knowledge of the complete whole

Due to misuse of independence

Screw fallen from the machine / Hand severed from the body
 Mantra 1
The Predominance of the Lord

éçäväsyam idam sarvaà

yat kiïca jagatyäà jagat
tena tyaktena bhuïjéthä
mä gådhaù kasya svid dhanam

Everything animate or inanimate

that is within the universe
is controlled and owned by the Lord.
One should therefore accept only
Those things necessary for himself,
which are set aside as his quota,
And one should not accept other things,
knowing well to whom they belong.
ISAVASYA

The living entities are secondary owners / users

The living entities must not go against isavasya
The Lord controls & owns everything + maintains + distributes

Renunciation Opulence

Knowledge Power
Krsna
Beauty Fame
• One does not become the proprietor of things one
manufactures
• There is a preset order in Nature
• Whose is what is revealed to humans in the Vedas
and by guru; those in other species behave by
instinct—they are not free.
• Human life is a life of responsibility because
humans have the freedom to choose their actions;
they are advised to exercise their free will on the
basis of the knowledge of Isavasya.
 What is food for one
is poison for the other
 Only human life is the life
of responsibilities

For human beings the point is to recognize the

authority of the Supreme Lord and become His
devotee. He must offer everything for the Lord's
service and partake only of the remnants of
food offered to the Lord.
• Capitalism
• Communism
• Socialism
• Dictatorship
• Anarchy
P
O
L
L
U
T
I
O
N

A
B
O
R
T
I
O
N

I
N
T
O
X
I
C
A
T
I
O
N
 God is the product of man's mind
Things happen by chance NO! We are His product (Nietche is dead!)

NO! God controls everything by His supreme intelligence We are independent

M1 Defeats NO! God controls the moving and non-moving (spirit &matter)
Peace can be achieved by socio-political parties
NO! They all falsely claim proprietorship; God is the proprietor The living entities (brahman) is God
NO! The jivas are controlled--they are quantitatively different from God
 Mantra 2
The science of
non reactionary work

kurvann eveha karmäëi

jijéviñec chataà samäù
evaà tvayi nänyatheto 'sti
na karma lipyate nare

One may aspire to live

for hundreds of years
if he continuously goes on working
in that way, for that sort of work
will not bind him to the law of karma.
There is no alternative
to this way for man.
 No one wants to die!
Therefore there is a
hard struggle for existence!

• By following Isavasya one may aspire to

live for hundreds of years

• At least a hundred years in Kali-yuga—

One’s life will not be shortened by sinful
reactions

• One may live a long and useful life—not

like that of trees and bellows of the
blacksmith

• By perfecting isavasya (devotional service)

one will attain eternal life—escaping the
cycle of birth and death

• At least one will be saved from the greatest

danger of gliding down to lower species
 The Soul
Is Ever Active
Three types of work
– Karma: According to Karma-kanda
regulations; Good work yielding
material enjoyment and elevation to
higher birth/planets; It may be
immediate (for own self) or extended
(family; isms)
– Vikarma: In violation of scriptural
regulations; leading to suffering and
lower birth
– Akarma: Freeing from material
bondage; According to isavasya = with
recognition of the proprietorship of the
Lord = God-centered; also called
naiskarmya = Without expectation or
enjoyment of the fruit of action; In the
perfectional stage = devotional
service; Path of the intelligent
 Mantra 3
The Destination of
the Killers of the Soul

asuryä näma te lokä

andhena tamasävåtäù
täàs te pretyäbhigacchanti
ye ke cätma-hano janäù

The killer of the soul,

whoever he may be, must enter
into the planets known
as the worlds of the faithless,
full of darkness and ignorance.
The facilities of human
life
 Section 2
The vision of the Maha
Bhagvat
 Mantra 4
anejad ekaà manaso javéyo
nainad devä äpnuvan pürvam arñat
tad dhävato 'nyän atyeti tiñöhat
tasminn apo mätariçvä dadhäti

Although fixed in His abode,

the Personality of Godhead
is swifter than the mind
and can overcome all others running.
The powerful demigods
cannot approach Him.
Although in one place, He controls
those who supply the air and rain. He
surpasses all in excellence.
gods energies are innumerable but they can be
divided into three principle categories
o internal
o external
o marginal
 Every part and parcel of the Complete Whole
is endowed with some particular energy
to act according to the Lord's will.
Thus from the very beginning Çré Éçopaniñad
warns us to be very careful to play the part
designated for us by the Lord.
This does not mean that the individual soul
has no initiative of his own.
Because he is part and parcel of the Lord,
he must partake
of the initiative of the Lord as well.
When a person properly
utilizes his initiative, or active nature, with
intelligence, understanding that
everything is the Lord's potency,
he can revive his
original consciousness, which was lost due
to association with mäyä, the external
energy.
All power is obtained from the Lord;
therefore each particular power
must be utilized to execute the will of the Lord
and not otherwise.
The Lord can be known by one who has
 Mantra 5
He Has Inconceivable Potencies

tad ejati tan naijati

tad düre tad v antike
tad antar asya sarvasya
tad u sarvasyäsya bähyataù

The Supreme Lord walks and

does not walk. He is far away,
but He is very near as well.
He is within everything, and yet
He is outside of everything.
 Tad dure

Tad vantike

Tad antarasya sarvasya

tad ejati
Tadu srvasyasya bahyatah

Tan nai jati

Contradictions Reveal
His Inconceivable
Potencies
Because He is full of inconceivable
potencies, God can accept our service
through any sort of medium, and He can
convert His different potencies according
to His own will.

Nonbelievers argue either that the Lord

cannot incarnate Himself at all, or that if
He does He descends in a form of
material energy. These arguments are
nullified if we accept the existence of the
Lord's inconceivable potencies.

Then we will understand that even if the

Lord appears before us in the form of
material energy, it is quite possible for
Him to convert this energy into spiritual
energy. Since the source of the energies
is one and the same, the energies can be
utilized according to the will of their
source.
 Mantra 6

yas tu sarväëi bhütäny

ätmany evänupaçyati
sarva-bhüteñu cätmänaà
tato na vijugupsate

He who sees systematically everything

in relation to the Supreme Lord, who
sees all living entities as His parts
and parcels, and who sees the
Supreme Lord within everything
never hates anything or any being.
Dharma dhvaji flaunt the
false sense of
brotherhood
 Mantra 7
The Vision of Oneness

yasmin sarväëi bhütäny

ätmaiväbhüd vijänataù
tatra ko mohaù kaù çoka
ekatvam anupaçyataù

One who always sees

all living entities as spiritual sparks,
in quality one with the Lord,
becomes a true knower of things.
What, then, can be illusion
or anxiety for him?
Oneness in interest
 The real center is
the Supreme Lord,
who is the center
of the sublime
and spititual rasa dance.
We are all meant to join Him
and enjoy life with one
transcendental interest
 Mantra 8
The Transcendental Body of
the Absolute Personality

sa paryagäc chukram akäyam avraëam

asnäviram çuddham apäpa-viddham
kavir manéñé paribhüù svayambhür
yäthätathyato 'rthän vyadadhäc
chäçvatébhyaù samäbhyaù

Such a person must factually know the

greatest of all, the Personality of
Godhead, who is unembodied,
omniscient, beyond reproach,
without veins, pure and
uncontaminated, the self-sufficient
philosopher who has been fulfilling
everyone's desire since time
immemorial.
In Krsna’s form body, mind and soul are one
 Section 3a
Knowledge and Nescience
 Mantra 9
The Culture of Nescience

andhaà tamaù praviçanti

ye 'vidyäm upäsate
tato bhüya iva te tamo
ya u vidyäyäm ratäù

Those who engage in the culture

of nescient activities
shall enter into
the darkest region of ignorance.
Worse still are those engaged
in the culture of so-called knowledge.
Different Types of Atma-ha
• Mudha
• Mayayapahrta-jnana
• Naradhama
• Asurim bhavam asritah
An interesting caption on a T-Shirt!

I was born
intelligent.
My education
ruined me.
 Mantra 10
The Culture of True Knowledge

anyad evähur vidyayä-

nyad ähur avidyayä
iti çuçruma dhéräëäà
ye nas tad vicacakñire

The wise have explained

that one result is derived
from the culture of knowledge
and that a different result
is obtained from
the culture of nescience.
 Gradual Culture of Knowledge
(1) Amanitvam-Humility: One should become a perfect
gentleman and learn to give proper respect to others.
(2) Adambhitvam-Pridelessness: One should not pose
himself as a religionist simply for name and fame.
(3) Ahimsa-Non-violence: One should not become a
source of anxiety to others by the actions of his body,
by the thoughts of his mind, or by his words.
(4) Ksantih-Tolerance: One should learn forbearance even
in the face of provocation from others.
(5) Arjavam-Simplicity: One should learn to avoid
duplicity in his dealings with others.
(6) Acaryopasanam-Worship of Guru: One should search
out a bona fide spiritual master who can lead him
gradually to the stage of spiritual realization, and one
must submit himself to such a spiritual master, render
him service and ask relevant questions.
(7) Saucam-Cleanliness: In order to approach the platform
of self-realization, one must follow the regulative
principles enjoined in the revealed scriptures.
(8) Sthairyam-One must be fixed in the tenets of the
revealed scriptures.
(9) Atma-vnigrahah: One should completely refrain from
practices which are detrimental to the interest of self-
realization.
(10) One should not accept more than he requires for the
maintenance of the body.
(11) One should not falsely identify himself with the
gross material body, nor should one consider those
who are related to his body to be his own.
(12) One should always remember that as long as
he has a material body he must face the miseries of
repeated birth, old age, disease and death. There is
no use in making plans to get rid of these miseries.
The best course is to find out the means by which
one may regain his spiritual identity.
(13) One should not be attached to more than the
necessities of life required for spiritual
advancement.
(14) One should not be more attached to wife,
children and home than the revealed scriptures
ordain.
(15) One should not be happy or distressed over
desirables and undesirables, knowing that such
feelings are just created by the mind.
(16) One should become an unalloyed devotee of
the Personality of Godhead, Çré Kåñëa, and serve
Him with rapt attention.
(17) One should develop a liking for residence in a
secluded place with a calm and quiet atmosphere
favorable for spiritual culture; one should avoid
congested places where nondevotees congregate.
(18) One should become a scientist or philosopher
and conduct research into spiritual knowledge,
recognizing that spiritual knowledge is permanent
whereas material knowledge ends with the death of
the body.
“These eighteen items combine
to form a gradual process
by which real knowledge
can be developed.
Except for these,
all other methods
are considered to be
in the category of nescience.”
 Mantra 11
The Best Use of a Bad Bargain

vidyäà cävidyäà ca yas

tad vedobhayaà saha
avidyayä måtyuà tértvä
vidyayämåtam açnute

Only one who can learn

the process of nescience and
that of transcendental knowledge
side by side
can transcend the influence
of repeated birth and death
and enjoy the full blessings
of immortality.
Even the greatest materialist was defeated!
 Section 3b
Relative and Absolute
 Mantra 12
Worship of the Relative

andhaà tamaù praviçanti

ye 'sambhütim upäsate
tato bhüya iva te tamo
ya u sambhütyäm ratäù

Those who are engaged

in the worship of demigods
enter into the darkest region
of ignorance,
and still more so
do the worshipers
of the impersonal Absolute.
 Sri Isopanisad points out

that one remains in the darkest region of the universe

by hovering over material planets

by one means or another.

Demigod worship
Mystic power
Spaceship
 Moon/kow to go to
other planets
• Problems of life cannot be
solved simply by going to the
moon!
• One must not bother with any
destination within this dark
material universe, but try to get
out of it and reach the effulgent
kingdom of God
 Mantra 13
Different Paths Lead
to Different Destinations

anyad evähuù sambhaväd

anyad ähur asambhavät
iti çuçruma dhéräëäà
ye nas tad vicacakñire

It is said that
one result is obtained by worshiping
the supreme cause of all causes
and that another result is obtained
by worshiping what is not supreme.
All this is heard
from the undisturbed authorities,
who clearly explained it.
“In Sri Isopanisad it is verified that different
results are achieved by different modes of
worship.”
 Mantra 14
Attaining Eternal Life

sambhütià ca vinäçaà ca
yas tad vedobhayaà saha
vinäçena måtyuà tértvä
sambhütyä amåtam açnute

One should know perfectly

the Personality of Godhead Çré Kåñëa
and His transcendental name, form,
qualities and pastimes,
as well as the temporary material creation
with its temporary demigods,
men and animals.
When one knows these,
he surpasses death and
the ephemeral cosmic manifestation with it,
and in the eternal kingdom of God
he enjoys his eternal life
of bliss and knowledge.
Nature of both
 Section 4
Revelation by Prayer
 Mantra 15
Form Beyond the Light

hiraëmayena pätreëa
satyasyäpihitaà mukham
tat tvaà püñann apävåëu
satya-dharmäya dåñöaye

O my Lord, sustainer of all that lives,

Your real face is covered
by Your dazzling effulgence.
Kindly remove that covering
and exhibit Yourself
to Your pure devotee.
Brahman is the aspect most easily perceived by the beginner;
Paramätmä, the Supersoul, is realized by those
who have further progressed; and Bhagavän realization
is the ultimate realization of the Absolute Truth
 Bhaktya mama
abhijanati

One can understand Me as I am,

only by devotional service
“If one wants to see
the Absolute Truth in full,
he has to penetrate beyond
the twenty-four material elements
and the glaring effulgence as well.
Sri Isopanisad
points towards this direction,
praying for the removal
of the hiranmayena-patra,
the dazzling covering.
Unless this covering is removed
no one can perceive
the Personality of Godhead as He is,
factual realization of the Absolute
Truth can never be attained.”
 Realization
of the Lord’s Potencies
One who has no knowledge of the
potencies of the Supreme Truth will
realize the impersonal Brahman.
When one realizes the material potencies
of the Lord but has little or no
information of the spiritual potencies,
he attains Paramätmä realization.
When one realizes the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Çré Kåñëa, in
full potency after the removal of the
hiraëmaya-pätra, one realizes
väsudevaù sarvam iti: [Bg. 7.19] Lord
Çré Kåñëa, who is known as Väsudeva,
is everything—Brahman, Paramätmä
and Bhagavän. He is Bhagavän, the
root, and Brahman and Paramätmä
are His branches.
 Bhaktas
who constantly
serve the Lord

Yogis
who have realized
Paramatma

Jnanis
who worship
Brahman

Ordinary
fruitive workers
 Mantra 16
Like unto You I am

püñann ekarñe yama sürya präjäpatya

vyüha raçmén samüha tejo
yat te rüpaà kalyäëa-tamaà
tat te paçyämi
yo 'säv asau puruñaù so 'ham asmi

O my Lord, O primeval philosopher,

maintainer of the universe,
O regulating principle,
destination of the pure devotees,
well-wisher of the progenitors of mankind,
please remove the effulgence
of Your transcendental rays
so that I can see Your form of bliss.
You are the eternal
Supreme Personality of Godhead,
like unto the sun, as am I.
 “A philosopher is better than a laboring
man, and a mystic is superior to a
philosopher. And of all the mystic yogis, he
who follows bhakti-yoga, constantly
engaged in the service of the Lord, is the
highest. Sri Isopanisad directs us toward
this perfection.”
 Mantra 17
Please remember me

väyur anilam amåtam

athedaà bhasmäntaà çaréram
oà krato smara kåtaà smara
krato smara kåtaà smara

Let this temporary body

be burnt to ashes,
and let the air of life be merged
with the totality of air.
Now, O my Lord,
please remember all my sacrifices,
and because You are
the ultimate beneficiary,
please remember
all that I have done for You.
Bhagavan
 Even if at the time of death
a devotee does not remember
his service to the Lord,
the Lord does not forget him
 Mantra 18
Complete Surrender

agne naya supathä räye asmän

viçväni deva vayunäni vidvän
yuyodhy asmaj juhuräëam eno
bhüyiñöhäà te nama-uktià vidhema

O my Lord, as powerful as fire,

O omnipotent one,
now I offer You all obeisances,
falling on the ground at Your feet.
O my Lord, please lead me
on the right path to reach You,
and since You know all that I have done
in the past, please free me
from the reactions to my past sins
so that there will be no hindrance
to my progress.
Conclusion
 God has no form
God has no energies
The Invocation to ISO Defeats
The material world is an illusion
 SAT (eternity)- Brahman SAT+CIT+ANANDA
Contains other 2 features
SAT + CIT- (Knowledge): Paramatma Complete Whole
24 elements arranged to produce everything
VIGRAHA- He includes everything within & without our experience Has form
1) SPOG Illusory representation of completeness Self-contained
2) MATERIAL WORLD No need for anyone's separate endeavor
He remains complete inspite of emanations (1-1=1) Remains complete (Sun) PURNAM Temporary emanation Functions on its own time scale Non-transgressable laws
Completeness
Sadhu & guru
3) JIVA Complete in service to the whole (Hand/Body)
Vedas Human life (after 8400000 species) 4) FACILITY
Devotional service Emanation/Part&Parcel of SPOG
to revive our complete consciousness