Gita shloka 3.27: THE BEWILDERED SPIRIT SOUL THINKS HIMSELF TO BE THE DOER OF ACTIVITIES, WHICH ARE IN ACTUALITY CARRIED OUT BY NATURE, 1st July

Gita shloka 3.27

TRANSLATION

THE BEWILDERED SPIRIT SOUL, UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THE THREE MODES OF MATERIAL NATURE, THINKS HIMSELF TO BE THE DOER OF ACTIVITIES, WHICH ARE IN ACTUALITY CARRIED OUT BY NATURE.

PURPORT

TWO PERSONS, ONE IN KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS AND THE OTHER IN MATERIAL CONSCIOUSNESS, WORKING ON THE SAME LEVEL, MAY APPEAR TO BE WORKING ON THE SAME PLATFORM, BUT THERE IS A WIDE GULF OF DIFFERENCE IN THEIR RESPECTIVE POSITIONS.

THE PERSON IN MATERIAL CONSCIOUSNESS IS CONVINCED BY FALSE EGO THAT HE IS THE DOER OF EVERYTHING.

HE DOES NOT KNOW THAT THE MECHANISM OF THE BODY IS PRODUCED BY MATERIAL NATURE, WHICH WORKS UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE SUPREME LORD.

THE MATERIALISTIC PERSON HAS NO KNOWLEDGE THAT ULTIMATELY HE IS UNDER THE CONTROL OF KRSNA.

THE PERSON IN FALSE EGO TAKES ALL CREDIT FOR DOING EVERYTHING INDEPENDANTLY, AND THAT IS THE SYMPTOM OF HIS NESCIENCE.

HE DOES NOT KNOW THAT THIS GROSS AND SUBTLE BODY IS THE CREATION OF MATERIAL NATURE, UNDER THE ORDER OF THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD, AND AS SUCH HIS BODILY AND MENTAL ACTIVITIES SHOULD BE ENGAGED IN THE SERVICE OF KRSNA, IN KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS.

THE IGNORANT MAN FORGETS THAT THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD IS KNOWN AS HRSIKESA, OR THE MASTER OF THE SENSES OF THE MATERIAL BODY, FOR DUE TO HIS LONG MISUSE OF THE SENSES IN SENSE GRATIFICATION, HE IS FACTUALLY BEWILDERED BY THE FALSE EGO, WHICH MAKES HIM FORGET HIS ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP WITH KRSNA.

Bhagvatam THE SUPREME LORD GIVES LIVING ENTITY A CHANCE TO ENJOY IN THIS MATERIAL WORLD AS HE DESIRES, BUT HE WANTS IT TO FULLY SURRENDER UNTO HIM AND RETURN HOME, BACK TO GODHEAD,1st July

Bhagvatam: THE SUPREME LORD GIVES THE LIVING ENTITY A CHANCE TO ENJOY IN THIS MATERIAL WORLD AS HE DESIRES, BUT HE OPENLY EXPRESSES HIS OWN DESIRE THAT THE LIVING ENTITY GIVE UP ALL MATERIAL ASPIRATIONS, FULLY SURRENDER UNTO HIM AND RETURN HOME, BACK TO GODHEAD

TRANSLATION

THE LIVING ENTITY IS ETERNAL AND IMPERISHABLE BECAUSE HE ACTUALLY HAS NO BEGINNING AND NO END. HE NEVER TAKES BIRTH OR DIES. HE IS THE BASIC PRINCIPLE OF ALL TYPES OF BODIES, YET HE DOES NOT BELONG TO THE BODILY CATEGORY. THE LIVING BEING IS SO SUBLIME THAT HE IS EQUAL IN QUALITY TO THE SUPREME LORD. NONETHELESS, BECAUSE HE IS EXTREMELY SMALL, HE IS PRONE TO BE ILLUSIONED BY THE EXTERNAL ENERGY, AND THUS HE CREATES VARIOUS BODIES FOR HIMSELF ACCORDING TO HIS DIFFERENT DESIRES.

PURPORT

In this verse the philosophy of achintya-bhedäbheda—simultaneous oneness and difference—is described. The living entity is eternal (nitya) like the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but the difference is that the Supreme Lord is the greatest, no one being equal to or greater than Him, whereas the living entity is sükshma, or extremely small. 

THE SHÄSTRA DESCRIBES THAT THE MAGNITUDE OF THE LIVING ENTITY IS ONE TEN-THOUSANDTH THE SIZE OF THE TIP OF A HAIR. THE SUPREME LORD IS ALL-PERVADING (ANDÄNTARA-STHA-PARAMÄNU-CAYÄNTARA-STHAM). RELATIVELY, IF THE LIVING ENTITY IS ACCEPTED AS THE SMALLEST, THERE SHOULD NATURALLY BE INQUIRY ABOUT THE GREATEST. THE GREATEST IS THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD, AND THE SMALLEST IS THE LIVING ENTITY.

Another peculiar characteristic of the jiva is that he becomes covered by mäyä. Ätmamäyä-gunaim: he is prone to being covered by the Supreme Lord's illusory energy. The living entity is responsible for his conditional life in the material world, and therefore he is described as prabhu ("the master"). 

IF HE LIKES HE CAN COME TO THIS MATERIAL WORLD, AND IF HE LIKES HE CAN RETURN HOME, BACK TO GODHEAD. BECAUSE HE WANTED TO ENJOY THIS MATERIAL WORLD, THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD GAVE HIM A MATERIAL BODY THROUGH THE AGENCY OF THE MATERIAL ENERGY. 

As the Lord Himself says in Bhagavad-gitä (18.61):

"THE SUPREME LORD IS SITUATED IN EVERYONE'S HEART, O ARJUNA, AND IS DIRECTING THE WANDERINGS OF ALL LIVING ENTITIES, WHO ARE SEATED AS ON A MACHINE, MADE OF THE MATERIAL ENERGY." 

THE SUPREME LORD GIVES THE LIVING ENTITY A CHANCE TO ENJOY IN THIS MATERIAL WORLD AS HE DESIRES, BUT HE OPENLY EXPRESSES HIS OWN DESIRE THAT THE LIVING ENTITY GIVE UP ALL MATERIAL ASPIRATIONS, FULLY SURRENDER UNTO HIM AND RETURN HOME, BACK TO GODHEAD.

The living entity is the smallest (sükshma). Jiva Gosvämi says in this connection that the living entity within the body is extremely difficult for materialistic scientists to find, although we understand from authorities that the living entity is within the body. 

THE BODY IS DIFFERENT FROM THE LIVING ENTITY.

Bhagvatam: VAISHNAVA / BRAHMANA IS A COUNTERPART BODY OF THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD, 30th June

Srimad Bhagvatam:
VAISHNAVA / BRAHMANA IS A COUNTERPART BODY OF THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD

TRANSLATION

MY DEAR KING, OF ALL PERSONS A QUALIFIED BRAHMANA MUST BE ACCEPTED AS THE BEST WITHIN THIS MATERIAL WORLD BECAUSE SUCH A BRAHMANA, BY PRACTICING AUSTERITY, VEDIC STUDIES AND SATISFACTION, BECOMES THE COUNTERPART BODY OF THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD.

PURPORT

From the Vedas we learn that the Personality of Godhead is the Supreme Person.

EVERY LIVING ENTITY IS AN INDIVIDUAL PERSON, AND THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD, KRSHNA, IS THE SUPREME PERSON.

A brahmana who is well versed in Vedic knowledge and fully conversant with transcendental matters becomes a representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore one should worship such a brahmana or Vaishnava.

A Vaishnava is superior to a brahmana because whereas a brahmana knows that he is Brahman, not matter, a Vaishnava knows that he is not only Brahman but also an eternal servant of the Supreme Brahman.

THEREFORE, WORSHIP OF A VAISHNAVA IS SUPERIOR TO WORSHIP OF THE DEITY IN THE TEMPLE.

Visvanatha Chakravarti Thakura says, sakshad dharitvena samasta-sastraim: IN ALL THE SCRIPTURES THE SPIRITUAL MASTER, WHO IS THE BEST OF THE BRAHMANAS, THE BEST OF THE VAISHNAVAS, IS CONSIDERED TO BE AS GOOD AS THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD.

THIS DOES NOT MEAN, HOWEVER, THAT THE VAISHNAVA THINKS HIMSELF GOD, FOR THIS IS BLASPHEMOUS.

Although a brahmana or Vaishnava is worshiped as being as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, SUCH A DEVOTEE ALWAYS REMAINS A FAITHFUL SERVANT OF THE LORD and never tries to enjoy the prestige that might accrue to him from being the Supreme Lord's representative.

Gita shloka 3.26: ALL SHOULD ENGAGE IN WORK IN THE SPIRIT OF DEVOTION (,I.E., OFFERING RESULTS OF ALL THOUGHTS & ACTIONS TO LORD), 30th June

Gita shloka 3.26

ALL SHOULD engage in work in the spirit of devotion (,i.e.,  offering results of all thoughts & actions to lord)

TRANSLATION

Let not the wise disrupt the minds of the ignorant who are attached to fruitive action. They should not be encouraged to refrain from work, but to engage in work in the spirit of devotion.

PURPORT

Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ: that is the end of all Vedic rituals.

All rituals, all performances of sacrifices, and everything that is put into the Vedas, including all directions for material activities, are meant for understanding Kṛṣṇa, who is the ultimate goal of life.

But because the conditioned souls do not know anything beyond sense gratification, they study the Vedas to that end.

Through sense regulations, however, one is gradually elevated to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Therefore a realized soul in Kṛṣṇa consciousness should not disturb others in their activities or understanding, but he should act by showing how the results of all work can be dedicated to the service of Kṛṣṇa.

The learned Kṛṣṇa conscious person may act in such a way that the ignorant person working for sense gratification may learn how to act and how to behave.

Although the ignorant man is not to be disturbed in his activities, still, a slightly developed Kṛṣṇa conscious person may directly be engaged in the service of the Lord without waiting for other Vedic formulas.

For this fortunate man there is no need to follow the Vedic rituals, because in direct Kṛṣṇa consciousness one can have all the results simply by following the prescribed duties of a particular person.

 

Gita shloka 3.25: DEDICATE ALL RESULTS OF ACTION FOR THE PURPOSE OF KṚṢṆA CONSCIOUSNESS, 29th June

Gita shloka 3.25

DEDICATE ALL results of action for the purpose of Kṛṣṇa consciousness

TRANSLATION

As the ignorant perform their duties with attachment to results, similarly the learned may also act, but without attachment, for the sake of leading people on the right path.

PURPORT

A person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and a person not in Kṛṣṇa consciousness are differentiated by different desires.

A Kṛṣṇa conscious person does not do anything which is not conducive to development of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

He may even act exactly like the ignorant person, who is too much attached to material activities, but one is engaged in such activities for the satisfaction of his sense gratification, whereas the other is engaged for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa.

Therefore, the Kṛṣṇa conscious person is required to show the people how to act and how to engage the results of action for the purpose of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.