ERROR: Your browser does not support scripts.

ANNOUNCER: The following is a
class on the Bhagavad-gītā As It
Is, 9th chapter, text number 20
and 21, given by His Divine Grace
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Prabhupāda, recorded in
December of 1966 in New York.

PRABHUPĀDA:

trai-vidyā māṁ soma-pāḥ pūta-
pāpā yajñair iṣṭvā svargatiṁ
prārthayante te puṇyam āsādya
surendra-lokam aśnanti divyān
divi deva-bhogān

Now, Lord Kṛṣṇa has described
different types of
transcendentalists. First He has
described about the mahātmā,
mahātmā, the great soul. And
their symptoms have been
described, that satataṁ
kīrtayanto mām [Bg. 9.14]. They
are engaged twenty-four hours,
cent percent, in the
transcendental loving service of
the Lord, yatantaś ca dṛḍha-
vratāḥ, and trying to serve the
Lord very carefully with vow. So
they are first-class
transcendentalists or the great
soul. And then? Second-class?
Those who are trying to
understand the Supreme, the
Absolute Truth, by identifying
himself with the Supreme, that “I
am, I am the Supreme.” This I
have already explained. This “I
am Supreme” means “I am part
and parcel of the Supreme, of the
same quality.” So these people,
these devotees, not exactly
devotees, transcendentalists,
they, doing that, when they are
little more advanced and if by
chance they get association of
another pure devotee, then he
can understand that “I am not
Supreme, but I am the part and
parcel of the Supreme.” Then he
makes further advance and the
ultimate goal, as I have several
times explained before you,
ultimate goal is to know Kṛṣṇa, or
the Supreme Lord. That is the
ultimate goal.

So this is direct method. The
Kṛṣṇa consciousness, which we
are trying to popularize, this is
direct method and just suitable
for this age. As Lord Caitanya
introduced, kalau nāsty eva nāsty
eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā. In
this age of Kali, the age of
quarrel and hypocrisy—this is
called Kali—in this age this is the
simplest method and direct,
direct action. Just like in military
art there is a word, “direct
action,” this is the spiritual direct
action, this Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare
Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare,
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma
Rāma Hare Hare. But because it
is very simple, sometimes those
who think themselves as very
intelligent and advanced, they
think, “Oh, what they are doing,
Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa? We are
meditating, we are
philosophizing, and we are doing
penance and austerities and
following the rituals, so many
things.” So practically, they are,
according to Bhagavad-gītā they
are not directly in touch with the
Supreme Lord, but they have
taken different paths as
ahaṅgrahopāsanam, thinking
himself as one with the Lord,
pantheism, thinking everything
the symbol of God, and thinking
the universal form as the
Supreme, in different ways.

So anyway, all of them, the first-
class mahātmā and all these
people, they are
transcendentalists. They are
trying to realize the Absolute
Truth. May be in a different
grades, but they are trying. And
besides that, besides them, there
is another class who are, more or
less can be called, not
transcendentalists but
materialists. And who are they?
That is described here.

trai-vidyā māṁ soma-pāḥ pūta-
pāpā yajñair iṣṭvā svargatiṁ
prārthayante te puṇyam āsādya
surendra-lokam aśnanti divyān
divi deva-bhogān

Deva-bhogān means this is with
reference to the standard of
living. As in this world we have
got different standard of living
and it may be that your standard
of living in America or Europe
may be, from material point of
view, very high and standard of
living in other country may be
lower… Different standard of
living there are. But in other
planets also, there are different
standard of living. They are called
deva-bhogān. That standard of
living we cannot imagine here, in
the moon planet and other,
surendra-lokam. Surendra-lokam
means where the demigods live.
They are also human beings, but
they are highly intellectual, and
their duration of life is very long,
and their standard of living is
very high, most costly. We cannot
imagine even.

So they are soma-pāḥ. Soma is a
kind of beverage. Just like in this
material world we have got
different kinds of liquors. It is not
intoxicating, but there is mention.
Here in the Bhagavad-gītā is also
mentioned, soma-pāḥ, soma-
rasa. And in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
we get information that in the
moon planet they also drink this
soma-rasa. But the soma-rasa is
not an intoxicant. It is a different
thing. Here it is said, soma-pāḥ
pūta-pāpāḥ. One who will drink
the soma-rasa, he will be freed
from sinful reaction. Just the
opposite. Here, just like when we
become intoxicated, we become
addicted to so many sinful
actions, it is soma-pāḥ. When we
drink soma-rasa, it is just the
opposite. We become freed from
all sinful reaction. That soma-pāḥ
is recommended here also. So
either they try to go to other
planets, or they manufacture
here soma-pāḥ, soma-rasa. Of
course, at the present moment
we have no such facility. But from
Bhagavad-gītā it is understood
that there was a method.

Anyway, the process is
mentioned, described in the
Vedic literature, trai-vidyā. Trai-
vidyā means Vedas. There are
three kinds of knowledge in the
Vedas, trai-vidyā: karma-kāṇḍa,
upāsanā-kāṇḍa, and jñāna-
kāṇḍa. Karma-kāṇḍa means this,
how we can adjust material
happiness or material living very
nice. That is called karma-kāṇḍa.
And then upāsanā-kāṇḍa.
Upāsanā-kāṇḍa means how to
worship the Supreme Lord or the
demigod or different types of…
There are demigods. The
demigods are living beings like
us, but they are very powerful. So
that upāsanā-kāṇḍa, worship of
different demigods is also
mentioned there in the Vedas.
That is called upāsanā-kāṇḍa.
And jñāna-kāṇḍa. Jñāna-kāṇḍa
means knowledge, philosophical.
So therefore Veda is known as
trai-vidyā, trayī. Trayī means
three kinds of knowledge there
are. So the persons who are more
or less materialists—they are not
transcendentalists—they take
shelter of this Vedic trai-vidyā,
three kinds of knowledge. And to
prepare themselves to be
transferred in other planets they
become freed from all sinful
reaction.

As I have several times
mentioned that your standard of
living in America is very nice. So
others, people from other parts,
they also try to come here and
settle here. But you have got
restriction, visa department.
There is restriction department.
You do not allow. So similarly, if
you want to go to the moon
planet, then you have to qualify
yourself. You have to obtain the
visa. That is mentioned in the
Bhagavad-gītā.

yānti deva-vratā devān pitṝn
yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ bhūtāni yānti
bhūtejyā yānti mad-yājino ’pi
mām [Bg. 9.25]

So any planet, wherever you want
to go… Of course, you may try to
go there by sputnik but we have
no such mention in the śāstras
that you can manufacture some
machine and you can go there.
You have to qualify yourself. You
have to qualify yourself. Just like
even there is machine, jet plane,
still, you require the visa to enter
into America or any other
country, similarly, even if you can
manufacture some machine,
although it is not possible, but
you have to qualify yourself to be
a resident in the better planets.
So those who are after going to
the better planets, sun planet,
moon planet, and heavenly
planet… There are many.
Svargaloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka,
Maharloka. They are in Sanskrit
names.

So here it is mentioned, trai-
vidyā soma-pāḥ pūta-pāpāḥ.
They, after preparing themselves
to be transferred in other planets,
they become free from all sinful
reaction. The higher planet, as
you go, you have to become free
from sinful action. The lower
grade life and higher grade life in
this material world means those
who are proportionately less
sinful, they are promoted in
higher planets. You cannot be
free from sinful reaction in this
material world. There will be
some portion, some percentage.
So the higher grade life and
lower grade life means those
who are proportionately greater
sinful, they have got lower grade
life, and those who have got
greater pious life, they get higher
grade life in higher planets, in
Brahmaloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka.
Tapoloka means those who have
performed here severe penances,
and they are transferred there in
Tapoloka. In Tapoloka, when
there is destruction, annihilation
of this material world, in the
Tapoloka there is no destruction.
They get information, “Now
annihilation has begun.” There is
a great fire, and they still feel that
heat, and at that time they
transfer themselves to the
spiritual sky. That mention we
have got. So yajñair iṣṭvā
svargatiṁ prārthayante.

So these materialists… Anyone,
even if you go to the higher
planets, still, you are materialist.
Even you go to the highest
planet, Brahmaloka, where the
duration of life you cannot
calculate, still there is death. The
material pangs, birth, death, old
age and disease, there is. So in
the Bhagavad-gītā we get all this
information, where other planets
are, what is the condition. Simply
we have to know it from this
book. Similarly, we have got
information of the supreme
planet Kṛṣṇaloka, or the planet of
Kṛṣṇa, where you can go. The
Lord says, yad gatvā na
nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ
mama: [Bg. 15.6] “The planet
where going you have no more
to come back.” Now, these
planets, these material planets, as
it is mentioned here, surendra-
loka… Surendra means highly
qualified demigods, their planets.
Surendra-lokam aśnanti. Aśnanti
means they enjoy. And what do
they enjoy? Divyān divi deva-
bhogān. They enjoy godly
comforts, deva-bhogān.

Now, Lord Kṛṣṇa says, then what
is after? The after result is, is said
here,

te taṁ bhuktvā svarga-lokaṁ
viśālaṁ kṣīṇe puṇye martya-
lokaṁ viśanti evaṁ trayī-
dharmam anuprapannā
gatāgataṁ kāma-kāmā labhante
[Bg. 9.21]

So those who are so materially
attached, their business is that
they qualify themselves to be
promoted in higher planets,
undoubtedly. And there… Te taṁ
bhuktvā svarga-lokaṁ viśālam.
And they enjoy life for a very,
very long duration of life and
godly facilities. That’s all right.
But kṣīṇe puṇye martya-lokaṁ
viśanti [Bg. 9.21] Then, when their
pious, I mean to say, asset of
pious activities finished, then
they are again driven out from
that planet; they come to here,
this material, I mean say, earthly
planet. And again they try here.
Again they try here by sacrifices,
by other means, to go there. So
Lord Kṛṣṇa says these
materialists, they, gatāgataṁ
kāma-kāmā labhante, sometimes
up, sometimes down. This is
going on, sometimes up,
sometimes down. Just like… What
is called, that wheel? Sometimes
go up, the boys enjoy in this way.
What is the name of that wheel?

DEVOTEE: FERRIS WHEEL.

PRABHUPĀDA: Oh. So it is
something like that. Sometimes
you go, sarva-ga, sarva-ga.
Sarva… Jīva. Jīva means the living
entities, they have got a
propensity to go from here to
there, there to here. That is
their… Because they are living
force, they cannot stay at one
place. That is not their nature.
Even in this life also, you
Americans, you try to go to India;
the Indians try to come here or
some other country. This is
nature. In the birds, beasts,
everywhere, they want to transfer
in some different… So it is going
on. So the materialists who want
to go to the higher planets by
pious activities, they can go
there, but they will have to come
back again. But what is the idea
of going there? The idea of going
there is the materialists, they are
always seeking of better comforts
of life. There is no limit, where is
better comfort. In this earth also,
people are trying, advancement
of material… Just like in your city
I see very nice building. They are
being dismantled, very strong,
nice buildings. When I go to the
Chamber side. I see that one very
nice building, very strong
building. But you think that
“After dismantling this building,
we shall prepare another
skyscraper covered by nice
glasses and we will be
comfortable.” That is the idea.
You see?

So materialists, they do not know
where their advancement of
material civilization will be
perfect. They do not know that.
Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi
viṣṇum [SB 7.5.31]. That
perfection will never come, but
they are after that perfection,
dismantling and building. And
after fifty years they will
dismantle this building and
prepare another kind of building.
That will be… At that time further
material advancement will be
there. So this is going on,
gatāgatam. Gatāgatam means,
what is called, stereotyped.
Everyone is going. The exact
Hindi word is variyagasan(?).
They call variyagasan.
Variyagasan means that the
goats, the goats, the goat
merchant, they are taking to the
slaughterhouse, and they are
going hither and thither. But if
one goat enters the door, all the
variyas, they will enter. You see?
So because one has entered…
But nobody will consider that he
has entered the slaughterhouse.
No. “One has entered; therefore
let us enter all.” This is
advancement. “Oh, one has
entered; therefore I must enter
also. I do not care where I am
entering. That I do not know.” So
this is going on, gatāgatam.

Gatāgatam kāma-kāmā labhante.
Kāma-kāmāḥ means sense
gratification. Sense gratification.
But transcendentalists, they have
understood that “This sense
gratification process will not help
me.” This is called Kṛṣṇa
consciousness. One must
understand perfectly well that
this process of sense
gratification, variyagasan, that
will not help me. He is very
intelligent. I will have to search
out something else, not this
sense gratification. So long I have
got a pinch of desire for sense
gratification, I will have to take
this material body. And as soon
as I have got this material body,
then all of the material miseries
are along with it. So those who
are serious about, that “I do not
want any more…” But we have
become callous. We don’t think
that “What is miseries of…?” But
those who are actually in
knowledge, those who want to
live, those who want to have
perfect knowledge, those who
want to have blissful life, they
understand that “This material
existence, either this Svargaloka
or the heavenly planet or this
planet or that, will never give me
happiness. I will have to… As
Kṛṣṇa informs herein, that yad
gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma
paramaṁ mama [Bg. 15.6], I will
have to enter the kingdom of
God, spiritual planet, where
going I will have not to return
back again to accept this material
body.”

That seriousness, one who has
taken that serious attitude, they
can actually perform this Kṛṣṇa
consciousness very nicely. But
those who are still under the
impression that “Material
advancement will make me
happy,” they are still under the
spell of illusion. Daivī hy eṣā
guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā
[Bg. 7.14]. This planet, that
planet, that planet, that planet,
that planet. But in no planet
nowhere you can have perfect
peace of life. That is impossible.
Therefore those who are
intelligent, those who are by
God’s grace, Kṛṣṇa’s grace, or by
good association one who can
understand that “This sort of life
is not desirable. I must perform
dṛḍha-vrata, with great
determination and vow, in this
life so that yad gatvā na
nivartante [Bg. 15.6], I may be
transferred into the Kṛṣṇaloka
planet where going I shall not
have to return back…” Now, the
materialist says, “All right, you do
not know whether you are going
or not. You are giving up this
material enjoyment. You are
simply living on cāpāṭis. Oh, we
have got so many palatable
dishes, and you are not enjoying
this. You are fool.” So to these
poor devotees who are taking
cāpāṭis, the Lord says a very nice
thing. What is that?

ananyāś cintayanto māṁ ye
janāḥ paryupāsate teṣāṁ
nityābhiyuktānāṁ yoga-kṣemaṁ
vahāmy aham [Bg. 9.22]

Well, materialist, Mr. materialist,
you have to work very hard. But
here the assurance is from the
Lord that “Those who are
unflinching and cent percent
devoted in the transcendental
service of Me, for them I take
charge of the maintenance, all
comforts.” Nityābhiyuktānāṁ
yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham [Bg.
9.22]

Now, this śloka is very important
for the devotees. There was a
great devotee. His name was
Ānandācārya. So when he was
writing commentaries on this
particular śloka, verse, he saw
that teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ
yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham [Bg.
9.22], the Lord says that “I myself
take the burden and take the
load on my head, and I deliver
them to my devotees, what they
require, what they require. He
doesn’t require to go outside. I
myself go and deliver the goods,
whatever he requires.” This is
written here. Teṣāṁ
nityābhiyuktānām. Those who are
cent percent engaged in the
loving service of the Lord, teṣāṁ
nityābhiyuktānāṁ yoga-kṣemaṁ
vahāmy aham [Bg. 9.22]. Yoga
means what is required by him,
and kṣemam means what he has
got, he requires to be protected.
So these two things the Lord
takes charge, that “I personally
do it.” For whom? Ananyāś
cintayanto mām. Those who have
no other thought than Kṛṣṇa,
Kṛṣṇa conscious. Ananyāś
cintayanto mām. Ye janāḥ
paryupāsate, and engaged in
that way always. He has no other
business, simply Kṛṣṇa. For him
these things the Lord does. It is
specifically mentioned here.
Therefore this is an
encouragement. This is an
encouragement by the Lord that
“Do not think that because you
are not trying for going to the
other planet you will be unhappy.
You will have happiness.” What is
happiness? Happiness is within
your mind. If you are assured of
your peaceful existence and the
next life you are transferred to
the supreme planet, or supreme
place, then that is happiness, not
for trying life after life to adjust
happiness. Here is an assurance.

Now this Arjunācārya…that’s a
very nice story. When he was
writing commentaries, oh, he
thought, “How is that Lord will
come Himself and deliver the
goods? Oh, it is not possible. He
might be sending through some
agent.” So he wanted to cut
vahāmy aham, “I bear the burden
and deliver.” He wrote in a way
that “I send some agent who
delivers.” So that Arjunācārya
went to take bath, and in the
meantime two boys, very
beautiful boys, they brought
some very nice foodstuff in large
quantity. And in India there is a
process to taking two sides
burden on the bamboo. Just like
a scale it is balanced. So these
two boys brought some very
highly valuable foodstuff and
grains and ghee, and his wife was
there. And the boys said, “My
dear mother, Arjunācārya has
sent these goods to you. Please
take delivery.” “Oh, you are so
nice boy, you are so beautiful
boys, and he has given. And
Ācārya is not so cruel. How is
that? He has given so much
burden to you, and he is not
kind…?” “Oh, I was not taking,
and just see, he has beaten me.
Here is cane mark. Oh, see.” His
wife became very much
astonished, that “Ācārya is not so
cruel. How he has become so
cruel?” So she was thinking in
that way. Then “All right, my dear
boys. You come on.” And gave
him shelter. And, “No. I shall go
because Arjunācārya again
comes. He will chastise us.” “No,
no. You sit down, take foodstuff.”
He(she) prepared foodstuff, and
then they went away. And when
Arjunācārya came back, then he
saw that his wife is eating.
Because it is the system of Indian
families that after the husband
has taken the food, the wife will
take. So they don’t take together.
After the family members—the
boys and the husband is
sumptuously fed—then the
housewife takes.

So Arjunācārya, “Oh, you are
taking food? What is that?” No.
He did not. I am mistaken. Sorry.
He said that “You are…” So the
wife said, “Ācārya, you have
become so much cruel
nowadays?” “Oh, what is that?”
“Two boys, very nice boys, they
have brought so many foodstuff.
You loaded on their head, and
they denied to take it, and you
have beaten them, chastised?”
He said, “No. I have never done
this. Why shall I do it?” Then she
described, “Oh, such a nice
beautiful boy.” Then Arjunācārya
understood that “Because I
wanted that God does not
deliver, so He has delivered these
goods, and because I cut these
alphabets that He does not give
personally, so He has shown that
beating mark.”

There is an incident in southern
India of Yāmunācārya. That story
is there. Of course, you may
believe or not believe. That’s a
different thing. But here the Lord
says that “I personally deliver.” So
those who are in Kṛṣṇa
consciousness, those who are
actually busy in the matter of
discharging their duties as a
Kṛṣṇa conscious person, they
may be assured that so far their
living condition is concerned or
their comforts of life is
concerned, that is assured by the
Lord. There will be no hampering.
Thank you very much.