Sri ad Babaji

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ropaniadOriginal Edition by His Divine Grace

rla Prabhupda

WithBhaktisiddhrtha-tkCommentary

by David Bruce Hughes

(rGaurahari Dsnuds Bbj) Published by

Esoteric Teaching Seminars, Inc.

esotericteaching.org

ISBN 978-0-557-25959-5Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0

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Table of Contents

Preface...................................................................................4

Introduction...........................................................................6

Invocation............................................................................13

Bhaktisiddhrtha-tk....................................................................15

Mantra One.........................................................................21


Mantra Two.........................................................................32Bhaktisiddhrtha-tk....................................................................35

Mantra Three......................................................................41


Mantra Four........................................................................48


Mantra Five.........................................................................55


Mantra Six...........................................................................65


Mantra Seven......................................................................74

Bhaktisiddhrtha-tk....................................................................77Mantra Eight.......................................................................83


Mantra Nine........................................................................93


Mantra Ten........................................................................102

Bhaktisiddhrtha-tk..................................................................107

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Mantra Eleven...................................................................114


Mantra Twelve..................................................................125

Bhaktisiddhrtha-tk..................................................................130Mantra Thirteen...............................................................137


Mantra Fourteen...............................................................155


Mantra Fifteen..................................................................167


Mantra Sixteen..................................................................181


Mantra Seventeen.............................................................192


Mantra Eighteen...............................................................211Bhaktisiddhrtha-tk..................................................................215

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Preface

This edition ofropaniadis designed to meet a particular need forour students on the Bhakta Degree Program of the Esoteric TeachingUniversity of Vedic Knowledge. But it will be useful for others as well,

because we have herein combined the original unedited commentary of

rla Prabhupda with our own commentary,Bhaktisiddhrtha-tk,written especially for the issues confronting the majority of pious

human beings in the opening decades of the 21st century.

rla Prabhupda firsttranslated ropaniadinto English before coming

to the US, and that original

edition was printed by

ISKCON Press in 1967.

Unfortunately, later editions

introduced the spurious

editorial changes that

ISKCON has become

infamous for making in the

sacred books of theirdi-guru. Since the original

edition was instrumental in

many people becoming

disciples ofrla

Prabhupda, it has not onlyimportant historical interestbut also great devotional

value. Thus we sought to

keep this valuable version

in print for the benefit of

our students and others. However, human society has become much

more degraded in the 50 years or so since rla Prabhupda penned his

commentary. Certainly his words and approach have not becomeobsolete in the least, nevertheless it cannot hurt to revisit the same

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issues and refresh the language and arguments for a newer, more

contemporary audience.

Finally, we originally developed theBhaktisiddhrtha-tk as a seriesof episodes of ourYour Perfect Bodypodcast, thus they have a certain

freshness and directness that comes through the medium of the spokenword. I hope you find this amplification ofrla Prabhupdas insightsvaluable. This work is affectionately dedicated to him.

Gaurahari Dsnuds Bbj(David Bruce Hughes)

Master Teacher,

Esoteric Teaching Seminars

University of Vedic KnowledgeKumbakonam, India

January 2, 2010

rla Prabhupda Chanting Japa

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Introduction

"Teachings of the Vedas"

Delivered as a lecture by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Prabhupda on October 6, 1969, at Conway Hall, London, England.

Ladies and gentlemen, today's subject matter is the teachings of the

Vedas. What are the Vedas? The Sanskrit verbal root ofveda can be

interpreted variously, but the purport is finally one. Veda meansknowledge. Any knowledge you accept is veda, for the teachings of the

Vedas are the original knowledge. In the conditioned state, our

knowledge is subjected to many deficiencies. The difference between a

conditioned soul and a liberated soul is that the conditioned soul has

four kinds of defects. The first defect is that he must commit mistakes.

For example, in our country, Mahatma Gandhi was considered to be a

very great personality, but he committed many mistakes. Even at the

last stage of his life, his assistant warned, "Mahatma Gandhi, don't goto the New Delhi meeting. I have some friends, and I have heard there

is danger." But he did not hear. He persisted in going and was killed.

Even great personalities like Mahatma Gandhi, President Kennedy

there are so many of themmake mistakes. To err is human. This is

one defect of the conditioned soul.

Another defect: to be illusioned. Illusion means to accept something

which is not: my. My means "what is not." Everyone is acceptingthe body as the self. If I ask you what you are, you will say, "I am Mr.John; I am a rich man; I am this; I am that." All these are bodily

identifications. But you are not this body. This is illusion.

The third defect is the cheating propensity. Everyone has the propensity

to cheat others. Although a person is fool number one, he poses himself

as very intelligent. Although it is already pointed out that he is in

illusion and makes mistakes, he will theorize: "I think this is this, this is

this." But he does not even know his own position. He writes books of

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philosophy, although he is defective. That is his disease. That is

cheating.

Lastly, our senses are imperfect. We are very proud of our eyes. Often,

someone will challenge, "Can you show me God?" But do you have the

eyes to see God? You will never see if you haven't the eyes. Ifimmediately the room becomes dark, you cannot even see your hands.

So what power do you have to see? We cannot, therefore, expect

knowledge (veda) with these imperfect senses. With all these

deficiencies, in conditioned life we cannot give perfect knowledge to

anyone. Nor are we ourselves perfect. Therefore we accept the Vedas as

they are.

You may call the Vedas Hindu, but "Hindu" is a foreign name. We arenot Hindus. Our real identification is varrama. Varrama denotesthe followers of the Vedas, those who accept the human society in eight

divisions ofvara and rama. There are four divisions of society andfour divisions of spiritual life. This is called varrama. It is stated intheBhagavad-gt (4.13), "These divisions are everywhere becausethey are created by God." The divisions of society are brhmaa,katriya, vaiya,dra.Brhmaa refers to the very intelligent class of

men, those who know what is Brahman. Similarly, the katriyas, theadministrator group, are the next intelligent class of men. Then the

vaiyas, the mercantile group. These natural classifications are foundeverywhere. This is the Vedic principle, and we accept it. Vedic

principles are accepted as axiomatic truth, for there cannot be any

mistake. That is acceptance. For instance, in India cow dung is

accepted as pure, and yet cow dung is the stool of an animal. 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 stoolof 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.

In India if one person tells another, "You must do this," the other partymay say, "What do you mean? Is this a Vedic injunction, that I have to

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follow you without any argument?" Vedic injunctions cannot be

interpreted. But ultimately, if you carefully study why these injunctions

are there, you will find that they are all correct.

The Vedas are not compilations of human knowledge. Vedic knowledge

comes from the spiritual world, from Lord Ka. Another name for theVedas isruti. ruti refers to that knowledge which is acquired byhearing. It is not experimental knowledge. ruti is considered to be likea mother. We take so much knowledge from our mother. For example,

if you want to know who your father is, who can answer you? Your

mother. If the mother says, "Here is your father," you have to accept it.

It is not possible to experiment to find out whether he is your father.

Similarly, if you want to know something beyond your experience,

beyond your experimental knowledge, beyond the activities of the

senses, then you have to accept the Vedas. There is no question of

experimenting. It has already been experimented. It is already settled.

The version of the mother, for instance, has to be accepted as truth.

There is no other way.

The Vedas are considered to be the mother, and Brahm is called thegrandfather, the forefather, because he was the first to be instructed in

the Vedic knowledge. In the beginning the first living creature wasBrahm. He received this Vedic knowledge and imparted it to Nradaand other disciples and sons, and they also distributed it to their

disciples. In this way, the Vedic knowledge comes down by disciplic

succession. It is also confirmed in theBhagavad-gt that Vedicknowledge is understood in this way. If you make experimental

endeavor, you come to the same conclusion, but just to save time you

should accept. If you want to know who your father is and if you accept

your mother as the authority, then whatever she says can be acceptedwithout argument. There are three kinds of evidence:pratyaka,anumna andabda.Pratyaka means "direct evidence." Directevidence is not very good because our senses are not perfect. We are

seeing the sun daily, and it appears to us just like a small disc, but it is

actually far, far larger than many planets. Of what value is this seeing?

Therefore we have to read books; then we can understand about the

sun. So direct experience is not perfect. Then there is anumna,inductive knowledge: "It may be like this"hypothesis. For instance,

Darwin's theory says it may be like this, it may be like that. But that is

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not science. That is a suggestion, and it is also not perfect. But if you

receive the knowledge from the authoritative sources, that is perfect. If

you receive a program guide from the radio station authorities, you

accept it. You don't deny it; you don't have to make an experiment,

because it is received from the authoritative sources.Vedic knowledge is called abda-prama. Another name isruti. rutimeans that this knowledge has to be received simply by aural reception.

The Vedas instruct that in order to understand transcendental

knowledge, we have to hear from the authority. Transcendental

knowledge is knowledge from beyond this universe. Within this

universe is material knowledge, and beyond this universe is

transcendental knowledge. We cannot even go to the end of the

universe, so how can we go to the spiritual world? Thus to acquire full

knowledge is impossible.

There is a spiritual sky. There is another nature, which is beyond

manifestation and nonmanifestation. But how will you know that there

is a sky where the planets and inhabitants are eternal? All this

knowledge is there, but how will you make experiments? It is not

possible. Therefore you have to take the assistance of the Vedas. This is

called Vedic knowledge. In our Ka consciousness movement we areaccepting knowledge from the highest authority, Ka. Ka isaccepted as the highest authority by all classes of men. I am speaking

first of the two classes of transcendentalists. One class of

transcendentalists is called impersonalistic, Myvd. They aregenerally known as Vedntists, led by akarcrya. And there isanother class of transcendentalists, called Vaiavas, likeRmnujcrya, Madhvcrya, Viusvm. Both the akara-sampradya and the Vaiava-sampradya have accepted Ka as theSupreme Personality of Godhead. akarcrya is supposed to be animpersonalist who preached impersonalism, impersonal Brahman, but it

is a fact that he is a covered personalist. In his commentary on the

Bhagavad-gthe wrote, "Nryaa, the Supreme Personality ofGodhead, is beyond this cosmic manifestation." And then again he

confirmed, "That Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nryaa, is Ka.He has come as the son of Devakand Vasudeva." He particularlymentioned the names of His father and mother. So Ka is accepted asthe Supreme Personality of Godhead by all transcendentalists. There is

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no doubt about it. Our source of knowledge in Ka consciousness istheBhagavad-gt, which comes directly from Ka. We havepublished theBhagavad-gt As It Is because we accept Ka as He isspeaking, without any interpretation. That is Vedic knowledge. Since

the Vedic knowledge is pure, we accept it. Whatever Ka says, weaccept. This is Ka consciousness. That saves much time. If youaccept the right authority, or source of knowledge, then you save much

time. For example, there are two systems of knowledge in the material

world: inductive and deductive. From deductive, you accept that man is

mortal. Your father says man is mortal, your sister says man is mortal,

everyone says man is mortalbut you do not experiment. You accept it

as a fact that man is mortal. If you want to research to find out whether

man is mortal, you have to study each and every man, and you maycome to think that there may be some man who is not dying but you

have not seen him yet. So in this way your research will never be

finished. In Sanskrit this process is called roha, the ascending process.If you want to attain knowledge by any personal endeavor, by

exercising your imperfect senses, you will never come to the right

conclusions. That is not possible.

There is a statement in theBrahma-sahit: Just ride on the airplanewhich runs at the speed of mind. Our material airplanes can run twothousand miles per hour, but what is the speed of mind? You are sitting

at home, you immediately think of Indiasay, ten thousand miles away

and at once it is in your home. Your mind has gone there. The mind-

speed is so swift. Therefore it is stated, "If you travel at this speed for

millions of years, you'll find that the spiritual sky is unlimited." It is not

possible even to approach it. Therefore, the Vedic injunction is that one

must approachthe word "compulsory" is useda bona fide spiritualmaster, a guru. And what is the qualification of a spiritual master? He is

one who has rightly heard the Vedic message from the right source.

And he must practically be firmly established in Brahman. These are

the two qualities he must have. Otherwise he is not bona fide.

This Ka consciousness movement is completely authorized fromVedic principles. In theBhagavad-gt Ka says, "The actual aim ofVedic research is to find out Ka." In theBrahma-sahit it is alsostated, "Ka, Govinda, has innumerable forms, but they are all one."They are not like our forms, which are fallible. His form is infallible.

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My form has a beginning, but His form has no beginning. It is ananta.

And His formso many multiformshas no end. My form is sitting

here and not in my apartment. You are sitting there and not in your

apartment. But Ka can be everywhere at one time. He can sit down

in Goloka Vndvana, and at the same time He is everywhere, all-pervading. He is original, the oldest, but whenever you look at a pictureof Ka you'll find a young boy fifteen or twenty years old. You willnever find an old man. You have seen pictures of Ka as a charioteerfrom theBhagavad-gt. At that time He was not less than one hundredyears old. He had great-grandchildren, but He looked just like a boy.

Ka, God, never becomes old. That is His supreme power. And if youwant to search out Ka by studying the Vedic literature, then you will

be baffled. It may be possible, but it is very difficult. But you can veryeasily learn about Him from His devotee. His devotee can deliver Him

to you: "Here He is, take Him." That is the potency of Ka's devotees.

Originally there was only one Veda, and there was no necessity of

reading it. People were so intelligent and had such sharp memories that

by once hearing from the lips of the spiritual master they would

understand. They would immediately grasp the whole purport. But five

thousand years ago Vysadeva put the Vedas in writing for the people inthis age, Kali-yuga. He knew that eventually the people would be short-lived, their memories would be very poor, and their intelligence would

not be very sharp. "Therefore, let me teach this Vedic knowledge in

writing." He divided the Vedas into four:g, Sma, Atharva and Yajur.Then he gave the charge of these Vedas to his different disciples. He

then thought of the less intelligent class of menstr,dra and dvija-bandhu. He considered the woman class anddra class (worker class)

and dvija-bandhu. Dvija-bandhu refers to those who are born in a highfamily but who are not properly qualified. A man who is born in the

family of a brhmaa but is not qualified as a brhmaa is calleddvija-bandhu. For these persons he compiled the Mahbhrata, calledthe history of India, and the eighteen Puras. These are all part of theVedic literature: thePuras, the Mahbhrata, the fourVedas and theUpaniads. The Upaniads are part of the Vedas. Then Vysadevasummarized all Vedic knowledge for scholars and philosophers in what

is called the Vednta-stra. This is the last word of the Vedas.

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Vysadeva personally wrote the Vednta-stra under the instructions ofNrada, his Guru Mahrja (spiritual master), but still he was notsatisfied. That is a long story, described in rmad-Bhgavatam.Vedavysa was not very satisfied even after compiling manyPuras

and Upaniads, and even after writing the Vednta-stra. Then hisspiritual master, Nrada, instructed him, "You explain the Vednta-stra." Vednta means "ultimate knowledge," and the ultimateknowledge is Ka. Ka says that throughout all the Vedas one hasto understand Him: vednta-kd veda-vid eva cham. Ka says, "I amthe compiler of the Vednta-stra, and I am the knower of the Vedas."Therefore the ultimate objective is Ka. That is explained in all theVaiava commentaries on Vednta philosophy. We Gauya Vaiavas

have our commentary on Vednta philosophy, called Govinda-bhya,by Baladeva Vidybhaa. Similarly, Rmnujcrya has acommentary, and Madhvcrya has one. The version ofakarcrya isnot the only commentary. There are many Vednta commentaries, butbecause the Vaiavas did not present the first Vednta commentary,people are under the wrong impression that akarcrya's is the onlyVednta commentary. Besides that, Vysadeva himself wrote theperfect Vednta commentary, rmad-Bhgavatam. rmad-Bhgavatam begins with the first words of the Vednta-stra: janmdyasya yata [rmad-Bhgavatam 1.1.1]. And thatjanmdy asya yatais fully explained in rmad-Bhgavatam. The Vednta-stra simplyhints at what is Brahman, the Absolute Truth: "The Absolute Truth is

that from whom everything emanates." This is a summary, but it is

explained in detail in rmad-Bhgavatam. If everything is emanatingfrom the Absolute Truth, then what is the nature of the Absolute Truth?

That is explained in rmad-Bhgavatam. The Absolute Truth must beconsciousness. He is self-effulgent (sva-r). We develop ourconsciousness and knowledge by receiving knowledge from others, but

for Him it is said that He is self-effulgent. The whole summary of

Vedic knowledge is the Vednta-stra, and the Vednta-stra isexplained by the writer himself in rmad-Bhgavatam. We finallyrequest those who are actually after Vedic knowledge to try to

understand the explanation of all Vedic knowledge from rmad-

Bhgavatam and theBhagavad-g

t

.

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Invocation

o pram ada pram idaprt pram udacyateprasya pram dya

pram evvaiyate

othe Complete Whole;pramperfectly complete; ada

that;pramperfectly complete; idamthis phenomenal world;prtfrom the all-perfect;pramcomplete unit; udacyateisproduced;prasyaof the Complete Whole;pramcompletely, all; dyahaving been taken away;pramthecomplete balance; evaeven; avaiyateis remaining.

The Personality of Godhead is perfect and complete, andbecause He is completely perfect, all emanations fromHim, such as this phenomenal world, are perfectlyequipped as complete wholes. Whatever is produced of theComplete Whole is also complete in itself. Because He isthe Complete Whole, even though so many complete unitsemanate from Him, He remains the complete balance.

The Complete Whole, or the Supreme Absolute Truth, is thecomplete Personality of Godhead. Realization of impersonalBrahman or of Paramtm, the Supersoul, is incomplete realizationof the Absolute Complete. The Supreme Personality of Godhead issac-cid-nanda-vigraha [Bs.5.1]. Realization of impersonal Brahmanis realization of His sat feature, or His aspect of eternity, andParamtm realization is realization of His sat and cit features, Hisaspects of eternity and knowledge. But realization of the

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Personality of Godhead is realization of all the transcendentalfeaturessat, cit and nanda, bliss. When one realizes the SupremePerson, he realizes these aspects of the Absolute Truth in theircompleteness. Vigraha means "form." Thus the Complete Whole is

not formless. If He were formless, or if He were less than Hiscreation in any other way, He could not be complete. TheComplete Whole must contain everything both within and beyondour experience; otherwise He cannot be complete.

The Complete Whole, the Personality of Godhead, has immensepotencies, all of which are as complete as He is. Thus this

phenomenal world is also complete in itself. The twenty-fourelements of which this material universe is a temporarymanifestation are arranged to produce everything necessary for themaintenance and subsistence of this universe. No other unit in theuniverse need make an extraneous effort to try to maintain theuniverse. The universe functions on its own time scale, which isfixed by the energy of the Complete Whole, and when that

schedule is completed, this temporary manifestation will beannihilated by the complete arrangement of the Complete Whole.

All facilities are given to the small complete units (namely theliving beings) to enable them to realize the Complete Whole. Allforms of incompleteness are experienced due to incompleteknowledge of the Complete Whole. The human form of life is a

complete manifestation of the consciousness of the living being,and it is obtained after evolving through 8,400,000 species of life inthe cycle of birth and death. If in this human life of fullconsciousness the living entity does not realize his completeness inrelation to the Complete Whole, he loses the chance to realize hiscompleteness and is again put into the evolutionary cycle by thelaw of material nature.

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Because we do not know that there is a complete arrangement innature for our maintenance, we make efforts to utilize the resourcesof nature to create a so-called complete life of sense enjoyment.Because the living entity cannot enjoy the life of the senses without

being dovetailed with the Complete Whole, the misleading life ofsense enjoyment is illusion. The hand of a body is a complete unitonly as long as it is attached to the complete body. When the handis severed from the body, it may appear like a hand, but it actuallyhas none of the potencies of a hand. Similarly, living beings arepart and parcel of the Complete Whole, and if they are severedfrom the Complete Whole, the illusory representation of

completeness cannot fully satisfy them.

The completeness of human life can be realized only when oneengages in the service of the Complete Whole. All services in thisworldwhether social, political, communal, international or eveninterplanetarywill remain incomplete until they are dovetailedwith the Complete Whole. When everything is dovetailed with the

Complete Whole, the attached parts and parcels also becomecomplete in themselves.

Bhaktisiddhrtha-tk

Here the basic principle of the Supreme Absolute Truth is given.

Everything we can know, or name, must be defined in relation to some

central point. That point is the Absolute, and it is a semantic singularity

that must exist for every ontological system and every world view. This

axiomatic Absolute Truth is the semantic raw material that makes all

other meanings possible; therefore the most basic and universal

definition of the Absolute is simply the sum total of everything that

exists.

The concept of the Complete Whole is therefore a kind of ontologicalRosetta Stone, or key connection between and among all bona fide

religious, spiritual and scientific systems, because it must exist in all of

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them in some form. Therefore it is the beginning and foundation of the

Esoteric Teaching.

For example, in Western empirical science, the concept of the Complete

Whole is called the universe. In theology it is called the Kingdom ofGod. The conception of the Complete Whole is therefore basic to all

systems of thought, including of course, the Vedic Esoteric Teaching.

But it is rare indeed to find such a subtle ontological conception

explicated so clearly and cleanly in a traditional religious text. This is

because the Vedic sages were not mere theoretical speculators, but had

a deep understanding the science of meaning and how it affects

consciousness. Therefore, they insisted upon both ontological rigor and

direct personal realization for confirmation of the philosophical andontological insights revealed in the Vedas.

To the sages of the Esoteric Teaching, the Complete Whole, or the

Supreme Absolute Truth (satyam paramthat truth, once knowing

which there is nothing further to be known), must be the complete

Personality of Godhead. Realization of the impersonal Brahman

effulgence as the Absolute, or of Paramatma, the Supersoul dwelling in

the heart of every living being, are simply stages of incompleterealization of the Complete Whole. This is because the Supreme

Personality of Godhead issac-cid-ananda-vigraha:

vara parama ka

sac-cid-nanda-vigraha

andir dir govinda

sarva-kraa-kraam

Ka, who is called Govinda, is the Supreme Personality of

Godhead, the Supreme Controller. He has an eternal spiritual

body of transcendental bliss. He is the origin of everything and

everyone. He has no prior cause, for He is the prime cause of all

causes. [Brahma-samhita 5.1]

Realization of impersonal Brahman is consciousness of His sat feature,or His aspects of eternity and the source of all emanations. Eternal

existence is a natural quality of spiritindeed, eternality is the

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principal distinguishing quality of spirit from temporary matter.

Paramtm realization is direct consciousness of His sat and cit

features: His aspects of eternity, unlimited knowledge and all-

penetrating cognizance as Antaryami, the indwelling Supersoul. But

realization of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is direct knowledgeof all three transcendental features: sat, cit and also nanda, the bliss of

knowing both the Lord as an eternal Divine Person, and ones eternal

spiritual identity in an ecstatic loving relationship with Him. The

ecstatic moods of spiritual love (rasa) experienced by the advanced

bhaktas or devotees of the Lord are wonderful beyond any other state

of consciousness. Therefore complete realization of the Complete

Whole is necessarily personal.

One who realizes the Supreme Person realizes all aspects of the

Absolute Truth in fullness and completeness. Vigraha means form: the

Complete Whole cannot be formless because He is the source of so

many forms. If He were formless, or if He displayed less opulence or a

smaller ensemble of qualities than His creation, He would not be

complete. Besides, the emanated energy of the Absolute having greater

quantity or more qualities than its source would violate the universal

principles of conservation of energy and information. Nevertheless, ifHe did not have a formless aspect, He would also be incomplete. The

Complete Whole must simultaneously contain and display everything,

both within and beyond our experience; otherwise He would not be

fully complete. This is not contradictory because He is transcendental;

therefore whatever He does automatically becomes the standard by

which perfection is recognized.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Complete Whole, emanates

unlimited spiritual potencies that are as complete as He isthat is to

say, they are also persons. Spiritual energy is always conscious

individual and personal. Even the material energy, although its

manifestations may be impermanent, is ultimately conscious, personal

and eternal because it is an energy of the personal Complete Whole.

Just like the Supreme Whole, this phenomenal world is also complete

in itself and inherits from its source the qualities of an ontologicallycognitive, self-referentially meaningful, individually conscious entity.

Therefore it is no coincidence that the material elements and physical

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parameters this universe are intelligently balanced and regulated to

produce everything necessary for the creation, maintenance and

ultimate dissolution of this universe via the agency of time.

The manifested universe displays the symptoms of wholeness andcompleteness because it emanates from the Complete Whole. Similarly,

all other individual emanated units, such as the conscious living

entities, inherit the complete spiritual qualities of the Complete Whole.

Yet, certainly the living entities in the universe do not and cannot

maintain the universe because the quantity of potency we inherit is

limited. We cannot even understand how heartbeat, breathing and

digestion are maintained in our bodies during sleep. This bafflingly vast

and complex universe functions on an immense time scale, which isbegun and maintained under the complete control of the Complete

Whole; and when His purposes are complete, this temporary material

manifestation will be completely annihilated.

All forms of incompletenesssuch as the sufferings, failures, errors

and embarrassments of material existenceare experienced by the

complete living units only because of incomplete knowledge of the

Complete Whole. However, by the complete arrangement of theComplete Whole, complete facilities are provided to the complete

subatomic spiritual particles (namely thejvas or living beings) to

enable them to attain complete realization of the Complete Whole, even

within this creation. This complete facility is found in the complete

Esoteric Teaching, which is contained in Bhagavad-gt and other

Vedic literature, and passed down by an unbroken line of completely

self-realized individuals.

The human form of life is a complete expression of the consciousness

of the living being, and according to the complete Vedic wisdom, it is

obtained only after transmigrating through 8,000,000 lower species of

life in the cycle of birth and death,samsara. If, in this rare human life

of complete consciousness, the complete living entity does not

completely realize his relation to the Complete Whole, he loses this

precious opportunity for spiritual liberation, and the stringent laws ofkarma again put him into the cycle ofsamsara. It may be many births

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before the wheel of time gives such a fallen soul another chance at

complete self-realization.

The Complete Whole is neither an irresponsible nor an unkind Creator;

therefore He has made complete provision for the complete universalpopulation of living beings. But because we have completely forgotten

the key to the operation of this divine system, we remain ignorant of

the fact that there is a complete arrangement in nature for our

maintenance. Thus tragically, we spend the majority of our valuable

human life making strenuous and time-consuming efforts to selfishly

exploit natural resources to create an artificial life of complete sense

enjoyment. This completely mistaken path simply continues our

bondage to the merciless laws of material nature, and ultimately ends infutility.

The life of material sense enjoyment is misleading and illusory because

ontologically, the eternal spiritual living entity cannot enjoy the

temporary life of the material senses. Temporary, incomplete material

enjoyment can never completely satisfy the eternal spiritual living

being. Our efforts to enjoy life always will remain imperfect and

incomplete without being dovetailed in spiritual relationship with theComplete Whole.

My hand is apparently a complete unit, but it inherits the symptoms and

qualities of life only as long as it is in proper relationship with my

complete body. If my hand is severed from my body, it may

superficially look like a complete hand, but it completely loses the

qualities and functions of a hand because it has lost its relationship with

the complete body. Similarly, the living beings are complete parts and

parcels of the Complete Whole, and therefore they inherit the complete

spiritual qualities and potencies of a complete living entity:

consciousness, individuality, personality, embodiment, desire, life

energy, creativity, initiative, etc. from Him. But if the living beings are

severed from their original natural relationship the Complete Whole, no

illusory material representation of completeness can fully satisfy them.

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When we expend valuable time and energy to serve themultifarious, conflicting purposes of the illusory materialmanifestation, we simply waste our time and energy chasing andanticipating a mirage of complete happiness that never actually

arrives. Complete human happiness and well-being requirescomplete engagement in the service of the Complete Whole, thecomplete Supreme Personality of Godhead. The benefits expectedfrom all work and service in this worldsocial, economic, political,national, international or even interplanetarywill remainincomplete until they are put into proper relationship with theComplete Whole. For, everyone whose life energy and

consciousness are completely dovetailed with the Complete Wholeby the process given in this Esoteric Teaching, also realizes hiseternality and completeness by the esoteric process of ontologicalinheritance from his origin, the complete Supreme Personality ofGodhead.

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Mantra One

vsyam idam sarvayat kica jagaty jagattena tyaktena bhujth

m gdha kasya svid dhanam

aby the Lord; vsyamcontrolled; idamthis; sarvamall;yat kicawhatever;jagatymwithin the universe;jagatall

that is animate or inanimate; tenaby Him; tyaktenaset-apartquota; bhujthyou should accept; mdo not; gdhaendeavor to gain; kasya svitof anyone else; dhanamthe wealth.

Everything animate or inanimate that is within theuniverse 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 acceptother things, knowing well to whom they belong.

Vedic knowledge is infallible because it comes down through theperfect disciplic succession of spiritual masters, beginning with theLord Himself. Since He spoke the first word of Vedic knowledge,

the source of this knowledge is transcendental. The words spokenby the Lord are called apaurueya, which indicates that they are notdelivered by any mundane person. A living being who lives in themundane world has four defects: (1) he is certain to commitmistakes; (2) he is subject to illusion; (3) he has a propensity tocheat others; and (4) his senses are imperfect. No one with thesefour imperfections can deliver perfect knowledge. The Vedas are

not produced by such an imperfect creature. Vedic knowledge wasoriginally imparted by the Lord into the heart of Brahm, the first

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created living being, and Brahm in his turn disseminated thisknowledge to his sons and disciples, who have handed it downthrough history.

Since the Lord ispram, all-perfect, there is no possibility of Hisbeing subjected to the laws of material nature, which He controls.However, both the living entities and inanimate objects arecontrolled by the laws of nature and ultimately by the Lord'spotency. This opaniad is part of the Yajur Veda, andconsequently it contains information concerning theproprietorship of all things existing within the universe.

The Lord's proprietorship over everything within the universe isconfirmed in the Seventh Chapter of the Bhagavad-gt (7.4-5),wherepar and apar prakti are discussed. The elements of natureearth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and egoallbelong to the Lord's inferior, material energy (aparprakti),whereas the living being, the organic energy, is His superior

energy (par prakti). Both of thesepraktis, or energies, areemanations from the Lord, and ultimately He is the controller ofeverything that exists. There is nothing in the universe that doesnot belong to either thepar or the apar prakti; thereforeeverything is the property of the Supreme Being.

Because the Supreme Being, the Absolute Personality of Godhead,is the complete person, He has complete and perfect intelligence toadjust everything by means of His different potencies. TheSupreme Being is often compared to a fire, and everything organicand inorganic is compared to the heat and light of that fire. Just asfire distributes energy in the form of heat and light, the Lorddisplays His energy in different ways. He thus remains the ultimatecontroller, sustainer and dictator of everything. He is the possessorof all potencies, the knower of everything and the benefactor of

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everyone. He is full of inconceivable opulence, power, fame, beauty,knowledge and renunciation.

One should therefore be intelligent enough to know that except for

the Lord no one is a proprietor of anything. One should accept onlythose things that are set aside by the Lord as his quota. The cow, forinstance, gives milk, but she does not drink that milk: she eats grassand straw, and her milk is designated as food for human beings.Such is the arrangement of the Lord. Thus we should be satisfiedwith those things He has kindly set aside for us, and we shouldalways consider to whom those things we possess actually belong.

Take, for example, our dwelling, which is made of earth, wood,stone, iron, cement and so many other material things. If we thinkin terms ofr opaniad, we must know that we cannot produceany of these building materials ourselves. We can simply bring themtogether and transform them into different shapes by our labor. Alaborer cannot claim to be a proprietor of a thing just because he

has worked hard to manufacture it.In modern society there is always a great quarrel between thelaborers and the capitalists. This quarrel has taken an internationalshape, and the world is in danger. Men face one another in enmityand snarl just like cats and dogs. r opaniad cannot give adviceto the cats and dogs, but it can deliver the message of Godhead toman through the bona fide cryas (holy teachers). The humanrace should take the Vedic wisdom ofr opaniad and not quarrelover material possessions. One must be satisfied with whateverprivileges are given to him by the mercy of the Lord. There can beno peace if the communists or capitalists or any other party claimsproprietorship over the resources of nature, which are entirely theproperty of the Lord. The capitalists cannot curb the communistssimply by political maneuvering, nor can the communists defeat thecapitalists simply by fighting for stolen bread. If they do not

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recognize the proprietorship of the Supreme Personality ofGodhead, all the property they claim to be their own is stolen.Consequently they will be liable to punishment by the laws ofnature. Nuclear bombs are in the hands of both communists and

capitalists, and if both do not recognize the proprietorship of theSupreme Lord, it is certain that these bombs will ultimately ruinboth parties. Thus in order to save themselves and bring peace tothe world, both parties must follow the instructions ofropaniad.

Human beings are not meant to quarrel like cats and dogs. They

must be intelligent enough to realize the importance and aim ofhuman life. The Vedic literature is meant for humanity and not forcats and dogs. Cats and dogs can kill other animals for food withoutincurring sin, but if a man kills an animal for the satisfaction of hisuncontrolled taste buds, he is responsible for breaking the laws ofnature. Consequently he must be punished.

The standard of life for human beings cannot be applied to animals.The tiger does not eat rice and wheat or drink cow's milk, becausehe has been given food in the shape of animal flesh. Among themany animals and birds, some are vegetarian and others arecarnivorous, but none of them transgress the laws of nature, whichhave been ordained by the will of the Lord. Animals, birds, reptilesand other lower life forms strictly adhere to the laws of nature;

therefore there is no question of sin for them, nor are the Vedicinstructions meant for them. Human life alone is a life ofresponsibility.

It is wrong, however, to think that simply by becoming a vegetarianone can avoid transgressing the laws of nature. Vegetables also havelife, and while it is nature's law that one living being is meant tofeed on another, for human beings the point is to recognize theSupreme Lord. Thus one should not be proud of being a strict

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vegetarian. Animals do not have developed consciousness by whichto recognize the Lord, but a human being is sufficiently intelligentto take lessons from the Vedic literature and thereby know how thelaws of nature are working and derive profit out of such knowledge.

If a man neglects the instructions of the Vedic literature, his lifebecomes very risky. A human being is therefore required torecognize the authority of the Supreme Lord and become Hisdevotee. He must offer everything for the Lord's service andpartake only of the remnants of food offered to the Lord. This willenable him to discharge his duty properly. In the Bhagavad-gt(9.26) the Lord directly states that He accepts vegetarian food from

the hands of a pure devotee. Therefore a human being should notonly become a strict vegetarian but should also become a devotee ofthe Lord, offer the Lord all his food and then partake of suchprasdam, or the mercy of God. Only those who act in this way canproperly discharge the duties of human life. Those who do not offertheir food to the Lord eat nothing but sin and subject themselves tovarious types of distress, which are the results of sin (Bg. 3.13).

The root of sin is deliberate disobedience of the laws of naturethrough disregarding the proprietorship of the Lord. Disobeying thelaws of nature or the order of the Lord brings ruin to a humanbeing. Conversely, one who is sober, who knows the laws of nature,and who is not influenced by unnecessary attachment or aversion issure to be recognized by the Lord and thus become eligible to go

back to Godhead, back to the eternal home.

Bhaktisiddhrtha-tk

The Vedic wisdom of the Esoteric Teaching is perfect knowledge ofeverything spiritual. It is spoken by the Lord Himself to Brahma,

the first created being, and then handed down through the disciplicsuccession of self-realized spiritual masters. Since the Esoteric

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Teaching originates from the Lord, this transcendental knowledgeis unlimited and perfect.

Knowledge given by the Lord is apauruseya, not manufactured by

any ordinary person. An ordinary living being in the mundaneworld has four chronic defects: his senses are imperfect, he is inillusion, he therefore commits mistakes, and he has a propensity tocheat. Anyone with these imperfections cannot give perfectknowledge. But the Vedas or the Esoteric Teaching are not thework of such imperfect beings. The Lord imparted the EsotericTeaching directly to Brahma, the first created living being in the

universe, and Brahma distributed it to his disciples, who propagateit down through many long ages to the present day.

As discussed in the Invocation ofr opaniad, the Lord ispram,complete and perfect; He is never subject to the laws of materialnature, for He controls the material energy in every respect. Boththe living entities and material objects are controlled by the laws of

material nature, which is the Lords external potency. Therefore Heis never affected by the defects of materially conditionedconsciousness that we ordinary beings suffer from.

r opaniad is an excerpt from the Yajur-Veda, therefore itglorifies the Lord as the transcendental owner of everything in theuniverse. The Lords confirms His proprietorship over the universe

in Bhagavad-gita:

bhmir po nalo vyukha mano buddhir eva caahakra itya mebhinn praktir aadh

apareyam itas tv anyprakti viddhi me parm

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jva-bht mah-bhoyayeda dhryate jagat

Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false

egoaltogether these eight constitute My separatedmaterial energies. Besides these, O mighty-armed Arjuna,there is another, superior energy of Mine, which comprisesthe living entities who are exploiting the resources of thismaterial, inferior nature. [Bhagavad-gita 7.4-5]

The Lord reveals that He has superior and inferior classes of

energies or potencies. The subtle and gross substances of materialnature both belong to the Lords inferior material energy (apar-prakti); the spiritual living beings are part of His superiortranscendental energy (par-prakti). Everything in the universebelongs either to thepar-prakti or the apar-prakti; therefore theentire universe is the property of the Supreme Being. Just like if Icreate a piece of literature, music or artwork, it is my property

because the energy of creation comes from me. Similarly, the Lordis the ultimate owner and controller of everything in existencebecause both classes ofpraktispiritual and material, superior andinferioremanate from Him.

The Supreme Being, the Absolute Personality of Godhead, is theComplete Whole. Because He is a complete transcendental person,

He has complete and perfect intelligence. Therefore He uses Hissuperior and inferior potencies to adjust everything to align withHis purposes. The final sacred appellation of the Lord glorified inr Viusahasranma, the famous Thousand Holy Names of LordViu, is sarva-praharanyudha, which can be interpreted to meanthat He can use anything as a weapon, that all weapons derive theireffectiveness from Him, or more esoterically, that everything and

everyone is conquered by His ultimate weapon of time, and must

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serve His transcendental purposes, whether they intend to or not.This is the true scope of the omnipotence of the Lord.

The Vedic Esoteric Teaching often metaphorically compares the

Supreme Being to a fire or to the sun, and everything that emanatesfrom Himspiritual, organic and inorganicis compared to heatand light. The sun distributes its energy in the form of heat andlight. Without this generous and impartial distribution of the sunsresources, nothing else could exist on this or any other planet.Similarly, the Lord displays His energy in unlimited different ways,and everyone and everything is completely dependent on Him. We

initially come to know His unlimited transcendental qualitiesthrough this magnificent universal display.

The Supreme Lord thus eternally remains the ultimate origin,knower, controller, sustainer and owner of everything. He is thecomplete possessor of all potencies, the all-penetrating knower ofeverything and the all-generous benefactor of everyone. He is the

original Bhagavn, a shoreless transcendental ocean of unlimitedinconceivable spiritual opulence, power, fame, beauty, knowledgeand renunciation.

We should be intelligent enough to accept the conclusion of theEsoteric Teaching that except for the Supreme Personality ofGodhead, no one is a proprietor of anything. Sarva-

praharanyudha: everyone is acting as an agent of the Lords will,whether or not they realize it or intend to. Therefore, as stated inthe present loka, one should accept only those things set aside bythe Lord as his quota.

The cow produces milk, but does not drink it; she eats grass andstraw, and her milk is food for human beings. The arrangement of

the law of nature or the Law of God is that one beings productionis food for another. The more deep ecological knowledge we have,

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the clearer it becomes that our place in the world is to becompassionate organizers and maintainers of all the naturalresources originally set aside for us by the Lord. That does not meanthat we can rape the earth without experiencing serious

consequences, again by the Law of God. Instead of exploiting Hisproperty for selfish profit, we should be satisfied with the simple lifeand humble things He has kindly set aside for us, and we shouldalways contemplate the wise management and best use of ourresources, considering to Whose universal domain those thingsapparently in our possession actually belong.

In other words, Dont be greedy; you are an eternal spiritual beinglike as unto the Lord, and as a responsible and kind Creator, He hasalready set aside a sufficient quota of His unlimited resources foryour use. You are His property and His servant. Therefore, do notlament, but dedicate your existence to serving His transcendentalpurposes and pleasure.

For example, our humble dwelling is made of earth, wood, stone,iron, cement and many other materials. According to thephilosophy ofr opaniad, we understand that we cannot producethese materials ourselves, but simply process and transform the rawmaterials already supplied by the Lord. We simply bring thematerials together, and work to change them into different shapesand states. Therefore we have dedicated this building as an ashram,

where various services are carried out daily for the Lords pleasure.This is the proper use and responsible application of the Lordsenergy.

The point here is that a worker or servant cannot claim to be aproprietor of a product just because he has labored or served tomanufacture it. The raw materials, the intelligence of the design,

the manufacturing process, the workers own body, mind and even

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soul are actually the property of the Lord at all times, because He isthe original source of all emanations.

r opaniad delivers the message of the Esoteric Teaching, the

Supreme Absolute Truth, to all humanity for our benefit. Thepractical side of this eternal wisdom is demonstrated and taught bythe bona fide cryas (spiritual Master Teachers). If the humanrace could just accept and realize the Vedic wisdom ofropaniad, there would be no more foolish quarreling over materialpossessions. Tragically, people cannot recognize real spiritualwisdom unless they themselves are wise. Therefore it is

recommended in the Vedas to approach a bona fide Master Teacherof the Esoteric Teaching for spiritual instruction, inquiry, trainingand service.

The only practical cure for the suffering of material competition isto be satisfied with whatever opulence is given by the mercy of theLord. There can be no peace in the world unless and until we

recognize the proprietorship of the Supreme Personality ofGodhead. Otherwise, all the property we claim to be ours is actuallystolen. This thievery does not go unpunished by the laws of nature.Consequently the suffering we experience in life is actuallypunishment by the laws of nature. To save ourselves from thedisease of unnecessary quarrel and bring peace to the world,humanity must understand, accept and follow the instructions of

r opaniad. Therefore we are trying to propagate this EsotericTeaching all over the world.

Human beings are intelligent enough to scientifically investigateand profit from the laws of nature. But if our scientific knowledgeremains confined to exploiting matter, we risk being unable tounderstand our own selves. In the opinion of the Esoteric Teaching,

one who neglects the instructions of the Vedas risks his spirituallife.

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An intelligent human being is therefore advised to recognize theSupreme Lord as his Master, and become His obedient servant andloving devotee. One should humbly offer everything at his

command for the service and pleasure of the Lord, relish chantingthe beautiful Holy Names of the Lord, and partake only of theremnants of food offered to the Lord (prasdam). This simplepractice will enable him to attain the highest realms of spiritualexistence. One who is sincere, serious-minded, who understands thelaws of material and spiritual nature, and who is free fromunnecessary attachment and aversion in the performance of

transcendental yoga, is sure to be recognized by the Lord and goback to his eternal home in the spiritual world.

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Mantra Two

kurvann eveha karmijijviec chata sam

eva tvayi nnyatheto 'stina karma lipyate nare

kurvandoing continuously; evathus; ihaduring this span oflife; karmiwork;jijvietone should desire to live; atam

one hundred; samyears; evamso living; tvayiunto you; nano; anyathalternative; itafrom this path; astithere is; nanot; karmawork; lipyatecan be bound; nareunto a man.

One may aspire to live for hundreds of years if hecontinuously goes on working in that way, for that sort of

work will not bind him to the law of karma. There is noalternative to this way for man.

No one wants to die: everyone wants to live as long as he can dragon. This tendency is visible not only individually but alsocollectively in the community, society and nation. There is a hardstruggle for life by all kinds of living entities, and the Vedas say that

this is quite natural. The living being is eternal by nature, but dueto his bondage in material existence he has to change his body overand over. This process is called transmigration of the soul or karma-bandhana, bondage by one's work. The living entity has to work forhis livelihood because that is the law of material nature, and if hedoes not act according to his prescribed duties, he transgresses thelaw of nature and binds himself more and more to the cycle of birth

and death in the many species of life.

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Other life forms are also subject to the cycle of birth and death, butwhen the living entity attains a human life, he gets a chance to getfree from the chains ofkarma.Karma, akarma and vikarma are veryclearly described in the Bhagavad-gt. Actions that are performed

in terms of one's prescribed duties, as mentioned in the revealedscriptures, are called karma. Actions that free one from the cycle ofbirth and death are called akarma. And actions that are performedthrough the misuse of one's freedom and that direct one to thelower life forms are called vikarma. Of these three types of action,that which frees one from the bondage to karma is preferred byintelligent men. Ordinary men wish to perform good work in order

to be recognized and achieve some higher status of life in this worldor in heaven, but more advanced men want to be free altogetherfrom the actions and reactions of work. Intelligent men well knowthat both good and bad work equally bind one to the materialmiseries. Consequently they seek that work which will free themfrom the reactions of both good and bad work. Such liberating workis described here in the pages ofr opaniad.

The instructions ofr opaniad are more elaborately explained inthe Bhagavad-gt, sometimes called the Gtopaniad, the cream ofall the Upaniads. In the Bhagavad-gt (3.9-16) the Personality ofGodhead says that one cannot attain the state ofnaikarmya, orakarma, without executing the prescribed duties mentioned in theVedic literature. This literature can regulate the working energy of

a human being in such a way that he can gradually realize theauthority of the Supreme Being. When he realizes the authority ofthe Personality of GodheadVsudeva, or Kait is to beunderstood that he has attained the stage of positive knowledge. Inthis purified stage the modes of naturenamely goodness, passionand ignorancecannot act, and he is able to work on the basis ofnaikarmya. Such work does not bind one to the cycle of birth and

death.

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Factually, no one has to do anything more than render devotionalservice to the Lord. However, in the lower stages of life one cannotimmediately adopt the activities of devotional service, nor can onecompletely stop fruitive work. A conditioned soul is accustomed to

working for sense gratificationfor his own selfish interest,immediate or extended. An ordinary man works for his own senseenjoyment, and when this principle of sense enjoyment is extendedto include his society, nation or humanity in general, it assumesvarious attractive names such as altruism, socialism, communism,nationalism and humanitarianism. These "isms" are certainly veryattractive forms ofkarma-bandhana (karmic bondage), but the

Vedic instruction ofr opaniad is that if one actually wants tolive for any of the above "isms," he should make them God-centered. There is no harm in becoming a family man, or analtruist, a socialist, a communist, a nationalist or a humanitarian,provided that one executes his activities in relation with vsya,the God-centered conception.

In the Bhagavad-gt (2.40) Lord Ka states that God-centeredactivities are so valuable that just a few of them can save a personfrom the greatest danger. The greatest danger of life is the dangerof gliding down again into the evolutionary cycle of birth and deathamong the 8,400,000 species. If somehow or other a man misses thespiritual opportunity afforded by his human form of life and fallsdown again into the evolutionary cycle, he must be considered most

unfortunate. Due to his defective senses, a foolish man cannot seethat this is happening. Consequently r opaniad advises us toexert our energy in the spirit ofvsya. Being so engaged, we maywish to live for many, many years; otherwise a long life in itself hasno value. A tree lives for hundreds and hundreds of years, but thereis no point in living a long time like trees, or breathing like bellows,or begetting children like hogs and dogs, or eating like camels. A

humble God-centered life is more valuable than a colossal hoax of alife dedicated to godless altruism or socialism.

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When altruistic activities are executed in the spirit ofropaniad, they become a form ofkarma-yoga. Such activities arerecommended in the Bhagavad-gt (18.5-9), for they guaranteetheir executor protection from the danger of sliding down into the

evolutionary process of birth and death. Even though such God-centered activities may be half-finished, they are still good for theexecutor because they will guarantee him a human form in his nextbirth. In this way one can have another chance to improve hisposition on the path of liberation.

How one can execute God-centered activities is elaborately

explained in the Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu, by rla Rpa Gosvm.We have rendered this book into English as The Nectar of Devotion.We recommend this valuable book to all who are interested inperforming their activities in the spirit ofr opaniad.

Bhaktisiddhrtha-tk

It is natural to want to live forever, because we are eternal spiritual

beings. The human quest for immortality is a recognized dynamic of

the human existential condition, not only individually but also

collectively in community, society and political life. We see this

dynamic reflected in great works of art, literature, music and in the

daily struggle for survival by all kinds of living entities. According to

the Vedas this is quite natural.

The spiritual living being in the material world is eternal byconstitution, but because his consciousness is conditioned by a

materialistic ontological orientation, he develops attachments to the

fruits of his work, and thus has to change his body again and again to

satisfy his material desires. This process is called transmigration of the

soul orsasra, the wheel of birth and death, and it operates by thelaw ofkarma-bandhana, willing bondage to the reactions of ones

work.

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If the living entity wants to eat, he has to work. But every activity he

performs creates an unintended reaction of equivalent quality and

quantity. That conservation of energy and information is the law of

material nature, which cannot be broken by the embodied beings, but it

can be transcended.Non-human beings such as animals and plants are also jiva souls going

through the cycle ofsasra, but their embodiments do not permit thecomplete manifestation of the properties of consciousness inherent in

the spirit soul. When the living entity attains a human embodiment,

which does have full consciousness, he gets a rare opportunity to

escape the bondage of karma.

There are three modes of karmic actions and their temporal reactions:goodness (sattva), passion (rajas) and ignorance (tamas). Activities in

the mode of ignorance lead to degradation of consciousness and rebirth

in animal species; activities in the mode of passion lead to a

continuation of material bondage in a human body; and activities in the

mode of goodness gradually lead to higher consciousness and liberation

fromsasra.

In terms of ultimate results, ignorant actions performed through the

misuse of free will that direct one to the lower life forms are called

vikarma. Passionate actions performed to attain specific objects in

terms of prescribed human duties are called karma. Actions in spiritual

consciousness that free one from the cycle of birth and death are called

akarma.

Of these three types of action, foolish people perform vikarma because

it seems to offer immediate gratification; passionate people like karma

because it seems to be a reliable method of attaining material prosperityand success; but intelligent people preferakarma, which frees one from

the reactions ofkarma and vikarma and leads to complete liberation

from temporary material existence.

So the Vedas see three types of everything, including spiritual

conceptions and work. The foolishness performed by ignorant people in

the name of sense enjoyment leads simply to greater ignorance. The

ordinary work men perform for recognition and status in society mayhelp them achieve superior enjoyment of life in this world or in heaven.

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But truly advanced people want to be completely free from the

reactions of work.

Intelligent men regard both good and bad work, karma and vikarma, as

equally binding; attachment and aversion are both based on a

relationship with the material qualities, so they are identical in terms ofthe quality of consciousness they evoke. We do not want to be

controlled by impersonal physical laws, but by the highest principles of

spontaneous ecstatic spiritual love. Consequently the students of the

Esoteric Teaching seek engagement that will free them from the

reactions of both good and bad work. Such liberating work (akarma) is

a very important stage on the path of liberation advocated by ropaniad.

The path ofropaniadis more elaborately explained in the EsotericTeaching ofBhagavad-gt. The Sanskrit term Upaniadderives fromthe roots upanear, nidown andsadto sit, meaning that one

should sit down near a spiritual Master Teacher (guru) in order to

receive instruction in the esoteric tradition orparampar. TheUpaniads are excerpts from the original fourVedas full of the mostessential and important questions and answers between great Vedic

gurus and their disciples.

TheBhagavad-gt sometimes is called Gtopaniad, because it is thecream of the Upaniads spoken by the Supreme Personality ofGodhead Himself.Bhagavad-gt is just like a cow, and Arjuna is justlike a calf who drinks the nectarean creamy milk of the Gt.Bhagavad-gt addresses all the most crucial issues of the Upaniads,and the topics raised by the loka under discussionkarma, akarma,

vikarma and the three modes of karmic action and reactionare veryclearly described inBhagavad-gt.

InBhagavad-gita 3.916 the Personality of Godhead explains how to

attain the state ofnaikarmya, orakarma, by executing the Vedicspiritual process. This process regulates the dynamic spiritual energy of

a human being to produce direct consciousness of the Supreme Being.

When he surrenders to the Supreme Personality of Godhead

Vsudeva or Kahe has attained the experiential stage of positivespiritual knowledge. The material modes of goodness, passion andignorance cannot act on a person in such an exalted state of

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consciousness, and he continues working from that point on the

platform ofnaikarmya by the power of focused vyvasytmikaintelligence [Bhagavad-gita 2.41], releasing him from the karmic cycle

of birth and death.

Offering our work and other actions exclusively for the service andpleasure of the Lord is an attitude that can be carried into all human

activities and experiences. The devotional service mood can engage our

consciousness in the spiritual conception of life in any circumstances.

Factually, human life is complete and perfect as soon as we render

uninterrupted, unmotivated devotional service to the Lord in our

original spiritual consciousness.

However, we experience that in the neophyte stage of spiritual life, wecannot completely stop fruitive work, nor immediately adopt the

exalted moods and activities of pure devotional service. As conditioned

souls, we are accustomed by long habit to working for our own

immediate or extended selfish interest. When the principle of sense

enjoyment is extended to include family, society, nation or humanity in

general, it assumes various attractive names and features such as

altruism, socialism, communism, nationalism and humanitarianism.

Unfortunately, in the absence of a proper connection with the Absolute,these causes are simply very bewildering forms My or illusion, forthey are simply different names and forms ofkarma-bandhana (karmic

bondage), activities leading to an indefinite term of rebirth in the

material world.

The Vedic instruction ofropaniadis that if one actually wants todedicate his life energy to idealistic purposes, then he should apply the

timeless truths of the Esoteric Teaching to make them God-centered.We do not teach dry renunciation of work, but dovetailing ones vital

interests and consuming passions to the ultimate cause of God

consciousness. A student or teacher of the Esoteric Teaching can also

be a family man, an altruist, an environmentalist or a humanitarian,

provided that he dedicates his activities in the spirit ofvasya, theGod-centered ontological conception given in Mantra One ofropaniad.

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nehbhikrama-no stipratyavyo na vidyatesv-alpam apy asya dharmasya

tryate mahato bhayt

In this endeavor there is no loss or diminution, and a littleadvancement on this path can protect one from the most

dangerous type of fear. [Bhagavad-gita 2.40]

God-centered activities are so valuable that even a small investment of

energy in them saves a person from the greatest danger. If a human

being misses the spiritual opportunity offered by this human form of

life, he must be considered a most unfortunate person. Thus the greatest

danger is losing the rare privilege of human life and gliding down againinto the cycle of birth and death in the 8,000,000 subhuman species.

Foolish people cannot see that this is happening because of their

ignorance of the subtle laws of action, consciousness, karma and spirit.

Consequently ropaniadadvises us to exert our energy in the spiritofivsya, the Vedic God-centered ontological conception of life.Being so engaged, we may wish to live for many years, because

everything we do will be good for us. Otherwise the longer we live in

this material world, the more material activities we will perform to

implicate ourselves in the cycle of birth and death.

Trees live for centuries, but what is the benefit in living a life of

ignorance and bondage like a tree? Bellows also breathe, but what is

the value of such mechanical breathing? Dogs and rabbits are very

expert in reproduction, but shall we imitate their lifestyle and morals?

Hogs and camels are very expert in eating, but shall we dedicate our

precious lives to such pastimes?

Therefore the Esoteric Teaching holds that a humble life of God

consciousness is far more valuable in terms of our future prospects than

the colossal hoax of a so-called successful life of service to godless

materialism. When we perform unselfish service activities in the spirit

of isavasya, they become the transcendental service activities ofkarma-yoga, as explained and recommended inBhagavad-gt [entire

Chapter 5, and 18.59]. Even though such God-centered activities maybe imperfect or unfinished, they are still good for us because they

guarantee that we will not be demoted to the animal species, and will

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have at least a human form in the next birth, to get another chance to

progress on the path of liberation.

The Esoteric Teaching explains and encourages us to perform God-

centered activities now, within our human life in this material world.

Our Esoteric Teaching website contains many introductory articles andtraining materials. Also, any serious student of the Esoteric Teaching

should make a careful and detailed study ofBhagavad-gita. The

problem is, very few editions ofBhagavad-gt are published by actualdisciplic descendants of Ka.

Our spiritual masterrla Prabhupda has made a tremendouscontribution in his classic translation and commentary,Bhagavad-gt

As It Is. This powerful book established Ka consciousness inWestern society. Therefore we highly recommend this valuable book toall who are interested in performing their activities in the spiritual

consciousness recommended in ropaniad.

Note: Make sure to read the original or reprint of the 1972 MacMillan

edition ofBhagavad-gt As It Is. Later editions may contain spuriousposthumous editorial changes.

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Mantra Three

asury nma te lokandhena tamasvt

ts te pretybhigacchantiye ke ctma-hano jan

asurymeant for the asuras;nmafamous by the name; tethose; lokplanets; andhenaby ignorance; tamasby

darkness; vtcovered; tnthose planets; tethey;pretyaafter death; abhigacchantienter into; yeanyone; keeveryone;caand; tma-hanathe killers of the soul;janpersons.

The killer of the soul, whoever he may be, must enter intothe planets known as the worlds of the faithless, full of

darkness and ignorance.Human life is distinguished from animal life due to its heavyresponsibilities. Those who are cognizant of these responsibilitiesand who work in that spirit are called suras (godly persons), andthose who are neglectful of these responsibilities or who have noinformation of them are called asuras (demons). Throughout theuniverse there are only these two types of human being. In the gVeda it is stated that the suras always aim at the lotus feet of theSupreme Lord Viu and act accordingly. Their ways are asilluminated as the path of the sun.

Intelligent human beings must always remember that the soulobtains a human form after an evolution of many millions of yearsin the cycle of transmigration. The material world is sometimes

compared to an ocean, and the human body is compared to a solidboat designed especially to cross this ocean. The Vedic scriptures

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and the cryas, or saintly teachers, are compared to expertboatmen, and the facilities of the human body are compared tofavorable breezes that help the boat ply smoothly to its desireddestination. If, with all these facilities, a human being does not fully

utilize his life for self-realization, he must be considered tma-h, akiller of the soul. r opaniad warns in clear terms that the killerof the soul is destined to enter into the darkest region of ignoranceto suffer perpetually.

There are swine, dogs, camels, asses, etc., whose economicnecessities are just as important to them as ours are to us, but the

economic problems of these animals are solved only under nastyand unpleasant conditions. The human being is given all facilitiesfor a comfortable life by the laws of nature because the human formof life is more important and valuable than animal life. Why is mangiven a better life than that of the swine and other animals? Why isa highly placed government servant given better facilities thanthose of an ordinary clerk? The answer is that a highly placed

officer has to discharge duties of a higher nature. Similarly, theduties human beings have to perform are higher than those ofanimals, who are always engaged in simply feeding their hungrystomachs. Yet the modern soul-killing civilization has onlyincreased the problems of the hungry stomach. When we approacha polished animal in the form of a modern civilized man and askhim to take interest in self-realization, he will say that he simply

wants to work to satisfy his stomach and that there is no need ofself-realization for a hungry man. The laws of nature are so cruel,however, that despite his denunciation of the need for self-realization and his eagerness to work hard to fill his stomach, he isalways threatened by unemployment.

We are given this human form of life not to work hard like asses,

swine and dogs but to attain the highest perfection of life. If we donot care for self-realization, the laws of nature force us to work very

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hard, even though we may not want to do so. Human beings in thisage have been forced to work hard like the asses and bullocks thatpull carts. Some of the regions where the asuras are sent to workare revealed in this verse ofr opaniad. If a man fails to

discharge his duties as a human being, he is forced to transmigrateto the asurya planets and take birth in degraded species of life towork hard in ignorance and darkness.

In the Bhagavad-gt (6.41-43) it is stated that a man who entersupon the path of self-realization but does not complete the process,despite having sincerely tried to realize his relationship with God, is

given a chance to appear in a family ofuci or rmat. The word uciindicates a spiritually advanced brhmaa, and rmat indicates avaiya, a member of the mercantile community. So the person whofails to achieve self-realization is given a better chance in his nextlife due to his sincere efforts in this life. If even a fallen candidate isgiven a chance to take birth in a respectable and noble family, onecan hardly imagine the status of one who has achieved success. By

simply attempting to realize God, one is guaranteed birth in awealthy or aristocratic family. But those who do not even make anattempt, who want to be covered by illusion, who are toomaterialistic and too attached to material enjoyment, must enterinto the darkest regions of hell, as confirmed throughout the Vedicliterature. Such materialistic asuras sometimes make a show ofreligion, but their ultimate aim is material prosperity. The

Bhagavad-gt (16.17-18) rebukes such men by calling them tma-sambhvita, meaning that they are considered great only on thestrength of deception and are empowered by the votes of theignorant and by their own material wealth. Such asuras, devoid ofself-realization and knowledge ofvsya, the Lord's universalproprietorship, are certain to enter into the darkest regions.

The conclusion is that as human beings we are meant not simply forsolving economic problems on a tottering platform but for solving

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all the problems of the material life into which we have been placedby the laws of nature.

Bhaktisiddhrtha-tk

Human consciousness is different from animal consciousness because it

can express the full range of the faculties of the soul, including the

highest states of self-realization, spiritual bliss and love of Godhead.

The consequences of this fact include certain responsibilities, both to

oneself and to others. One who has tasted the perfection of spirit

contemplating his own nature automatically follows a markedly

different path than one who is ignorant of the nature of the soul.

Self-realized souls, who use their intelligence to distinguish spirit from

matter, know their eternal nature and accept that the primary

responsibility of one who has received the gift of awakened

consciousness is to awaken others. Those who dedicate their lives and

work to that spirit are calledparamahasas (swanlike saintly persons)orsuras, and those who neglectful or even work against spiritual

responsibility are called asuras (demons).o tad vio parama pada sadpayanti sraya divva cakur-tatamtad viprso vipanyavo jgva sasamindhate vior yat parama padam

Just as those with ordinary vision see the suns rays in the sky,

so the wise and learned devotees always see the supreme abode

of Lord Visnu. Because those highly praiseworthy and

spiritually awake brhmaas can see that abode, they can alsoreveal it to others. [g Veda 1.22.20]

Intelligent people know the value of human life in this material world:

the soul attains human form only after millions of births in the lower

species. The material world is like a dangerous ocean, but the human

form, and especially human intelligence, is a good boat especiallydesigned to cross this ocean. The Vedic scriptures and the Master

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Teachers of the Esoteric Teaching are compared to a reliable captain

and crew, and the human body and mind are like trade winds that help

the boat sail smoothly to its ultimate destination of self-realization.

Vednta-stra begins: athto brahma-jijs. Ath, or now, may bevariously interpreted, and one of the most certain of theseinterpretations is Now, in the human form of life, when we have the

developed senses and intelligence to be successful, let us inquire into

Brahman to attain eternal liberation from material suffering. Vednta-stra is one of the greatest facilities the Lord provides to help us attainself-realization in this life. If, even with all these favorable facilities, an

individual does not fully utilize this valuable opportunity for the

ultimate personal good of self-realization, he is certainly tm-ha, thekiller of his own soul.

A demoniac person is always against Gods supremacy. He has no faith

in the scriptures, and in fact he is envious of both the scriptures and the

Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is puffed up by false material

prestige and accumulation of wealth and strength. He does not know

that the present life is a preparation for the next life. Not knowing this,

he is factually envious of his own self. He commits terrible offenses,

causing unnecessary suffering to others and himself. He flaunts thesupreme control of the Personality of Godhead because he does not

know that God loves him unconditionally and intends only the highest

good for him.

The demoniac soul uses bad logic to make false arguments against

scriptural authority. He thinks his power is independent, and that he can

act in any way and no one can stop him. He concocts diabolical plans to

eliminate anyone who might check his sensual activities. ropaniadclearly warns such a killer of his own soul that his evilpurposes and nefarious activities destine him for a lower level of

consciousness, full of suffering in material existence without relief.

Why is man given a better life than that of animals and plants? We see

that this material world is full of species whose welfare is just as

important to them as ours is to us. But by natures law, the necessities

of the lower species are served under unpleasant conditions. Human

beings get nice facilities and a relatively comfortable existence becausethe human form is more important and valuable than animal life.

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For example, we see that an important government officer gets nicer

quarters than an ordinary soldier. The officer deserves better facilities

because he has to discharge more important duties. Similarly, human

beings should perform higher duties than the animals, who are simply

interested in food and other material concerns.Modern materialistic civilization has made it seem like the only

problem of life is to get more money. When we ask a modern civilized

man about self-realization, he will sincerely say, There is no need for

that; I will work to satisfy my senses, and I have no need or hunger for

self-realization. The laws of nature are inexorable, however, and

despite his denial of the need for self-realization, he still will have to

face inevitable death.

We are not given the valuable human form of life to work hard like

animals for material goals. The overriding purpose of human existence

is to attain the highest perfection of life. If we do not pursue self-

realization, the laws of nature force us to work, like the asses and

bullocks

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Sri ad Babaji