BG 4.

Bombay

March 25, 1974

HDG Srila Prabhupada

https://www.youtube.com/live/3tJAPZECK3w?si=RMG5jkmHBnzXO64P

https://prabhupadavani.org/transcriptions/740325bgbom/

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

bahūni me vyatītāni

janmāni tava cārjuna

tāny ahaṁ veda sarvāṇi

na tvaṁ vettha parantapa

śrī-bhagavān uvāca — the Personality of Godhead said; bahūni — many; me — of Mine; vyatītāni —
have passed; janmāni — births; tava — of yours; ca — and also; arjuna — O Arjuna; tāni — those; aham
— I; veda — do know; sarvāṇi — all; na — not; tvam — you; vettha — know; parantapa — O subduer of
the enemy.

Translation :-

The Personality of Godhead said: Many, many births both you and I have passed. I can remember all of
them, but you cannot, O subduer of the enemy!

Purport:-

In the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.33) we have information of many, many incarnations of the Lord. It is stated
there:

advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam

ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca

vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

"I worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda [Kṛṣṇa], who is the original person — absolute,
infallible, without beginning. Although expanded into unlimited forms, He is still the same original, the
oldest, and the person always appearing as a fresh youth. Such eternal, blissful, all-knowing forms of the
Lord are usually understood by the best Vedic scholars, but they are always manifest to pure, unalloyed
devotees."

It is also stated in Brahma-saṁhitā (5.39):

rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan

nānāvatāram akarod bhuvaneṣu kintu

kṛṣṇaḥ svayaṁ samabhavat paramaḥ pumān yo

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

"I worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda [Kṛṣṇa], who is always situated in various
incarnations such as Rāma, Nṛsiṁha and many subincarnations as well, but who is the original
Personality of Godhead known as Kṛṣṇa, and who incarnates personally also."

In the Vedas also it is said that the Lord, although one without a second, manifests Himself in
innumerable forms. He is like the vaidurya stone, which changes color yet still remains one. All those
multiforms are understood by the pure, unalloyed devotees, but not by a simple study of the Vedas
(vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau). Devotees like Arjuna are constant companions of the
Lord, and whenever the Lord incarnates, the associate devotees also incarnate in order to serve the
Lord in different capacities. Arjuna is one of these devotees, and in this verse it is understood that some
millions of years ago when Lord Kṛṣṇa spoke the Bhagavad-gītā to the sun-god Vivasvān, Arjuna, in a
different capacity, was also present. But the difference between the Lord and Arjuna is that the Lord
remembered the incident whereas Arjuna could not remember. That is the difference between the
part-and-parcel living entity and the Supreme Lord. Although Arjuna is addressed herein as the mighty
hero who could subdue the enemies, he is unable to recall what had happened in his various past births.
Therefore, a living entity, however great he may be in the material estimation, can never equal the
Supreme Lord. Anyone who is a constant companion of the Lord is certainly a liberated person, but he
cannot be equal to the Lord. The Lord is described in the Brahma-saṁhitā as infallible (acyuta), which
means that He never forgets Himself, even though He is in material contact. Therefore, the Lord and the
living entity can never be equal in all respects, even if the living entity is as liberated as Arjuna. Although
Arjuna is a devotee of the Lord, he sometimes forgets the nature of the Lord, but by the divine grace a
devotee can at once understand the infallible condition of the Lord, whereas a nondevotee or a demon
cannot understand this transcendental nature. Consequently these descriptions in the Gītā cannot be
understood by demonic brains. Kṛṣṇa remembered acts which were performed by Him millions of years
before, but Arjuna could not, despite the fact that both Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna are eternal in nature. We may
also note herein that a living entity forgets everything due to his change of body, but the Lord
remembers because He does not change His sac-cid-ānanda body. He is advaita, which means there is
no distinction between His body and Himself. Everything in relation to Him is spirit — whereas the
conditioned soul is different from his material body. And because the Lord's body and self are identical,
His position is always different from that of the ordinary living entity, even when He descends to the
material platform. The demons cannot adjust themselves to this transcendental nature of the Lord,
which the Lord Himself explains in the following verse.

*✧═════•❁❀❁•═════✧*

Lecture:-

Bhagavad-gītā 4.5

Date: March 25, 1974

Location: Bombay

Pradyumna: [leads chanting of verse, etc.] [Prabhupāda and devotees repeat]

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

bahūni me vyatītāni

janmāni tava cārjuna

tāny ahaṁ veda sarvāṇi

na tvaṁ vettha parantapa

[Bg. 4.5]

[break] [02:58]

Translation = "The Blessed Lord said = Many, many births both you and I have passed. I can remember
all of them, but you cannot, O subduer of the enemy."

Prabhupāda: Śrī bhagavān uvāca. We have already explained the meaning of bhagavān in connection
with the first verse. Still, again we are repeating, bhagavān... Bhaga means opulence, and when the
Sanskrit affix is there, vat-pratyaya, one who possesses opulence, he's called bhagavān. So it is described
by Parāśara Muni that,

aiśvaryasya samagrasya

vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ

jñāna-vairāgyayoś caiva

ṣaṇṇāṁ itī bhagam ganā

[Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47]

Bhagavān means who possesses these six opulences in full = all riches, all strength, all influence, all
wisdom, all beauty, all renunciation. So it has been analyzed how we possess all these opulences, and it
has been found by the great sages that Kṛṣṇa is the possessor of all opulences---all beauty, all wisdom.
Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ. The supreme possessor is Kṛṣṇa. Sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ, anādir ādir govindaḥ
sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam [Bs. 5.1].

So Bhagavān is individual; we are also individual, part and parcel. Just like the father is individual, and
the sons are also individual. We are all sons of God. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ jīva-loke... [Bg. 15.7]. So
we are all individual. In the Second Chapter, Kṛṣṇa said that "We all---you, Me, and all the soldiers and
the kings who have assembled here---they were existing before as individual, and we are existing now as
individual, and in future also we shall exist as individual." So that is being explained again. Bahūni me
vyatītāni janmāni tava cārjuna. As individual, we are taking birth. That Kṛṣṇa's birth will be explained in
the next verse = ajo 'pi sann avyayātmā. Ajaḥ. Ajaḥ means "who does not take birth." We are also aja. Na
janma... What is that? Na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācin na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre [Bg. 2.20], nityaḥ
śāśvato 'yaṁ purāṇaḥ. That is the description of the living entities. A living entity, as we are, we also do
not take birth. We are eternal, part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is eternal; we are also eternal. Kṛṣṇa is
individual; we are also individual. The difference is that He is īśvaraḥ paramaḥ, He's the supreme
controller, and we are... We are also controller, but limited, very minute controller. That is the
difference. God is great, and we are a small particle. That is the difference.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa said that "I also take My birth, and you also take your birth, but the difference is..." Tāny
ahaṁ veda: "I know how many times I took birth, but you... You also took, many times, but you have
forgotten." That is the difference. Tāny ahaṁ veda sarvāṇi na tvaṁ vettha parantapa [Bg. 4.5]. "You
cannot remember." Actually, we do not remember. What I was in my last birth, I do not know. Death
means forgetfulness. Death means to forget everything. Just like daytime and nighttime. Nighttime also,
when we sleep, we forget all our business in daytime. We have got every day experience = We are
different person at night. We are dreaming something, dreamland, somewhere I have gone, and forget
that I have got a body which is lying on the bed; I am the father of such and such sons, I am the husband
of such and such... No, you forget everything. And again, in the daytime, you forget everything what you
dreamed. This is our practical experience.

Similarly, we had our last birth, but we have forgotten. But Kṛṣṇa does not forget. That is the difference
between Kṛṣṇa and the living entity. I have explained already = we forget because we change body.
Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ [Bg. 2.13]. Dehāntara-prāptiḥ, we do not know what kind of body I had in my
last life or what kind of body I am going to accept next life, but there is the law = tathā dehāntara-
prāptiḥ. But Kṛṣṇa does not forget. He knows. That is perfect knowledge. And because we are imperfect,
we do not... When we'll be perfect also, we'll remember. But that is, means, spiritual life, no more
material body. That can be also possible. It is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti
mām eti kaunteya [Bg. 4.9]. So when we go to Kṛṣṇa, we get the similar body. Although we are
subordinate, still, the facility is almost the same, seventy-eight percent.

So about Kṛṣṇa it is, in the Brahma-saṁhitā, it is said,

advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam

ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

[Bs. 5.33]

Advaita acyuta anādi ananta-rūpa. Kṛṣṇa can expand Himself---ananta-rūpam. Ananta means unlimited.
Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati [Bg. 18.61]. Now,
we are individual souls. So we are also associated with Kṛṣṇa, as Paramātmā within the heart.
Paramātmā is there. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ [Bg. 15.15]. Where the Paramātmā is there, that is
also stated = hṛdi, "in the heart." Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ. There is no, I mean to say, mistake.
Kṛṣṇa says, "I stay within the heart of everyone." They are sitting, two birds---that is stated in the
Upaniṣads---sitting on one tree. This body is tree, and Paramātmā and jīvātmā, both of them are sitting
on the same tree. The jīvātmā is relishing the fruit of the tree, and Paramātmā is only observer.
Paramātmā is observer. Anumantā upadraṣṭā. Upadraṣṭā, simply seeing our activities. Kṛṣṇa is so kind,
God is so kind, that He is living with me just to turn my face towards Him. He's so..., just looking after the
opportunity when this living entity...

mamaivāṁśo jīva-loke

jīva-loke sanātanaḥ

manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi

prakṛti-sthāni karṣati

[Bg. 15.7]

He is struggling for existence in this material world with his concocted mind and senses.

So Kṛṣṇa is looking for the opportunity when the living entity will come back to Him, because we are all
sons. So father, if the son is bewildered, gone out of the home and loitering in the street, the father is
very anxious to get him back, although the son has forgotten. This is the position. Therefore, as
Paramātmā, He's guiding us. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ: "I am sitting in everyone's heart." Mattaḥ
smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca [Bg. 15.15] = from Him, we get the remembrance. I wanted to enjoy
something. Kṛṣṇa gives us full opportunity = "Now here is the opportunity. You can do it." Anumantā.
He's so kind. But that is not our actual business. Our actual business is to go back to home, back to
Godhead, not to enjoy in this material world. But still, because we want it, Kṛṣṇa gives us all facilities.
Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca [Bg. 15.15]. If we want to enjoy this material world, Kṛṣṇa will give
us all the opportunities. You can become the topmost living entity like Lord Brahmā, and you can
become an insignificant ant, according to your karma. Anumantā upadraṣṭā.

So this is going on. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona
bhāgyavān jīva [Cc. Madhya 19.151]. In this way, we are wandering all over the universe as some body---
sometimes human being, sometimes demigods, sometimes cats, sometimes dogs, sometimes tree,
sometimes plant, sometimes insect, sometimes Brahmā, sometimes ant, sometimes pig. Anything. There
are 8,400,000 species of life. So this is our circulation. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that tava cārjuna. "As
Paramātmā, I am with you always. And you are changing so many bodies." Of course, Arjuna did not
change, because he's devotee. He is accompanying Kṛṣṇa always. Sakhā ceti. Bhakto 'si sakhā ceti. So
he's friend. He takes his birth as human being whenever Kṛṣṇa wants. Kṛṣṇa has His associates. When He
comes on this planet in this universe, He comes with His associates. So the Pāṇḍavas, they are Kṛṣṇa's
eternal associates. Although associate, still, Arjuna forgets about his previous birth because he's human
being, whereas Kṛṣṇa remembers.

So Kṛṣṇa also takes birth, very many incarnation.

rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan

nānāvatāram akarod bhuvaneṣu kintu

kṛṣṇaḥ svayaṁ samabhavat paramaḥ pumān yo

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

[Bs. 5.39]

This is stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā. Kṛṣṇa is appearing in so many incarnations. Just try to understand
what is the position of Kṛṣṇa. He is situated as Paramātmā in everyone's heart, īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati [Bg. 18.61], and He's giving direction to everyone. And there are unlimited,
innumerable living entities. So He has to give instruction in different ways to so many living entities. How
much busy He is, just try to imagine. Still, His position is the same = goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-
bhūtaḥ [Bs. 5.37]. Goloka eva nivasati. Kṛṣṇa is still in His own original place, Goloka Vṛndāvana, and He's
enjoying in the company of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. That business is... It is not the Māyāvādī philosophy.
Because He has expanded Himself in so many hearts of the living entities, that does not mean that He is
finished in His own abode. No. Still He's there. That is Kṛṣṇa. Pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam
evāvaśiṣyate [Īśo Invocation]. This is the Vedic information.

Even the... Here we have got material experience. If you have got one rupee, if you take one anna, then
it is fifteen annas. Or if you take two annas, it is fourteen annas. If you take sixteen annas, it becomes
zero. But Kṛṣṇa is not like that. He can expand Himself unlimited forms; still, the original Kṛṣṇa is there.
That is Kṛṣṇa. We have got experience = one minus one equal to zero. But there, in the spiritual world...
That is called Absolute. One minus..., millions times one minus, still, the original one is one. That is
Kṛṣṇa. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam [Bs. 5.33].

So that Kṛṣṇa you cannot understand vedeṣu, simply by studying Vedic literature, although the Vedas
means, Vedānta means, to understand Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ [Bg. 15.15]. But
unfortunately, because we do not take the shelter of Kṛṣṇa or His devotee, we cannot understand what
is the purpose of Vedas. That will be explained in the Seventh Chapter. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha...
Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. Mad-āśrayaḥ. Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ
yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu [Bg. 7.1]. If you want to understand Kṛṣṇa asaṁśayam, without any doubt, and
samagram, and in full, then you have to practice this yoga system.

What is that yoga? Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. Mad-āśrayaḥ
yogaṁ yuñj... Yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. Mad-āśrayaḥ, this word is very significant. Mat means...
"Either you take directly...," that is not very easy thing, "...shelter of Me, or one who has taken shelter of
Me, you take shelter of him." Just like there is electric powerhouse, and there is a plug. That plug is
connected with the electric powerhouse, and if you push your wire in the plug, you also get electricity.
Similarly, as it is stated in the beginning of this chapter, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ
[Bg. 4.2]. If you take shelter of the paramparā system... The same example = If you take the shelter of
the plug which is connected with the powerhouse, you get immediately electricity. Similarly, if you take
shelter of a person who is coming in the paramparā system...

There is a paramparā system. Kṛṣṇa, He instructed Lord Brahmā. Lord Brahmā instructed Nārada. Nārada
instructed Vyāsadeva. Vyāsadeva instructed Madhvācārya. Madhvācārya instructed in so many ways.
Then Mādhavendra Purī. The Mādhavendra Purī, Īśvara Purī. From Īśvara Purī, Lord Caitanya. In this way,
there is a paramparā system. There are four Vaiṣṇava sampradāyas: the Rudra-sampradāya, Brahma-
sampradāya, Kumāra-sampradāya, and Lakṣmī-sampradāya, Śrī-sampradāya. So sampradāya-vihīnā ye
mantrās te niṣphalā matāḥ [Padma Purāṇa]. If you do not receive instruction of Kṛṣṇa from the
sampradāya, then niṣphalā matāḥ, then whatever you have learned, it is useless. It is useless. That is the
defect. So many people are studying Bhagavad-gītā, but they do not understand what is Kṛṣṇa, because
they do not receive through the evaṁ paramparā-prāptam [Bg. 4.2]. The paramparā, unless you go to
the paramparā... The same example = if you do not take electricity from the plug which is connected
with the powerhouse, what is the use of your bulb and wire? It has no use.

Therefore how Kṛṣṇa is expanding, it is vedeṣu durlabha. If you simply have got academic knowledge,
then it will not be possible. Vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau [Bs. 5.33]. This is the
statement of Brahma-saṁhitā. Adurlabham ātma-bhaktau. One who is Kṛṣṇa's devotee, pure devotee...,

anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ

jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam

ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-

śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā

[Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.11]

Pure devotee means he has no other desire, no material desire. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam, zero. So what is
that? Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam [Cc. Madhya 19.167]. Jñāna and karma and bhakti.
Bhakti is anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam, but jñāna is abhilāṣi..., there is desire for liberation = to become one
with the Supreme. So that also should be given up. Jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam. Not by covered by the
speculative process or fruitive activities. Jñāna-karma..., ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam: simply favorably
cultivating Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Ānukūlyena... That is bhaktir uttamā. That is first-class bhakti. And if it is
mixed up, anyābhi..., with material desire or spiritual emancipation or fruitive activities, then it is not
pure devotee.

So if you can approach such pure devotee... As it is stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā, adurlabham ātma-
bhaktau. This is ātma-bhaktau, a pure devotee. He can deliver you Kṛṣṇa = "Take Kṛṣṇa. Here is Kṛṣṇa."
Kṛṣṇa-prema... That is... The symbolic representation is Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He's described by
Rūpa Gosvāmī:

namo mahā-vadānyāya

kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te

kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-

nāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ

[Cc. Madhya 19.53]

When Rūpa Gosvāmī... He was minister in the government of Nawab Hussain Shah. At that time, very
exalted personality. He could understand Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. Therefore when he first met
Him at Allahabad, Prayāga, he offered his respect with these words = namo mahā-vadānyāya, the most
munificent incarnation. Why? Kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te: "You are distributing kṛṣṇa-prema. It is very
difficult to understand Kṛṣṇa, but You are so kind that You are immediately delivering love of Kṛṣṇa."

You can know one person. But to develop love for him, that is another transaction. So people cannot
understand even Kṛṣṇa, and what is the saying of Kṛṣṇa's love? But Caitanya Mahāprabhu is so kind that
He's immediately giving kṛṣṇa-prema, love of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore He is described as the most munificent
incarnation. Kṛṣṇa Himself could not deliver Himself. He wanted, "First of all you surrender." Sarva-
dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja [Bg. 18.66]. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu is so kind. Simply
through this chanting and dancing, He is distributing love of Kṛṣṇa. You can see practically. These boys
from European and American countries, means all over the world, why they are chanting and dancing in
this way? Do you think they have become mad? And one says, "Yes, they have become mad." Why? For
love of Kṛṣṇa. Now they have began, they have become lover of Kṛṣṇa. So kṛṣṇa-prema is like that. That
is through the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the symbolic representation of devotee. Bhaktāvatāraṁ

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu

kaścid yatati siddhaye

kaścin vetti māṁ tattvataḥ

[Bg. 7.3]

To understand Kṛṣṇa as He is, it is difficult. But if you take to this process of devotional service:

śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ

smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam

arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ

sakhyam ātma-nivedanam

[SB 7.5.23]

Either of these process---all the process or either of these---you become successful to develop your
dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and then your life becomes successful.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya... [break] [end]