The learned sages inform us that one who takes his birth in the holy land of Bharatvarsa (India) by the gradual process of evolution after passing through eighty four lacs of species of life such as nine lacs of species of aquatic animals, twenty lacs of species of vegetables hills and other non-moving embodiments of life, eleven lacs species of germs and insect life, ten lacs species of bird's life, thirty lacs of species of lower animals and four lacs of species of human beings. The living spirit transmigrates from one species of life to another and it is moving in that way for crores and crores of years within the hollow of the great universe. The living spirit soul is for this reason described as all pervasive. We have in this connection already quoted a passage from 'Sree Chaitanya Charitamrita' in which it is said that one who has by chance taken his birth in the holy land of 'Bharatavarsa', can render the supreme benefit to others, after he has (indistinct) him by self-realisation. Factually also, in no country other than in India, the great sages have endeavoured so much for the realisation of the spirit self. It is admitted that in western countries the people have done their best to improve in the culture of material sciences around the centre or the material body and the mind. But it is admitted also that not withstanding all such advancement of material knowledge, the people in general there are suffering under the pangs of the poisonous effects of materialism as they cared very little for the culture of spiritual science. Great thinkers of the western countries are therefore looking on the people of India as to when the message of Godhead and spiritualism in the real sense of the term will reach to their ears.
Sree Krishna the Personality of Godhead has therefore discussed in the pages of 'Bhagwat Geeta' about work with transcendental effects or 'Karmayoga' inorder to pour water on the fire of the pangs of materialism after deliberate consideration for the future of human kind.
There is a great difference between work for material gain and the work with transcendental effects. The Personality of Godhead has, in many places of Bhagwat Geeta, mentioned the word 'Buddhiyoga' or intelligence with transcendental effects. And by this 'Buddhiyoga' one can understand transcendental or devotional activities. For the Personality of Godhead has said that He always favours his devotees by the endowing them with the intelligence of devotional activities so that Hisdevotees may at the end attain to Him. It is said in other places also that God is attainable through devotional activities only. We can get rid of the effects of work only by the intelligent process of work with transcendental effect. In the 2nd chapter of Bhagwat Geeta the Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna has advised as follows:- "So far I have explained to you about transcendental knowledge, now I shall explain to you about work with transcendental effects. By this work with transcendental effects, you can get rid of the bondage of ordinary work. There is no retrogression of this process neither this process of work deteriorates at any time. Even if very little of this work is done, it can save one from the greatest trouble."
Pure devotional activity is one variety only. But how this devotional activities can be co-ordinated with our daily active life, has been explained in the 'Bhagwat Geeta'. When such devotional activities are coordinated with our daily activities, it is technically known at "Karmayoga". The same devotional activities when they are mixed with the culture of knowledge, it is technically called "Jnanayoga". But when such devotional activities transcends the limits of all such work or mental knowledge, it is called pure transcendental devotion or "Bhaktiyoga".
Everything that we perform in this world begets different & respective results. When we begin to enjoy the fruits of such performances, such actions also produce in their turn further different results as a matter of course. Thus we have a big tree of such actions and reactions with respective fruits and as enjoyer of those fruits we become bound up in the network of such work and its fruit. Birth after birth, the soul spirit becomee bound up in the process of producing such fruits and enjoying the same under different species of life, nummerically eighty-four lacs of species as above mentioned, and the spirit soul overwhelmingly suffers those created reactions. But still we have very little chance of abdicating the bondage of work and enjoying its fruitive results. Even after abdication of all work and accepting the order of a 'Sannyasin' or renouncer, one has to work simply for the reason of his hungry stomach. Sankaracharya the great monist philosopher & religious reformer, said therefore that simply for the matter of stomach one may not change one dress after another. Therefore there is no way out, without doing work even for the belly's sake. The Personality of Godhead Sree Krishna therefore advised Marshall Arjuna in the following words. He said, "Oh Arjuna, you must always do your duty. To do something is far better than to do nothing. Even your ordinary livelihood cannot be prosecuted without doing any work."
Work-means the work that is ordered in scriptures or law books. These are standard specified duties. Such work is far better than laziness under a pretention of a renouncer or a mystic. For livelihood one can honorably adopt the profession of a street cooly but one must not change his dress from white to red or someother pattern or colour simply to fill up the empty stomach. In the present age of quarrel and pretention, one may prefer to do the ordinary prescribed duties than to adopt the order of a renouncers life called the "Sannyasin". Those who are bonafide renouncers, may not give up performing his prescribed duties, otherwise there will disaster plain & simple. When we cannot prosecute our livelihood without doing any work, how it is possible to give up the prescribed duties of a particular order of life. But yet one must not forget the difficult position of one's being in the network of actions and reactionary existence by which the spirit soul becomes boundup in material existance. And to solve this dilema the Personality of Godhead Sree Krishna said just after as follows:
"The best policy of doing work is to perform all prescribed duties for the satisfaction of "Jajna" or the Supreme Being Vishnu the Absolute Truth. Otherwise all actions will produce respective reactions which will cause bondage. If work is done for the sake of "Jajna", then one can become free from all bondages."
This policy of work or prescribed duties which does not cause any bondage, is called work with transcendental effect or "Karmayoga". By such work with transcendental effect or "Karmayoga" one does not only become immune from the bondage of work but also one develops his transcendental devotion towards the Absolute Personality of Godhead. One must not enjoy the fruits of his work himself, but must dedicate the same for the transcendental loving service of the Personality of Godhead. This is the first stepping stone for ascending the ladder of devotional activities.
Lord Chaitanya instructed this process of devotional service or work with transcendental effect-to Sreela Rupa Goswami at Dasaswandha Ghat in Prayag. He said, "one who is fortunate only, can got the seed of transcendental loving service, by the mercy of Sree Krishna the Personality of Godhead and that of the Spiritual Master. "Karmayoga" or work with transcendental effect-is the seed of Pure Devotional activities. This is taught by Sree Krishna Himself or by His bonafide confidential servants. Unless one takes his lessons from such sources as above mentioned, one must misunderstand the import of "Karmayoga" which is so much advertised by ordinary mundaners.
We have to earn more wealth just in order to pull on with our matarial existence. In exchange of that wealth, we have to secure the necessities of life and primarily we have to cook something for hungry stomach. For if we do not eat, we cannot live a healthy life and if we do not keep healthy body, it is very difficult to earn our livelihood. It is very difficult to ascertain as to which is the cause of the other. For this we can describe this process of reciprocity as the wheel of work. And to travel all over the universe is to circumbulate this wheel of work. There is no account of our such circumbulation and the concomitant distress following such travel of life after life for the illusory happiness which is compared to the will-o-the-wisp. In the capacity of a false enjoyer without any obedience to the Supreme Power, the living soul searches permanent happiness life after life, but he does not know where is the real happiness. Therefore, Prahlad Maharaja said that no one knows that his ultimate goal of selfrealisation is to reach "Vishnu" the All powerful Godhead.
Without knowing the goal of our self-realisation we are voyaging on the coean of material existence aimlessly life after life and we cannot ascertain the volume of our distresses in undertaking such an (indistinct) journey of life tossed over the waves of actions & reactions. Here we must know that our goal of voyage is to reach the Absolute Truth 'Vishnu' the All pervading Godhead. Sree Krishna confirmed this goal of life by saying that everything must be performed for the satisfaction of Vishnu or 'Jajna'. In the Rig Veda the same aphorism is described as Vishnu is the Supreme Diety and as such all other gods or the 'Suroyos' look to Him (Vishnu) and His Lotus Feet. The author of the 'Vedas' is the Personality of Godhead Himself. As such "Bhagwat Geeta" is the finest substance of all the teachings in the Vedas (the Book of Knowledge) and there is no doubt about it. The instruction is therefore that we must do everything for the satisfaction of Vishnu & Vishnu only if we want to get rid of the bondage that is made by the circle of our work.
The people, who were the followers of the "Varnashram Dharma" or "Sanatan Dharma" or the institution of the four sections of castes and four orders of the mode of life, and who are now misnamed as the Hindus-and their forefathers especially those who were really situated on the higher status of society namely the Brahmins, Kshatrias and Vaishyas-all used to lead the life of 'Vaishnavaism' or doing everything centering round the Supreme Diety 'Vishnu'. In all the four orders of life especially the order of life which was known as the life of the householders-'Vishnu' was being worshipped particularly. The Brahmins more particularly used to worship 'Vishnu' without fail and as such even at the present moment the descendants of the these 'Brahmins' still continue to worship 'Vishnu' as their family diety as a matter of formality.
Such people, as mentioned in the previous part, used to do everything for the sake of Vishnu. They used to earn wealth, according to their capacity for the service of Vishnu, in exchange of wealth they used to acquire eatables, and the eatables were cooked for the worship of Vishnu and the remnents of Vishnu or the Prasadam offered to Vishnu were accepted by them. That was possible in the days gone by or what is still being done in some place or other, can be made possible in all spheres of life even now by a little adjustment only suitable to the time, place and the people. By doing so, everyone can get rid of the bondage of the network of actions and reactions. The learned sages say that to approach the lotus feet of Vishnu is to get liberation. By satisfying the transcendental senses of Vishnu we can satisfy our ordinary desires and this is the ultimate goal of "Karmayoga" or the work with transcendental effect. If we do not perform our duties in such a line of actions for the satisfaction of Vishnu, certainly all & every work done by us will produce nothing but poisonous effect of matters and ultimately there will be disaster in the world. By doing everything for the satisfaction of Vishnu and taking the remnants of the offerings made to Vishnu, we can get rid of the vices that accumulate in the course of our performing the prescribed duties, the vices and sins do accumulate in the course of performing the prescribed duties even if we take as much cautions against those vices and sins. Even in the course of doing ordinary business of exchanges & barters we have to commit so many sins by speaking lies and not to speak of the volumes of lies that is practised by the profession of law. Because the lawyers take advantage of all the sinister laws in order to rid of one law in which they become professionally entangled. Those who are in service or other professions, they have also to do the same thing without fail. Intentionally or unintentionally one has to commit such sins and vices without any doubt. Even if we take all the necessary precautions to guard ourselves against the commitment of all much sins, for the 'Vaishnavites' or the devotees of Vishnu naturally do take all such precautions,-we do kill unconsciously many ants and insects during the course of discharging even the most ordinary duty such as going from one place to another or even during the time of drinking plain water which is full of aquatics and insects. We have to kill many such lives even during the time of cleaning our houses & rooms. We cannot get rid of all the sins & vices that are committed during the course of eating, sleeping and unconsciously we have to commit sometimes the act of the slaughtering of innocent lives, unlawful acts, anti-social activities and many undesirable actions imperceived in the ordinary course of life.
In the laws made by man, it may be accepted that a man may be hanged on when he commits homicide but he is not hanged when he kills other lower animals. But in the laws of God, one commits the same sin by killing a lower animal as much as he does by killing a man. We are punished by the laws of God in our both actions as above mentioned. Those who do not believe in the laws of God or His existence, may go on comitting such sins and may not come to the senses of the volume of sufferings they are put into for all such commitment of sins, but that does not efface the existence of Godhead or His eternal laws. In the law book known as the "Smritis," there are indications of five sins which every one must have to commit without fall. They are as follows :- 1) Sins committed by itching. (2) Sins committed by rubbing. (3) Sins committed while burning the fire. (4) Sins committed while pouring water from the pot. (5) and since committed while cleaning the house. In other words it may be noted that even if we do not commit any specific order of sin, we have to commit the above five kinds of sins without any shadow of doubt. As such it is our duty to take the remnants of the offerings made to Vishnu in all circumstances in order to get rid of all sins committed unconsciously and unavoidably. As such those who do not cook foodstuff for offering the same to Vishnu but cook such foodstuff only for the satisfaction of their taste, they have to undergo all punishments for committing all sins consciously or unconsciously during the course of discharging the prescribed duties. And for this reason we can still deserve the worship of Vishnu in the households of the followers of "Sanatan Dharma" and especially in the household of the Brahmins.
It is therefore desired that those who lead the members of their respective country or community, may regulate, all their duties towards the people by satisfying the transcendental senses of Vishnu for their own benefit as well as for the benefit of those whom they profess to lead on. It is incumbent for them to ponder over the subject as to how they can discharge their duties by satisfying the transcendental senses of Vishnu-for what they shall perform will be followed by the respective followers of such leaders. The Personality of Godhead Sree Krishna said therefore to Arjuna as follows:-
"What is done by the leader is followed by the ordinary man. What the leader establishes as the truth, the followers take to them unhesitatingly."
But alas, the time has already approached when the leaders, who are considered as beconlight of the ordinary men, are themselves mostly athiestic to the bottom of their heart and are against the tenets and principles laid down by Godhead. As such what they can do for the satisfaction of the transcendental senses of Vishnu? And if they do not do everything for the satisfaction of the transcendental senses of Godhead, how they can expect to drag on themselves or their followers from the mire of sins & vices that are committing in the course of discharging the prescribed duties. If the leaders do not approve of the existence of the All Powerful 'Vishnu' who is simultaneously both a transcendental Personality Impersonal Spirit existing everywhere, then what will the ordinary men understand about Him as such. He is the Supreme Enjoyer of everything that be and as such none of us however great we maybe, can be the enjoyer of the universe and its parapharnalias. Our position being subordinate to the position of the Allmighty 'Vishnu' or the supreme Godhead (Iswara) we can enjoy only what comes from Him as a token of favour. We must not enjoy anything what is not offered by Him. We should not make any extra effort to obtain anything which belongs to Him or others. That is 'Vaishnavism'. In the Isopanishad the same thing is described as follows :—
"Whatever we see existing on the face of the universe is integratically the property of the Supreme Enjoyer, and one must enjoy a thing what is kindly given by Him but one must not even touch the property of others."
It is therefore incumbent on the part of public leaders that they should regulate their activities round the center of "Vishnu" and by this act of transcendental work, they will themselves be benefitted and shall be able to do good to their respective followers. If the public leaders, preachers and the executive heads of States do not do this act of Vaishnavaism-and instead pose themselves artificially in the exhalted position of Vishnu the Supreme Enjoyer, then they might themselves be benefitted in respect of temporary gain, adoration and mundane fame and delude their unfortunate followers from the right path by a false exhibition of renouncement but they will never be able to do any good to them except that the ignorant followers will face destruction as the flock of ship [sheep] who follow the leader in order to be destroyed in the slaughter house. By such leadership, the leader himself is temporarily benefitted but the followers are put into the worst position. The leaders falsely incite them for an illusory gain and thus engage them is various acts of sins. Such leaders sacrifice the real interest of the followers but make themselves benefitted by temporary gains by destroying the followers. Such leaders do not know that their temporary gains will vanish away along with the destruction of their temporary material body, but the act of commission and omissions made by them during their lifetime leadership, will remain in the pshycic encagement of mind, intelligence and false egoism is a very subtle form and the subtle psychic life will develop again in another suitable body by the process of transmigration of the spirit soul and thus put them in ordeals of different wheels of actions & reactions by obliging them to transmigrate from one body to another for many many years. The people is general do follow what the leaders, without any transcendental knowledge, ask them to do. The leaders therefore must beware of this fact for the benefit of all concerned. The leaders must know first of all how they can do good for their followers by understanding the real method of "Karmayoga" or work with transcendental effect. If the physician is himself a diseased fellow how he can endeavour to heal others. The physician must heal himself first. Without knowing or diagnosing the actual disease of the general public as well as of his ownself-if the leaders do the acts of a physician how can they heal the follower patients or themselves even? To gratify the senses of the diseased fellow is not the businese of a real physician. The physician cannot oblige the patient by merely satisfying him but a good physician who has the necessary qualification-must prescribe the real medicine may it satisfy the senses of the patient or not. The leaders must therefore must know that the real disease of the people in general is their aversion to serve the Almighty Godhead Vishnu. So without prosecuting treatment of the inherent disease of the people in general, if the leaders simply show a superfluous sympathy for the symptoms of the great malady of atheism, certainly there will be no benefit whatsoever for the suffering humanity? The real remedy for such disease lies in the partaking of the remnants of the offerings made to Godhead, as diet for the patient and to receive aurally the glories of Godhead, or to enchant His glories by mouth to remember his glories in the mind, to worship the transcendental form of Godhead, to offer Him transcendental services, to accept Him as the supreme friend and lastly to surrender unto Him in all circumstances-are the various medicines for such diseases. The leaders should therefore arrange for such diet and medicines as above mentioned, if they want really to dissipate the sufferings of humanity factually.
It is however pleasing to a know that the veteren leader Mahatma Gandhi is trying his best by specific method invented by him to bring in Godly atmosphere over the world by practicing restraint, toleration, moral principles etc, but it is not possible to reach the ultimate by any novel inventory method which is always limited. The Personality of Godhead Sree Krishna has therefore said in the Bhagwat Geeta that the sages who are very much learned do surrender unto Me (Sree Krishna) after a lapse of many many births for the Mahatma who is able to connect everything that be to 'Vasudeva' (plenary manifestation of Vishnu), is hardly to be seen. The purport is that there is Mahatma and there are Mahatmas everywhere but that Mahatma who knows the real relation of Godhead and the manifested world, is very rare. Such Mahatma never tries to approach Godhead by any inventory method of ascending process but He accepts the standard process of descendance i.e, the method that comes down from Him directly or through a bonafide channel. By the method of ascending process no one can reach Him even by a long-term endeavour of many many years. What is obtained by the ascending process is however imperfect partial impersonal knowledge subject to be deviated from the Absolute Reality. We can see such signs in the method of preaching by Gandhiji. Although he chants the name of Rama, he is not aware of the transcendental science about the same. He is worshipper of impersonal Godhead. As such his Godhead or Vishnu is devoid of transcendental activities (?). His Godhead cannot eat, cannot see and cannot hear for impersonality means without any such possession of sensual activities. When the empiric philosopher tries to approach the Absolute Truth he can approach up to the impersonal feature of Godhead without knowing anything about His transcendental pastimes. When the Absolute Truth is denied of His having any transcendental senses and their activities, certainly He is supposedly impotent. An impotent Godhead cannot of course hear the prayers of His devotees (?) neither He can ameliorate the distress of the universe.
By the empiric process of philosophical research, one can possibly distinguish the metaphysical subjects from the physical objects, but unless such seekers of truth can reach to the Personal feature of the Absolute Knowledge, the gain is only the dry impersonal knowledge of Him without any actual transcendental profit. It is therefore necessary that leaders like Gandhiji may establish themselves in the transcendental footing of personal feature of the Absolute Truth recognised as 'Vishnu' or the All-pervading Godhead and arrange for His transcendental service by "Karmayoga" inorder to do good to the people in general.
The people in general are very such busy in the affairs of the material body & mind. Those who are in the lowest stage of such mundane activities very rarely can understand about the activities of spiritual plane. These people are generally known as baffled in their various acts of sins and virtues in relation to ameliorating the distress enhancing the (indistinct) of the body & the mind by such acts as eating, sleeping, fearing, and gratifying the senses. The material scientists who are in fact priests to invoke such material activities-do invent many many objects which satisfy the material senses such as the eye, the ear, the nose, the tongue and ultimately the mind, create a field of uneasy competition for enhancement of such material happiness, leading the whole world into the whirlpool of uncalled for clashes. The net result is, however, scarcity all over the world so much so that even the bare necessaries of life namely fooding and clothing become the subjects of control creating much inconvenience to the life of plain living and high thinking.
And persons who are a little over such gross materialists do believe in the life after death and thus try to rise a little over the plane of gross enjoyment of this life only but try to accumulate something for the next life by acts of virtues, just like a man banks some money for future happiness.
But none of these people know that neither any act of sin nor any act of virtue can be the cause of freedom from the bondage of work as we have explained above but on the contrary both sins and virtues will bind up the worker in the wheel of actions and reactions. Both of them cannot understand the epitome of 'Karmayoga' as the means for attaining liberation from the bondage of work which is always uncongenuil. The expert "Karmayogi" therefore behaves just like an attracted materialist in order to teach the people in general about the techniques of how one can get rid of the tangle of actions & reactions of ordinary work. By such acts, the "Karmayogi" himself and the world at large simultaneously are benefited. The Personality of Godhead therefore said as follows :- "Oh descendent of Bharata, better you continue to perform work like an attracted materialist who is not conversant with the transcendental knowledge, in order to recruit men to the path of "Karmayoga" or work with transcendental effect." Those who are, therefore, aware of the transcendental knowledge and thus are actually learned, do all acts which are done for the maintenance of the body & the mind in the direction satisfying the transcendental senses of the Supreme Godhead 'Vishnu'. Ordinary men do think of those learned transcendentalists as common worker but in fact the transcendentalists are not like workers for mundane benefit but they are "Karmayogis" or the worker with transcendental effects. By such transcendental work, the material effect of works are automatically gained without any separate endeavour.
In the present age the expansion of material activities as is manifested in variegated engagements. Many mills and factories of various characters as well as Hospitals and institutions of varied vocations are now in vogue. In ancient time, there was not so much expansion of the material activities. The living was plain while the thoughts were sublime in those days. As such there is very good field of activities for the "Karmayogis" who can engage all the modern institutions in the transcendental service of 'Vishnu' for the satisfaction of His transcendental senses.
It is encumbent therefore to install the temple of 'Vishnu' in all the above institutions for the same purpose of worshipping the Absolute Godhead in the same spirit of work with transcendental effect as was done by the sages of ancient times by installation of such worshipment at individual homes. The all-pervading Personality of Godhead although manifests Himself in His various transcendental eternal forms as incarnations or plenary portions or different spiritual parts and parcels, the sages recommended the worship of the eternal dual forms of Sri Sri Laxmi Narayana, Sri Sri Sita Rama, Sri Sri Radha Krishna. Therefore it is desired most earnestly that the proprietors and managers of big mills, factories, hospitals, universities, hotels, and various such institutions, may install the temple of worship of any of the above mentioned transcendental forms of 'Vishnu' for transforming all workers there into "Karmayogins". It is generally experienced that the workers, in big mills and factories are addicted to much adbominable habits and as such gradually they are apt to glide down to the lowest status human being. If therefore they are offered with grace, the advantage of partaking the remenants of foodstuffs offered to 'Vishnu', gradually they shall develop a transcendental sense of spirituality and grow up in the same status of equality as there are other spiritually advanced personalities. They cannot however rise up to that exhalted position of Harijans simply by the method of stamping one as such. Influenced by a desire other than the transcendental service of Vishnu, every effort to raise them up from the berived position, will result in disaster and disturbance of social order of peace and tranquility. The leaders who uselessly incite such downtrodden labourers simply for the sake of temporary gain, can never do them any good neither they can benefit themselves by such disorganised actions. On the contrary by such material activities both the group of the labourers and the group of the capitolists engage themselves in an unwholesome quarrel bringing in the eventual disturbance of social order. The problem can only be solved by a determined actions of 'Karmayoga'. If 'Karmayoga' or work with transcendental effect is orderly performed all partial endeavours which are done by the Socialists in order to preach the doctrine of equality, by the Bolsevicks to bring in a great social order family affinity, or by the laborites to dream of a heavenland where the laborers can defy the capitolists in the process of acquisitioning wealth.
Fraternity of human society develops gradually from individually to family, from family to community from community to nationality and from nationally to internationally. But in the process of gradual development there is always a center of attraction which helps the progress of development from one stage to another. We do not know however that in that constant struggle for development the center of attraction is neither the society nor the community nor nationality nor even internationality but the All pervading Godhead 'Vishnu'. That ignorance is the material curtain of the illusory energy of the Absolute Truth. Prahlad Moharaj the great devotee therefore said that people in general do not know that their ultimate center of attraction is 'Vishnu' the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sree Krishna is the Supreme attraction of 'Vishnu' category. The word "Krishna" is derived from the root "Krs" meaning that which attracts. As such there cannot be any other Name of the Absolute Truth than Krishna-the All-attractive. Learned sages have made sufficient researches in this connection and they have decidedly concluded that "Krishna" is the Supreme Godhead. The sages of Naimisharya (at present Nimsar in Dist. Sitapur, U.P.) who assembled under the presidency of Suta Goswami discussed in details all the different incarnations of the Absolute Truth and they came to the conclusion that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and all other incarnations are either His plenary portion or the portion of plenary portions. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is Sree Krishna, that is the verdict of the Bhagwat School or the transcendentalists. In the 'Brahma Samhita' also, which is described to be compiled by 'Brahma' the creator of this universe, it is also confirmed like this. "Sree Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead having His eternal all blissful transcendental Form. He is the original Person known as Govinda without any other cause and He is the cause of all other causes." As such if we can establish our relation with each other with the central attraction of 'Sree Krishna the Prime cause of all causes, it is then only we can really establish what is known as faternity, equality as justifiable means of eternal peace. This is corroborated in the Bhagwat Geeta as (Devanägaré).
The husband of our sister, who was unknown to us before he became the husband of our sister, being our our brother-in-law in relation to our sister only. His son and daughter became our nephew & neices in relation to our sister. In this case our sister becomes the center of attraction. When we make our country as the center of attraction we designate ourselves as different nations such as the Bengali, the Punjabi, or the English. When we profess a particular faith of religion as the center of attraction, we designate ourselves as different sects of religious faith such as the Hindu, the Muslim, the Christian, etc. But we must remember always that we shall remain always imperfect and partial however we may try to extend our relations by such partial attempt for central attraction. Our relationship with one another can only be perfected under a full-fledged center of attraction for "Krishna" the Supreme Attraction original Personality of Godhead. Constitutionally we are all related with 'Krishna' and as such eternally we are connected with 'Krishna' the center of all attraction and what we need to do is to revive that relation which has merged into oblivion by the covering and detracting process of the illusory energy called Maya fostering influence of temporary foregetfulness. And to proceed in that direction of rehabilitation of our eternal relation is to adopt "Karmayoga" the first step to such transcendental realisation. It is stated in the "Chaitanya Charitamrita" that the living entity spirit soul is encaged by Maya or the illusory energy under a process of forgetfulness of the relation of the living entity with "Krishna".
Just in order to revive this transcendental relation of the living spirit with "Krishna" as Hiseternal servitor, the 'Karmayogi' can render immense benefit to the ordinary living entities who are entirely addicted to mundane activities without, disturbing them in their ordinary engagement. It is advised therefore in the Bhagwat Geeta that in the interest of the mundane workers they should not be restrained from their ordinary enjoyment but on the contrary they may be encouraged to be engaged like that in the process of 'Karmayoga' or work with transcendental effect. Ordinarily these mundaners cannot easily understand their eternal relation with 'Krishna'. But instead they themselves have posed as 'Krishna' by false inducement of the illusory energy. That false position of an enjoyer gives them much trouble in the search of the lordship over the powers of Nature but still these mundaners cannot give up the spirit of lording it over and when such mundaners pretend to give up the enjoying spirit under the pressure of disappointment by a sense of frustration, they usually take shelter of a psuedo renouncement with a greater spirit of enjoyment. The mundane workers who are always desirous of enjoying the fruits of their mundane activities, suffer too much under the pressing disadvantages of such mundane activities just like the tightly saddled oxen engaged in the squeezing act of an oil mill, but under a false pretext of enjoyer dictated by the illusory energy-they think themselves as the real enjoyers. The learned 'Karmiyogis' do therefore tactfully engage such foolish mundaners in the respective works for which they have special attachments in relation with Krishna but without disturbing them in their general activities. For this purpose only the learned liberated souls as eternal servitors of 'Krishna', sometimes remain in the midst of ordinary activities just in order to attract the foolish mundaners in the process of 'Karmayoga'.
The foolish mundaners would have perpetually been left into the darkness of foolish activities if Sree Krishna the Personality of Godhead or His eternal associates like Marshall Arjuna or others, would not have kindly taken the trouble of initiating the genius of 'Karmayoga' by direct action of personal examples. The foolish mundaners are unable to come to the sense of that immeasurable difficulties which confront them in pursuance of their mundane foolish activities. However they may bewilder themselves by the conception of overlordship of their various actions, they are always driven under the direction of the modes of nature-that is the considered verdict of Sree Krishna the Personality of Godhead in the Bhagwat Geeta. He says that the foolish mundaner do considers himself as the author of all his activities by a sense of dictated by his false egoism, without knowing that it is the modes of nature that leads him to do everything in all his engagement. The foolish mundaner cannot understand that he is under the spell of the illusory energy of Sree Krishna the Personality of Godhead, who has made him (the mundaners) bound to do as he desires. As much the foolish mundaner does enjoy only the results of his activities in the shape of mundane temporary happiness or distress undergoing a severe penalty of servitude dictated by the mode of Nature.
It is said in the Bhagwat Geeta that each and every living entity that be is His part and parcel and as such each and every living entity is His eternal transcendental servitor. The natural position of part and parcel is to render service to the complete whole. Hands, legs, eyes, nose, etc., are all parts and parcels of the complete whole body. If therefore the hands, legs, the eyes etc. do not endeavour to subscribe food stuff for the appeasement of the stomach and themselves try to enjoy the eatables collected by them, then there will be maladjustment of the whole thing against the interest of the complete whole body. By such foolish activities, the hands, legs etc., can never improve their respective positions but on the contrary for want of sufficient nourishment of the complete whole body through the medium of the stomach, the whole system of bodily structure becomes deteriorated resulting in the weakness and diseased condition of them. In 'Hitopadesha' there is a lucid explanation of this allegory of Udesaendrianam.
The Personality of Godhead is the original cause of all causes and He is life of the whole creation. The Personality of Godhead Sree Krishna is the root trunk of the tree of the whole creation. That is the statement of Bhagwat Geeta. It is also said in the Bhagwat Geeta that there is no more superior Person than Shree Krishna Himself. He is the Supreme enjoyer of all sacrifices and activities. But still those who are utmost sinners do not surrender unto Him inspite of His being the Supreme Personality. As such Sree Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and all other living beings are His transcendental part & parcel eternal servitors. Forgetfulness of this transcendental relation between living entity and the Personality of Godhead-has been manifested into a false sense of everyone becoming a miniature Krishna (?) who tries to enjoy the world to his best capacity overlooking the transcendental service of the origin complete whole Absolute Truth, Personallty of Godhead. That is the work done under the spell of the modes of material nature called 'Maya' or the Illusory Energy. Actually the living entity has no capacity to lord it over the forces of Nature. The living entities becomes subjugated by the modes of Nature as soon as he tries to put himself in the position of 'Sree Krishna' the Supreme Enjoyer, under a false sense, as he is constitutionally unable to do so like the hands, legs eyes, etc. of the complete whole body. The living entity therefore undergoes much difficulties under the pretext of an enjoyer. And to get rid of all such troubles and difficulties of work that we suffer from we have to adopt the process of Karmayoga. But those who are transcendentalist are really learned. Such transcendentalists do not perform any work just like the common mundaner. They know that mundane activities done under mode of Nature are completely different from transcendental services. The transcendentalist, knowing himself as different from the material body and mind, does always try to cultivate transcendental activities. He knows that by chance accidence he is within mundane existence. As such he remains always separate from the mundaners inspite of his material senses such as the hands, legs, eyes, etc., being engaged in the temporary material activities. Such activities, however, when engaged in the transcendental service of Sree Krishna, make the doer free from the bondage of work. The Personality of Godhead Sree Krishna said to Arjuna. "You Arjuna! Therefore give up the enjoying spirit for all your wordly work and be thus transcendentalist by such knowledge. And you may adopt your circumstantial occupation of warfare which is a duty for you. Whoever therefore performs such work with transcendental effect and according to my direction without any grudge on Me, he also becomes free from the bondage of work."
The process of self-consciousness, as I am this material body or the mind or for the matter of that I am anything of this material world and as such everything of this material world is an object for my enjoyment,-does not allow us to become transcendentalist or the really learned fellow. We have already discussed to some extent about this transcendental knowledge in the previous chapter. And for this reason only the Personality of Godhead Sree Krishna advises us to become spiritually inclined and transcendentalist. When we become spiritually inclined and transcendentalist, it is then only we can understand that we are nothing of this material world but we are eternally living spiritual entities. By such spiritual realisation, disintegration of the material affinity naturally begins. And the more we become spiritually developed, the less we are affected with the happiness or distress that arises out of sense-perception in contact with material association. The false ego created by material contact is then gradually vanquished and disemination of false egoism causes liberation from all material designations in terms of relation with the Absolute Truth. This is called liberation in life.
Sree Krishna the Personality of Godhead is the Absolute Truth. This is corroborated in all authentic scripture. Our spiritual life develops as soon as our relation is established with Sree Krishna. Sree Krishna is compared with the Sun. The darkness of Nescience disappears as soon as our relation with Sree Krishna is established. With the appearance of Sree Krishna within our heart, we become purified from the impurities of material contact as much as the morning appears anew and afresh along with the appearance of the Sun. This is not a concoction of childish imagination but a factual experience of spiritual realisation. One who has sincerely followed the footprints of Sree Krishna or His bonafide servants, has also realised this simple truth. But one who envies Sree Krishna and poses himself as one who can complete with Sree Krishna-such foolhard of perverted mentality does not agree with this statement of fact. As such the foolish mundaners without understanding the genesis of "Karmayoga" indulge in unrestricted material activities resulting in their bondage of work which keeps them in the material existence of births & deaths perpetually. Such foolish mundaners actually envy Sree Krishna and deride Him as one who is like other mundaners. The truth about Sree Krishna does not easily enter into the perverted brain of such mundaners infected with emperic method of philosophical approach. But a devoted person one who understands simply what is actually stated in the pages of Bhagwat Geeta with the simple devotion of faith and does not try to understand anything more by an act of imagination dictated by empiric philosophical approach generally called the 'spiritual interpretation'(?)-is actually devoted to 'Krishna' and such devoted persons only can accept the logic of fully surrendering unto Him and thus adopt the process of 'Karmayoga' in order to get rid of the danger of bondage of work.
There is nothing in the codes of Sree Krishna that such devoted persons will be located within the boundry of a particular country creed or color. Such devoted persons shall appear every where without any restriction of caste, creed color or country. As such every one, whatever & whoever he maybe, is eligible to be a devotee of Sree Krishna. To confirm this the Personality of Godhead has affirmed in the Bhagwat Geeta in the following words, "Oh son of Pritha, even those who are faithless and are below the rank and file of the four status of life, or even the fallen women such as the professional prostitutes, the 'sudras', i.e, those who are in the modes of darkness of nature or those who are generally inclined to manual services only and the merchants as a class, all such attain perfection by reaching the kingdom of God-if they actually take shelter of devotional services of the Personality of Godhead Sree Krishna. In other words the unscrupulous caste system, that is now going on in the society of the Ashuras or the faithless, cannot be any barrier for approaching Sree Krishna, the Absolute Personality of Godhead. He has himself enumerated the basic principles of caste system that is really universal. He says that the four statuses of caste system is set by him according to the qualities and modes of Nature and He is the maker of this caste system all over the world still He is to be underetood as not the maker of the caste system. That is He is not the maker of a caste system which initiated by the faithless but He is the maker of a caste system that is applicable universally.
The four orders of social status generally known as the caste system consisting of the Brahmin, the Kshatriya, the Vaishyas and the Sudras all of them were never meant for a caste system of birth right. The system is universally true in terms of one's mundane qualification and ingeneous engagement. The classification of Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, etc. is never made with reference to one's accidental birth as much as a medical practitioner is made by real qualification and initial engagements but not by birth-right of being the son of another medical practitioner however big he may be. The qualification, which is acquired by the medical practitioners by a streneous study of the medical science for a considerable long period, is the real qualification of such medical practitioner. And after receiving distinction when the medical practitioner takes to real professional engagement. That is his ingeneous occupation. When the patient goes to a medical practitioner, be does not see to the birth-right of the physician but to his real qualification. As it is a fact that a physician always exists in every country and at all time, so a Brahmin or a Kshatraya is also always present in every part of the earth by dint of qualification and work. The present caste system which we have localised in a particular part of the world and that in a particular sect of faith-is undoubtedly wrong and perversion of the universal system of castes. If somebody passes on as a medical practitioner for the reason of his being the son of another medical practitioner and that without having any relation with the medical science or the medical college and if such medical practitioner is accepted as such by a section of public, then both such medical practitioner and his blind followers are considered to be members of a society who cheat one another and are cheated by one another. That is a society of the cheaters and the cheated. Therefore the caste system as created by the Personality of Godhead system as created by the Personality of Godhead Sree Krishna referred to in the Bhagwat Geeta and the caste system of the society of the cheaters and the cheated are not one and the same. The caste system made by the Personality of Godhead as referred to in the Bhagwat Geeta is universally true at all time and in every part of the world nay the universe. The qualifications of the different orders of the caste system is enumerated in the Bhagwat Geeta which we shall be able to discuss later on in the book but we may touch a brief description of the same in this connection. The Brahmin is the highest order of social status and he embibes the modes of goodness and is engaged in the activities of equality, restraint and forgiveness. The Kshatriya is the next second order of social status as he embibes the qualities of a creative passion and is ingeneously engaged in the activities of public leadership in the capacity executive head of different political, or social engagements. The vaishya is the third order of social status as he embibes the mixed qualification of a creative passion as well as the darkness of a mode of ignorance. This class generally embracess themerchant and the agricultural societies of the social order. The Sudra is the lowest rank of social status as much as he embibes the modes of darkness or ignorance and generally takes to services of the other three orders of the society. The Sudras are as a class servitors of the whole mundane social body.
In the present age of darkness which is known as the age of 'Kaliyuga' i.e, the age of quarrel and ignorance, every individual person is almost a Sudra by birth right. But if we examine in the above light of the caste system as made by the Personality of Godhead, we can surely visualise the four orders of social status in every part of the world. In every part of the globe wherever there is human habitation, there are some persons who have the necessary qualification of the Brahmins, there are others who have required qualifications of the Kshatriyas the Vaishyas and the Sudras. The different modes of nature are persistent in every corner of the universe and Brahmins, Kshatriyas etc. being products of the modes of Nature, how can one say that the four castes do exist in a particular part of the world. This is absurd. In every country and at all times there was, there is and there will be the four orders of social status according to the modes of Nature.
Those, who persist in the theory that the four orders of social status called the caste-system-do exist only in India, are all mistaken. In all other countries also there are the same orders of life in some name or other. As such even those, who are far below the qualifications of an ordinary Sudra the fourth order of social status, are elligible for the transcendental service of the Personality of Godhead Sree Krishna. The spiritual perfection, which a qualified Brahmin attains by the transcendental service of Sree Krishna can also be attained by anyone even in the lower status than the Sudra, by the same process of transcendental service of Sree Krishna. For this reason Sree Krishna (the all attractive) Personality of Godhead is the Absolute Truth in the whole creation and Sreemad Bhagwat Geeta is the supreme scripture within the universe. According to other scriptures such as the 'Puras' [Puranas?]-even a 'chandala' or the man of the fifth order (lower than the Sudra) becomes more than the person of the first order (the Brahmin) by dint of his transcendental devotional services. The confidential teachings of the Bhagwat Geeta is therefore nothing but to attain to the highest perfection of human life by attaining the transcendental service of Sree Krishna.
It is therefore incumbent for all whoever he may be without any distinction of caste, creed and colour, that everyone shall adopt the process of 'Karmayoga' or the work with transcendental effect and by doing so everyone shall attempt to spiritualise the whole activities of the world. By such activities both the performer and the work performed all become surcharged the spirituality and transcend the modes of nature. And as the actions are themselves spiritualised, the performer automatically remains within the category of the highest status of a Brahmin. One who is transcendental to all the modes of Nature, is more than a Brahmin, for the qualification of a Brahmin although of the highest order is mundane and is not transcendental. How one can attain to the supreme transcendental knowledge simply by the performance of transcendental services of the Personality of Godhead, is explained in the 4th sloka of the 24th chapter in Bhagwat Geeta. It is explained there that by performance of work with transcendental effect everything becomes spiritualised. Acharya Shankara philosophy of pantheism which has spread the perverted interpretation of the Vedanta maxim that the Supreme Spirit is omnipresent everywhere, has a practical bearing on the above sloka.
There are various kinds of sacrifices which shall be examined later on but we should understend that the ultimate goal of all sacrifices is to propitiate the Supreme Godhead Vishnu. During our material existence, we have to deal with material objects even to pull on engagements in respect maintaining the body and the soul to-gether. But in all such material activities, if we can bring forth the spiritual atmosphere in terms of the Vedantic Truth that the Supreme Spirit is omnipresent everywhere partially explained by the philosophers as 'Pantheism' or in other words if we can create a spiritual atmosphere by activities in relation to the Supreme Spirit and the whole thing is directed by one who is self-realised soul, then the whole thing is transformed into spirit An example may be set in here to understand the above process of spiritualisation. It is just like the iron when it is put into the fire and becomes red hot, the iron then develops the qualities of fire and stops to function as iron. In the same way when all our works are done in terms of our relation with Krishna, the whole thing is surcharged with spiritualised, because Krishna is the ultimate goal of all spiritual activities. In a sacrifice there are full primary subjects namely 1. the process of offering, 2. the offering itself, 3. the fire, 4. the sacrifice, and 5. the result of the sacrifice. And when all of them become related with the Supreme Spirit, all of them become spiritualised and at that time the whole thing becomes really a sacrifice. As such everything when it is offered to the transcendental service of Sree Krishna, all of the above mentioned five subjects become interelated with Him and therefore they become all spiritualised.
Therefore the learned men who perform all works with such transcendental effects and thus directs all activities for the transcendental service of the Personality of Godhead, are actually purified souls and are actually the restrainer of all sensual activities as well as conqueror of the Spirit soul.
Such spiritual personels only can actually show sympathy to the fallen in terms of the object of sympathy the country and time. And in spite of performing all such acts, they are free fron the bondage of such activities. This is explained in the fifth sloka of the seventh chapter of Bhagwat Geeta. The householders, who perform such work with transcendental effect out of sympathy for all others, are really elllgible to become the leader of the Public. All others, who claim to be public leaders, are mistaken.
The enemies of the "Karmayogins", who generally perform all works for self-satisfaction or sense-gratification and who are not in touch with the Supreme Spirit soul, by transcendental relation of service, do sometimes pose themselves as one who works according to the desire of the Supreme Will. As a matter of fact they pretend to be a panthist and try to cover their extravagency on a false label of transcendental service of Godhead. But those who are pure in heart i.e, those who have surrendered everything unto the Lotus Feet of the Personality of Godhead, do remain aloof and separate from such easy going pseudo-transcendentalist, giving them all the respects that they may demand. Such pure in heart transcendentalist knows that the living entity although very insignificant as part and parcel of the Absolute Truth, he has proportionate measure of independence. The Personality of Godhead although He is all-powerful, does not ever interfere with the little freedom of the living entity as he enjoys. As such the living entity becomes conditioned by the laws of nature simply by abusing that such portion of independence which he is entitled to enjoy. When he becomes conditioned by the laws of nature, he develops the modes of nature in collaboration with his aptitude of goodness, passion, or ignorance. Therefore so long the living entity remains in subjection of the conditions of nature, he has to act according to his particular mode of nature such as goodness, passion, or dark irnogrance. If this was not possible, we would not have observed in the phenomenal world different varieties activities conditioned by the different modes of nature. Without knowing therefore, the subtle laws of nature, if we try to justify all our deeds as influenced by the Will of the Personality of Godhead, it will be an attempt to bring in partiality, inebriety and gracelessness in the acts of the All-good Personality of Godhead. It shall never be imagined that by the Will of the Personality of Godhead, there shall be such mundane differences as somebody shall be happy by His Will while others shall be unhappy by His will. Such differences in the material world is due to the improper use of the freedom of will enjoyed by the individual living entity. The Personality of Godhead therefore enjoins everyone to give up all such conditional engagements dictated by the various mode of nature. Such varieties of engagements of the living entity, arise out of ignorance perpetuated by the modes of nature. It is said therefore in the Bhagwat Geeta (5/13) that the Lord does not create any one's particular work or the authority there of nor the result of such work but all these come out of different modes of nature. As such anything, that is performed by the living entity excepting those which are known as work with transcendental effect, are all self created engagements by an abuse of the free will and therefore such acts or engagements are never to be considered as if the works and the results were ordained by the Almighty Godhead. Such works are all material and are therefore under the condition of laws of Nature. The Personality of Godhead has nothing to bother about them.
The 'Karmiyogi' subsists always in a transcendental position far and wide from the conditions of the modes of nature for all his works attain to the category of Absolutism. In a state of freedom from the modes of nature, the phenomenal world presents its noumenal feature and as such the world appears in its spiritual aspect. In such spiritual presentation of the world, the modes of nature such as goodness, passion and darkness etc., cannot present any obstacle in the spiritual advancement. When such obstacles are superceded, one attains to the absolute version. It is stated therefore in the Bhagwat Geeta that a learned man when he attains to Absolute vision, he can observe with equanity everything such as a learned and gentle Brahmin, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a chandala (5/17). A learned and gentle Brahmin is the embodiment of goodness mode of nature. Amongst the beasts cow is the embodiment of the same goodness. The elephant or the lion is the enbodiment of passionate mode of nature while the dog and the chandala are the symbolic embodiment of the darkness made of nature. The 'Karmiyogi' however instead of visualising the external tabernacles of different living entities embodied under different modes of nature penetrates his vision to the spirit which is embodied therein and as the fragment of spirit is related with the Supreme Spirit, the 'Karmiyogi' in the highest state, can observe everything with equanimity. Such "Karmiyogi" accepts everything in relation to the Absolute and therefore he engages everything for the transcendental service of the Absolute. He observes all living entities as so many transcendental servitiors of the Absolute Godhead Sree Krishna. The encagement of the material body cannot put any obstruction in his perfect spiritualised vision as much as a red hot iron cannot but burn everything it contacts. The 'Karmiyogi' therefore sets an example of transcendental character by engaging everything and every living entity in the transcendental service of the Personality of Godhead.
The 'Karmiyogi' knows very well that Sree Krishna the Personality of Godhead is the enjoyer of everything and He is the Lord of all living entities. There is very little value of the platitude of all living entities by which they put themselves in the position of either an enjoyer or a renouncer. The learned sages diognise this sort of platitudeness as the disease of material existance. All good work, culture of knowledge, meditation, austerity, etc whatever is performed, all of them are meant for amelioration of the diseases of material existence. The Personality of Godhead Sree Krishna therefore says in the Bhagwat Geeta that one can attain the supreme peace by knowing Him (Sree Krishna) as enjoyer of all sacrifices and austerities and the Supreme Lord of all the universes as also the Supreme friend of all entities (5/28).
We have already discussed the necessity of performing work for sacrifice only or to please the transcendental senses of Vishnu; and in the above statement of Bhagwat Geeta it is clear now that Sree Krishna is the Supreme Personality capable enjoying the result of all sacrificial performances. The sacrifices of the public workers and the meditation or austerities of the empiric philosophers, are all ordained and maintained by the Personality of Godhead Sree Krishna. The Supersoul or the localised Aspect of Vishnu, the object of meditation of the mystics-is also plenary portion of Sree Krishna the Personality of Godhead. We may be able to discuss all these in different chapter. But one may know at present that Sree Krishna is the friend for everyone whatever he may be either an ordinary worker, an empiric philosopher or even a mystic and not to speak of the transcendentalist who is cent per cent servitor of the Personali of Godhead. The Personality of Godhead always does good to one and all by empowering His devotees to preach and propagate the transcendental process of devotional service to Godhead every where in conformity with the specific time place & subject. He is therefore 'Govinda' or the Prime cause of all causes and the Supreme Personality. The people in general can attain to perfect peace and tranquility, when they come to know Him by the gradual process of work with transcendental effect.
Those who do everything for the transcendental service of the Personality of Godhead Sree Krishna, they need not to perform any other sacrifices, penance or meditation which are not related with the service of Godhead. We have already discussed herein before that the qualities of goodness, which are the signs of Brahminism, are co-existing within the qualities of the transcendentalist. In the same manner, the dexterity and sacrifices of the devoted worker, the knowledge of the Sanyasins (renouncer) the stillness of the mystics as also the profound love of Godhead all these qualities correspondingly do remain with the transcendental worker 'Karmiyogi'. The Personality of Gothead says therefore (6/1) one, who performs duty's for duties sake without any shelter under the fruitive results of such works, is actually a renouncer and a mystic but not he who has discarded ask specific duties by relieving himself of the responsibilities of a householder."
The fact is that Sree Krishna Himself becomes the enjoyer of the fruits of the work performed by the transcendentalist. As such the transcendentalist has no responsibility for the results of his work may it be good or bad in the estimation of the worldly people. He acts under an impulse of obligation to do everything for the sake of Sree Krishna. He never accepts any work as an object of enjoyment or renunciation on his own account. The Sanyasis or the renouncer relieves himself of all wordly responsibilities in order to get himself free to acquire knowledge relating to the spirit.
The mystic also does similar acts in order to concentrate his meditation in visualising within himself the localised aspect of the supreme spirit. But the transcendentalists who acts only for the satisfaction of the Supreme Person without being impelled by a motive of self-satisfaction, is naturally free from all worldly duties without any separate effort-as is done by the Sannyasins and the Mystics. The transcendental knowledge of Spirit acquired by the Sanyasins and eightfold perfections achieved by the mystics are all within the easy reach of the transcendentalist.
The transcendentalist therefore does not desire to achieve anyother gain, adoration or estability except the transcendental service of Godhead-because by such acts only he is benefitted in all respscts. If the supreme gain by which all other subordinate gains, knowledge and perfections are most easily achieved, is once obtained, what is there in the world that remain still to be achieved by any one?
The mystic, who has almost ceased to function all sorts of bodily activities according to the plan of Patanjali the author of the system of mysticism, does try to attain 'trans' by systematic modes of meditation, etc. The mystic as such tolerates all sorts of tribulations in order to visualise the localised aspect of the Supreme Spirit. In other words he does not care for what it may come or even to meet with death in order to realise his ideal which has no equal in the whole universe. The Personality of Godhead says as follows to signify the validity of such mystics or devotees (6/22)
"He does not consider anything more valuable than the attainment of that transcendental state. To be in that state means not to be perturbed by any distress however heavy may it be tolerated."
According to the system of Patanjali the author of the mystic ways-mysticism means perfect control of the mental plane with its different fickle occupations. According to him the transcendental state is to become free from the sensuous activities and to attain to the stage of perfection intelligible by the spirit soul. In such a state the attention of the mystic is never deviated from that spiritual achievements. The eight fold perfections such as "Anima" "Laghima" "Prapti" "Siddhi" "Isheeta" "Vasuta" "Prakamya" etc which are concommitant factors in the attainment of perfection in the mystic ways,-are but indirect by gains in that process. Many mystics fall in the trap of mental oscilation after attainment of one or two of the above perfections. In such a state the mystic fails to attain to the highest perfections. But the transcendental worker "Karmayoga" has no such fear of falling down for his attention is already fixed in the transcendental service of the Personality of Godhead. He does not require to enter into 'Trans' separately. The perfection of all mystic ways appear to them by ever increasing freshness of the thing and a mundaner is unable to realise as to what is there transcendental happiness in the service of the Personality of Godhead. But there is no loss either for the mystic or for the 'Karmiyogi' in his attempt to such transcendental activitis. The gain is always assured even the process is half finished. Anything that is material or mundane be it acquisition of knowledge or wealth, is vanquished along with the annihilation of the material body. But the transcendental work of the 'Karmiyogi' surpasses the mundane limits of the material body and mind and is performed in relation with the transcendental Spirit. Thus being spiritualised by itself the transcendental activities transend the limits of material annihilation. As the soul is not annihilated even after annihilation of the material body, so also the spiritualised activities also do not annihilate even after the annihilation of the body and the mind. We have already discussed this to some length in the chapter of transcendental knowledge. The Personality of Godhead confirmed this in the Bhagwat Geeta (6/40) and Thakur Bhaktivinode explained it in the following manner. "After all the human race is divided into two sections. The one is legitimate and the other is illegitimate. Those who do not care for any laws of life but simply work on the principle of sense-gratification they are all illegitimate. They may be civilized or uncivilized they may be learned or illiterate, they may be powerful or meek, such illegitimate persons generally known as the outlaws always act like the lower animals. There is no good for them inspite of all such activities. But those who are legitimate or lawabiding persons, they may divided into three transcendental divisions namely the lawfulworker, the empiric philosopher and the transcendental devotee. The lawful worker are again divided into section namely the worker with a desire to enjoy the fruits of his work and the transcendental worker without any such desire. The worker, with a desire to enjoy the fruit of his work, is hankering after transient material happiness and such worker is rewarded with worldly or heavenly happiness within the material worlds. But it must be known that all these happinesses are temporary. As such the worker cannot attain to real happiness which is permanent and transcendental. The real and transcendental happiness is attained after liberation from the bondage of material existence. Any action which does not target at such transcendental happiness is always temporary and baffling. When such transcendental objective is aimed at in the ordinary process of work it is called "Karmayoga". By such process of "Karmayoga" attainment of self-purification, then attainment of transcendental knowledge, then meditation, and ultimately attainment of transcendental service of the Personality of Godhead are gradually effected. Sometimes a mundane worker is misunderstood as a Tapasvic or Mahatma because of his many sacrifices or penances for such perfection. The austerities accepted by such rigid mundaner are after all about a process over sense gratification and therefore such austerities are useless in the transcendental sense. Some of the 'Ashuras' such as Ravanas or Hiranyakashipus also underwent severe process of austerity and penances but they obtained nothing but some temporary objects of sense-pleasures. Therefore when one has transcendend the limits of sense-pleasures only can be classified as the 'Karmiyogi' or the worker with transcendental effect. Real goodness lies in the activities of the 'Karmiyogi' in which ever stage he may be. Such 'Karmiyogi' makes progressive headway life after life and this is confirmed as follows in the Bhagwat Geeta (6/43), the 'Karmiyogi' after attainment of successive births revives the transcendental sense of service and by his natural attachment, he tries again to give further perfection to the process of his transcendental activities.
Such transcendentalists, even if they slip away from the path of progress by some way or other, are again given chances for making progress as they are allowed to take their birth in the next life either in the family qualified with the effects of a bonafide Brahmin or in the family of rich merchants who are adicted to the service of the Godhead. This is confirmed in the Bhagwat Geeta (6/41).
But amongst the transcendental myetics who are classified as "Karmiyogi" "Dhyanyogi" "Jnanyogi" or "Hatayogi" or "Bhaktiyogi", who is always submerged in the thoughts and actions of transcendental loving services for Godhead, is the greatest of all. This fact is corroborated in the 47th sloka of 6th chapter of the Bhagwat Geeta.
Obviously attainment of transcendental loving service of the Personality of Godhead, is the ultimate goal of all mystic ways. That is the purport of the above sloka. It is worth mentioning the statement of Thakut Bhaktivinoda, made in this connection. He says, "The one mystic who is engaged in the performance of the principle of loving service of Godhead, is the highest of all other mystic. The one who renders loving services, to Sree Krishna the Personality of Godhead, with devotion and austerity, is the greatest of all mystics. Men who are under disciplinary method but are activated by the desire of fruitive actions, cannot be called a 'yogi' or mystic. Those who are not conducted under the influence of fruitive actions, may be classified as either worker with fruitive action, the empiric philosopher, the mystic for attainment of the eight fold mysterious powers or finally the mystic who is engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Personality of Godhead. In fact the mystic way is uniform and the one. It is something like the stepping stones to the highest goal. By accepting this path of mysticism one becomes the pilgrim of spiritual perfection. Work with transcendental effect is the first stepping stone of that transcendental path. When empiric philosophical deductions & a desire for renunciation is added to it, the progress is farther made to the second stepping stone. When theology & a definite conception of the Supreme Ruling principle is added to this, the progress is made farther on the third stepping stone. But finally when a process of transcendental loving service to the Supreme Personality is added to it, the progress is made perfect to the ultimate goal. The mystic way is therefore a transcendental evolution in which all the above stages are gradual process of spiritual developments. It is necessary to mention all the above stages, in order to understand the final stage. One who therefore desires to attain to the Supreme Goal, may adopt the systematic mystic way. But one should not stop simply by stepping on the first, second or third stage but must make his final progress by going high on the fourth and final stage. One who does not make any substantial progress but remains satisfied only on the particular stage of his standing may be called by that particular name such as the 'Karmayogi' 'Jnanyogi''Hatayogi' etc. For this reason only the mystics of different stages, are named differently. The conclusion is therefore, that the transcendental devotee is the greatest of all other mystics.
It should be noted herein that the progressive development of the transcendental mystic path is never identical with any material progress. In the material world one has to pass a certain stage of development before one can be admitted in the next stage and there is no alternative to this process of progressive ways. It may be cited for example that if some body wants to pass the m.a. examination, he has to pass on the preliminary examinations & there is no other alterative to this. No one can desire to be admitted into the m.a. class without having passed the other preliminary examinations. But in the transcendental world, although there are approved regulation to bring one from the lower stage to the highest goal by gradual process of development,-one can by the mercy of Godhead, pass the transcendental m.a. examination without even passing the preliminary examination. But this extraordinary mercy of Godhead is possible only by a confidential relation with the Personality of Godhead. This confidential relation with Godhead is only possible by the transcendental aasociation of the devotees of the Personality of Godhead.Such everyone of the individual soul has a potent confidential eternal relation with the Personality of Godhead. But every one of us by the association of the illusory material energy, has frogotten that relation from time immemorial. We are just roaming in the street like street beggars although we are all the transcendental sons of the richest Personality the Godhead. In cool head we can very well understand this fact. But without knowing our richest father and our relation with Him, we have tried much, by various endeavours to solve our poverty and the bread problem practically with no appreciable results. We meet on the streets many friends who are equally poverty-stricken like me. Those who are a little well off than me, direct me sometimes to some progressive way, but actually I do not derive any happiness by such directions. They show me the paths of work, knowledge, meditation, mysticism and various others ways also, but unfortunately none of them is able to give me that happiness for which I am ever hankering after. For this reason only, Lord Chaitanya advised Sree Rupa Goswami at Dasaswamuth Ghat in the bank of Ganga in Prayag that the most fortunate of the individual souls, can obtain the genesis of devotional service by the mercy of a bonafide preceptor or the Personality of Godhead.
As such we can get the genesis of that devotional transcendental service from Sree Krishna the Personality of Godhead Himself in His transcendental message of Bhawat Geeta. If we are at all able to grasp that genesis of Bhagwat Geeta then and there only we can perfectly appreciate the teachings of Bhawat Geeta. Otherwise if we go on reading the Bhagwat Geeta life after life and may write thousand & one commentations on it, all such attempts will prove futile & useless.
What the Personality of Godhead is He has Himself explained that in the Bhagwat Geeta. How many common men have written their autobiography & how enthusiastically we have read & licked up that. But when the Personality of Godhead Himself tells about Himself, we cannot take it as it is. This is nothing but our misfortune. On the other hand we try to drag on designed meanings out of the simple readings of Bhagwat Geeta in order to establish some man-made idea which is never supported by the Bhagwat Geeta. By such artificial dragging method, one cannot ultimately establish his rubbish theory but at the end one can pass the whole thesis by making a monkey in place of God. In the Bhagwat Geeta it is definitely established that the Personality of Godhead Sree Krishna is the Supreme Godhead. It is established also that our only duty is to render transcendental loving service unto Him.As such if we really can understand the above true facts from the pages of Bhagwat Geeta it is then only we can enter into the primary classes of spiritual education.