Bhagavad-Gītā As It Is - FinanceInsights

by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda Founder-Acārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness

Devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa is the ultimate goal of life.

On renunciation

The purpose of life is renunciation and attainment of the transcendental position above the three material modes of nature. The 3 material modes of nature are : (1) the mode of goodness is illuminating, (2) the mode of passion is materialistic, and (3) the mode of ignorance is conducive to laziness and indolence. All the modes of material nature are binding; they are not sources of liberation.

The Mode of Goodness

A person who sees one spirit soul in every living being, whether a demigod, human being, animal, bird, beast, aquatic or plant, possesses knowledge in the mode of goodness.

The Mode of Passion

The concept that the material body is the living entity and that with the destruction of the body the consciousness is also destroyed is called knowledge in the mode of passion. The body is itself the soul, and there is no separate soul beyond this body.

The Mode of Ignorance

The “knowledge” of the common man is always in the mode of darkness or ignorance. For him God is money, and knowledge means the satisfaction of bodily demands. Such knowledge has no connection with the Absolute Truth.

On sacrifices

Sacrifices prompted by desires should be stopped. However, sacrifice for the purification of one’s heart or for advancement in the spiritual science should not be given up.

Although all sacrifices are purifying, one should not expect any result by such performances.

There are many purificatory processes for advancing a human being to spiritual life. The marriage ceremony, for example, is considered to be one of these sacrifices. The Lord says here that any sacrifice which is meant for human welfare should never be given up. Vivāha-yajña, the marriage ceremony, is meant to regulate the human mind to become peaceful for spiritual advancement. For most men, this vivāha-yajña should be encouraged even by persons in the renounced order of life. Sannyasīs should never associate with women, but that does not mean that one who is in the lower stages of life, a young man, should not accept a wife in the marriage ceremony.

As far as charity is concerned, one should give fifty percent of his earnings to some good cause. And what is a good cause? It is that which is conducted in terms of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Charity is for the purification of the heart. If charity is given to suitable persons, it leads one to advanced spiritual life.

On work and activities

A person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness has no expectations for the result of the work entrusted to him. He does not care for success or failure; he is equal both in distress or happiness.

The performance of activities for results has to be given up. But activities leading to advanced spiritual knowledge are not to be given up.

One who is in Kṛṣṇa consciousness should not give up earning money out of fear that he is performing fruitive activities. By working, one can engage his money in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

A man working in Kṛṣṇa consciousness in a factory does not associate himself with the work of the factory, nor with the workers of the factory. He simply works for Kṛṣṇa. And when he gives up the result for Kṛṣṇa, he is acting transcendentally.

He who works for Kṛṣṇa and does not enjoy the fruitive results, who offers everything to Kṛṣṇa, is actually a renouncer.

In whatever occupation one may be engaged, if he serves the Supreme Lord, he will achieve the highest perfection.

In the business field, sometimes a merchant has to tell so many lies to make a profit. If he does not do so, there can be no profit. Sometimes a merchant says, “Oh, my dear customer, for you I am making no profit,” but one should know that without profit the merchant cannot exist. Therefore it should be taken as a simple lie if a merchant says that he is not making a profit. But the merchant should not think that because he is engaged in an occupation in which the telling of lies is compulsory, he should give up his profession and pursue the profession of a brāhmaṇa. Despite these flaws, one should continue to carry out his prescribed duties, for they are born out of his own nature. As an example, although fire is pure, still there is smoke. Yet smoke does not make the fire impure. Even though there is smoke in the fire, fire is still considered to be the purest of all elements.

On yoga

Yoga involves controlling the senses. Yoga is a means to understand the Supreme Soul.

Service for the cause of the Lord is called karma-yoga or buddhi-yoga, or in plain words, devotional service to the Lord.

Direct Kṛṣṇa consciousness is bhakti-yoga, and jñāna-yoga is a path leading to bhakti-yoga.

When a person knows the goal of life but is addicted to the fruits of activities, he is acting in karma-yoga. When he knows that the goal is Kṛṣṇa, but he takes pleasure in mental speculations to understand Kṛṣṇa, he is acting in jñāna-yoga. And when he knows the goal and seeks Kṛṣṇa completely in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and devotional service, he is acting in bhakti-yoga, or buddhi-yoga, which is the complete yoga.

Śrī Kṛṣṇa

If anyone wants to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he has to take to pure devotional service under the guidance of a pure devotee.

For one who acts in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, Lord Kṛṣṇa becomes the most intimate friend. He always looks after His friend’s comfort, and He gives Himself to His friend, who is so devotedly engaged working twenty-four hours a day to please the Lord.

One should concentrate his mind upon Kṛṣṇa – the very form with two hands carrying a flute, the bluish boy with a beautiful face and peacock feathers in His hair. There are other descriptions of Kṛṣṇa and multi-forms, as Viṣṇu, Nārāyaṇa, Rāma, Varāha, etc., but a devotee should concentrate his mind on this form only.

Simply by hearing Bhagavad-gītā, even a person who does not try to be a pure devotee attains the result of righteous activities.

The living entity’s constitutional position is to be servitor; he either has to serve the illusory māyā or the Supreme Lord. If he serves the Supreme Lord, he is in his normal condition, but if he prefers to serve the illusory external energy, then certainly he will be in bondage.

Lord Kṛṣṇa is in each of us as the Supersoul.

Let there be one God only for the whole world – Śrī Kṛṣṇa. And one mantra only – Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. And let there be one work only – the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Disclaimer: The key points of the book presented here are not a substitute for reading the book. To get the entire holistic message the author has offered requires reading the book.

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