View source for In the Bhagavad-gita the first instruction to Arjuna was to know that beyond this body, there is the soul

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<h2>Lectures</h2>
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<h3>Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures</h3>
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According to Vedic civilization, any person, he may be very big man, but if he does not know beyond his body, then he is no better than animal. This is Vedic version.
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[[Vanisource:750306 - Lecture SB 01.15.27 - New York|750306 - Lecture SB 01.15.27 - New York]]
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Govinda is sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam. So that Govinda is instructing to Arjuna personally. How fortunate is Arjuna.

But Kṛṣṇa is so kind that if you actually serious to understand. . . So just like this brāhmaṇa took instruction from his spiritual master and began to read Bhagavad-gītā, and he realized what is Kṛṣṇa, what is Govinda, similarly, if we take seriously the instruction of our spiritual master and try to read Bhagavad-gītā according to his instruction, then gradually we shall realize Kṛṣṇa. And if you simply realize Kṛṣṇa, what is Kṛṣṇa. . . That is not difficult. Kṛṣṇa is personally speaking about Himself. You haven't got to speculate like nonsense. Just like Gandhi speculated, "I do not believe that ever any person like Kṛṣṇa lived." Just see. Do you know that? This is Gandhi's statement. And he is mahātmā. The mahātmā's definition is there in the Bhagavad-gītā: mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ, bhajanty ananya-manasaḥ ([[Vanisource:BG 9.13 (1972)|BG 9.13]]). That is mahātmā, not to take advantage of Bhagavad-gītā. Of course, there are. . . So we do not want to criticize anyone, but sometimes it so happens, big, big scholars, big, big politicians, they misguide people. That is the position of India. So many big, big leaders and politician and so-called svāmīs and yogīs, they have exploited people by bluffing, and now India's position is: it is neither spiritual nor material. (laughter) That's all. Dhuno ke pap.(?) Just like it is, the example is, if there are two boats and if you place your leg this boat and that boat, the position is very precarious. (laughter) Neither in this boat, neither that boat fully.

So our position is that. We are learning technology, and the Western countries, they are advanced in technology always hundred years more. Some years ago there was a big exhibition in Delhi. The show was that India has manufactured cycle and sewing machine. That is their proud. The cycle, I think, two hundred years ago (laughs) was manufactured in the Western countries, and so also sewing machine. So India was very much proud, that "Now we have got cycle." When they are manufacturing big, big 747 airplane, we are manufacturing cycle. (laughter) Just see. Medicine also. And technology, that is also technology. They are advanced in. . . They are meant for this. They have got brain. They can advance in material civilization because fully. . . So we cannot compete. We cannot compete, although it is, this technology is the business of the śūdras. Technology is not the occupation for the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas or vaiśyas. No. In our country still, there are blacksmith, weaver, oil crusher. Still they are in the village. But they are śūdras.

So this technology means craftsmanship. That is not knowledge. That is not knowledge. Just like I do not know how this microphone is working. If it is wrong, some man who knows the art, he repairs it immediately. That does not mean he has got knowledge. That particular department he has got knowledge, that's all. Knowledge means that one who knows God. That is knowledge. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate ([[Vanisource:BG 7.19 (1972)|BG 7.19]]). This is knowledge. So the Western countries, they have taken advancement of knowledge means manufacturing a big motorcar. That's all. That is also good. But simply for manufacturing motorcar, simply for driving motorcar, if we forget our real business, God realization, then it is ruinous. Mūḍha. Mūḍha. Then we become mūḍha.

This life, human life, it is not cats' and dogs' life. It is human life. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. One can realize the Absolute Truth if he is inquisitive. Brahma-jijñāsā. Just like you are advancing by inquiring. Jijñāsā. Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. Jijñāsuḥ. This is human life. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam ([[Vanisource:SB 11.3.21|SB 11.3.21]]). Uttama means which is not material, which is beyond material. . . Ut-tama. Ud-gata-tama yasmāt. Tama means darkness. Here they are so-called scholars, big, big professor, scientist, and. . . but they are in the darkness, tama. Tama means darkness. They do not know what they are. Ask any scientist, any philosopher, "What you are?" He will say, "I am this body. "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am white," "I am black," "I am this," "I am that," "I am Christian," "I am Hindu." He will say. But all these designation is outward, external. Eho bāhya, āge kaha āra. But everyone is going on, big, big man, identifying himself with this body. So they are all fools, tama, in darkness.

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:yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke
:sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ
:yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicij
:janeṣv abhijñeṣu sa eva go-kharaḥ 
:([[Vanisource:SB 10.84.13|SB 10.84.13]])
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So according to Vedic civilization, any person, he may be very big man, but if he does not know beyond his body, then he is no better than animal. This is Vedic version.

So we should not remain animal, this human life. As Arjuna said. . . There are so many problems. In the Bhagavad-gītā Arjuna was taught by Kṛṣṇa, yudhyasva: "Fight!" He never said, "Sit down, my dear Arjuna. You are My friend. You sit down and sleep on this chariot, (laughter) and I will do everything. I am God." This is going on. "God will do everything for me, and I will sleep. That's all." This is going on. "If God does not do anything for me, then I don't want God. He must be my order-supplier." This is going on. This is going on in the name of religion. "God, give us our daily bread. If you don't supply, I don't want You." That's all.
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