BG 05.25 labhante brahma-nirvanam... cited

Expressions researched:
"chinna-dvaidha yatatmanah" |"labhante brahma-nirvanam" |"rsayah ksina-kalmasah" |"sarva-bhuta-hite ratah"

BG Chapters 1 - 6

BG 5.25, Translation and Purport:

Those who are beyond the dualities that arise from doubts, whose minds are engaged within, who are always busy working for the welfare of all living beings, and who are free from all sins achieve liberation in the Supreme.

Only a person who is fully in Kṛṣṇa consciousness can be said to be engaged in welfare work for all living entities. When a person is actually in the knowledge that Kṛṣṇa is the fountainhead of everything, then when he acts in that spirit he acts for everyone. The sufferings of humanity are due to forgetfulness of Kṛṣṇa as the supreme enjoyer, the supreme proprietor, and the supreme friend. Therefore, to act to revive this consciousness within the entire human society is the highest welfare work. One cannot be engaged in such first-class welfare work without being liberated in the Supreme. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person has no doubt about the supremacy of Kṛṣṇa. He has no doubt because he is completely freed from all sins. This is the state of divine love.

A person engaged only in ministering to the physical welfare of human society cannot factually help anyone. Temporary relief of the external body and the mind is not satisfactory. The real cause of one's difficulties in the hard struggle for life may be found in one's forgetfulness of his relationship with the Supreme Lord. When a man is fully conscious of his relationship with Kṛṣṇa, he is actually a liberated soul, although he may be in the material tabernacle.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 5.17-25 -- Los Angeles, February 8, 1969:

Revatīnandana: "Verse 25: One who is beyond duality and doubt, whose mind is engaged within, who is always busy working for the welfare of all sentient beings, and who is free from all sins achieves liberation in the Supreme (BG 5.25)."

Prabhupāda: Now, these things are very important things, "whose mind is engaged within, who is always busy working for the welfare of all sentient beings." This chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa, it is welfare work for all sentient being, even the worms, the microbes, the cockroaches. So many living entities are within this room. By hearing this vibration of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra they will be getting also the result. That is described in Caitanya-caritāmṛta. When Lord Caitanya questioned Haridāsa Ṭhākura about the efficacy of chanting, how he described? You will find it in the Teachings of Lord Caitanya. It is a fact. If you are chanting within this room and if you find nobody is coming to participate in the kīrtana, don't be disappointed. There are many germs, worms, cockroaches, within this room—they are being benefited. They are being benefited. You cannot find any place without any living entities. You just find out one hole. You will see, hundreds of ants are coming out. So living entities are in the air, in the water, in the holes, everywhere. And this vibration... Everyone, every living, entity has got his ear. So this sound is so powerful because it is spiritual that it will act even on the ants and the trees and birds and the bees, what to speak of human being. It is so nice thing. So those who are chanting... "One who is always busy working."

What is the busyness of these Kṛṣṇa conscious students? They are busy in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, in distributing knowledge in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore they are doing the best welfare work in the world. Other welfare work will be finished as soon as this body is finished. But these welfare activities will not be finished. If one hears one day, one minute, one second, this vibration of chanting, it will act someday. Therefore this is the best welfare activity in the human society. "And who is free from all sins achieves liberation in the Supreme." So it is said that eka kṛṣṇa-nāme yata pāpa hare, pāpī haya tata pāpa karibare nare(?). The Kṛṣṇa name is so powerful transcendentally, spiritually, that if you chant once, "Kṛṣṇa," all your sinful activities, reaction are immediately finished. One may say that "He was not so sinful. He was little sinful; therefore it is finished." But this verse says that the vibration of Kṛṣṇa, this sound, has so much potency that it can finish the reaction of all sinful activities as you cannot perform in your various lives. Even if you are very expert in committing sinful activities, still, this will finish, provided it is chanted offenselessly. It has got the power.

Lecture on BG 5.22-29 -- New York, August 31, 1966:

One who is aspiring after that transcendental happiness which is called brahma-sukha, brahma-sukha... One who is, yaḥ antaḥ-sukha, that brahma-sukha is within. That brahma-sukha is not without. Yaḥ antaḥ-sukhaḥ antar-ārāmaḥ. And is happy and satisfied by enjoying within. Antaḥ-sukhaḥ antar-ārāmas tathāntar-jyotir eva yaḥ. And who is trying to find out the brahma-jyotir, the effulgence of Brahman within. Sa yogī brahma-nirvāṇam. That yogi is already situated in Brahman. Nirvāṇam means ending all this material contamination. Brahma-bhūto 'dhigacchati. And he becomes a realized soul or the brahma-antaḥ.

labhante brahma-nirvāṇam

ṛṣayaḥ kṣīṇa-kalmaṣāḥ

chinna-dvaidhā yatātmānaḥ

sarva-bhūta-hite ratāḥ

(BG 5.25)

Now, Kṛṣṇa says, kṣīṇa-kalmaṣāḥ. Kṣīṇa-kalmaṣāḥ, one who is able to reduce the reaction of all sinful life. We must know it that this material existence, either in any form, they are all reactions of our sinful life. That we must know. So in any condition, it does not matter that a highly advanced person, educated, learned, rich, or beautiful, or anyone—more or less, according to degree, they are all enjoying or suffering the reaction of their past karma. And, more or less, all the world, they are considered to be sinful. So kṣīṇa-kalmaṣāḥ. Kṣīṇa-kalmaṣāḥ means those who are trying to reduce the reaction of sinful activities. How? By practicing that sense control. Sense control. Practicing sense control. Just like a diseased person. By controlling... By controlling according to the prescription of the doctor, by controlling himself he becomes reduced in the sufferings of the disease. The fever diminishes from 105 degrees to 102, then 100, then 99, then 98—he is cured. Similarly, we have to reduce the temperature. We haven't got to increase the temperature. We are just like in the matter of increasing our temperature. We are thinking that by increasing the temperature we shall be happy. We do not know that by increasing temperature we shall never be happy. We have to decrease the temperature.

Lecture on BG 5.22-29 -- New York, August 31, 1966:

There is a very nice story. Perhaps I have many times told you, that there was a householder, a very rich man. His wife was sick and the maidservant was also sick. So the gentleman called for a doctor, and the doctor treated both the patients, and the doctor said that "Your wife has got 98 temperature, nothing serious. But your maidservant, she has got 104 temperature, so she should be taken care of." Now, the housewife, she became angry. She told the doctor, "Oh, I am the head of the family. I have got only 98 temperature? And my maidservant has got 104? So you are not a doctor!" So that is going on. From 104 we want to increase. 107 degrees and death will come. So the modern civilization is increasing the temperature. So we have come to the point of 107 degree-atom bomb. So we are prepared for killing ourselves. So this degree, this increasing of temperature of material enjoyment will never make us happy. We have to decrease the temperature. We have to come to the point of 97, not to the 107.

So labhante brahma-nirvāṇam ṛṣayaḥ kṣīṇa-kalmaṣāḥ. Just like by decreasing temperature we come to the path of healthy life, similarly, if we decrease our sensual activities... The material life means sensual activities, nothing more. Whatever advancement of civilization we are creating, that means we are simply creating artificial sense enjoyment. That's all. This is called material civilization, simply sense enjoyment, nothing more. So we have to... Of course, we don't decry the modern civilization, but it has its proper use. Just like we are also using here electric light, the microphone, and the tape recorder. This is the gift of the modern science. So instead of decrying them, let them engage in the matter of understanding Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then everything will be properly utilized. We cannot go back. You cannot go back in the matter of advancement of modern civilization, but here we have got a point, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe. We can engage everything in the matter of understanding Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Everything can be utilized properly.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 6.1.56-57 -- Bombay, August 14, 1975:

So we should be engaged, sarva-bhūta-hite ratāḥ. Everyone should be taken as friend. Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām (BG 5.29). This is the qualification of an advanced Kṛṣṇa conscious person. So this qualification...

ayaṁ hi śruta-sampannaḥ

śīla-vṛtta-guṇālayaḥ

dhṛta-vrato mṛdur dāntaḥ...

Dāntaḥ means self-control. Śānta, dānta. Śānta means how to become self-controlled, not to become disturbed by the senses. These are training for a first-class human being. But there is no class human... Nowadays it is said "classless." First class and last class, all one. This is the modern philosophy. But that is not very scientific proposal. The scientific proposal is that there is first class man and there is tenth class man, but everyone can be utilized for the ultimate goal of life. That is classless. And that means everyone can become Kṛṣṇa conscious. It doesn't matter whether by his qualification he is first class or last class. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is transcendental. First class, last class is considered in the material world. But so long one is not on the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, for him this training is required to become a first-class man. And for a Kṛṣṇa conscious person, if he simply becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, then automatically he becomes a first-class man. This is the secret of success. Kevalayā bhaktyā vāsudeva-parāyanāḥ, dhunvanty aghaṁ nīhāram iva bhāskaraḥ. It is said, dhunvanti Every sinful reaction becomes washed away if one becomes vāsudeva-parāyanāḥ, kevalayā bhaktyā. All these qualities can be attained by a devotee automatically. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇair tatra samāsate surāḥ (SB 5.18.12). Sarvair guṇaiḥ, all good qualities As it said, guṇālayaḥ, the reservoir of all good qualities. This can be attained, this stage can be attained, only by training in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- February 19, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Mūḍha, sab mūḍha.

Dr. Patel: They are all mūḍhas. Let us complete it now. Kūṭastham acalaṁ dhruvam. (break)

Prabhupāda: But where is sarva-bhūta-hite ratāḥ? He is engaged in "family hite ratāḥ."

Dr. Patel: If he is sarva-bhūta-hite ratāḥ...

Prabhupāda: Then that is another thing. That is another thing. But one who is "family hite ratāḥ," "country hite ratāḥ," "community hite ratāḥ," how he can do?

Dr. Patel: So in this Bhagavān has said, sarva-bhūta-hite ratāḥ.

Prabhupāda: But sarva-bhūta-hite ratāḥ. Now, these people, they are hite ratāḥ of limited circle, that's all.

Mr. Sar: Ohh. That is why their... This path is not good for mankind.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore, according to Vedic civilization, one must accept sannyāsa at a certain stage.

Morning Walk -- February 19, 1974, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: Ye tu sarvāṇi karmāṇi mayi sannyāsya mat-parāḥ. Now, you have all your...

Prabhupāda: Sarva-bhūta-hite ratāḥ, that, it is very difficult. Because even Mahatma Gandhi, such a great person, he said, "Englishman, you go away." Just see. Who can be better than Mahatma Gandhi?

Dr. Patel: And he must have life like Bharata.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Dr. Patel: Jaḍa Bharata.

Prabhupāda: Is there possibility? He was so sacrificeful, but still, he was not sarva-bhūta-hite ratāḥ. Whole struggle was: "Englishman, you get out."

Dr. Patel: Sarva-bhūta-hite ratāḥ will be like Jaḍa Bharata.

Prabhupāda: No, no. Sarva-bhūta-hite ratāḥ means who is devotee of Kṛṣṇa. He is sarva-bhūta-hite ratāḥ.

Dr. Patel: Because Kṛṣṇa's representative.

Prabhupāda: He is the root. Aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ (BG 10.8). The root, if you water the root, then sarva-bhūta hite ratāḥ, the water will go to the branches, to the twigs, to the leaves, to the flowers. He is sarva-bhūta-hite ratāḥ. They do not know the way how to become sarva-bhūta-hite. And because... Just see the example. I am not becoming proud, but because I have got little taste for it, therefore I am preaching all over the world. I don't say I am perfect. I have got little taste of kṛṣṇa-bhakti. So I have no distinction that "This is Indian. This is American. This is African." Everyone, I am giving this hari-nāma. This is sarva-bhūta-hite ratāḥ, no distinction. We are trying to give protection the the cows, to animals, to the trees. This is sarva-bhūta-hite ratāḥ. Unless one is... Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad... If one is not devoted to Kṛṣṇa, he cannot become sarva-bhūta-hite ratāḥ. Kleśo 'dhikataras teṣām (BG 12.5). Simply they will suffer, that's all.

Mr. Sar: Kleśo 'dhikataras teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām.

Prabhupāda: Avyakta. This avyakta... They do not find where is the point where sarva-bhūta-hite ratāḥ. Just like one who knows the electric button, he push. He does not know that. Mūḍha.

Dr. Patel: You have to work the main switch.

Prabhupāda: Yes! That is sarva-bhūta-hite ratāḥ. You must know how to do it.

Morning Walk -- February 19, 1974, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: I invited him to stay in my house, but he said that he won't come.

Prabhupāda: No, no, he is not interested for his person.

Dr. Patel: We have invite him. When he is ill, he may stay with me. We may have a little sat-saṅga.

Prabhupāda: But he is sarva-bhūta-hite ratāḥ. Why he should be concentrated one?

Mr. Sar: Adveṣṭā sarva-bhūtānām.

Prabhupāda: Ah, adveṣṭā. It is not, "I am Hindu. Why shall I preach amongst the Christian?" The dveṣṭā.

Dr. Patel: Adveṣṭā sarva-bhūtānām.

Prabhupāda: But one has to become adveṣṭā. This is adveṣṭā.

Dr. Patel: Maitraḥ karuṇa eva ca, nirmamo nirahaṅkāraḥ sama-duḥkha-sukhaḥ kṣamī (BG 12.13).

Prabhupāda: Now, some of these Māyāvādī sannyāsīs accuse me that "Bhaktivedanta Swami is spoiling our Hindu religion." Means dveṣṭā. They do not like Christians. They do not like Mohammedans. But I am accepting Mohammedans, Christian, any damn rascal: "Come on. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa."