1. THEMATIC ESSENCE OF UDDHAVA-GÉT Ä Lesson 6: The Symptoms of Conditioned and Liberated Living Entities THEMATIC ESSENCE OF UDDHAVA-GÉT Ä Lesson 6: The Symptoms of Conditioned and Liberated Living Entities (SB Canto 11, Chapter 11) 10/22/2011Carucandra Dasa 1

2. Chapter 11 highlights  In chapter 10, Uddhava inquired about:  The distinction between eternally conditioned and eternally liberated soul  How the soul can be eternally conditioned at some time while at other times he can be eternally liberated.  In His response, Krsna describes:  Difference between conditioned & liberated living entities  The characteristics of a saintly person  Different aspects of the practice of devotional service 10/22/2011Carucandra Dasa 2

3. Eternally conditioned versus eternally liberal living entity (1- 5)  The originally transcendental spirit soul being a tiny part and parcel of the Supreme Lord as the Supersoul, he has a tendency to come under the covering of His illusory material energy (mäyä)  bewildered by the false ego  conditioned by the 3 modes = bound by the 3 strands of intertwined rope  forgetful or ignorance of his constitutional spirituality  from time immemorial = eternal  Krsna’s teachings from a jïäna platform (Contd) 10/22/2011Carucandra Dasa 3

4. Eternally conditioned versus eternally liberal living entity (Contd)  Under false ego, the spirit soul perceives material miseries and enjoyments as real just as in a dream state  confusion, happiness, distress, danger, etc  But this is no reality as the person wakes up from his dream state realizes. He is never actually in bondage, and  never actually liberated!  When the living entity comes in contact with a pure devotee and receives his causeless mercy  bhakti process  transcendental knowledge  darkness of ignorance disappears(Contd) 10/22/2011Carucandra Dasa 4

5. Eternally conditioned versus eternally liberal living entity (Contd)   transcendental knowledge = liberation &  Ignorance = bondage in material existence  No more ropes  no question of conditioning  liberation  The characteristics of bandage and liberation may be understood in two divisions—as the difference between the ordinary conditioned & liberated soul versus the Personality of Godhead, who is neither conditioned nor liberated at any time. 10/22/2011Carucandra Dasa 5

6. The conditioned soul versus the Personality of Godhead (6-7)  The example of two birds in the same tree = presence within the same heart of the material body of the both the individual soul and the Supreme Personality Godhead as the Supersoul  The Lord is never in darkness or ignorance, but is always full in His perfect, blissful consciousness  He is simply the witness of the individual soul, who is eating the fruit of the bodily tree whereas the Supersoul is witnessing the actions 10/22/2011Carucandra Dasa 6

7. The conditioned versus liberated, or enlightened individual soul = jivan- mukta (8-17)  On e who is enlightened in self-realization, although living within the material body sees himself transcendental to the body.  Free from the contamination of material desires and does not consider himself to be the performer of bodily activities, rather he is as spirit soul simply a witness of his sensual activities  The conditioned soul, in contrast, thinks I am the performer of action because of his false ego  bound by the fruitive activities(Contd) 10/22/2011Carucandra Dasa 7

8. The conditioned versus liberated, or enlightened individual soul (Contd)  The 3 doers: the individual soul, who expresses his material desires, which are sanctioned by the Supersoul, which in turn are carried out by the 3 modes of material nature.  The enlightened, liberated soul, in contrast, fixed in detachment engages his body in all kinds of sensual activities, but is never entangled by such activities.  Analogies: The sky does not mix with anything nor is entangled. Similarly the sun is not attached to the water in which it is reflected.  Detachment (niskäma-karma-yuga) brings jïäna 10/22/2011Carucandra Dasa 8

9. Jïäna, but no bhakti, however,  waste of labor (18-22)  Analogy: Taking care of a cow that gives no milk, unchaste wife, useless children or wealth not utilized for right purpose, etc  Similarly Vedic knowledge devoid of the Lord’s glories is also most miserable  Hearing of krsna-kathä  purification of the heart  the mind fixed on Krsna, but in a favorable way to the Lord  Krsna criticizes knowledge that is devoid of bhakti  If unable to fix one’s mind on krsna-bhakti  perform all as an offering to Krsna without trying to enjoy the fruits 10/22/2011Carucandra Dasa 9

10. How one attains pure devotional service? (24-25)  From karma- and jïäna-misra bhakti  pure bhakti  Associating with and hearing from a pure devotee of Krsna’s pastimes, transcendental attributes and glories  taking full shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord  purification of the heart  pure devotional service  Our material desires  spiritual desires for the satisfaction of Krsna because of higher taste  I am your servant = example of a dog 10/22/2011Carucandra Dasa 10

11. Qualities of a pure devotee (29- 32)  In response to Uddhava’s question, Krsna lists 28 qualities of a pure devotee whose association the Lord recommends  Of these 28 qualities, the most important is krsna- çarana, (one should take full shelter of Lord Krsna) all other qualities automatically develop in a devotee 10/22/2011Carucandra Dasa 11

12. Wonderful instructions by Krsna Himself (34-41)  These activities place Krsna in the center of our lives.  When  When one is engaged in these kinds of devotional activities with great faith, sincerity and determination, his bhakti will grow. 10/22/2011Carucandra Dasa 12

13. The Diety worship (42-48)  Two kinds of worship: 1) those in which Krsna is directly in it and worshiped, and 2) objects that are dear to Krsna  indirect worship  Bhakti is the goal 10/22/2011Carucandra Dasa 13