THEMATIC ESSENCE OF UDDHAVA-GÉT Ä Lesson 7: The Most Confidential Knowledge THEMATIC ESSENCE OF UDDHAVA-GÉT Ä Lesson 7: The Most Confidential Knowledge (SB Canto 11, Chapter 12) 10/29/2011Carucandra Dasa 1

Recap of chapters 10 & 11 (16p) 1. Karma-miçrä- bhakti (10.1), or bhakti mixed with fruitive tendencies 2. Jïäna-miçrä- bhakti (10.4), or bhakti mixed speculative philosophy 3. Unalloyed bhakti (10.35) 4. Faith (11.18) 1. Execution of the prescribed duties according to one’s nature within the varëäçrama-dharma with no material desires + offer the fruits of their labor to Krsna (niskäma-karma-yoga) 2. Renounce worldly duties & systematically cultivate knowledge + accepting Krsna as the Supreme 3. Without devotional service  speculative philosophical imperfect 4. Importance of faith in Krsna, the SPG 10/29/2011Carucandra Dasa 2

Recap of chapters 10 & 11 (16p; Contd)  Hearing + chanting + sädhu-sanga (11.23)  Uddhava’s questions (11.26)  Krsna’s response (11.48)   Faithful hearing and chanting the glories of the Lord  perfection depends upon devotee association  Ways and means of ds + symptoms of devotional perfection  Without devotional service + devotee association, all attempts for liberation are useless  Krsna, while categorically rejecting all other paths of self-realization, such jïäna and karma, recommends exclusive surrender unto Him. 10/29/2011Carucandra Dasa 3

Chapter 12: The most confidential knowledge—beyond renunciation and knowledge  In this chapter, the glories of holy association and the super-excellence of the pure love of the residents of V åndävana are described.  The association of saintly devotees destroys our attachment to material life, and is capable of bring even the Supreme Lord, Krsna under one’s control.(Contd) 10/29/2011Carucandra Dasa 4

Chapter 12… (Contd)  Neither yoga, S ä nkhya-philosophy, mundane religious duties, study of scriptures, austerities, renunciation, charity, vows of fasting, Deity worship, secret mantras, visiting holy places, nor adhering to any major or minor regulative principles can effect the same results.  Even those in the lower modes of material nature and in low intelligence, who cannot study the scriptures, can attain the Supreme Abode simply by associating with the saintly devotees. (Contd) 10/29/2011Carucandra Dasa 5

Chapter 12… (Contd)  The Vraja-gopés, ignorant of the divine nature of Krsna, attained the supreme Absolute Truth simply by constant association with Krsna.  Even great demigods like Brahmä cannot match the incredible fortune of the gopés.  The attachment of the gopés for Krsna was so intense even in separation that even the Lord Himself considered eternally indebted to them.  As such, after imparting instructions to Uddhava, Krsna recommended him to take shelter of the gopés and follow in their footsteps. 10/29/2011Carucandra Dasa 6

Is there contradiction when Krsna asks Uddhava to abandon every recommendation He made earlier and now simply surrender unto Him in the footstep of thegopés? (17) Is there contradiction when Krsna asks Uddhava to abandon every recommendation He made earlier and now simply surrender unto Him in the footstep of the gopés? (17)  No. The contradiction is just apparent.  In listing those paths of self-realization, Krsna was instructing all living entities in general in different situations, while using Uddhava as His medium. 10/29/2011Carucandra Dasa 7

How Krsna manifests Himself in Vedic knowledge? (18)  Krsna explains the most confidential meaning of Vedic knowledge.  Work  knowledge  bhakti  Analogy: When sticks of kindling wood are vigorously rubbed together  heat  sparks of fire  addition of ghee (fuel)  fire blazes. Similarly, Krsna manifest in the sound vibration of the Vedas. 10/29/2011Carucandra Dasa 8

The tree of material existence (22-23)  The two seeds of this tree = sinful & pious activities  The hundreds of roots = innumerable material desires of the living entity  The 3 lower trunks = The 3 modes  The 5 upper trunks = The 5 gross elements  Production of 5 flavors = The 5 sense objects  The 11 branches = The 10 senses + the mind 10/29/2011Carucandra Dasa 9

The tree of material existence (22-23)  The 2 birds making their nest in this tree = The individual soul & the Supersoul  The 3 types of bark = air, bile and mucus, the constitutional elements of the body  The 2 fruits of this tree = happiness & distress  This tree = manifestation of Krsna’s m ä y ä  Krsna is the cause of all causes. 10/29/2011Carucandra Dasa 10

Text 24: The ultimate conclusion  Steady intelligence + worship of the spiritual master + the sharpened ax of transcendental knowledge  cut-off the subtle material covering of the soul  realization of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Çré Krsna  throw away the ax of analytical knowledge as it is no more necessary  in fact, it could be detrimental on the path of pure devotional service. 10/29/2011Carucandra Dasa 11