Gour Govinda Swami:
Translation
As one can understand the presence of the air by the aromas it carries, so, under the guidance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one can understand the living soul by these three divisions of intelligence. These three divisions, however, are not the soul; they are constituted of the three modes and are born of activities.
Purport
As already explained, there are three states to our existence, namely wakefulness, dreaming and deep sleep. In all three states, we have different experiences. Thus the soul is the observer of these three states. Actually, the activities of the body are not the activities of the soul. The soul is different from the body. Just as aromas are distinct from the material vehicle in which they are carried, the soul is unattached to material activities. This analysis can be considered by a person who is fully under the shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord. This is confirmed by the Vedic injunction, yasmin vijñāte sarvam evaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati. If one can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one can automatically understand everything else. Because of not taking shelter of the Lord’s lotus feet, even great scholars, scientists, philosophers and religionists are always bewildered. This is confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.32):
ye ’nye ’ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas
tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ
Even though one may artificially think himself liberated from material contamination, if he has not taken shelter of the Lord’s lotus feet his intelligence is polluted. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (3.42):
indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur
indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ
manasas tu parā buddhir
yo buddheḥ paratas tu saḥ
Above the senses is the mind, above the mind is the intelligence, and above the intelligence is the soul. Ultimately, when one’s intelligence becomes clear through devotional service, one is situated in buddhi-yoga. This also is explained in Bhagavad-gītā, dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ yena mām upayānti te. When devotional service develops and one’s intelligence becomes clear, one can use his intelligence to return home, back to Godhead.
-----------------------------------
This is the purport given by.....(break in recording, 3.08)
In spiritual curriculum... the first teaching, and that one must understand, that he is not the body, he is spirit soul and soul is different from this material body. We say so.
But the question arises: Do all people understand this? No. Most of the people cannot understand this. That I am not this body, I am something else then the body, that I am spirit soul. Is it difficult to understand? What do you say? (Nrhari:) It is difficult for those that are not engaged in devotional service.
Gour Govinda Swami: Yes, that is stated here in the purport of Srila Prabhupada. Our Guru Maharaja says: "Those who have not taken shelter of the lotus feet of Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they cannot understand it."
It is very difficult on their part to understand it. Though it is not so difficult. People say... as I was telling the same thing last night, that gentleman who came. People say, and you say, this is my tape recorder. You are not the tape recorder - MY tape recorder. You are the pocesser of the tape recorder. Similarly, my body.
When the body is said (to be) diseased.... or when some wrong in your body, physically wrong, you fall sick. Then you go to the doctor - what do you say? Oh, doctor my body is sick. It is not okey. Please give me some medicine.
You say - my body. You never say - I body. I am the body, do you think so? You never say. Many people say so. They say 'my body', but they cannot understand that I am not the body. I am something else then the body, different from the body. They cannot understand it, because they have not taken shelter at the lotus feet of Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Gohead. Though it's simple to understand, still it is very difficult on their part to understand it.
I think you have now undertstood everything clearly, isn't it? What do you say?
Devotee: by your mercy.
Gour Govinda Swami: my mercy? I have no mercy at all. I am a very mercy-less person. I can catch hold of you and give you lashes and say 'you rascal'. guru karma daran - the guru, spiritual master is a very strict disciplinarian. He inflicts strict discipline on the disciple. He has the right to catch hold of the ear and give slaps - You rascal, why are you doing such things? Can you tolerate it?
Devotee: Yes.
Gour Govinda Swami: you can tolerate. You speak from the mouth or from the heart? In (inaudible...?....7.28) one day I will examine you. What he'll say, how far he was tolerating?
Therefore Mahaprabhu, Sriman Mahaprabhu says: "trnad api sunicena taror eva sahisnuna" Be as tolerant as a tree. One should know this thing and should practice this thing in this very life. But generally we are very intolerant. We loose the power of tolerance. But here the Lord says, Sriman Mahaprabhu, the Lord Himself says be as tolerant as a tree. And the spiritual master teaches that thing. He is guru and the student is known as disciple. That means he is under strict discipline. The spiritual master inflicts strict discipline on the disciple and thereby he examines, tests, how far the disciple is tolerating. If one cannot tolerate, he cannot be considered a disciple. He should be rejected at once - get out (from) here!
Those who have taken shelter, those surrendered souls at the lotus feet of Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they can understand this philosophy, the philosophy of the soul - that they are not the body, they are different from the body, they are spirit soul. But those who have not taken shelter at the lotus feet of Krishna cannot understand. Be they, maybe they are great scholars, scientists, philosophers and religious - dharma vira, great heros in the field of religion. They cannot understand this thing.
So, one thing is needed. What is that one thing? To know everything, to understand everything clearly. What is that?
Devotee: taking shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord by devotional service.
Gour Govinda Swami: Yes, taking shelter of the lotus feet of Krishna. One thing is needed - to understand everything clearly. One who has not taken shelter of the lotus feet of Krishna cannot understand clearly.
So, it is stated by Prabhupadaji Maharaja, he quoted verses from Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-Gita and proofs the same thing.
Now this is enough for you. Now I'll speak in Oriya.
11.11: Q&A: Gurudeva: The body acts.
Devotee: apparent
Gour Govinda Swami: not apparent - absolute
Devotee: (speaks in Oriya)
Gour Govinda Swami: body acts because of the presence of the soul, but the activity doesn't depend on the soul or activity doesn't belong to the soul. The soul never eats. The soul never walks. The soul never works. The soul doesn't need this food that you take. The soul has different... yato bhaktir adhoksaje (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.2.6). Therefore, in that sense, it is stated. ....(? 12.00) bhakti - evam yo vetti tattvatah.
continous in Oriya.
Devotee: Even it is stated in that purport soul is the observer but not the doer. If soul is not the doer, but only the observer, then why he gets to do such a deed
Gour Govinda Swami: You see, in absolute consideration the soul never gets. Our philosophy is that the soul is very minute. very, very minute - kesagra-sata (CC M 19.140) that sastra gives. The dimension of the soul - take the tip of the hair, divide into a hundred equal parts and then each part again divide, subdivide into hundred. That is the dimension of the soul. So subtle - anu (...?...13.24, speaks in Oriya till 13.35) ... mamaivamso jiva-loke jiva-bhutah sanatanah (Bhagavad-gītā 15.7)
(break in recording, 13.37)
Devotee: we have come back from there....
Gour Govinda Swami: you have forgotten your father, you have forgotten that home. You have forgotten your father's home, you are loitering on the road, yes. Though, one who knows your father - oh Mr. Das you are son of such and such why are you loitering on the road? Your father is such a rich man, such a great personality, such a great person - why are you loitering here like a beggar? Go back to your father, go back home and be happy. In that sense. Now you understand?
Devotee: (inaudible, 14.18).... take shelter at the lotus feet of Guru and Krishna....
Gour Govinda Swami: take shelter and surrender one....
Devotee: yes, (inaudible, 14.44)
Gour Govinda Swami: you see, take shelter or surrender is one thing. One who has not developed prema or love he cannot take shelter or he cannot surrender. Therefore we say there is no compulsion or forcing. It is a loving attitude. When you develope that love, you automatically surrender. Automatically you take shelter. Automatically you render loving service. No force. No compulsion. Based on love. Therefore, the acaryas put stress on it - why are you loitering here? Like a beggar as if you have no father. Your father is very, very rich. You have forgotten your father. Go back to him and surrender yourself at His feet and be happy. Understand? Is it clear? Thank you very much. Hare Krishna