[world-vedic] "MAHATMA"??? GANDHI

[Guest guest]

What is Mahatma?

 

681118LE.LA Lectures

So when one comes to this understanding that Krsna, Vasudeva, He keeps

Himself intact although He is all-pervasive... Vasudevah sarvam iti sa

mahatma sudurlabhah. Mahatma means great soul. Just like you have heard the

name of Mahatma Gandhi in our country, but the definition of mahatma in

Bhagavad-gita is different. A mahatma is not a politician. A mahatma is not

for the Indians and not for the Americans or any certain limited circle.

Mahatma is not like that. Of course, the Indian people awarded the title

"Mahatma" Gandhi, but mahatma means a different... Mahatma's definition is

given in the Bhagavad-gita. There it is stated, mahatmanas tu mam partha

daivim prakrtim asritah. A mahatma is under the shelter of the internal

potency of God. There are two kinds of potencies. That is also stated in the

Bhagavad-gita. You should read Bhagavad-gita very carefully. You'll

understand everything. Apara and para. These are stated. Bhumir apo 'nalo

vayuh kham mano buddhir eva ca... bhinna me prakrtir astadha. The Lord said,

material world, what is this material world? This material world is

composition of earth, water, air, fire, ether. And this is gross element,

gross ingredients. But there are finer, subtle ingredients, mind,

intelligence, ego. So these eight gross and fine elements which is the

material world, that is expressed in the Bhagavad-gita that bhinna me

prakrti astadha, "These eight kinds of prakrti, nature, is my separated

inferior energy." Apareyam, this is inferior. They are inferior. Itas tv

anya me prakrtim para. Besides these eight elements, there is another

prakrti, another nature, which is superior. And what is that? We can see

earth, water, fire, air, and, of course, mind we can feel, intelligence we

can feel, ego also we can feel. There is feeling, although we cannot see

because they are subtle. And what about the other? That is expressed in the

Bhagavad-gita, jiva bhutam maha-baho, "My dear Arjuna, they are these living

entity." Some of the nonsense philosophers, they are identifying the soul

with the mind, with intelligence, with ego, but they are all material. The

soul is different. So this is daivi prakrti, spiritual nature. The material

nature and spiritual nature.

 

Bg 9.13

mahatmanas tu mam partha

daivim prakrtim asritah

bhajanty ananya-manaso

jnatva bhutadim avyayam

Bg 9.13 S maha-atmanah--the great souls; tu--but; mam--unto Me;

partha--O son of Prtha; daivim--divine; prakrtim--nature; asritah--taken

shelter of; bhajanti--render service; ananya-manasah--without deviation of

the mind; jnatva--knowing; bhuta--creation; adim--original;

avyayam--inexhaustible.

Bg 9.13 T

O son of Prtha, those who are not deluded, the great souls, are under the

protection of the divine nature. They are fully engaged in devotional

service because they know Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, original

and inexhaustible.

PURPORT

In this verse the description of mahatma is clearly given. The first sign of

the mahatma is that he is already situated in the divine nature. He is not

under the control of material nature. And how is this effected? That is

explained in the Seventh Chapter: one who surrenders unto the Supreme

Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, at once becomes freed from the control of

material nature. That is the qualification. One can become free from the

control of material nature as soon as he surrenders his soul to the Supreme

Personality of Godhead. That is the preliminary formula. Being marginal

potency, as soon as the living entity is freed from the control of material

nature, he is put under the guidance of the spiritual nature. The guidance

of the spiritual nature is called daivi prakrti, divine nature. So, when one

is promoted in that way--by surrendering to the Supreme Personality of

Godhead--one attains to the stage of great soul, mahatma.

The mahatma does not divert his attention to anything outside Krsna because

he knows perfectly well that Krsna is the original Supreme Person, the cause

of all causes. There is no doubt about it. Such a mahatma, or great soul,

develops through association with other mahatmas, pure devotees. Pure

devotees are not even attracted by Krsna's other features, such as the

four-armed Maha-Visnu. They are simply attracted by the two-armed form of

Krsna. Since they are not attracted to other features of Krsna (what to

speak of the demigods), they are not concerned with any form of a demigod or

of a human being. They only meditate upon Krsna in Krsna consciousness. They

are always engaging in the unswerving service of the Lord in Krsna

consciousness.

 

Re: Gandhis experimenting with truth?

 

751113mw.bom Conversations

Prabhupada: No, experiment means one who is making experiment, he is a fool.

Dr. Patel: I mean the experiment of making..., method of worshiping, sir.

You worship this way, other...

Prabhupada: There is no method. Only method--bhaktya mam abhijanati. That is

method. All rascals. All rascals. Yes, all rascals.

Dr. Patel: No, sir. The Christians, they go to the temple to worship God in

the same way.

Prabhupada: No, I don't say Christian and Hindus, Muslims. Anyone who is not

a bhakta, he is a rascal. That's all. That is our conclusion. Therefore we

say all rascals. Mudha. Krsna says, bhaktya mam abhijanati. Why should we

experiment other than that?

Dr. Patel: But that is the way of bhakti, sir. My contention is this, with

all my...

Prabhupada: You cannot make.

Dr. Patel: I submit myself meekly, that...

Prabhupada: Truth is truth. There is no experiment. Truth is truth. You

cannot make experiment. "All right, let us see. The sun may rise this side."

Can you do that?

Dr. Patel: I think I am not explicit to you, sir. What I mean to say is way

of worshiping...

Prabhupada: There is no other way of worshiping except bhakti.

Dr. Patel: No, but that is also a bhakti, sir.

Prabhupada: Yes, but... Only way. Bhaktya mam abhijanati. God is one, and to

understand God is one. That is it.