BG 9.20-21 Summary by HH Shyamsundar prabhuji

BG - 9.20-21

By Shayamsundar Prabhu

These two verses here, give us a very clear understanding of the heavenly planets. Tri-vedya.... Those who study the vedas and drinking the soma juice - what does that mean. In the karma kanda section of the vedas, it shows how you can increase the sense enjoyment in the material world. Vedas is a supermarket and is giving a variety of products - some are expensive, some are cheap, and how to enjoy material world - vedas says, that you can enjoy a lot by going to the heavenly planets as the senses are developed a lot more. Because the current body on this earth is not very developed, but in the heavenly planets the bodies are suitable for sense enjoyment, hence it's very attractive, that's why people become excited about it. Example - sense enjoyment in India vs America - roads are very good, quality of life is high, in India - too much pollution etc, infrastructure is so weak! But to come here, you have to work hard, you have to prove yourself and only when you have good proof that you are good and some good luck you are given entry in this country - same way people going to the higher planets.

Purpose of vedas is to know Krishna. If we fail that, then there is no use - you do some exercise but you forgot what is the exercise. The purpose of this creation, is to understand that everything in because of Krishna and the goal is to come to Krishna. You have to satisfy the lord. Srila Prabhupada explains, that to get to HIS feet, you have to act according to the scriptures of BG, SB. That person has understood that everything is coming from Krishna. And as SP, says that the only way to get to him is by chanting the Holy name - devotional service. It has 9 limbs. Sravana, kirtana, visnu smaram, praying, serving the lord as friend, servant, worshipping the diety and surrendering yourself to the lotus feet of Krishna. The main one is chanting the holy name. It is the key to unlock the bhakti of devotional service - unlocks the mystery of devotional service. Mahaprabhu also says that the Harinam sankirtana is the best of the 9 ways to get to Krishna. Krishna juice is needed - as Bhaktivinoda Thakura says - Mahaprabhu has got the medicine for the maya. What is that which unreal is real and real is unreal - that is maya - what is the medicine - harinam mahamantra is the medicine to cure the disease. We need a big SHOT of this.But for the fever to go away you have to take a good SHOT - by chanting the hare Krishna maha mantra - side by side you have to understand Krishna who is the truth (reading BG, SB, SP books, Preach) - this is the acutal job of the tri-vedi. But them many people think, that we will do punya karma, pooja etc - First thing is to bring people to the platform of bhakti as its the instant savior. But if someone isn't ready, then SP says - let them do the sacrifices, because by this they are gradually becoming purified.

For sadhakas, we should be very sincere in our sadhana - japa, Krishna is the supreme and preach and read. The best sacrifice is the to chant the holy name. Say you spend 10,000 and go to LVegas and you enjoy. But once money is gone you have to go back - same way heavenly planets once punya is gone, they again go back to lower planets and then you have a vicious circle. The words of the BG is to take us out of the material world. BG also says that this suffering is temporary, and same way happiness is also temporary. We always need to be sober, humble so we know what our real position is which is to serve Krishna. We train ourselves as the servant of Krishna and always live our life of devotional service. Then we won't be distracted by everything around us, higher planets, lower planets etc - we all want Krishna to take us out of here.

As Queen kunti says - only when you are beaten down and are low only then it is easier to understand Krishna. Because when you are having fun and are in the maddness then you forget Krishna and it is very hard to achieve Krishna. Hence the devotees of Krishna want to keep the senses under check and always want to dovetail to Krishna directly. Therefore the heavenly planets aren't very great to get out of this material world and achieve Krishna.