DE 10 AÑOS Y MÁS DE EDAD
8.2.4. Equipamiento, Servicios, Obras de infraestructuras y Actividades Económicas
Mantra One - reveals our practice of accepting only our quota and engaging in the Lord‘s service.
Mantra Two – reveals reward of such practice
Mantra Three – reveals punishment of negligence of such practice
Connection to Invocation: Spiritual practices as prescribed in the revealed scriptures come in two forms. The first is to help us become detached from material life. The second is to help us become attached to spiritual life. The more we become attached to spiritual activities the easier it is to become detached from material activities. These first three mantras of the Śrī Īśopaniṣad point us towards a general understanding of this principle in light of the knowledge given in the invocation that everything is emanating from the Supreme Person, and thus everything is meant for His enjoyment.
Key Phrase: Our Quota is Given to Serve the Lord, Our Future is Black if We Simply Horde Mantra 1 – How to understand and apply the Lord‘s proprietorship of everything
īśāvāsyam idam sarvaṁ
Connection to Invocation: The Invocation explained that the Personality of Godhead is perfectly complete, as are His energies. Mantra 1 describes how the living entities can again regain their sense of completeness by acting in relationship with Kṛṣṇa. This action is called īśāvāsya consciousness.
CCP: Īśopaniṣad is also called īśāvāsya upaniṣad.
CCP: Īśāvāsyam – Lord (isa) resides (avasyam) in it and owns it.
Summary of purport
The infallible Vedic wisdom comes to us through disciplic succession, from Kṛṣṇa, and in that way is saved from human imperfection. From it we learn the details of the Lord‘s perfect, complete arrangement for us sometimes knows as the ―īśāvāsya‖ system.
All species have their quotas, by His grace. For example, the cow produces milk, which she does not require, and the human species is able to utilize this. The cow‘s quota is grass.
The capitalists and the communist are fond of fighting over the resources of material nature, but they should understand that these resources are the property of the Lord and not fight for so-called proprietorship over them. Such fighting may be a type of ―quota‖ for cats and dogs, as they are acting under the dictates of nature and do not receive karmic reactions for doing so. But if humans imitate them the human will receive severe reactions, as the Lord‘s arrangement does not allow this for them.
The Lord has given human greater facility, so they can become God realized, but if they do not fulfil their quota of Kṛṣṇa consciousness they will fall down. Even material piety, such as vegetarianism, falls short of the mark. But if one offers one‘s vegetarian food to the Lord, and dedicates one‘s life to serving Him, one can go back to Godhead.
Overview
Glory of Vedic Knowledge (p1-2)
How the Lord is Proprietor of Everything (p3-4) E.g. of one‘s quota in nature (p5)
E.g. of one‘s quota in human possession of the earth (p6-8) E.g. of quota in human diet (p9-10)
Conclusion - Live according to īśāvāsya (p11) Explanation
Mantra one simply states that everything belongs to the Lord, and so we should accept only as much as He has given for our quota. We need to understand that without the material ingredients which the Lord has provided we cannot produce anything on our own.
Prabhupāda states, ―But for the Lord, no one is a proprietor of anything.‖ Carrying this responsibility of recognizing the authority of the Lord, human beings are meant to offer everything in the Lord‘s service for His enjoyment. By limiting ourselves to only our material necessities we gradually detach ourselves from material activities. By first offering everything we have to the Lord we gradually become attached to spiritual activities by partaking in His enjoyment.
Main Points Discussed
1. The concept of apaurusheya – that which is given by Supreme Lord who is beyond the purview of the modes of material nature / Glory of Vedic Knowledge (p1-2)
Vedic knowledge is infallible because it comes down through the perfect disciplic succession of spiritual masters, beginning with the Lord Himself.
The words spoken by the Lord are called apauruṣheya, which indicates that they are not delivered by any mundane person.
No one with the four imperfections can deliver perfect knowledge. The Vedas are not produced by such an imperfect creature.
2. The concept of īśāvāsyam – everything in this world belongs to the Supreme Lord (para 3-4)
The Lord's proprietorship over everything within the universe is confirmed in the Seventh Chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā (7.4-5), where parā and aparā prakṛti are discussed.
o CCP: Prabhupāda gives cross reference from BG which proves everything belongs to Lord.
Because the Supreme Being, the Absolute Personality of Godhead, is the complete person, He has complete and perfect intelligence to adjust everything by means of His different potencies.
Analogy: Just as fire distributes energy in the form of heat and light, the Lord displays His energy in different ways.
3. E.g. of one‘s quota in nature and human possession of the earth (p5-8)
CCP: So if everything belongs to God, then can I not use anything?
Except for the Lord no one is a proprietor of anything. One should accept only those things that are set aside by the Lord as his quota.
Analogy: The cow gives milk, but she does not drink that milk: she eats grass and straw, and her milk is designated as food for human beings. Such is the arrangement of the Lord.
o CCP: Cow‘s milk not only for calf, when kept with proper care, cows give much more milk.
Analogy: We cannot produce any of the building materials ourselves. We can simply bring them together and transform them into different shapes by our labor. A laborer cannot claim to be a proprietor of a thing just because he has worked hard to manufacture it.
o CCP: Prabhupāda and Glass businessmen. Glass comes from natural ingredients. So glass factory is of Kṛṣṇa. If you call it your own then you are thief. But I give donation to Kṛṣṇa. Ok, you are small thief.
The human race should take the Vedic wisdom of Śrī Īśopaniṣad and not quarrel over material possessions.
One must be satisfied with whatever privileges are given to him by the mercy of the Lord.
There can be no peace if the communists or capitalists or any other party claims proprietorship over the resources of nature, which are entirely the property of the Lord.
If they do not recognize the proprietorship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, all the property they claim to be their own is stolen. Consequently they will be liable to punishment by the laws of nature.
Human beings are not meant to quarrel like cats and dogs. They must be intelligent enough to realize the importance and aim of human life.
Cats and dogs can kill other animals for food without incurring sin, but if a man kills an animal for the satisfaction of his uncontrolled taste buds, he is responsible for breaking the laws of nature.
4. E.g. of quota in human diet (para 9-10)
Among the many animals and birds, some are vegetarian and others are carnivorous, but none of them transgress the laws of nature. Nor are the Vedic instructions meant for them. Human life alone is a life of responsibility.
If a man neglects the instructions of the Vedic literature, his life becomes very risky.
A human being is therefore required to recognize the authority of the Supreme Lord and become His devotee. He must offer everything for the Lord's service and partake only of the remnants of food offered to the Lord. This will enable him to discharge his duty properly.
Vegetables also have life, and while it is nature's law that one living being is meant to feed on another, for human beings the point is to recognize the Supreme Lord.
Those who do not offer their food to the Lord eat nothing but sin and subject themselves to various types of distress, which are the results of sin (Bg. 3.13).
o BP: In Mādhurya Kadambini Vishwanath Chakravarti Thākura discusses the pious principles which may act as doors to Kṛṣṇa Consciousness not can‘t cause Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. Sometime pious principles act against bhakti. One Mataji in Vrndavana before becoming devotee was a Vegan. He came to meet devotees just because she was interested in meeting vegetarians. She went to Sunday feast but was repelled by smell of ghee, etc. and went away. Later she became a devotee.
o CCP: Do plants not feel pain. Yes they do, but
Scientific: Plants have less developed nervous system. So they feel less pain.
Natural: Crops perish if not cut; animals are killed long before their natural death.
Intuitive: Harvesting has festive atmosphere; slaughtering has horrific atmosphere. Parents will happily take their children to harvesting, but rarely to slaughterhouses, why?
o CCP: Are humans omnivorous?
Canine teeth very few – meat small part of diet if at all
Massive Slaughterhouses where millions of animals killed scientifically is unprecedented
5. Conclusion - Live according to īśāvāsya (para 11)
Definition of sin – deliberate disobedience of law of nature by disregarding the proprietorship of the Supreme Lord.
6. This mantra discusses abhideya or process of understanding the Supreme Lord.
Bhaktivedanta College (BC):
Śrīla Prabhupāda‘s life and Īśāvāsya Principle:
Śrīla Prabhupāda saw Kṛṣṇa‘s hand in his business success and failure in his grhastha life
Śrīla Prabhupāda had 108 temple and enormous opulence but saw everything belonging to Kṛṣṇa
Śrīla Prabhupāda was a living example of complete surrender to Kṛṣṇa by his mind, body and deeds
Exercise
Read: Read mantra one and purport, along with its study guide summary.
Focus: Since the Lord is the source of everything, everything belongs to Him. Focus on considering everything within this world as the property of the Lord, meant for His enjoyment. We can pray for this realization of accepting everything as the Lord‘s property.
Consider: Imagine the world as one big castle, the owner, or king, of which is God. All the people are simply His servants, meant to take care of this castle and cooperate in His enjoyment. Consider the international politics of the world today, or even read a newspaper.
Are people treating the property of the world as their own or as God‘s? Now consider your own situation. How much of your time, energy, talents, and resources are you using for God‘s enjoyment?
Describe: Describe how world politics might be different if the world leaders accepted everything as the Lord‘s property meant for them to take care of and engage in His service.
Describe your own understanding of everything belonging to the Lord, and how you can participate in using His property in His service.
Question and Answers Lesson 3
Q.1. Explain the principle of Īśāvāsyam?
Ans. The concept of Īśāvāsyam states that ―Everything animate or inanimate that is within the universe is controlled and owned by the Supreme Lord. One should therefore accept only those things necessary for himself, which are set aside as his quota, and one should not accept other things, knowing well to whom they belong.
Q.2. Why the Vedic knowledge is infallible? How it can be acquired and realized?
Ans. The Vedic knowledge is infallible because it comes down through the perfect disciplic succession of spiritual masters, beginning with the Lord Himself. Since He spoke the first word of Vedic knowledge, the source of this knowledge is transcendental. The words spoken by Lord are called apaurusheya, which indicates that they are not delivered by any mundane person.
The Vedic knowledge can be acquired and realized through the unbroken bona fide disciplic succession of spiritual masters which starts from the Supreme Personality of Godhead – Śrī Krishna – tad vigyanartham sa gurum eva abhigachhet – to acquire and realize this
knowledge one must approach a bona fide spiritual master. tad viddhi pranipatena pariprashnena sevaya – one must approach a bona fide spiritual master (who has seen (realized) the Absolute Truth), surrender to him, offer service and put up questions with utter humility than one can acquire and realize the Vedic wisdom. This is the process.
Q.3. Explain, how the source of Vedic knowledge is transcendental?
Ans. The source of Vedic knowledge is transcendental because it is apaurusheya. The words spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead – Śrī Krishna (who is beyond the reach of the mundane modes) are called apaurusheya, which indicates that they are not delivered by any mundane person (who dwells within the clutches of the mundane modes).
The Supreme Personality of Godhead – Śrī Krishna – is avranam which means He is without any fault. He is also suddham which means He is without any contamination or impurity. He is completely pure – rather He can purify all impure things that come in His contact. Contrary to this, the living beings those who lives in the mundane world has four defects (1) he is certain to commit mistakes (2) he is subject to illusion (3) he has a propensity to cheat others and (4) his senses are imperfect. No one with these four imperfections can deliver perfect knowledge. The Vedas are not produced by such an imperfect creature.
The Vedic knowledge originates from the Supreme Personality of Godhead – Shri Krishna who is actual Vedanta krid and Veda vedvid. He impregnate this knowledge in the heart of Brahmā (the first created being), who in turn passes down this knowledge through disciplic succession. Thus the source of the Vedic knowledge is transcendental.
Q.4. Explain the concept of apauruseya?
Ans. The word apauruseya indicate that things which are apauruseya are not delivered by the mundane living being, rather it is delivered by someone who is beyond the clutches of the mundane modes.
The living being under the clutches of mundane modes are affected by the four definite imperfections which are (i) he is certain to commit mistakes (ii) he is subject to illusion (iii) he has a propensity to cheat others and (iv) his senses are imperfect. Therefore, the things delivered by the people with these four definite defects cannot be called apauruseya.
The word purusa also means living being of this material world, which is gunamayi (consisting of the three modes of sattva, rajas and tamas), and those live in this material world are also governed and conditioned by these three gunas or modes. Therefore, anything delivered by such living beings cannot be called apauruseya.
Apauruseya – means it should be delivered by someone who is beyond or transcendental to these imperfections and modes of material nature and it is the Supreme Personality of Godhead – Śrī Krishna – who is completely transcendental or beyond the modes of material nature and any imperfection. Therefore, things delivered by Him is considered and called apauruseya.
Q.5. What are the four definite defects of a mundane living being?
Ans. The mundane living being who is found under the clutches of mundane modes are affected by the four definite imperfections which are (i) he is certain to commit mistakes (ii)
he is subject to illusion (iii) he has a propensity to cheat others and (iv) his senses are imperfect.
Q.6. What is principle subject discussed in Śrī Īśopaniṣad?
Ans. Īśopaniṣad is the foremost among all the Upanishadas. This Upanishad's name gives the clue: Isha means "the supreme controller." This Upanishad discusses the subject matter for understanding the Supreme Personality Godhead–Śrī Krishna. It discusses sambandha (relationships), abhideya (process) and the prayojana (ultimate result) of spiritual practices.
Relationship or sambandha is discussed in the Invocation and mantras 4, 5, 8 and 14. The process or abhideya is discussed in mantras 1, 2, 3, 9, 11, 15, 16, 17 and 18 whereas the Prayojana or result is discussed in mantras 6, 7, 10, 12 and 13.
This Īśopaniṣad is part of the yajurvada and contains information concerning the proprietorship of all things existing within the universe.
Q.7. How everything is the property of the Supreme Personality of Godhead?
Ans. The Lord has proprietorship over everything within the universe. This is also confirmed in Bhagavad Gītā (7.4-5) where para and apara prakrti are discussed. The element of nature – earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and ego – all belong to the Lord‘s inferior, material energy (apara prakrti), whereas the living being, the organic energy, is His superior energy (para prakrti). Both of these prakrtis, or energies, are emanations from the Lord, and ultimately He is the controller of everything that exists. There is nothing in the universe that does not belong either to the para or the apara prakrti; therefore everything is the property of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Q.8. Explain the analogy of the fire, heat and the light with respect to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the living entity?
Ans. The Supreme Personality of Godhead (the Supreme Being) is the complete person. He has complete and perfect intelligence to adjust everything by means of His different potencies. The Supreme Being is often compared to a fire, and everything organic and inorganic is compared to the heat and light of that fire. Just as fire distributes energy in the form of heat and light, the Lord displays His energy in different ways. He thus remains the ultimate controller, sustainer and dictator of everything. He is the possessor of all potencies, the knower of everything and the benefactor of everyone. He is full of inconceivable opulence, power, fame, beauty, knowledge and renunciation.
Q.9. Explain with an example the approach of the living entity while enjoying things of the nature?
Ans. While enjoying things of the nature one should be intelligent enough to know that except for the Lord no one is a proprietor of anything and therefore accept things that are set aside by the Lord as one‘s quota. The cow, for instance, gives milk, but she does not drink that milk; she eats grass and straw, and her milk is designated as food for human beings. One should, therefore, remain satisfied with those things which are assigned as one‘s quota and understanding that it is an arrangement of the Lord. One must know whom the things actually belong and enjoy things as per the principle of the īśāvāsyam.
Q.10. When the laborer has worked hard for construction then why he should not claim proprietorship on the construction?
Ans. A laborer cannot claim to be a proprietor of a thing just because he has worked hard to manufacture it because he is not the person who has supplied the material for construction – rather he has only put his labor in exchange with the wages. Similarly, everything is provided by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Nothing is there which we have produced or we can produce. We can simply bring them together and transform them into different shapes by our labor. This does not give us proprietorship over anything of this world. We must follow the principles of īśāvāsyam and remain content with whatever is provided as our quota. We should not encroach upon somebody else‘s property. That is stealing.
Q.11. The teaching of Śrī Īśopaniṣad is projected for whom and why?
Ans. The teaching of Śrī Īśopaniṣad is meant for human being who possesses higher intelligence. Not for cats and dogs and those people who have tendencies like cats and dogs
Ans. The teaching of Śrī Īśopaniṣad is meant for human being who possesses higher intelligence. Not for cats and dogs and those people who have tendencies like cats and dogs