Prabhupada 0052 - Difference Between Bhakta and Karmi
Lecture on SB 1.2.9-10 -- Delhi, November 14, 1973
This is the distinction between bhakti and karma. Karma is sense gratification, and bhakti is satisfying the Lord. The same thing. Therefore people cannot understand what is the difference between a bhakta and a karmī. Karmī is satisfying his own senses, and the bhakta is satisfying Kṛṣṇa's senses. There must be some sense gratification. But when you satisfy Kṛṣṇa, that is called bhakti. Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate (CC Madhya 19.170). Hṛṣīka means senses, purified senses. That I explained the other day, that
- sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ
- tat-paratvena nirmalam
- hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-
- sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate
- (CC Madhya 19.170)
Bhakti does not mean stop your work. Bhakti does not mean sentimental fanaticism. That is not bhakti. Bhakti means to engage all your senses for the satisfaction of the proprietor of the senses. That is called bhakti.
Therefore Kṛṣṇa's name is Hṛṣīkeśa. Hṛṣīka means senses. And hṛṣīka īśa, He is the controller of the senses. Actually, our senses are working not independently. We can understand it. Kṛṣṇa is directing. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca (BG 15.15). Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca. A scientist is working because Kṛṣṇa is helping him, not that he is independently working. That is not possible. But he wanted in that way. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is giving him facilities. But actually, Kṛṣṇa is working. These are explained in the Upaniṣads. Without Kṛṣṇa working, without seeing, without Kṛṣṇa's seeing, you cannot see. Just like the sunshine is explained in the Brahma-saṁhitā, yac-cakṣur eṣa savitā sakala-grahāṇāṁ, the sun is one of the eyes of Krishna.
- yac-cakṣur eṣa savitā sakala-grahāṇāṁ
- rājā samasta-sura-mūrtir aśeṣa-tejāḥ
- yasyājñayā bhramati sambhṛta-kāla-cakro
- govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
- (Bs. 5.52)
Therefore, sun being one of the eyes of Kṛṣṇa, because the sun rises there, because sun is seeing, therefore you are seeing. You cannot see independently. You are so much proud or you eyes. What is the value of your eyes if there is no sunlight? You cannot see. Even this electricity, that is derived from sun. So actually when Kṛṣṇa sees, you can see. That is the position.
So our senses... In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, sarvataḥ pāṇi-pādaṁ tat. Sarvataḥ pāṇi-pāda... Everywhere Kṛṣṇa has His hands and legs. What are that? My hands, your hand, your leg—that is Kṛṣṇa's. Just like if somebody says I have got branches all over the world. So those branches are working on the management of the supreme person. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa also. Kṛṣṇa is therefore called Hṛṣīkeśa, Hṛṣīkeśa. So business is... Bhakti means when we engage our hṛṣīka, our indriyas, our senses, in the service of the proprietor of the senses. That is our perfect life. That is our perfect... But as soon as we desire to use our senses for the gratification on the senses, that is called karma. That is called material life. So therefore, for a bhakta there is nothing material. That is īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). The bhakta sees that everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvaṁ yat kiñca jagatyāṁ jagat, tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā. Everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. Therefore whatever Kṛṣṇa gives us... Just like a master. Master allots something to the servant, "You can enjoy this." That prasādam. Prasāde sarva-duḥkhānāṁ hānir asyopajā... This is the life. If you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, if you understand that "Everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa, even my hands and legs, they also belong to Kṛṣṇa, all the parts of my body, they belong to Kṛṣṇa, then it should be used for Kṛṣṇa," that is called bhakti.
- anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ
- jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam
- ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-
- śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā
- (Brs. 1.1.11)
That Kṛṣṇa did, er, Arjuna did. He wanted to satisfy his senses by not fighting, but he agreed after hearing Bhagavad-gītā that "Yes, Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Person."
- ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo
- mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate
- iti matvā bhajante māṁ
- budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ
- (BG 10.8)
These things are very nicely explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. That is the preliminary study of spiritual life. And if we are actually convinced of the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā, then we surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa wants that. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That He wants. When we actually take to this process, this is called śraddhā. Śraddhā. That has been explained by Kavirāja Gosvāmī, what is the meaning of śraddhā.