"I am God" (Lectures, other)

Expressions researched:
"I am God" |"I'm God"

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1972:

So actually, we are under the control of the material nature. But ahaṅkāra-vimūḍha ātmā. Those who are fools and rascals, they are thinking "I am independent, I am God, I don't care for God," this or that... So many. So this is called mati-cchanna, madness. The Vaiṣṇava Kavi says therefore,

piśācī pāile yena mati-cchanna haya

māyā-grasta jīvera se dāsa upajaya

Just like when a man is ghostly haunted—in Bengal it is called bhute pava (?)—and he speaks nonsense, even his father is before him, he wants to attack his father without any respect. Madman, crazy.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 2, 1973:

Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). Eternally you are servant of Kṛṣṇa. But we have accepted the service of māyā, instead of Kṛṣṇa. And we are thinking we are independent. We are being kicked out every moment by māyā, and still I am thinking I'm God, I'm independent. This is called illusion. He's being slapped always, he's being kicked by māyā; still he's thinking that he's independent, he's God, he's big, he's minister, he is something, something, something. This is called māyā.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 11, 1973:

There is God, there is home of God. As we say, generally, we give you the name of God, His address, His father's name—everything—but they will not accept it. "There is no God. God is dead. I am God. You are God. God is loitering in the street." This is their theory.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.2 -- Mayapur, March 2, 1974:

Those who are these Māyāvādīs who are claiming that "Everyone is God. I am God, you are God," they are all rascals. Therefore I have said in connection, with reference to that boy-god..., you know, I do not wish to repeat. We do not accept such cheap God. No. We accept Kṛṣṇa. And we accept Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as God because śāstra says, the ācārya says; therefore we follow the footsteps of the ācāryas.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.107-109 -- San Francisco, February 15, 1967:

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu directly accuses Śaṅkarācārya that the commentary which he has made indirectly, if we read that commentary or if we hear that commentary, then tāhāra śravaṇe nāśa haya sarva kārya, then anyone who is hearing or trying to understand the Śārīraka-bhāṣya, he is going to hell. He's not only wasting his time, but he's going to hell. Sarva nāśa. Sarva nāśa means "all auspicity lost." Why? Why lost? Lost because as soon as you indulge in the reading of the Śaṅkara-bhāṣya, the whole program is you have to think that "I am God." So if I am God, then who is else God, that I have to worship? That means the prospect of devotional service, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is killed forever. Such rascal will never be able to come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore he says, haya sarva nāśa. He is being murdered, you see, because he never will come. He'll always think, "I am God."

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.108 -- San Francisco, February 18, 1967:

Sthānād bhraṣṭād patanty adhaḥ. Ye 'nye aravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ. "Those fools who are thinking that 'Simply by thinking myself, "I am God, I am Brahman, I have become liberated," ' " but ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas tvayy asta-bhāvāt (SB 10.2.32), "but there is no knowledge about You, Kṛṣṇa," āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padam, "they, after performing so much austerity and penances, they rise up to the highest position, Brahman realization, but," patanty adhaḥ, "they fall down." We have got so many instances. They take sannyāsa. They say that brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā: "This world is false. Brahman is truth." But after some days, they come to politics, they come to sociology, they come to hospital, they come to this and that. That's all. Finished. Brahman finished. Patanty adhaḥ.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.118-121 -- San Francisco, February 24, 1967:

Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that "Living entities, they are energy of God. They are never God." The Śaṅkarācārya's theory is nullified by evidences from Vedic scripture, just like Bhagavad-gītā, Viṣṇu Purāṇa. So never claim that "We are God." That is most darkest part of your ignorance, when you say that "I am God." There is neither voidness; neither you are God. You are eternal, perpetual blissful, but your blissful is now covered by this māyā. You get out of it, be one with Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Your life is successful.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.119 -- Gorakhpur, February 17, 1971:

So this process of civilization at the modern times, Rāvaṇa-class, that "Take money which is the property of the Supreme Lord and enjoy," this is going on. "No God. Godless. Defy God. I am God. Who is God? I am so powerful." These things are also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, Sixteenth Chapter. They don't believe any creator. So these are called āsuriṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ. The āsuriṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ civilization will not make you happy.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.154-155 -- Gorakhpur, February 19, 1971 (Krsna Niketan):

Just like sunshine, when it is covered by the cloud, there is light, but the light is not so strong, so in the material world we cannot feel the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We are forgetful. Therefore so many people, those who are covered by this material energy, they say, "There is no God" or "God is dead," "You are God; I am God," "God is loitering in the street," so many theories of God. That is due to our covering of the knowledge how to appreciate God.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.98-102 -- April 27, 1976, Auckland, New Zealand:

If one is not accepting Kṛṣṇa—Kṛṣṇa means God—as the Supreme, he's placing himself as the Supreme. Just like so many rascals: "I am God." So such persons are called duṣkṛtina, sinful. Mūḍha. If one is claiming "I am God," how much foolish he is just you can consider. He is under the clutches of māyā, being kicked up by the material energy in so many ways, and he's thinking he is God.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100 -- Washington, D.C., July 5, 1976:

Actually, we are servants of God. That is our real position. But we sometimes become envious, that "Why shall I become servant of God? This is slave mentality." Sometimes we are accused, the Vaiṣṇavas are, of slave mentality because they want to serve God. And the Māyāvādīs, they think that "We are so exalted that I am as good as God. I am God." That is their position. But actually, nobody is God here. Everyone is servant. He's simply falsely thinking that he's God, he's master, he's this or that.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100-108 -- New York, November 22, 1966:

So because he inquired that ke āmi-ke āmi means "What I am?"—therefore Lord Caitanya directly informs him first that jīvera svarūpa haya kṛṣṇera nitya dāsa (CC Madhya 20.108). Jīva, the living entity, is eternally a servitor of the Supreme Lord. Eternal. He gets, He says, jīvera svarūpa haya kṛṣṇera nitya dāsa. That is his identity. So he refused all nonsensical ideas that "I am God, I am equal with God." In the first beginning, he refused this idea, that "This is wrong. You are living entity. Your position is that you are eternally servitor of Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Lord."

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100-108 -- Bombay, November 9, 1975:

In this material world everyone is trying to become the chief man, everyone. Everyone is trying to become minister. Everyone is trying to become a Birla. Everyone is trying to become a big doctor or a big financier, everyone. This is the struggle for existence here. Everyone. At last, when failed in everything, then he thinks of him, "I am God." This is the disease, material disease. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu, in the very beginning He impresses that "You are not the master; you are the servant. If you don't serve Kṛṣṇa, then you'll serve māyā. That is your position." That is the position of everyone here in this material world.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.101-104 -- Bombay, November 3, 1975:

So what is the difference between the plural number nityas and singular number? Now, eka. Eka-vacana, singular number leader, God... Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. That is the difference, that we are living entity and Kṛṣṇa, or God, is living entity, but Kṛṣṇa maintains all other living entities; we cannot maintain even ourself. And we find difficulty especially nowadays to maintain even a family. That is the difference. And still, as a rascal, I claim that "I am God. I am God." Nobody can claim unnecessarily that one is God. First of all prove that you can maintain all the living entities. You cannot maintain yourself even.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.108-109 -- New York, July 15, 1976:

By forgetfulness if we think that "I am master," that is also mistake. And willingly, if we reply, "Why shall I serve Kṛṣṇa? Let me become Kṛṣṇa," this Māyāvāda philosophy, "Let me become God..." So all these things are māyā. Real position to become... Not become. We are. But to become sane. Now, in madness, we are talking all this nonsense that "I am one with God. I am God." We have to be treated. This treatment is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.119-121 -- New York, November 24, 1966:

Dvitīya means that a, a secondary existence beyond God which is, in Bible, it is said, Satan and God. So this satanic mentality has made them under the control of material nature. Satanic mentality. What is that satanic mentality? That "I want to be God." Always thinking falsely, "I am God," or "Independent," "I can do anything, everything," "Whatever I survey, I am the lord of whatever I survey." These foolish things are going on.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.120 -- Bombay, November 12, 1975:

He is actually servant, but he's thinking "master." This is called anyathā rūpam. Anyathā means "otherwise," not svarūpam. So therefore mukti means hitvā anyathā rūpam, giving up this nonsense speculation that "I am master of nature. I am master of this, master of that," or "I am God. I am equal to God." These are all rascaldom, anyathā rūpam, thinking otherwise. So when one gives up this rascaldom that "I am God. I am equal to God. I am nobody's servant. I am free..." So these are anyathā rūpam. Hitvā anyathā rūpam svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ (SB 2.10.6). When one is situated in his original constitutional position, that is called mukti.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.120 -- Bombay, November 12, 1975:

Everyone is thinking otherwise. Somebody is thinking "I am equal to God. I am God," or "I am master," or "I am trying to become master of nature." The scientists, they are always thinking like that, that "We want to control the material nature so that we can manufacture living entity according to our plan, according to our order." Everyone. This is called baddha jīva, conditioned soul.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.120 -- Bombay, November 12, 1975:

Because we become entangled by our sinful activities... There are all sinful activities, that "I am independent. I can do whatever I like. I am as good as God. I am God," or "I am God. Where is the difference for me? I can do anything. There is no question of sinful activities." Some of the big, big swamis, they lecture like that, that "Why you are thinking of sinful activities? You are God. There is no sin for you." They are preaching like that, that "You have no sin." And it is very easy to think. That is māyā. Na māṁ prapadyante mūḍhāḥ (BG 7.15). Therefore these sinful persons who are thinking like that, that "I am God. I have no sinful activities. I am independent. I can do whatever I like," they have been described in the Bhagavad-gītā as duṣkṛtina, duṣkṛtina. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15).

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.120 -- Bombay, November 12, 1975:

But intelligent man, he takes things very intelligently: "Caitanya Mahāprabhu said jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109), then why I am falsely thinking that 'I am God. I am not dependent on anyone,' this, that? Let me accept this." Then you become mukta immediately. Simply acceptance how Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ (BG 18.66), he becomes immediately mukta.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.120 -- Bombay, November 12, 1975:

So if we accept this philosophy, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's, without falsely declaring ourself that "I am equal to God" or "I am God," if you simply accept that jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109), that we are eternally servant of Kṛṣṇa, and act like that... The servant of Kṛṣṇa means he must be always engaged in the service of Kṛṣṇa. This is called bhakti.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.124-125 -- New York, November 26, 1966:

Naradhāmāḥ means lowest of the mankind. So our civilization is going to the lowest of the mankind. And we are, we are trying to advertise ourself that we are advancing, but the... Yesterday some boy came: "Who is God? I am God." He was speaking like that. You see. And he appears to be educated student. From his appearance it appears that he, he's educated. So this is education is going on, that they're going to be the lowest of the mankind.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.137-142 -- New York, November 29, 1966:

When I become order-supplier to God, that is my perfection. And so long I keep God as my order-supplier, that is not bhakti. Generally, people keep God as his order-supplier: "O God, give us our daily bread," "O God, I am in distress, "O God, I am in difficulty, "O God, I am..." God supplies them. God is supplying. Eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. But that is not ultimate goal. The ultimate goal is that you should supply God. God will be dependent on you. That is bhakti.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.142 -- New York, November 30, 1966:

Just like a five-year-old boy, Prahlāda Mahārāja, and his father, atheist: "Oh, you rascal boy. You are chanting God's name? Who is God? I am God. Why don't you chant my name? If you don't do that, then I shall throw you in the fire." Oh, he is steady. He said, "Father, I cannot do that," this little boy.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.154-157 -- New York, December 7, 1966:

We see so many stars in the night, so many sun, moon, but what do we know about them? Still, we are claiming that "We are very powerful. We are very advanced in knowledge." This is our poor fund of knowledge. Anyone who is claiming that "I am God" or "I am everything," he is a fool number one.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.164-173 -- New York, December 13, 1966:

At seven years old, He lifted the hill. And when He was young He married sixteen thousand wives, and sixteen thousand features... So... And when He was in Battle of Kurukṣetra, He showed the universal form. So before claiming oneself as "I am God," they should be prepared to show these uncommon features. Otherwise, no sane man will accept any fool as God.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.255-281 -- New York, December 17, 1966:

There is no misconception that "I am Lord; I am God." There is no such misconception. They are all clear of this nonsense ignorance. Anuvratā: they are always following. Therefore there is unity, oneness. There is oneness. God is one, and the living entities there, they are all followers, obedient of God.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.294-298 -- New York, December 19, 1966:

God is omnipotent, and God cannot lift a hill? He is floating so many planets in the air, weightlessness, and He cannot lift a hill? Because I do not believe He is God. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā: (BG 9.11) "Foolish rascals, they consider Me as ordinary man: 'Not Kṛṣṇa, but me. You offer your respect to me. I am God. I am competitor Kṛṣṇa.' " So these are foolishness. He is unlimited; His everything, He is unlimited.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.313-317 -- New York, December 21, 1966:

Everyone is servant. And what to speak of us. We are servant's servant's servant. Therefore anyone who understands this philosophy, that "I am servant's servant's servant's servant, hundred times, million times lower servant," he is a liberated person. And one who thinks that "I am God," he is a dog. He is a dog.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.385-394 -- New York, January 1, 1967:

These are inconceivable energies. And foolish rascals, they claim that "I am God." You see. God is not so cheap. One must know the science of God, how great is God. We cannot calculate. Those who cheaply take God, "God might be like me, you," just frog philosophy. The same frog philosophy. The frog is calculating the length and breadth of Atlantic Ocean, keeping itself in the well.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 22.21-28 -- New York, January 11, 1967:

It has no actual standing. It is all..., they are all designations. Similarly, the last snare of māyā is to, I mean to say, induce one to think that "I am God." Just like we are under the spell of illusion. We are thinking, "I am this and that, this and that." So after many, many years' cultivation of knowledge, if one comes to the conclusion that "I am God. There is no other second God. I am God," so that is also another spell of illusion. So the Bhagavad-gītā says that daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14).

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 22.27-31 -- New York, January 15, 1967:

Now, there are many speculators. After some philosophical speculation, they think, "Now I have realized that 'I am the same. I am same God. I am God.' " So this process is called jñāna system. So Lord Caitanya says that these jñānīs, they artificially think that "Now I have realized myself," but actually that is not self-realization. Self-realization is when you actually engage yourself in the service of the Lord. That is your self-realization.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 22.27-31 -- New York, January 15, 1967:

So anyone who has got his eyes just like petals of the lotus flower, it is considered very beautiful. So He, He's addressed, aravindākṣa, "O the lotus-eyed..." Vimukta-māninaḥ. "Those who are thinking falsely that 'I am now liberated. I have realized myself that I am the same. I am God,' " vimukta-māninaḥ tvayy asta-bhāvāt, "but he has no information of Kṛṣṇa... He's thinking artificially that he is liberated, but he has no information of Kṛṣṇa."

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 25.19-31 -- San Francisco, January 20, 1967:

There is the important point of Māyāvādī philosophers. Every one of them, they say that "I am God," but actually he thinks within himself that "What kind of God I am?" That is the position. But for argument's sake they will play so many things in support of their views, but actually, any sane man will think that "What kind of God I am? I cannot defend myself from the slightest attack of this material nature, and still I claim..." But they cannot admit frankly.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 25.29 -- San Francisco, January 21, 1967:

Vedāhaṁ samatītāni (BG 7.26). He knows your past, present, and He knows your mind. As you wanted to do something, He will remind you, "My dear boy, you wanted to do this. Do it. And you wanted to place your hand on the fire. You've forgotten. Just place your hand on the fire and see. Test it." So this is going on. This is nature's law. And they are suffering. They are being kicked by the material nature, still, they have no sense. "I am God. I am God." These fools these rascals have created havoc in the world. Godlessness.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 25.40-50 -- San Francisco, January 24, 1967:

This is a verse from Bhagavad-gītā, that those who are deriding upon God, "God, there is no God; I am God," they are called asuras. Asuras, atheists, or demons. The demons... The Kṛṣṇa, Lord Kṛṣṇa personally says that tān ahaṁ dviṣataḥ krūrān (BG 16.19). Those who are such envious upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the result is that they are thrown into perpetual ignorance, and born life after life where they cannot understand what is God.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 25.40-50 -- San Francisco, January 24, 1967:

So Śaṅkarācārya's real purpose was no existence of God, because he had a very thankless task. He was dealing with the persons who are Buddhists. They did not believe anything except matter. So for them, to establish that there is God, it is very difficult. Therefore he adopted this means that "There is no separate God. We are all God. You are God, I am God."

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 25.40-50 -- San Francisco, January 24, 1967:

So that Vedānta means bhakti, devotional service. That is the Vaiṣṇava philosophy. And Vedānta means, for the Śaṅkara sampradāya, that "There is no God. I am God." Mīmāṁsaka kahe īśvara haya karmera aṅga.

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

Sri Isopanisad Invocation Lecture Excerpt -- Los Angeles, April 27, 1970:

So here it is stated, "There is complete facility for the small complete units, namely the living being, to realize the complete." To realize the complete, what is my relationship with the complete. "And all forms of incompleteness are experienced only on account of incomplete knowledge of the complete." We are thinking that "I am equal to God. I am God." This is incomplete knowledge. But if you know that "I am part and parcel of God," that is complete knowledge. The Māyāvādī philosophers, the atheists, they are claiming that "Who is God? I am God." That is incomplete knowledge.

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 1 -- Los Angeles, April 29, 1970:

So if you are controlled, then why you are going to declare yourself that "I am uncontrolled. I am independent. I am God"? Why this nonsense? If you are controlled... Is God, does it mean that He is controlled? They are claiming that "I am God." Is there any meaning? If I am controlled, then how I can become God? This is commonsense affair. Therefore this Māyāvādī philosophy that "Everyone is God. I am God; you are God...," Just like the other, who was speaking, that Meher Baba's... Yes. That he was speaking, "I am God, you are God." So God is never controlled. If somebody is controlled, immediately he is not God.

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 1 -- Los Angeles, April 29, 1970:

I have seen a rascal, he has got a society and he is preaching this, that "I am God." But one day I saw him, he had some toothache, and he was doing, "ohhh." (laughter) So I questioned him that "You claim that you are God, and now you are simply under the control of toothache. So what kind of God you are?" (laughter) You see. So these societies, those who are claiming that "I am God. You are God. Everyone God"—God has become so cheap that everyone is God—you immediately should know he's a rascal number one. Immediately. As soon as he says, "I am God," you must know that "Here is a rascal number one."

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 9 -- Los Angeles, May 13, 1970:

The more we shall advance in this material education, the more we will be hampered to understand what is God. And at last we shall declare, "God is dead. I am God. You are God," this, all this nonsense. That is hinted here: andhaṁ tamaḥ. Andham means darkness. There are two kinds of darkness. If you remain in ignorance, that is also darkness, and if you remain actually in darkness, where there is no sunlight, there is no electric light, that is also darkness. So avidyām upāsate.

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 10 -- Los Angeles, May 15, 1970:

So people are searching what is God. And searching, searching, searching, and they fail. They say, "Oh, there is no God. I am God." Finished. You see? This is not possible. Here it is said, iti śuśruma. This is Vedic knowledge. Heard, śuśruma. Wherefrom śuśruma? From the storekeeper? No. Dhīrāṇāṁ śuśruma. Iti śuśruma dhīrāṇām. What is dhīrāṇām? From the sober sect. Not this fanatic sect, but the sober sect, dhīra. Dhīra means whose senses are not agitated by material influence, or svāmī, or gosvāmī. He is called dhīra. There are different kinds of agitation.

Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Verse 32 -- New York, July 26, 1971:

Arjuna knew it very well that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord. Why he wanted to examine Kṛṣṇa? Not for himself, but for others. Because Arjuna knew it very well that in future so many false Gods would appear: "I am God." So before accepting anyone as God, imitating Kṛṣṇa, one should inquire from him "Whether you can lift a hill? Whether you can show the universal form? Whether you can kill such and such demons? Then I shall accept." That is intelligence.

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Verse 35 -- New York, July 31, 1971:

Everything finished. Sarva-haraś cāham, Kṛṣṇa says, that "I am God for the demons when I take away everything from them at the time of death." "You do not believe God, all right, here I am. Today I am here. I have come to you to take away everything, whatever you have got. Now get out!" They will see God on that day.

Festival Lectures

Lecture-Day after Sri Gaura-Purnima -- Hawaii, March 5, 1969:

"All right. Your field of activities, here." So it is not Kṛṣṇa's desire. It is fulfill your desire. Because in the spiritual world, Kṛṣṇa is supreme, but if you cannot tolerate Kṛṣṇa sup... Even here there are so many: "Why there should be God? I am God. I am God." Are you God? But you have got this mentality, that "I am God." You cannot qualify yourself. You do not know what is God, what is the meaning of God.

Lecture-Day after Sri Gaura-Purnima -- Hawaii, March 5, 1969:

Kṛṣṇa comes. God Himself comes. He sends His devotees. He comes as a devotee just to again reclaim, but they are so stubborn, they will not give up this habit. Even in their so-called spiritual cultivation they are thinking that "I am God. I am the mover of the sun. I am the mover of the moon. I am the supreme," in this way. That is the disease.

Sri Rama-Navami, Lord Ramacandra's Appearance Day -- Hawaii, March 27, 1969:

Dhanañjaya is a name of Arjuna, and Kṛṣṇa said that, "My dear Arjuna, there is nobody greater than Me." So if anyone claims that he is God, he must prove by practical example that nobody is richer than him. That is the first. But unfortunately, we are accepting so many Gods. A rascal in the street, he also claims that "I am God."

Ratha-yatra -- Los Angeles, July 1, 1971:

So the symptoms of the father and mother, the facial expressions, even a spot in the face, everything becomes manifested in the child. So you can study what is God by studying yourself. That is Māyāvāda philosophy. They take it in a different way that "I am God, reflection." God, they say, God reflection. No. We are reflection. God is not our reflection; we are God's reflection.

Janmastami Lord Sri Krsna's Appearance Day -- Bhagavad-gita 7.5 Lecture -- Vrndavana, August 11, 1974:

Educate, educated means wise man, educated man, jñānī. The actual jñānī means māṁ prapadyate. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). That is education. The education does not mean to become atheist, "There is no God. I am God, you are God, everyone is God." This is not education. This is ajñāna. The Māyāvādīs, they think that they have become one with God. That is not education.

Radhastami, Srimati Radharani's Appearance Day -- Bhagavad-gita 18.5 -- London, September 5, 1973:

Just like the rascal God is now in the hospital. God is under operation. (laughter) A "guruji" God. So they have no shame even that "If I am God, I cannot cure my bodily pains, what kind of God I am?" But these rascals will proclaim that they are God, and there is set of rascals, they will accept, "Oh, here is God." Vivekananda also said that "Why you are finding out God? Don't you see, so many gods are loitering in the street?" So God has become a funny thing for them.

Radhastami, Srimati Radharani's Appearance Day -- Bhagavad-gita 18.5 -- London, September 5, 1973:

The first expansion is called avatāra, and when there is another avatāra from avatāra, that is called kalā. Rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan (Bs. 5.39). Very scientific analysis in the śāstra. Not that any rascal comes, "I am God." This is not acceptable. We have to understand śāstra-vidhi, as śāstra it is said. So about Śrī Cai... Because Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, so many rascals have imitated: "Well, this Nimāi Paṇḍita, if He can become avatāra, then why not Gadādhara Paṇḍita?"

His Divine Grace Srila Sac-cid-ananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Appearance Day, Lecture -- London, September 3, 1971:

People are so foolish, they do not know... They want to be cheated, and these cheaters come. He declared that "I am God. I am Viṣṇu." So there were sane men also. They took objection, "What is this nonsense? This man is dancing with ladies and gentlemen, er, girls." So they filed a complaint. At that time it was British rule.

His Divine Grace Srila Sac-cid-ananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Appearance Day, Lecture -- London, September 3, 1971:

Then it is disciplic succession. And that is also not very difficult to select, who is bona fide guru. Bona fide guru means he presents himself as servant of God. He does not pose himself falsely that "I am God." This is bona fide. It is not difficult to find out bona fide. But this is the test. If anyone says that "I am guru," er, "I am God," then he cannot be guru. Because he has no knowledge. How he is God? But he can cheat some people. That is different thing. You can cheat all people for some time and some people for all time, but not all people for all time. That is not possible. So these kinds of guru, who poses themself that "I am God," he's a false guru. The bona fide guru will say that "I am servant of the servant of the servant of Kṛṣṇa," or God.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Lecture -- New Delhi, November 10, 1971:

Because there are many Indians in Nairobi and Mombassa. Unfortunately, our swamis go there, make some collection, and preach that "I am God, you are God. Why you are searching God? Gods are loitering in the street," and "Make this gymnastic and you will become God in six months." These things are going on. But nobody was interested.

Arrival Address -- Paris, June 8, 1974:

There are many classes of men, they have been classified as the duṣkṛtina, mūḍha, narādhama, māyayāpahṛta-jñānā, and all of them are based on the atheistic theory "There is no God, I am God." Asuri bhāvam, asura. Asura means they defy God, "I am God. Who is God?" Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu and his son, Prahlāda Mahārāja. Prahlada Mahārāja is devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa, and Hiraṇyakaśipu would not accept. "Who is God? I am God." This is atheistic attitude.

Arrival -- Philadelphia, July 11, 1975:

Brahmānanda: She wants to know that there are many other gurus, and why do you feel that you have the truth?

Prabhupāda: Because we speak the truth. We don't give bluff that "I am God. I am this. I am that." We don't give. We are... Actual position: God is great, and we are all servants. This is our actual position. How can I say, "I am God"? So we do not give bluff. We say the real truth; therefore it appeals. And if I say something humbug, it will not appeal. It may act for some time, but it will not endure.

Arrival Lecture -- San Francisco, July 15, 1975:

A guru does not say, "I am God." That is not guru. Guru will never say. The Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura's prayer says,

sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair

uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ

kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya... **

A guru is worshiped... Just like my disciples. They are offering respect exactly like God. That is their duty. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ: "All the śāstra recommends that guru should be respected as good as God." But that does not mean guru is foolishly thinking, "I am God." Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktaḥ **. Uktaḥ means "said," "it is recommended."

Arrival Address -- New Zealand, April 27, 1976:

These rascals, so-called leaders, gurus and others, they do not know what is the goal of life. Na te viduḥ. They do not know. Some imaginary theory, "I am God," "I am this," "I am that." A commonsense: "If I am God, then why I am under the control of the material nature?" Eh? This another rascal came, that "I am God." If you are God, so why you have become dog? They say it is līlā.

Initiation Lectures

Initiation of Satyabhama Dasi and Gayatri Initiation of Devotees Going to London -- Montreal, July 26, 1968:

A Kṛṣṇa conscious person will never blaspheme any person, any religious leader, who is trying to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness or God consciousness. In any country, in any religion, anyone who has tried to spread God consciousness to the people, they are all respectable persons. Those who are atheist, those who do not believe in God or those who personally declare that "I am God," we have nothing to do with such persons.

Initiation of Lokanatha dasa -- New Vrindaban, May 21, 1969:

Don't try to be puffed up artificially by your speculative knowledge that you are the same God. Don't try for it. If you actually want to be happy, and if you want, actually, you want to be God realized or Kṛṣṇa conscious person, then the first thing is that you give up this nonsense habit—by speculation, you want to be God. Puffed up: "I am God. I am God. I am God." But you are not God. You are God qualitatively, not quantitatively. Why don't you understand this?

Initiation of Lokanatha dasa -- New Vrindaban, May 21, 1969:

Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, jñāne prayāsam. Jñānīs, the empiric philosophers, they simply speculate and try to prove that "I am God." That means āsuriṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ. The atheist says that "There is no God," and here the Māyāvādī philosophy says, "Yes, there is God, but God I am." That's all. It is the same philosophy, atheism. He is also denying that "There is no separate God. I am God." That atheistic philosophy, like Buddha philosophy, "There is no God..." But Buddha himself is God.

Initiation of Lokanatha dasa -- New Vrindaban, May 21, 1969:

Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that "Don't be situated in the speculative method, that you are God, you are something—'There is no God,' or 'I am God, this God, that God.' Give up this habit kindly. Give up this nonsense habit." There is God, and you are not God. You are God partially, part and parcel, just like I have explained. So we have to give up this nonsense habit. Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya. Udapāsya means give up.

Lecture at Initiation Fire Sacrifice -- Los Angeles, July 16, 1969:

Self-realization, liberation, the sign is that he becomes joyful, prasannātmā, immediately. If you have actually realized yourself, simply by bluffing that "I am God, I am this, I am..." No. There are signs. If you are God, then you must be as joyful as God, as Kṛṣṇa. If you are suffering still and you are claiming that you are God, that is nonsense. You needn't become God.

Lecture at Initiation Fire Sacrifice -- Los Angeles, July 16, 1969:

When Arjuna understood Kṛṣṇa, he says, confirms, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, You are Paraṁ Brahman, You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead." This is understanding of Gītā. And after reading I understand that I am God. What is this nonsense? Where do you get this idea? Where it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā? Simply bluffing, all these rascals, scholars, and so-called commentators. They're all rascals. They do not know what is Bhagavad-gītā.

Initiation Lecture -- Hamburg, August 27, 1969:

"As soon as Kṛṣṇa will take birth, I will kill him." This is the plan of the demons, to kill God. Atheism. "God is dead." That is also killing, one sort of killing. "There is no God. I am God." These are all different processes of trying to kill. But God is never killed. (break) Rather, they are killed. That is the whole history everywhere.

General Lectures

Speech to Indian Audience -- Montreal, July 28, 1968:

Ahaṁ brahma. Lord Śaṅkarācārya, he preached this philosophy, that... Just try to understand, but don't try to misunderstand. Unfortunately, this understanding that ahaṁ brahmāsmi, people are misunderstanding that "I am God." He is not... Nobody can be God. God is supreme. God is great. We are very small. If I am God, if I am great, then how I have come to this position? How I have fallen from my brahma-bhūtaḥ stage? That is not actually understanding. Brahma-bhūtaḥ, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, means "I am part and parcel of the Supreme Brahman."

Lecture -- Seattle, September 27, 1968:

So everything, the law of Kṛṣṇa, or law of God, is working, and still they say that "God is dead. There is no God. I am God." You do this like that. They have become so rascals and fools. Why they do not come to this meeting? "Oh, the Swamijī is speaking of God, old things. (laughter) Let us discover something new." You see?

Lecture -- Seattle, September 27, 1968:

Anyone who is declaring that "There is no God. God is dead. I am God, you are God," they're all under the spell of māyā. Piśācī pāile yena mati-cchanna haya. Just like when a man is ghost-haunted, he speaks all kinds of nonsense. So all these persons are haunted by māyā, and therefore they are saying, "God is dead. I am God. Why you are searching God everywhere? There are so many Gods loitering in the street." They're all ghost-haunted, deranged. So we have to cure them by this transcendental vibration, Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture -- Seattle, September 30, 1968:

Millions of planets are floating just like swabs. This is greatness. So any nonsense, if he says that "I am God," he's a rascal. God is great. You cannot compare yourself with God. There is no comparison. But the rascaldom is going on. "Everyone is God. I am God, you are God"—then he's dog. You show the power of God, then you say. First deserve, then desire. What power we have got? We're always dependent. So God is great, and we are dependent on God.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 9, 1968:

Kṛṣṇa has said that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: "You simply surrender unto Me." So we have to say the same thing, that "You simply surrender unto Kṛṣṇa." Then it is all right. If I add something by my concoction, then it is not service. If I say, "You don't serve Kṛṣṇa. You serve me. I am God," then I am going to hell. We have to say, "You serve Kṛṣṇa." I have no right to accept any service from you, but I can accept anything on behalf of Kṛṣṇa. That is the spiritual master position.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 11, 1968:

So in the Vedic literature the definition of God is also there, who is God. Now everyone is claiming, "I am God," but they do not know what is God. They are falsely claiming. But if you find out Parasara-sūtra, there is definition of God. What is that? Aiśvaryasya samagrasya. God is the owner of all wealth, vīryasya, all strength, yaśasaḥ, all fame, all intelligence, all beauty, and all renunciation.

Sunday Feast Lecture -- Los Angeles, January 19, 1969:

Nowadays there is a disease, to declare oneself as God, "I am God." And there is regular propaganda that everyone is God. Now, how everyone can be God? The definition of God is like this: "Nobody shall be equal; nobody shall be greater." Then He is God. If somebody says, "I am God," say, if somebody thinks that "I am God," he should think also, "Whether I have no more any greater than me or equal to me?" Oh, if you find so many equal and greater, lower also... But first thing is whether there is nobody greater than you or nobody equal to you. Then you are God. Don't be crazy and think that "I am God." God is not like that. Here is the definition, bhagavān, asamaurdhva. In Sanskrit word, it is very nicely described.

Lecture Excerpt -- New York, April 12, 1969:

Try to understand actually what is God. And the man who is claiming, "I am God," whether he has got such qualification. That can be tested by only three, six things. Try—whether he's richest than all the people of his contemporary life. Is he the richest than all? Or is he the strongest man than all? Or is he the most reputed person than all? Or is he most beautiful? Or most wise? You have to test like that. Don't accept cheaply if some rascal comes, "I am God," and "Yes." Don't do it. You test like this. Test in six symptoms: wealth, strength, reputation, wisdom, beauty, and renunciation.

Lecture Excerpt -- New York, April 12, 1969:

Lord Jesus Christ also advised, "Those who are meek, the kingdom of God is for them." Is it not? So that's very nice qualification, to become humble and meek. Don't try to imitate falsely, "I am God." That is simply rascaldom. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu also advised that jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva. Giving up the false speculation of understanding God in your calculation, just become humble and meek.

Lecture Excerpt -- New York, April 12, 1969:

Bhagavān means... Bhaga means fortune. So Bhagavān. Vān means possessing fortune. So these are the symptoms of becoming fortunate: wealthy, strong, wise, beautiful, reputed, and at the same time, renouncer, without any attachment. These things are to be tested. So don't accept cheap God, or don't try to imitate God, "I am God." This is a great, what is called, standard of ignorance. Anyone falsely claiming that "I am God," that is the last snare of māyā, that one is falsely claiming God. So our students in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, wherever it is possible, try to preach this principle. God is not so cheap that any rascal can come and claim that "I am God," or anyone can claim as God. This is most foolish claim. Our Vedic literature gives hundreds and thousands of description how God is to be understood.

Lecture -- New York, April 16, 1969:

Purīṣ means stool and kīṭa means worm. So "I am lower than the worm in the stool. Anyone who takes my name, all his pious activities immediately becomes lost." In this way he is presenting himself. That does not mean that he's actually so, but that is the attitude of a devotee. He's always very meek and humble. And the opposite side is, "I am God. Now finish all business." You see? So this māyā is very strong.

Lecture -- London, September 14, 1969:

So vimanyavaḥ means that devotee does not generally become angry. But that does not mean that he has lost his power of becoming angry. No. He can become angry at any time, when it is required. And he should be angry? He is angry, krodha bhakta-dveṣi janam. He'll be angry when there is somebody who's against God and God's devotee. He'll be angry. As soon as one says, blasphemes, that "I am God. There is no God," immediately he should be very angry because he is preaching false things. He's blaspheming against the Supreme Lord, that he is making God as very cheap. He should be angry. Bhakta-dveṣi.

Lecture 'Nobody Wants to Die' -- Boston, May 7, 1968:

So these nonsense things are going on. Of course, this is a process of spiritual understanding, ekatvena bahudhā pṛthaktvena bahudhā viśvato-mukham, that "I am God," whether "I" means this body or "I" means this mind, or there is something "I" else than this body and mind. Therefore meditation required. Accepting that you are God, now find out "I." Now what is that "I"? Is that "I" this body or this, that "I" the mind, or is that "I" the intelligence? So meditation means to find out that "I" who's claiming that "I am God."

Lecture 'Nobody Wants to Die' -- Boston, May 7, 1968:

So, so we are thinking at the present moment that "I am God. I am independent." That is māyā. Māyā means which is not actual fact. Plain philosophy. If you are God, then you must know what is God. God is never dependent. That is the definition given in Vedānta-sūtra: svarāṭ. Svarāṭ means fully independent. That is one of the quality of God.

Lecture 'Nobody Wants to Die' -- Boston, May 7, 1968:

So your claim that "I am God" is not fullfilled there, because God is independent. You are not independent. How you can claim that you are God? Can you answer this question? Because in your school it is taught that "I am God." I say God is fully independent. Are you fully independent? Then how can you claim you are God? Can anyone answer this? Because this philosophy is going on. Everyone is thinking, "I am God." So if you are not fully independent, you are, if you are not fully conscious, everything, you are simply a minute part. Minute part means because you are part and parcel of the Supreme. So everything is there in you in minute parts but not in full.

Lecture 'Nobody Wants to Die' -- Boston, May 7, 1968:

Therefore God is great. Nobody can be equal. You cannot claim that you are God. Then you claim "God," I claim "God," he, she claims "God," he claims "God." Then what is the meaning of "God"? Nobody... God is great. Nobody can be greater than Him. Then how you can claim that you are God, I am God? Then either you do not know what is the definition of God or you are foolishly claiming that you are God.

Lecture 'Nobody Wants to Die' -- Boston, May 7, 1968:

Vedic knowledge means the knowledge of authority. So you have to prove. But there is a process for understanding God, that "I am God." That is a process. But not that one is God. "I am God" means in that way: "Qualitatively, I am God." So we have to find out, meditation, "What is that quality?" That quality is the spirit soul, on account of whose presence the whole body is working. As soon as the spirit soul is absent from this body, this body has no more any value.

Lecture 'Nobody Wants to Die' -- Boston, May 7, 1968:

You are so much dependent on the laws of nature. Why you are falsely claiming like that? What is your answer? Give me your answer, those who are thinking that "I am God." Do you think thinking, by thinking one will be God? Where is your power? Yes? You want to ask? No? So actually it is not the position. I am God in that sense, I have already analyzed, that I have got the, in minute quantity... As I am minute quantity, fragmental portion of God, so similarly, I have got all the qualities of God in fragment.

Lecture -- Boston, December 23, 1969 :

First thing is that, you are trying to become God, then how you became a dog? God cannot become a dog. God is always God. The Māyāvādī philosopher says that "I am God, but I am, by māyā, I am thinking I am not God. So by meditation I shall become God." But that means he is under the punishment of māyā. So, God has become under the influence of māyā. How is it that? God is great, and if he is under the influence of māyā, then māyā becomes great. How God becomes great?

Lecture -- Boston, December 23, 1969 :

So the real idea is, so long we shall continue this hallucination, that "I am God," "There is no God," "Everybody is God," so many things like that, there is no question of getting favor of God. Then you do your own business, and try to find yourself, whether you are God or something else. As soon as I think that "I am God," that is I am trying to cheat myself. Who will help me? So that is going on. Everyone is thinking, "I am God." So what you are thinking? You are trying to become God, or what is? What is your idea? Or you are thinking there is no God?

Lecture at Harvard University -- Boston, December 24, 1969:

At the present moment practically nobody has any information what is his relationship with God or what is God. Practically, they are declaring "God is dead," and "I am God, you are God, everyone is God." These things are all... "There is void." "There is no God," "There is no control." So, so many things are going on. That is the disease of this present age. And this movement is practically against this idea of godlessness, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Lecture at Harvard University -- Boston, December 24, 1969:

Just like the mirror, when it is overcast with dust, you cannot see your face nicely. But if you clear the dust you can see clearly. Similarly, our, this disease, denial of God, or "God is dead," "There is no God," "I am God," "You are God," such kinds of conception is due to covering of material dust on the mirror of our heart. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam. If you simply chant this transcendental vibration, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, you don't require any qualification and you don't require that you have to become intellectual man or an administrator or a productive man or... Never mind whatever you are.

Speech to Maharaja and Maharani and Conversations Before and After -- Indore, December 11, 1970:

Abodha means no knowledge, and jāta means born. By birth he is fool, and he is claiming, "I am God." By birth he's a fool, and he's claiming, "I am God." Just see. This is illusion. This is the māyā. He cannot... He does not know how the hairs are growing, and he is God. Just see. "I am God." This has become a fashion, dangerous fashion. And these Māyāvādī philosophers, daridra-nārāyaṇa, this Nārāyaṇa, that Nārāyaṇa... Because Nārāyaṇa is there, therefore he's Nārāyaṇa. Because you are within your coat, therefore you are coat. This is their argument. Because I am in the room, I am room. Is that very sound argument? Because Nārāyaṇa is there, therefore he is Nārāyaṇa. Aiye.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 7, 1971:

Āsuri-bhāvam āśritāḥ. What is the āsuri-bhāva, demonic tendency? The demonic tendency is that "I am God." That is called demonic tendency, falsely thinking that "I am God." In spite of all education, they have not the little sense that how he becomes a God. Here is God, Kṛṣṇa. We have got His activities. He married sixteen thousand wives, and He constructed sixteen thousand palaces, and He expanded Himself into sixteen thousand forms. Here is one God.

Speech at Olympia Theater -- Paris, June 26, 1971, (with translator):

So long we are living, sometimes we challenge that "There is no God," "I am God," or somebody says, "I don't care for God." But actually this challenge will not save us. God is there. We can see God in every moment. But if we deny to see God, then God will be present before us as the cruel death. There are different features of the Supreme Personality of Godhead because He is the original root cause of all cosmic manifestation. In the Bhagavad-gītā there is nice description how you can gradually understand and see God personally, face to face.

Pandal Lecture -- November 14, 1971, Delhi:

The asuri bhāva is defy the existence of God. "Who is God? I am God." Hiraṇyakaśipu was a typical example of this demon. As soon as his son, five years old, he would chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, he immediately object, "Why you are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa?" So that is the nature of the demon, to protest always against the theist or godly Vaiṣṇavas. This is not new. It is always there.

Pandal Lecture -- November 14, 1971, Delhi:

There are different types of dharma, but he specifically mentioned dharmān bhāgavatān iha. Iha means in this life, in his human form of life. Why in this life? Durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma. This life, this human form of life, is very difficult to obtain again. You do not know what life you are going to accept next. There is no certainty, because when you die, then you cannot be puffed up that "I don't care for God, I am God." Then you are under the grip of the material nature.

Lecture -- Visakhapatnam, February 18, 1972:

Not only am I identifying that "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am Christian," "I am Mohammedan," "I am so on, so on," at last, "I am God." At last... That is the last snare of māyā. These are all māyā, this false identification. And the last false identification, when I falsely say that I am God. This is going on. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa said, "You give up all these nonsense theories. You simply surrender unto Me and I will give you protection. I will give you protection." Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66).

Lecture -- Visakhapatnam, February 18, 1972:

He established Himself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but rascals and fools began to imitate Him and decry Him. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). Because He came as human being, so many persons represented that "I am God, I am Kṛṣṇa, I am this," no. God is one. Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). Nobody can become greater than God or equal to God.

Lecture at Caitanya Matha -- Visakhapatnam, February 19, 1972:

He knows the pains and pleasure of all bodies. That is difference between Kṛṣṇa and ourselves, or God and ourselves. This is the test. Somebody is claiming that "I am God." How you can be God? You cannot know the pains and pleasures of others, but Kṛṣṇa knows. That is the difference between God and living entity. (break) So far consciousness is concerned, God is also conscious, we are also conscious, but our consciousness is limited and God's consciousness is unlimited. That is the difference.

Lecture -- Bombay, March 18, 1972:

Because he knew that many foolish persons would comment on the Vedānta-sūtra differently, atheistically, that "There is no God. I am God. You are God." Therefore he protected the readers of Brahma-sūtra. (break) ...form of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And because it is commentary of the Vedānta-sūtra, therefore he begins with first aphorism of the Vedānta-sūtra: janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Now, he explains the verse, the sūtra, or the code, Vedic code, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). The first question is, "Who is... What is the Absolute Truth, you should inquire now." This is the beginning of human life.

Lecture -- Bombay, March 19, 1972:

One who thinks that "I am God," śaktimān-tattva, that is false. We are śakti-tattva. Śaktimān means the powerful, one who possesses the power, and śakti means the power or energy. Or one who controls the energy, He is called śaktimān, and the energy acts in different way. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). There are different kinds of, millions of energies, of the śaktimān. So we are energy of Kṛṣṇa. We cannot be Kṛṣṇa.

Sunday Feast Lecture -- Los Angeles, May 21, 1972:

Just like we are showing little magic, floating some airplane or sputnik or jet in the sky. We are taking so much credit, so much credit that scientists are declaring, "There is no God. I am God, because I have made this airplane." And what is your airplane in comparison to these planets? So intelligent person, they will give more credit to God than to these scientists or philosophers.

Sunday Feast Lecture -- Los Angeles, May 21, 1972:

So there are many classes of men who have no understanding of God. Some of them are saying, "God is dead," or "God is impersonal," "There is no God," "Zero," "I am God," "You are God," so many things. All these people do not know what is God; therefore there are different theories. Therefore, somehow or other, if you can understand God, then your life is successful.

Lecture Excerpt -- Los Angeles, June 7, 1972:

If you remain in your position, being controlled, being predominated... Don't try to be predominator. Oh, then immediately fall down, because you are not predominator. It is a false claim that "I want to predominate. I am God. I am predominator. I am this. I am that." These are all rascaldom. Simply you remain yourself predominated. Agree to be controlled by Kṛṣṇa, and your life is successful.

Rotary Club Lecture -- Ahmedabad, December 5, 1972:

Because without we..., our present position is to defy the existence of God. This is our present position in material life. "There is no God. God is dead. I am God. You are God." This is defying the authority of God. Therefore to understand God, you have to surrender; otherwise it is not possible. You cannot defy and at the same time understand God. That is not possible. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yogamāyā-samāvṛtaḥ (BG 7.25). You cannot understand God by challenging.

Lecture What is a Guru? -- London, August 22, 1973:

In all the śāstra, Vedic literature, guru is described as good as God. But guru will never say that "I am God." The disciple's duty is to offer respect to guru as he offers respect to God. But guru will never say that "I am... Because my disciples are offering me respect as God, therefore I have become God." As soon as he thinks so, he becomes dog. He is no more God.

Lecture on Gurvastakam at Upsala University -- Stockholm, September 9, 1973:

Just see the comparison. He has no own mercy, but he carries the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the qualification of spiritual master. A spiritual master will never say that "I am God. I can give you mercy." No. That is not spiritual master. That is a bogus, pretender. A spiritual master will say, "I am servant of God. I have brought His mercy. Please take it and be satisfied." This is spiritual master's business. Just like a post peon.

Lecture at World Health Organization -- Geneva, June 6, 1974:

Guru means śrotriyam, who knows all the Vedic literature, the information. Śrotriyam. And brahma-niṣṭham. Brahma-niṣṭham means completely God conscious. These are two qualifications. Those who are claiming that "I am God," cheating people, they are not gurus. Guru means he's always... Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya **. That is the definition of guru. Guru is accepted as good as God, sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ, in all Vedic literature, tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ, and those who are learned, advanced, they accept it. But what is the position of guru? Kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya: "Guru is the most confidential servant of God." That is his position.

Lecture at St. Pascal's Franciscan Seminary -- Melbourne, June 28, 1974:

This is real God consciousness, yes, not that "I am God conscious, and I kill the animals." That is not God conscious. To accept the trees, plants, lower animals, insignificant ants even, as brothers... Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. This is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā.

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā

na śocati na kāṅkṣati

samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu

(BG 18.54)

Samaḥ. Samaḥ means equal to all living entities, to see the spirit soul, anyone... It doesn't matter whether he is man or cat or dog or tree or ant or insect or big man. They are all parts and parcel of God. They are simply dressed differently.

Lecture -- Nellore, January 4, 1976:

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu summarizes that bheda and abheda both. In quality we are abheda, but in quantity we are bheda. So therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy is acintya-bhedābheda-tattva. That is the fact. If I am equal to God or if I am God, then how I have become a dog? So this is a controversial going on. But from Bhagavad-gītā, as God explains Himself, He says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). He is the Supreme.

Morning Lecture -- Allahabad, January 15, 1977:

So you'll get so many mahātmās who are declaring atheism: "There is no God. I am God. You are God. Where you are searching out God? The God is loitering in the street, the daridra-nārāyaṇa." If you associate with such mahātmā, so-called... They are not mahātmās. They are durātmās. So be careful that you may not mistake who is mahātmā. Mahātmā, very simple thing: mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ (BG 9.13). Mahātmā has nothing to do with this material world. They are under the care of daivī-prakṛti, spiritual world.

Morning Lecture -- Allahabad, January 15, 1977:

For kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, to avoid this Māyāvādī philosophy that "Everyone is God. I am God. You are God..." This is atheism. It is cheating atheism. One class of atheism is Śūnyavādī: "There is no God." That we can understand, that he is atheist. "There is no God." He publicly declares, "We don't believe in God." But the Māyāvādīs are dangerous because they say that there is God, but without any form—no head, no leg. If you make "no, no, no," then where is...? It becomes zero ultimately.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Hegel:

Devotee: (indistinct) I am God.

Prabhupāda: That is also fact. Because you are part and parcel of God. Gold is gold, gold particle is also gold. If you say, "I am God," that means if you are particle of gold you can say, "I am gold." Just like you can say, "I am American," and President Nixon also can say, "I am American." That does not mean you are President Nixon.

Philosophy Discussion on Henri Bergson:

Devotee: (indistinct) this thirteen year old god (indistinct). Then you ask them, "Who says he is God?" They really don't know what to say.

Śyāmasundara: We asked him in Bombay, "Are you God? Are you Kṛṣṇa?" And he laughed and said, "I never say I am God, but my disciples feel."

Prabhupāda: He did not want to be (indistinct). So why does he not stop his disciples to speak like that?

Philosophy Discussion on John Dewey:

Devotee: Eternal position of the living entity...

Prabhupāda: Yes. Then he'll be in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, perfect consciousness. But they are thinking that "I am Kṛṣṇa. I am God." That is not Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Śyāmasundara: He says that the choice between good and bad is not made on theoretical grounds, but for reducing specific evils. In other words...

Prabhupāda: It is not theoretical that if you accept the universal form of God, then everything within the universe is part and parcel of that form. That is practical.

Philosophy Discussion on John Dewey:

Prabhupāda: Hah. Just like Kṛṣṇa is lifting the hill, that what is the difficulty for God to lift a hill if He is all-powerful? But as soon as they read it, that Kṛṣṇa is lifting hill, they will take it as mythology. So when God shows that "I am God," that is mythology, and they imagine God. That is rascaldom. When God comes and shows His godly power, they take it myth, mythology. And they imagine God according to your definition. Is that sanity? The ācāryas have described Him: "Yes. Kṛṣṇa lifted this Govardhana Hill," and they have appreciated. And they are taking as mythology. That when there is Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum ā... (BG 9.11). These rascals, when God shows His godly power, they take it mythology.

Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is the Vedic injunction. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). It is essential that one must go to guru and with guru Guru is representative of God. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair **. He, guru, being representative of God, he is worshiped as God, but he never says that "I am God." He is servant God. He is worshiped as God, but he is servant of God, and God is the master God. This is the conception of Vaiṣṇava philosophy. And who is guru, that is described by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He asked everyone to become guru. Āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa: (CC Madhya 7.128) "Wherever you are staying, it doesn't matter. You become a guru and deliver all these foolish persons who are in ignorance."

Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander:

Prabhupāda: Oneness means I agree with God. God says your surrender. I say, "Yes. I surrender." God says Arjuna "You fight," he fights. That is oneness, that we have no disagreement in any point with God. That is oneness. Just like in this institution, our Kṛṣṇa consciousness, as soon as I say anything, there is no disagreement of any other disciple. If there is disagreement, then it is ended. Disobedient immediately. As it is going, it is being done, taking God's representative, Kṛṣṇa's representative, so similarly with God also. And what, what I am doing? I am simply taking the order from God and I am disseminating the same knowledge. I have accepted that surrender to Kṛṣṇa is my life. I am teaching others, "You also surrender." This is called disciplic succession. There is no disagreement with God. It is not that I am posing myself, "I am God."

Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander:

Prabhupāda: Māyāvāda philosophy. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. He does not know that... He is already Brahman, but he thinks that "I am the Supreme Brahman. I am moving the sun. I am moving the..." Meditating. He is moving the sun. He is moving... Just another imitate. That is the last snare of māyā. Māyā is giving him allurement that "You become a minister, you become secretary, you become a big merchant, you become a Birla. You..." "Become become become." (S)he is always dictating, and he is working under the dictation of māyā. The last dictation is, "Then you have failed all these things. Better you become God." (laughter) So he thinks, "I am God." And māyā is still kicking. As soon as God gets some toothache, he'll have to, another... So he goes... "After all, what kind of God you are? You come here for toothache cure." This is another man.