Actors and actresses

Expressions researched:
"actor" |"actor's" |"actors" |"actress" |"actresses"

BG Chapters 7 - 12

BG 9.28, Purport:

Rūpa Gosvāmī says that as long as we are in this material world we have to act; we cannot cease acting. Therefore if actions are performed and the fruits are given to Kṛṣṇa, then that is called yukta-vairāgya. Actually situated in renunciation, such activities clear the mirror of the mind, and as the actor gradually makes progress in spiritual realization he becomes completely surrendered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

SB Canto 1

SB 1.3.37, Translation:

The foolish with a poor fund of knowledge cannot know the transcendental nature of the forms, names and activities of the Lord, who is playing like an actor in a drama. Nor can they express such things, neither in their speculations nor in their words.

SB 1.8.19, Translation:

Being beyond the range of limited sense perception, You are the eternally irreproachable factor covered by the curtain of deluding energy. You are invisible to the foolish observer, exactly as an actor dressed as a player is not recognized.

SB 1.8.46, Purport:

Kṛṣṇa is designated herein as the performer of superhuman actions, but in this particular instance neither He nor Vyāsa could convince King Yudhiṣṭhira. Does it mean that He failed to be a superhuman actor? No, certainly not.

SB 1.15.27, Purport:

The whole scheme of Vedic wisdom is targeted to the aim of eradicating such a misconception and thus liberating the living being from the illusion of material identification. When such an illusion is eradicated by knowledge and renunciation, the living beings are responsible actors and enjoyers also.

SB 1.17.23, Purport:

A question may be raised as to why a devotee should refrain from identifying an actor, although he knows definitely that the Lord is the ultimate doer of everything. Knowing the ultimate doer, one should not pose himself as ignorant of the actual performer.

SB Canto 2

SB 2.2.3, Purport:

Therefore, the transcendentalist desiring freedom from the clutches of māyā, or the illusory activities of life, is warned herewith not to be captivated by the external features of fruitive actors. Human life is never meant for sense gratification, but for self-realization. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam instructs us solely on this subject from the very beginning to the end.

SB 2.5.19, Purport:

The adhibhūta manifestation entails repetitions of births and deaths with old age and diseases, the adhyātma manifestation conditions the spirit soul, and the adhidaiva manifestation is the controlling system. These are the material manifestations of cause and effect and the sense of responsibility of the conditioned actors. They are, after all, manifestations of the conditioned state, and the human being's freedom from such a conditioned state is the highest perfectional attainment.

SB 2.10.43, Purport:

The fruitive actors in the material world are very enthusiastic in the creation of big enterprises, big houses, big empires, big industries and so many big, big things out of the energy and ingredients supplied by the material agent of the Supreme Lord.

SB 2.10.43, Purport:

The temporary creation is thus exhibited and destroyed just to give information to the conditioned soul who is attached to temporary things. It is also meant to give him a chance for self-realization, and not for sense gratification, which is the prime aim of all fruitive actors.

SB Canto 3

SB 3.1.44, Purport:

The Lord always acts in favor of the devotees, and therefore ordinary men who are fruitive actors or seekers of salvation may be attracted to the Lord when He acts as protector of the devotees. The fruitive actors can attain their goals by devotional service, and the salvationists can also attain their goal in life by devotional service to the Lord.

SB 3.6.37, Translation:

The highest perfectional gain of humanity is to engage in discussions of the activities and glories of the Pious Actor. Such activities are so nicely arranged in writing by the greatly learned sages that the actual purpose of the ear is served just by being near them.

SB 3.9.8, Translation:

O great actor, my Lord, all these poor creatures are constantly perplexed by hunger, thirst, severe cold, secretion and bile, attacked by coughing winter, blasting summer, rains and many other disturbing elements, and overwhelmed by strong sex urges and indefatigable anger. I take pity on them, and I am very much aggrieved for them.

SB 3.9.15, Purport:

The activities of the incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are a kind of imitation of the activities going on in the material world. He is just like an actor on a stage. An actor imitates the activities of a king on stage, although actually he is not the king. Similarly, when the Lord incarnates, He imitates parts with which He has nothing to do.

SB 3.10.10, Translation:

Vidura inquired from Maitreya: O my lord, O greatly learned sage, kindly describe eternal time, which is another form of the Supreme Lord, the wonderful actor. What are the symptoms of that eternal time? Please describe them to us in detail.

SB 3.21.41, Purport:

The beauty of the pleasant sounds heard in the area surrounding Lake Bindu-sarovara is described here. After drinking honey, the black bees became maddened, and they hummed in intoxication. Merry peacocks danced just like actors and actresses, and merry cuckoos called their mates very nicely

SB 3.32.26, Purport:

It is recommended in the Second Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that whether one is a devotee or fruitive actor or liberationist, if he is intelligent enough he should engage himself with all seriousness in the process of devotional service.

SB Canto 4

SB 4.11.18, Translation:

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, by His inconceivable supreme energy, time, causes the interaction of the three modes of material nature, and thus varieties of energy become manifest. It appears that He is acting, but He is not the actor. He is killing, but He is not the killer. Thus it is understood that only by His inconceivable power is everything happening.

SB 4.11.18, Purport:

Similarly, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is always merciful and full of transcendental qualities, but certain individual souls have forgotten their relationship with Kṛṣṇa and have endeavored to lord it over material nature. As a result of their endeavor, they are involved in varieties of material interaction. It is incorrect to argue, however, that because energy issues from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is the actor.

SB 4.13.34, Purport:

The Supreme Personality of Godhead gives all living entities conditioned within this material world full freedom to act in their own way. But to His devotee He says that instead of working in that way, it is better to surrender unto Him, for He will take charge of the devotee. That is the difference between a devotee and a fruitive actor. The fruitive actor enjoys only the fruits of his own activities, but a devotee, being under the guidance of the Supreme Lord, simply advances in devotional service to achieve the ultimate goal of life—to go back home, back to Godhead.

SB 4.21.27, Purport:

The theory of chance can best be explained in the Vedic literature by the words ajñāta-sukṛti, which refer to pious activities performed without the actor's knowledge. But these are also planned. For example, Kṛṣṇa comes like an ordinary human being, He comes as a devotee like Lord Caitanya, or He sends His representative, the spiritual master, or pure devotee.

SB 4.24.7, Purport:

Since sacrifices are generally performed by fruitive actors, it is especially mentioned here (tatrāpi) that although Mahārāja Antardhāna was externally engaged in performing sacrifices, his real business was rendering devotional service by hearing and chanting.

SB 4.24.37, Purport:

There are different kinds of liberation, or mukti. The best mukti is engagement in the devotional service of the Supreme Lord. Not only does Lord Aniruddha help fruitive actors by elevating them to the higher planetary systems, but He also helps the devotee engage in devotional service by dint of His inexhaustible energy.

SB 4.25.3, Purport:

Of course, the jñānīs are superior to the karmīs, as confirmed by Lord Caitanya. Koṭi-karmaniṣṭha-madhye eka 'jñānī' śreṣṭha: "one jñānī, or impersonalist, is better than many thousands of fruitive actors." (CC Madhya 19.147) Therefore a devotee never enters upon the path of karma, or elevation by fruitive activities.

SB 4.28.57, Purport:

The five senses that acquire knowledge are sight, taste, smell, sound and touch, and these act through the nine gates—the two eyes, two ears, one mouth, two nostrils, one genital and one rectum. These holes are compared to gates in the walls of the city. The principal ingredients are earth, water and fire, and the principal actor is the mind, which is controlled by the intelligence (buddhi).

SB 4.29.3, Purport:

Because the Lord's form and activities cannot be understood by materialistic people, He is described by the śāstras as nirākāra, that is, one whose form cannot be ascertained by a materialistic person. This does not mean that the Supreme Personality of Godhead has no form; it means that it is not understood by the karmīs, or fruitive actors.

SB Canto 5

SB 5.7.6, Purport:

The Supreme Lord is the performer of everything, but out of ignorance the living entity thinks that he is the actor. As long as we think we are the actors, we bring about karma-bandha (bondage to activity). If we act for yajña, for Kṛṣṇa. there is no karma-bandha.

SB 5.10.12, Purport:

For some time we play as master or servant, as actors play on the stage under someone else's direction. While we are in the human form, we should put an end to this nonsensical stage performance. We should come to our original constitutional position, known as Kṛṣṇa consciousness. At the present moment, the real master is material nature.

SB 5.18.26, Purport:

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is antarbahiḥ, present within and without everything. One must overcome the delusion caused by the Lord's external energy and realize His presence both externally and internally. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.8.19) Śrīmatī Kuntīdevī has explained that Kṛṣṇa appears in this world naṭo nāṭyadharo yathā, "exactly like an actor dressed as a player."

SB Canto 6

SB 6.16.53-54, Purport:

One is situated in different positions in various forms of life that are all but creations of the illusory energy, which works under the direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore the Supreme Lord is the ultimate actor, and the conditioned living entity should simply remember this original actor, Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

SB Canto 8

SB 8.18.12, Translation:

The Lord appeared in His original form, with ornaments and weapons in His hands. Although this ever-existing form is not visible in the material world, He nonetheless appeared in this form. Then, in the presence of His father and mother, He assumed the form of Vāmana, a brāhmaṇa-dwarf, a brahmacārī, just like a theatrical actor.

SB 8.18.12, Purport:

The word naṭaḥ is significant. An actor changes dress to play different parts, but is always the same man. Similarly, as described in the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.33, 39), the Lord assumes many thousands and millions of forms (advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣam). He is always present with innumerable incarnations (rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan nānāvatāram akarod bhuvaneṣu kintu). Nonetheless, although He appears in various incarnations, they are not different from one another.

SB 8.21.4, Translation:

O King, the water from Lord Brahmā's kamaṇḍalu washed the lotus feet of Lord Vāmanadeva, who is known as Urukrama, the wonderful actor. Thus that water became so pure that it was transformed into the water of the Ganges, which went flowing down from the sky, purifying the three worlds like the pure fame of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13

SB 10.13.61, Purport:

Kṛṣṇa was playing like a dramatic actor. Because Brahmā had some false prestige, thinking that he had some power, Kṛṣṇa showed him his real position. A similar incident occurred when Brahmā went to see Kṛṣṇa in Dvārakā...

SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)

SB 10.41.1, Translation:

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: While Akrūra was still offering prayers, the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa withdrew His form that He had revealed in the water, just as an actor winds up his performance.

SB 10.43.19, Translation:

Arrayed with variegated ornaments, garlands and garments, just like a pair of excellently costumed actors, the two mighty-armed Lords shone splendidly in the arena. Indeed, They overpowered the minds of all onlookers with Their effulgences.

SB 10.66.15, Translation:

Lord Hari laughed heartily when He saw how the King had dressed up in exact imitation of His own appearance, just like an actor on a stage.

SB 10.72.35, Translation:

As they skillfully circled left and right, like actors dancing on a stage, the fight presented a magnificent spectacle.

SB 10.78.25-26, Translation:

Although he is a disciple of the divine sage Vyāsa and has thoroughly learned many scriptures from him, including the lawbooks of religious duties and the epic histories and Purāṇas, all this study has not produced good qualities in him. Rather, his study of the scriptures is like an actor's studying his part, for he is not self-controlled or humble and vainly presumes himself a scholarly authority, though he has failed to conquer his own mind.

SB 11.23.54, Translation:

If we assume that fruitive work is the cause of happiness and distress, we still are not dealing with the soul. The idea of material work arises when there is a spiritual actor who is conscious and a material body that undergoes the transformation of happiness and distress as a reaction to such work. Since the body has no life, it cannot be the actual recipient of happiness and distress, nor can the soul, who is ultimately completely spiritual and aloof from the material body. Since karma thus has no ultimate basis in either the body or the soul, at whom can one become angry?

SB 11.31.11, Translation:

My dear King, you should understand that the Supreme Lord's appearance and disappearance, which resemble those of embodied conditioned souls, are actually a show enacted by His illusory energy, just like the performance of an actor. After creating this universe He enters into it, plays within it for some time, and at last winds it up. Then the Lord remains situated in His own transcendental glory, having ceased from the functions of cosmic manifestation.

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 2.22, Purport:

From the Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad (3.1.3):

yadā paśyaḥ paśyate rukma-varṇaṁ

kartāram īśaṁ puruṣaṁ brahma-yonim

"One who sees that golden-colored Personality of Godhead, the Supreme Lord, the supreme actor, who is the source of the Supreme Brahman, is liberated."

CC Adi 5.41, Purport:

"In the Parama-saṁhitā it is described that material nature, which is used for others' purposes, is factually inert and always subject to transformation. The field of material nature is the arena of the activities of fruitive actors, and since the material field is externally related with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, it is also eternal."

CC Adi 10.13, Purport:

Whenever they stage dramatic performances about the lives of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu or Lord Kṛṣṇa, the players must be pure devotees. Professional players and dramatic actors have no sense of devotional service, and therefore although they can perform very artistically, there is no life in such performances.

CC Adi 10.13, Purport:

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura used to refer to such an actor as yātrā-dale nārada, which means "farcical Nārada." Sometimes an actor in a drama plays the part of Nārada Muni, although in his private life he is not at all like Nārada Muni because he is not a devotee. Such actors are not needed in dramatic performances about the lives of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Lord Kṛṣṇa.

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 15.163, Purport:

Vāsudeva Datta's example is unique not only within this world but within the universe. It is beyond the conception of fruitive actors or the speculation of mundane philosophers. Due to being illusioned by the external energy and due to a poor fund of knowledge, people tend to envy one another. Because of this they are entangled in fruitive activity, and they try to escape this fruitive activity by mental speculation.

CC Madhya 15.163, Purport:

Consequently neither karmīs nor jñānīs are purified. In the words of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Ṭhākura, they are kukarmīs and kujñānīs—bad fruitive actors and bad speculators.

CC Madhya 15.163, Purport:

The Māyāvādīs and karmīs should therefore turn their attention to the magnanimous Vāsudeva Datta, who wanted to suffer for others in a hellish condition. No one should consider Vāsudeva Datta a mundane philanthropist or welfare worker. Nor was he interested in merging into the Brahman effulgence or in gaining material honor or reputation. He was far, far above philanthropists, philosophers and fruitive actors.

CC Madhya 17.185, Purport:

In this material world, karmīs (fruitive actors) are accepted as mahājanas by foolish people who do not know the value of devotional service. The mundane intelligence and mental speculative methods of such foolish people are under the control of the three modes of material nature. Consequently they cannot understand unalloyed devotional service. They are attracted by material activities, and they become worshipers of material nature. Thus they are known as fruitive actors.

CC Madhya 19.147, Translation:

“"Among the followers of Vedic knowledge, most are following the process of fruitive activity and distinguishing between good and bad work. Out of many such sincere fruitive actors, there may be one who is actually wise."

CC Madhya 19.149, Purport:

The devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa has no desire other than serving Kṛṣṇa. Even so-called liberated people are full of desires. Fruitive actors desire better living accommodations, and jñānīs want to be one with the Supreme. Yogīs desire material opulence, yogic perfections and magic. All of these nondevotees are lusty (kāmī). Because they desire something, they cannot have peace.

CC Madhya 20.180, Translation:

"My dear friend, this dramatic actor appears like a second form of My own self. Like a picture, He displays My pastimes as a cowherd boy overflowing with wonderfully attractive sweetness and fragrance, which are so dear to the damsels of Vraja. When I see such a display, My heart becomes greatly excited. I long for such pastimes and desire a form exactly like that of the damsels of Vraja."

CC Madhya 23.45, Purport:

The real symptoms of the fructification of the seed of love (rati) are manifested because the heart is melted. When such symptoms are found among speculators and fruitive actors, they cannot be accepted as real symptoms of attachment. Foolish people without knowledge of devotional service praise such symptoms of attachment even when they are based on something other than a desire to serve Kṛṣṇa.

CC Madhya 23.116, Purport:

Lord Indra said, "We asked Lord Brahmā about Your eternal planet, but we could not understand it. Those fruitive actors who have controlled their senses and mind with pious activities can be elevated to the heavenly planets. Pure devotees who are always engaged in Lord Nārāyaṇa's service are promoted to the Vaikuṇṭhalokas."

CC Antya-lila

CC Antya 1.101, Purport:

One who hears the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra must receive it from the spiritual master by aural reception. Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī has forbidden us to hear the holy name of Kṛṣṇa chanted by non-Vaiṣṇavas, such as professional actors and singers, for it will have no effect.

CC Antya 1.134, Purport:

In a drama all the actors are called pātra, or players.

CC Antya 1.135, Translation:

"When the entrance of the actors is set in motion by the arrival of a suitable time, the entrance is called pravartaka."

CC Antya 19.98, Translation:

"The dramatic actor Madana-mohana has opened a shop of scents that attract the women of the world to be His customers. He delivers the scents freely, but they make the women all so blind they cannot find the path returning home."

Teachings of Lord Caitanya

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 15:

By expanding His material energy, He creates innumerable universes with innumerable planets within them. Thus no one can estimate the wonderful activities of the Supreme Lord, and therefore the Supreme Lord is known as urukrama, the wonderful actor. In the Viśvaprakāśa dictionary, the word krama is defined as "an expert display of energies," as well as "stepping forward very quickly."

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 16:

It is also stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (4.21.31): "The waters of the Ganges flow from the tip of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, and by bathing in that water, everyone—including fruitive actors and all sages—can wash dirty things from the mind."

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 18:

The prākṛta-sahajiyā mistakenly take the pure devotees and Vaiṣṇava ācāryas to be mental speculators or fruitive actors. Consequently they themselves become Māyāvādīs and leave the service of the Supreme Lord.

Nectar of Devotion

Nectar of Devotion 26:

"My dear King, I shall try to describe how the minds of the gopīs became absorbed in thought of Kṛṣṇa. The gopīs would meditate on Kṛṣṇa's dressing Himself just like a dancing actor and entering the forest of Vṛndāvana, marking the ground with His footprints.

Nectar of Devotion 42:

"Dear Kṛṣṇa, You are always busy tending the cows which are scattered all over beautiful Vṛndāvana. You have a beautiful garland, a small conchshell, a peacock feather on Your turban, yellow-colored silk cloth, decorations of karṇikāra flowers on Your ears and a mallikā flower garland on Your chest. Appearing so beautiful, when You pretend, just like an actor, to be fighting with us, You give us unlimited transcendental bliss."

Nectar of Instruction

Nectar of Instruction 3, Purport:

It is further stated in the Seventh Canto: "Although mental speculators and fruitive actors may perform great austerities and penances, they still fall down because they do not have information about the lotus feet of the Lord."

Nectar of Instruction 3, Purport:

There are certainly many good qualities among fruitive actors, philosophical speculators and mystic yogīs, but all good qualities automatically develop in the character of a devotee. No extraneous endeavor is needed.

Nectar of Instruction 10, Purport:

If one acts piously, he can attain a new body among the demigods in the higher planetary systems, or he may attain some other position in which he can enjoy a higher standard of material happiness. On the other hand, those who are engaged in impious activities are degraded and take birth as animals, trees and plants. Thus those fruitive actors who do not care for the Vedic directions (vikarmīs) are not appreciated by learned saintly persons.

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Krsna Book 21:

When the gopīs were describing the sweet vibration of Kṛṣṇa's flute, they also remembered their pastimes with Him; thus their minds became disturbed, and they were unable to describe completely the beautiful vibrations. While discussing the transcendental vibration, they remembered also how Kṛṣṇa dressed, decorated with a peacock feather on His head, just like a dancing actor, and with blue flowers pushed over His ear. His garment glowed yellow-gold, and He was garlanded with a Vaijayantī necklace.

Krsna Book 21:

Another gopī expressed her opinion that Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, while tending the cows, appeared just like actors going to play on a dramatic stage. Kṛṣṇa was dressed in glowing garments of yellow, Balarāma in blue, and They held new twigs of mango tree, peacock feathers and bunches of flowers in Their hands. Dressed with garlands of lotus flowers, They were sometimes singing very sweetly among Their friends.

Krsna Book 23:

The brāhmaṇas' wives saw Kṛṣṇa with a blackish complexion, wearing a garment that glittered like gold. He wore a nice garland of forest flowers and a peacock feather on His head. He was also painted with the minerals found in Vṛndāvana, and He looked exactly like a dancing actor on a theatrical stage. They saw Him resting one hand on the shoulder of His friend, and in His other hand He was holding a lotus flower.

Krsna Book 29:

From the Vedic literature it appears that when a theatrical actor dances among many dancing girls, the group dance is called a rāsa dance. When Kṛṣṇa saw the full-moon night of the śarat season, decorated with various seasonal flowers—especially the mallikā flowers, which are very fragrant—He remembered the gopīs' prayers to goddess Kātyāyanī, wherein they prayed for Kṛṣṇa to be their husband.

Krsna Book 33:

Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, was already present as the Supersoul within the bodies of the gopīs and their husbands. He is the guide of all living entities, as is confirmed in the Kaṭha Upaniṣad: nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām. The Supersoul directs the individual soul to act, and the Supersoul is the actor and witness of all action.

Krsna Book 41:

While Akrūra was offering his prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Lord disappeared from the water, exactly as an expert dramatic actor changes his dress and assumes his original feature. After the viṣṇu-mūrti disappeared, Akrūra got out of the water. Finishing the rest of his ritualistic performance, he went near the chariot of Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa and was struck with wonder.

Krsna Book 45:

Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma learned the art of dressing hair in various styles and fixing a helmet in different positions on the head. They also learned how to set up a theatrical stage, how to decorate dramatic actors with clothes and with flower ornaments over the ear, and how to sprinkle sandalwood pulp and water to produce a nice fragrance. They also learned the art of performing magical feats.

Krsna Book 54:

"Take courage. Don’t be disappointed by this temporary reversal. After all, we are not the final actors; as puppets dance in the hands of a magician, we are all dancing by the will of the Supreme, and according to His plan alone we suffer distress or enjoy happiness. We should therefore be equipoised in all circumstances."

Krsna Book 70:

First of all the jokers would talk in such a way that the Lord and His associates would enjoy their humor, which would refresh the morning mood. The dramatic actors would then play their parts, and the dancing ballet girls would separately display their artistic movements.

Krsna Book 70:

"My dear Lord, You are the Supreme, Parabrahman, and Your pastimes as an ordinary human are another tactical resource, exactly like a play on the stage in which the actor plays parts different from his own identity. Because the Pāṇḍavas are Your cousins, You have inquired about them in the role of their well-wisher, and therefore I shall let You know about their intentions."

Krsna Book 89:

"If the brāhmaṇas feel unwanted separation from their wives and children," Arjuna continued, "and the kṣatriya kings do not take care of them, then such kṣatriyas are to be considered no more than stage players. In dramatic performances in the theater, an actor may play the part of a king, but no one expects any benefits from such a make-believe king."

Sri Isopanisad

Sri Isopanisad 18, Purport:

Fruitive activities, or the karma-kāṇḍa path of self-realization, is the lowest stage in this endeavor. As soon as such activities even slightly deviate from the regulative principles of the Vedas, they are transformed into vikarma, or acts against the interest of the actor. Such vikarma is enacted by the illusioned living entity simply for sense gratification, and thus such activities become hindrances on the path of self-realization.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.58-59 -- New York, April 27, 1966:

If you don't act spiritually, then you have to act materially. And if you are fully engaged in spiritual activity, then there is no chance of material activity. Because after all, you are actor, one, if you are engaged in something. Just like in our ordinary life, if we do something at a particular moment, we cannot do other things; similarly, we have to engage ourselves fully in the spiritual life.

Lecture on BG 4.14-19 -- New York, August 3, 1966:

We should not miss this chance of this human body to become Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to become conscious of Kṛṣṇa. So therefore we must know how to work, how to work. Kiṁ karma kim akarmeti. If we do not know how to work, then we shall be entangled in these material activities. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, saṅga-varjitaḥ. Of course, a Kṛṣṇa conscious person, he also acts just like another material actor, but because he works in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, therefore he's not bound up.

Lecture on BG 4.17 -- Bombay, April 6, 1974:

But that education is lacking. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is teaching how to serve Kṛṣṇa from any position. It doesn't matter. Whether you are a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, lawyer, engineer, or film actor or anything, it doesn't matter, but whether you are trying to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. That is the point. If you have no such sense, "I have to satisfy Kṛṣṇa," then it is śrama eva hi kevalam.

Lecture on BG 9.11-14 -- New York, November 27, 1966:

Moghāśā means whatever they are aspiring, whatever they are desiring, that will be baffled. Moghāśā. Just the karmī... Karmī means the fruitive actor. They are always hoping, "Something better, something better, something better." There is no limit where they will stop. So much money, so much bank balance, so much money, so much... Still... So moghāśā. Mogha means they are hoping to be very happy at a certain point, but that point never comes.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.25 -- Los Angeles, August 28, 1972:

In the Satya-yuga, cent percent people were aware of their spiritual necessity of life. Next yuga, seventy-five percent. Next yuga, fifty percent, fifty percent; and this yuga, Kali-yuga, seventy-five percent are rascals, and twenty-five percent, they are little wise. And out of that twenty-five percent, mostly they are fruitive actors. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā says manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu (BG 7.3).

Lecture on SB 1.5.13 -- New Vrindaban, June 13, 1969:

Therefore wonderful activities means... The wonderful actor means Kṛṣṇa, Urukrama. Uru, urukrama... Just like Vāmanadeva. Vāmanadeva, He asked Bali Mahārāja to give Him land covering His three feet. So he said, "My dear Sir, You are asking from me land. You ask something more. Your feet is so small. What you'll do with these three feet?"

Lecture on SB 1.5.13 -- New Vrindaban, June 16, 1969:

Who is urukrama? Wonderful actor. The wonderful actor is Kṛṣṇa, Urukrama. So Nārada Muni says, "Although you have mentioned in other purāṇas or in itihāsa, Mahābhārata, about Kṛṣṇa, some of the activities of Kṛṣṇa..." Just like this same thing, as I told you. So many people are reading Bhagavad-gītā, but all nonsense. They do not understand what is Kṛṣṇa, because they are disturbed.

Lecture on SB 1.8.18-19 -- Bombay, April 9, 1971:

Mūḍha means the same ass, those who are seeing like ignorant or ass. What is the example? Just like an actor, theatrical actor playing on the stage. A child, he is seeing somebody acting, but the child has forgotten that his father acting. Because the father has dressed in a different way and he's a different posture, playing on the stage, although the child is sitting amongst the audience, he cannot understand that "He's my father playing."

Lecture on SB 1.8.18-19 -- Bombay, April 9, 1971:

One who hasn't got knowledge, he cannot see, although God is everywhere. God is everywhere. Everywhere. Na lakṣyase mūḍha-dṛśā naṭo nāṭyadharo yathā (SB 1.8.19). Naṭo. Naṭo means the theatrical actor. When he is dressed just like an actor, the foolish man cannot see him.

Lecture on SB 1.15.35 -- Los Angeles, December 13, 1973:

Ananta means unlimited. But every form is spiritual. So He is changing. He is changing, yathā naṭaḥ. He is changing like naṭaḥ. Naṭaḥ means actor, dramatic actor. Just like in the stage the dramatic actor is sometimes coming as a king and next time by changing the dress he is coming as (indistinct). This is an example. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is the same but He has got different manifestations.

Lecture on SB 2.1.7 -- Paris, June 15, 1974:

So everyone is trying to become leader of the society, suhṛdam welfare actor, but that is impossible. Because he's a rascal, how he can become the friend? The, one's business is that he should make friendship with Kṛṣṇa and advise others also to make friendship with Kṛṣṇa. That is real leadership.

Lecture on SB 3.26.27 -- Bombay, January 4, 1975:

So long there is desire, so it is not possible to bring the mind under control. Therefore Caitanya-caritāmṛta says, Kavirāja Gosvāmī, that even the pious actors, those who are acting very piously... Those who are acting impiously, sinfully, there is no question of peace of the mind. That is not possible. Even those who are acting very piously, that is also not possible. You cannot control even the mind in that way.

Lecture on SB 3.26.47 -- Bombay, January 22, 1975:

So the sound is very important thing. The sound is the cause of our bondage in this material world. Just like in big, big cities they are attached to the sound vibrated by the cinema artist. And not only that, so many other things we are hearing through the radio message. Attachment for the sound. And because it is material sound, we are becoming materially entangled, entangled more and more. Some actress, some cinema artist, singing, and people are so fond of hearing that singing that the artist is paid fifteen thousand rupees for one song

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Honolulu, May 7, 1976:

The nature is instrument. Just like any machine. Take typewriter machine. The typewriter machine or any machine, working very nicely, but the machine is not working nicely. The man, the person who is typing, he is doing nicely. There may be wonderful machine, computer, but there must be one actor, one manipulator. So the, this nature is an instrument only. The actually worker is Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 6.1.11 -- New York, July 25, 1971:

Ordinary people, they are karmīs, or fruitive actors. Fruitive actors. They're working whole day and night, and getting some result, enjoying, again suffering, again there is problem. This is going on. They are called karmīs. So this will not solve the question, problem. He suggests that you have to elevate yourself to the platform of knowledge.

Lecture on SB 6.1.39 -- San Francisco, July 20, 1975:

Kāriṇaḥ means fruitive actors, those who are working for getting some profit. So sometimes with getting profit we make some undesirable activities which is called black market. So that is punishable.

Lecture on SB 7.7.22-26 -- San Francisco, March 10, 1967:

Kṛṣṇa says that "My dear Arjuna, this body is kṣetra, is field of activities. So your body is field of activities, and similarly, there are all the living entities, they have got their different kinds of field of activities. But the actor who is occupier of the field, he is called kṣetra-jñā. And the field, or this body, is called kṣetra."

Lecture on SB 7.9.48 -- Vrndavana, April 3, 1976:

Avyakta means nonmanifest, nonmanifested. He is everything. It can be compared just like your most intimate friend or family member is playing in the stage. So he is playing there, but still, you cannot recognize him. Naṭo nāṭyadharo yathā, Kuntīdevī has said. Just like the dramatist, the actor... He has dressed himself in such a way that although the actor is your very intimate friend or family, you cannot see. A child, suppose his father is a big actor. He is playing on the stage. So another family member says to the child, "You see your father." But he says, "Where is my father? Where is?"

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 16, 1972:

Another girl, she is now at Manila. She's Australian. She was a famous actress. So she came to Los Angeles and surrendered to me. And I asked her that "You go to Tokyo. I have got a disciple. And get yourself married with him."

General Lectures

Lecture -- Seattle, September 27, 1968:

Somebody says that you get out of the sufferings in this way, somebody says you get out of the sufferings in that way. So there are prescription offered by the modern scientists, by philosophers, by atheists or by theists, by fruitive actors, so many there are. But according to Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, you can get out of all sufferings if you simply change your consciousness, that's all. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture at International Student Society -- Boston, May 3, 1969:

Just like if you dress yourself just like a queen, sometimes you feel, "I am queen." You see? Just like an actor in a theatrical stage, or if you sit down on a car, you think that you are much elevated. These are temporary, but they are not very important.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:

Revatīnandana: (indistinct) actor who take parts in a cinema production, he said that whenever he takes a part he probably could becomes, that actor, he (indistinct), or the part that he actually forgets who he thinks he is.

Prabhupāda: Yes. The best actor is he who forgets his real identity and plays blindly. That is best actor. He forgets, but he creates such (indistinct) that he forgets that he's Mr. Such-and-such.

Philosophy Discussion on Samuel Alexander:

Hari-śauri: "Śrīmatī Kuntī said: O Kṛṣṇa, I offer my obeisances unto You because You are the original personality and are unaffected by the qualities of the material world. You are existing both within and without everything, yet You are invisible to all. Being beyond the range of limited sense perception, the eternally irreproachable factor covered by the curtain of deluding energy, You are invisible to the foolish observer, exactly as an actor dressed as a player is not recognized. You Yourself descend to propagate the transcen..."

Prabhupāda: That is very good example. His father is playing on the stage, and the son is seeing, and another, another friend is seeing, saying, "Do you see your father?" Then "Where is my father?" He, he, he does not recognize his father. Very good example.

Purports to Songs

Purport to Hari Hari Biphale -- Hamburg, September 10, 1969:

So Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura's explanation says that in this age although people are drunkard, woman-hunter, meat-eater, and all..., gambler, all kinds of sinful actor, still, if they take to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, they'll be delivered, undoubtedly.

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Interview with LA Times Reporter About Moon Trip -- December 26, 1968, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Similarly, one who is engaged in worshiping the Supreme Lord, he also goes to the supreme planet. These informations are there in the Bhagavad-gītā. And so far moon planet is concerned, that is within this material world. Those who are pious actors, those who are engaged in pious activities according to Vedic rituals, they can go to the moon planet.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Garden Conversation -- June 14, 1972, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Similarly, everyone can bring Kṛṣṇa at his home by becoming a devotee. There will be opulence. There is no question of committing suicide out of frustration. So many men, so many actors, out of frustration, committing suicide. They want to die. But if they take Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa consciousness, immediately everything will be there.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- February 9, 1974, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Bob Dylan. He is as good as, or more than. He has asked one of my students, "Ask Prabhupāda, what can I do for him." He is reading my books. There is another Indian, Ravi Shankar, he also came. He also attracted.

Guest (1): He's also attracted.

Prabhupāda: Bombay (laughing), all the cinema artists, they're attracted with the movement. One, one that actress Vijaya?

Guru dāsa: Vaijayanti Mala.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Guru dāsa: Vaijayanti Mala.

Prabhupāda: Vaijayanti.

Guest (1): Vaijayanti Mala. She's a very famous actress.

Room Conversation -- June 11, 1974, Paris:

Jyotirmayī: When this man left, he told me that there is a very, very, big actress. She's known all over the world. She's called Brigitte Bardot. And she's making propaganda now everywhere against slaughterhouses. So he said she's living around here, and we should meet her, and ask her to come and see you. So if she's here, we can try.

Prabhupāda: This mayor, mayor...? This mayor?

Yogeśvara: This man was explaining there's a very famous, beautiful actress. Her name is Brigitte Bardot, and she has become very popular now because she is trying to protect the animals. So she lives around here somewhere. He suggested that we contact her.

Bhagavān: What about him?

Yogeśvara: He just wants to...

Prabhupāda: What did he say about himself?

Jyotirmayī: It's when I asked him. I asked him: "So what are you going to do? Can you make a law against cow-killing?" So he said, "Oh... But there is this actress." Just give it, gave it to someone else to do.

Prabhupāda: No, we have to make this propaganda because we are servant of Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa orders, kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyam (BG 18.44). So we must take to agricultural work to produce food and give protection to the cows. And if there is excess product, we trade. This simple thing we must do. Therefore I'm anxious to take outside Paris this center. Our people should live there peacefully, produce food grains, give protection to the cows, and work hard.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk Through the BBT Warehouse -- February 10, 1975, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Oh. And also you can call... What is he? Jagad-dhita...? That Australian girl?

Gurudāsa: Oh, yes, Jagatāriṇī.

Prabhupāda: Jagatāriṇī.

Jayatīrtha: She can come here?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. She is expert dancer. She was very popular actress before joining. Very, very popular actress. You know?

Morning Walk -- June 10, 1975, Honolulu:

Ambarīṣa: Bali and I were discussing that the other day. Bali-mardana and I. Maybe when I come back here to live, maybe after Christmas, he and I, we'll see if we can work out... He knows some people that are in the movie business.

Siddha-svarūpa: Which actors?

Prabhupāda: Actors, we shall play. They haven't got to pay for us.

Ambarīṣa: He was thinking also maybe to make it an epic picture of Bhagavad-gītā.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Siddha-svarūpa: That would be most popular, I believe.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Kṛṣṇa-līlā also. That will be also popular. From Bhāgavatam we can have so many.

Room Conversation with writer, Sandy Nixon -- July 13, 1975, Philadelphia:

Sandy Nixon: I mean, are there other spiritual paths... Do all spiritual paths lead to the same end?

Prabhupāda: Spiritual paths are divided into four. Not spiritual. Real spiritual, mixed spiritual. Just like this, "God, give us our daily bread." It is mixed spiritual. One has approached God, God is spiritual, but one is asking for material profit. So this is mixture, matter and spirit. So there are four classes generally known as karmī, fruitive actors, they work for getting some material profit. They are called karmī.

Morning Walk -- November 3, 1975, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: I am against it, no doubt. Once upon a time I used to be the doctor of all these so-called cinema actors and actresses, and you know their profession. And they are always falling prey of these sort of things, and they would come to me for relief, and I would refuse. So today I have none of them as my patient.

Prabhupāda: But you cannot relieve them.

Morning Walk -- November 30, 1975, Delhi:

Haṁsadūta: In America in the upcoming elections in 1976, one of the biggest candidates is a movie actor, Ronald Reagan. Yes.

Prabhupāda: For presidentship?

Haṁsadūta: For presidentship. And he stands a very good chance of winning.

Morning Walk -- December 17, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Eyes are not bad. Kṛṣṇa has given you eyes to see: Kṛṣṇa. But we are utilizing for other purpose. That is our fault. We are presenting this Kṛṣṇa's Deity in the temple, but who is coming to utilize his eyes? Nobody is coming. They will go to see cinema, beautiful actress; so they are ultilizing the eyes for this purpose.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with George Gullen, President of Wayne State University -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: First of all knowledge means kṣetra-kṣetrajña. The body is the field of activity. You are acting, I am also acting, everyone is acting—according to the body. But the actor is called kṣetrajña. Just like a cultivator is tilling the land, his own, and the tiller is cultivator. Similarly, this body is an analogy of this field, and we are tilling.

Car Ride -- July 20, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Return Ratha-yātrā. Ulṭā-ratha.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What is it called?

Prabhupāda: Ulṭā-ratha.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Ulṭā-ratha.

Rāmeśvara: Should the actors perform the Herā Pañcamī ceremony?

Prabhupāda: That is in the middle.

Evening Darsana -- August 14, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Maybe little bhakti touch but uttama-bhakti, the definition is anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (CC Madhya 19.167). So it is very difficult for the actors and actresses to give up the commercial life. Anyā..., that is anyābhilāṣ, that by playing like this, I'll be popular, I'll get money, this is anyābhilāṣ. So to make it zero is very difficult.

Morning Walk -- August 14, 1976, Bombay:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We have tap water, but it's not drinking water. I mean it needs to be boiled. In Delhi you can drink the tap water, they say it's okay, but in Bombay it's very risky to drink tap water. Especially in monsoon. (break) ...famous actress and singer called Shri Lakshna-pandit. She's one of our devotee's sister-in-law also. She has some devotion. So she is coming to sing bhajanas tomorrow in the pandal. Is that okay? She's very famous.

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: It's okay.

Prabhupāda: Before Deity one can do. Before Deity one can show devotional activities, but not otherwise. Otherwise it will be sense enjoyment.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- March 31, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Many gentlemen. I have seen many Russian scholars and politicians, they shave clean.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: There is a very big American actor who always has a shaved head.

Prabhupāda: That is now fashion, shaved head. But if you think it is impediment, you can have hair.

Room Conversation -- November 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No, suppose you construct some house and rent out. Then they can do as they like. So similarly, if that hall is made, constructed for making some money, then the money will not come if we don't rent out to the cinema actors, actresses. It is just like... What is called? Village house. Hm? The hall is called? When one pays, marriage ceremony... For making some money you have made.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Los Angeles May 25, 1970:

I am very glad to learn that you have decided to live in Sydney. Sydney is your jurisdiction, so you cannot leave this place unless there is very urgent engagement in other place. You have got to organize this center very nicely and Krsna has sent you already some help in the shape of a nice actress who is willing to help us in any way. Please try to convince this girl about our Krsna philosophy. You are already experienced and sincere worker, if you try to convince her, Krsna will help you from within.

Letter to Upendra -- Los Angeles 24 June, 1970:

The actress girl, Janne, has arrived here. She has presented me one ballpoint pen, and she has also transferred travelers checks to the amount of $500 to the Society. She appears to be very nice intelligent girl, and we are trying to engage her for some dramatical performance on the basis of Lord Caitanya's pastimes.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Vrindaban Candra -- Bombay 13 April, 1971:

We were invited to many places to perform the drama. Lord Caitanya inaugurated these Vaisnava dramas, it is true, but where to obtain such copies of these plays I do not know.* While performing such dramas, always the actors must be Vaisnavas. Outsiders may help but devotees should have all the major roles.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Madhudvisa -- Amsterdam 29 July, 1972:

Regarding the dramas, my point is not to deviate from gravity and compromise or distract from the situation. Keep this point in vision and continue. That is a very good proposal to stage one play based upon Lord Caitanya. Read TLC on the stage, just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu is giving instruction to Sanatana Goswami, and the actors may speak little philosophy, without need for special costumes or other things.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Yasomatinandana -- Vrindaban 28 November, 1976:

You may call the gosala: ISKCON Gosala and Farm Project Trust. The trustees shall be; myself as chairman, Pranlal Bhogilal, yourself, Gopala Krsna, Mahamsa, Hamsaduta, Karatieya Mahadevia, Aksayananda, and the life member you have mentioned in your letter (You haven't mentioned his name, but you say that he is an actor and has a farm of his own).