Advancement (Lectures, SB cantos 3 - 12)

Expressions researched:
"advancement" |"advancements"

Notes from the compiler: VedaBase query: advancements or advancement not "advance* civilization*"@5 not "spiritual advancement"@3 not "material advancement"@3

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 3.25.5-6 -- Bombay, November 5, 1974:

So this philosophy, we'll begin from the next verse, and we shall be... (break) ...of understanding Kṛṣṇa. Because Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's name is identical... (break) We should always remember this, that you cannot chant and dance with any material name. Because Kṛṣṇa's name is spiritual, He's Kṛṣṇa, therefore if you go on chanting for twenty-four hours, you'll never feel tired. That is the advancement. So, so here, Kapiladeva... This is tattva-jñāna. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā,

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu

kaścid yatati siddhaye

yatatām api siddhānāṁ

kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ

(BG 7.3)

Just like these Māyāvādīs, they cannot understand that this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa name is actually getting direct association with Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī in Benares, He considered Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as a crazy fellow. Crazy fellow. Why? Now, because He was sannyāsī, and He was not reading Vedānta-sūtra. He was simply chanting and dancing. So some devotee of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu very much praised Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu at the, in the presence of Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, and Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī became very angry, "Ah, don't talk of this rascal sannyāsī. He is a sannyāsī, He does not read Vedānta-sūtra, and in sentimental moods He chants and dances. Don't talk about Him. Better don't go there." So that devotee became very sorry, and he arranged a meeting between this Māyāvādī sannyāsī and Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Lecture on SB 3.25.15 -- Bombay, November 15, 1974:

Any of them you take, that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The main is śravaṇam. Just you are hearing. This is the beginning. Ādau śraddhā. This is śraddhā, that "Here people are talking about Kṛṣṇa. Why not hear us? Let me hear." That is śraddhā, little faith. You have come here with a little faith. That increasing of that faith here with a little faith. That increasing of that faith is advancement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is required. Ādau śraddhā. First of all little faith: "Let us see." Then sādhu-saṅga. Sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83). They are, the sādhus, the devotees, who are living in the temple, if you associate with them, talk with them about Kṛṣṇa, then you'll be benefited. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15). Then gradually bhajana-kriyā. Bhajana-kriyā. Actually engaged in service, officially being initiated to take service of the Lord, that is called bhajana-kriyā. And bhajana-kriyā means anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. Then anartha, all these rascal habits, namely illicit sex, and intoxication, meat-eating, and gambling-nivṛtti, no more.

Lecture on SB 3.25.15 -- Bombay, November 15, 1974:

That is the test that whether you are actually initiated. If you are still attached to these... Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktiḥ... If you are not detestful to all these nonsense habits, then you must know that you are not making any progress. You are not making any progress. Because this is the result. Anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. If you are actually making advance in bhajana-kriyā, then this attachment will be finished. No more. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 9.59). Not by force, but appreciating something, better condition of life, one rejects all this nonsense. That is advancement. Bhajana-kriyā. By bhajana-kriyā, by being initiated and executing the bhajana, now, one just be detestful. Then niṣṭhā. Tato niṣṭhā, firm faith. Tato ruciḥ. Ruci means taste. You cannot do without it. Just like the drunkard, he cannot remain without drinking. Similarly, a devotee is also drunkard. He cannot remain without Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is called ruci, taste. Tato ruciḥ athāsaktiḥ. Then attachment. That is required.

Here... Sakta, sakta or āsakti, same thing. If our attachment is for this material enjoyment, that is bondage. That means we have to accept another body. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). You cannot avoid. Because if you infect some disease, then you must suffer from it. If you infect. That is a practical knowledge. If you infect some disease... So kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgaḥ. As soon as you infect this tamo-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, you have to, what is called, immune from infection. That immunity is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And if you are not immune, you are subjected to the infection, then you must get another body of the same quality. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgaḥ asya. So to remain free from the infection of these guṇas, then we have to engage ourselves in the bhakti-yoga. That is stated.

Lecture on SB 3.25.20 -- Bombay, November 20, 1974:

"Let us die. Let us die." But śāstra says, Kṛṣṇa says, Bhagavad-gītā says, that "Why you should die?" But they are so dull brain, they say, "Let us die. What is that?" Kṛṣṇa says, janma-mṛtyu. Kṛṣṇa has picked up... Their whole life is miserable condition, tri-tāpa-yatana, adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika, but we are so foolish, we have accepted this miserable condition of life as customary. So they have become accustomed.

But the Bhagavad-gītā, Bhagavān, personally says that "Your real miserable condition of life are the four things: janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9)." But who is taking seriously? There are so many advancements of education, scientific and... Who is making research work how to stop death? No. Nobody is there. No scientist's brain is working. But it is possible. Therefore Kṛṣṇa comes, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7). These rascals, when they forget that death is not our business, it is artificially imposed upon us, so we must become deathless again... That is the human life perfection. But nobody is caring. We have become so dull. One can avoid birth, death, old age... Because Kṛṣṇa says the soul, the spirit soul, ātmā, na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācit: "It does not die, it does not take birth." And actually, we are experiencing birth and death, old age and disease. Still, we are not alert. No intelligence. For this reason, Sanātana Gosvāmī, when he approached Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he, the first question was, "My dear Lord, some way or other, You have dragged me to Your lotus feet, but I am inquiring from You that ke āmi kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya, 'What is my actual position? Why am I forced to suffer these three kinds of miserable life of material condition?' " Nobody's inquire, inquiring.

Lecture on SB 3.25.20 -- Bombay, November 20, 1974:

Not "dehānām." Dehinām, he has said. Dehinām means we are dehī, we are proprietor of this body. I am not this body. So because we accepted this body, we are always in miserable condition. Sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt (SB 7.5.5). We accept this temporary body. That is the cause of all miseries. We cannot understand it. We are talking of so many miseries, but what is the cause of misery, that we do not know. Everyone knows, but he'll not know it. The cause is this body. Because the body is there, there is disease, there is old age, there is birth, there is death. And the whole struggle is against how to stop death, how to stop birth, how to stop disease, and how to stop old age. You just see. Why there are so many advancements in the chemical science? Why there are so many medical men? Why there are so many drug shop? To stop these things. This is a struggle. But why they are required? Because we have got this body. This material body.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja said, sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt. Because we have accepted this body... So we must not accept this body, that is called mokṣa-dvāram. That should be the mission of human life. So we are not interested. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyāḥ (SB 1.1.10). In this age they are slow and, and they have got their own manufactured ideas. Why? Now, manda-bhāgyāḥ, all unfortunate. And upadrutāḥ, always disturbed. So all these are on account of this body. The śāstra always says that "Don't work in such a way that you have to accept again body after death." That is, that is your business. Not that to accumulate crores and rupees and make a very good bank balance and skyscraper house and three or dozens of motorcars. They are struggling, forgetting this. But foolish people, they do not know that Kṛṣṇa will take away all these assets at the time of death. Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham (BG 10.34). Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ mṛtyuḥ: "I am death, and I will take away everything, what you have possessed." The foolish persons, they do not understand it. Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu. He possessed. So much so powerful that even the demigods were afraid of him. And Kṛṣṇa took away everything in a second by..., simply by the nails. Tava nakha kara-kamala nakha... Eh? What is? What is that?

Lecture on SB 3.25.23 -- Bombay, November 23, 1974:

Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ, bhajanti (BG 9.13). This bhajana means śṛṇvanti kathayanti. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23)—this is bhajana. You simply hear about the Lord, you talk about the Lord. That is bhajana. Śravaṇam means you can further make progress. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam is going on all over the world. Some is hearing about some politician, other is speaking about some politician or some other man, some important man in the society. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam is going on. But they are suffering. But when the śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam is pertaining to Viṣṇu, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ, then you will not be suffering. This is the... It requires experience. It requires advancement.

Then... Prahlāda Mahārāja, as he says, that tvad-vīrya-gāyana-mahāmṛta-magna-cittaḥ: "Because my mind is always absorbed in talking about You and hearing about You, therefore I am not unhappy. I do not... I know how to become happy." "But you seem to be very unhappy." So he says, "Yes, I am unhappy because I see these..." Tato vimukha-cetasa indriyārtha-māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān: (SB 7.9.43) "These foolish people, simply for temporary so-called happiness, they are engaged in material activities. I am thinking of them only. That is my unhappiness. Otherwise I have no unhappiness."

So this devotional service, this line of action, is so nice that if we practice, if we make advance, then even in this material world, staying, there will be no more suffering. That is called jīvan mukta. Jīvan mukta means although he is in this body, but he is not suffering the bodily miserable condition. It is a question of absorption of thought. I have read in some paper that Mr. Stalin, the communist leader, he had to undergo a surgical operation of operating on the belly. But doctor wanted to, what is called, chloroform, but he said, "No, there is no need. You can go on with your operation." So even in ordinary life it is possible. Because the mind is absorbed in a different way, even a surgical operation does not disturb a man. Similarly, what to speak of spiritual life, if your mind is always absorbed in Kṛṣṇa thought, Kṛṣṇa consciousness... That is stated mad-gata-cetasaḥ, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa advises also. What is His advice? Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru: (BG 18.65) "You always think of Me."

Lecture on SB 3.25.23 -- Bombay, November 23, 1974:

Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). Rājarṣi. The kings were... Although they were king, rāja, still, they were as good as the great saintly person, ṛṣi. So Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, he was also a rājarṣi. He gave example: although he was busy in his administration work, still, he was talking only of Kṛṣṇa, only. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane (SB 9.4.18). Whenever he would talk, he will talk about Kṛṣṇa. This required practice. Caitanya Mahāprabhu advised all His devotees, grāmya-kathā nā kahibe. This requires... This is called advancement. Don't talk nonsense of these material talks. What is the use? What you will gain? Just like you open the newspaper. What do you find? The same thing. The same plane crash, the same politician condemn another politician, and something lost, something gained, something... It is punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). The same thing are being repeated in different way. So what is the use of talking such thing? Better, if you want to talk, talk on Kṛṣṇa, talk on Bhagavad-gītā, talk on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and enjoy life. That is required.

That is recommended here: mad-āśrayāḥ kathā mṛṣṭāḥ śṛṇvanti kathayanti ca. If you simply talk about Kṛṣṇa and hear about Kṛṣṇa, then that stage will come when there will be no more suffering always. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). This is called ānandamaya in the Vedānta-sūtra. A living entity or Kṛṣṇa, they are ānandamaya. Prācurye maya-pratyaya. Simply ānanda.

Lecture on SB 3.25.24 -- Bombay, November 24, 1974:

This was the beginning, how to become uncontaminated. We have got some attachment to the material modes of nature. That is the cause of our bondage. Now, if we want to be free from this bondage, uncontaminated, then the same attachment should be transferred to the sādhu. Sa eva sādhuṣu kṛtaḥ, the same attachment. Everyone has got attachment. Nobody is free of attachment. The Māyāvādī philosophy, they say that "Stop this attachment." The Buddha philosophy says that "Make this attachment zero." This is also a little advancement, but it is not possible to make our attachment zero. That is not possible. Therefore Bhagavān says in the Bhagavad..., paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 9.59). Just like a child has got attachment for playing, and gradually, his attachment should be transferred for reading, going to school, education. But if you stop his attachment, then he will become mad. You must give something. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate. Just like we are. To the Western devotees, we are advising them—at least, those who are accepted as our disciples, they must—no meat-eating. They are accustomed to meat-eating, but that how this meat-eating has been stopped? We have given them nice things, kacuris, śṛṅgāra, rasagullā. So they have given up meat-eating. So you must give something more palatable. Then detachment will be possible. First of all nullify the attachment, and then give him better attachment. Then he will forget. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate. You cannot force a living entity by force. Gradually... The same example: a child has got attachment, but by some system, its attachment is turned over.

Lecture on SB 3.25.25 -- Bombay, November 25, 1974:

So if we want to save ourself-We do not know how to save. Gaḍurikā-pravāha. Gaḍurikā-pravāha-nyāya. There is a logic of gaḍurikā-pravāha. One man is doing something, and another man is following. Of course, if you follow a saj-jana, a devotee, that is very nice. But if you follow a rascal, then you also become rascal. But at the present moment the whole world is full of rascals, mūḍhāḥ, duṣkṛtinaḥ, narādhamāḥ. "Why do you call mūḍhāḥ duṣkṛtinaḥ narādhamāḥ? There is so much advancement of education. There are so many universities, so many degrees." But Kṛṣṇa says, māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ: (BG 7.15) "Their so-called knowledge has no value because the essence of knowledge is taken away by the illusion." "Now why you say? They are educated. No, their knowledge has been taken away? Why? What is the reason?" The reason is āśuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ: "They have taken to the nonsense philosophy of godlessness." That's it. For this reason their so-called education, university education, degrees, are simply illusion of māyā.

Lecture on SB 3.25.25 -- Bombay, November 25, 1974:

Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung one song, jaḍa-vidyā jato, māyāra vaibhava. This material education without God consciousness is expansion of the influence of māyā. Jaḍa-vidyā jato, māyāra vaibhava, tomāra bhajane bādhā. They are simply impediments in the matter of advancing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Tomāra bhajane bādhā. Anitya saṁsāre. And why? Now, result of godless material education means that anitya saṁsāre moha janamiyā. We are already illusioned. Anyone who has come to this material world, he is illusioned. But advancement of so-called material education means the increasing of the same illusory propaganda. Jaḍa-vidyā jato, māyāra vaibhava, tomāra bhajane bādhā, anitya saṁsāre moha janamiyā. They are trying to become happy in this temporary material life. He has forgotten that he is eternal. Even if we become very happy, temporary life in this life, that will also illusion because we will not be allowed to stay and enjoy the status. But they do not understand.

So these things are to be understood in the association of devotees. A devotee knows everything. Tattva-darśinaḥ.

Lecture on SB 3.25.36 -- Bombay, December 5, 1974:

So the pāñcarātriki-vidhi and bhāgavata-vidhi must go parallel. Then one, even one is a neophyte, gradually he will come to the intermediate stage between the neophyte stage and to the advanced stage. And of course, it is very difficult to find out one in very advanced stage. But there are. There are many advanced stage. At least, the spiritual master is supposed to be in the advanced stage, but for preaching purpose he come down in that intermediate stage, for preaching work. Because the advanced stage, there is no discrimination that "Here is a devotee, and here is a nondevotee." Because advanced devotee sees that everyone is devotee except himself. The advanced devotee sees that he is not a devotee, but all others are devotees. This is advancement. But in the kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, in the neophyte stage, they simply concentrate on the Deity. Arcāyām eva haraye yaḥ pūjāṁ śraddhayā īhate. That is required in the beginning. According to the prescribed duties as they are mentioned in the scriptures, one must take care of the Deity. But that unless a little farther advanced, he does not know who is a devotee and what is his function with others.

In the madhyama-adhikāra, when one still farther advances, he has got four kind of visions:

Lecture on SB 3.25.41 -- Bombay, December 9, 1974:

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, mūḍha. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhaḥ prapadyante narādhamaḥ (BG 7.15). Those who are not Kṛṣṇa conscious, not surrendering to Kṛṣṇa, their categories have been explained that sinful, duṣkṛtina. Duṣkṛtina means duṣkārya. And kṛti, kṛti means very meritorious. But duṣkṛti: merit is being misused for some nonsense activities. Therefore duṣkṛti. There are two kinds of activities: sukṛti and duṣkṛti. Sukṛti means for some good purpose, and duṣkṛti, for some bad purpose. That is called... So we are all engaged, always engaged to engage our brain to manufacture something, will be very facilitious(?) for committing sinful activities. That is science, advancement of science. So many things, just like contraceptive now advertised by the scientist: "Now, here is a very nice contraceptive. Use it." That means people will take of the scientific advancement and entangle him in sinful activities. That's all. Duṣkṛtina: meritorious, but it is used for sinful activities. That is called duṣkṛtina.

Lecture on SB 3.25.41 -- Bombay, December 9, 1974:

Therefore they are mūḍha, rascal. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ. And lowest of the... Human mind, human brain, can understand that "I am suffering," but because he is not understanding, therefore he is the lowest of the humankind, narādhamāḥ. These things are described in the Bhagavad-gītā. "No, they have passed M.A. degree, or Phd, M.A." Now, māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ. The knowledge has no value because it is māyā. He is thinking... He is employing for temporary happiness, māyā, māyā happiness. Māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (SB 7.9.43). He has learned engineering and planning very high skyscraper building, but he does not know how long he will live in that skyscraper building. Say, twenty-five years, fifty years, that's all. Māyā-sukhāya, temporary happiness. He is engaging his brain in so stupendous, horrible work, ugra-karma. Māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (SB 7.9.43). Real business he has neglected, how to get out of these clutches of birth and death, and he's engages his brain for manufacturing a skyscraper building, and he is thinking, "Now advancement of knowledge, advancement of education." This is going on.

Therefore, if we want to save ourself from the fierceful condition of this material life, then we must take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the verdict of the all śāstras, and Kṛṣṇa comes for this purpose, and Kṛṣṇa's devotees work day and night for this purpose, and that is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness... (end)

Lecture on SB 3.26.2 -- Bombay, December 14, 1974:

So they might be very advanced in scientific knowledge but the ultimate aim is how to eat. That's all, nothing more. How to eat, how to sleep, that's all. Tranquilizer pills, in USA, a large selling line. That means how to sleep. This is the advancement, scientific advancement. There is no sleeping? Without scientific knowledge, he was sleeping very nice. But with advancement, advancement of scientific knowledge he has lost his sleep, insomnia. So they are taking the advancement of knowledge in this way, but the Vedic scripture says that, jñānaṁ niḥśreyasārthāya, to achieve the highest perfection. That we are discussing in so many ways. And what is that highest perfection? Highest perfection is there, mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā, nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ saṁsiddhiṁ paramāṁ gataḥ. Highest perfection, saṁsiddhiṁ paramām. Param means the supreme, and saṁsiddhim means perfection.

mām upetya kaunteya

duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam

nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ

saṁsiddhiṁ paramam gataḥ

(BG 8.15)

This is highest perfection, Kṛṣṇa says. All śāstra, it says like that, and the whole Vedic literature is meant for achieving the highest perfection of life. Vedic literature, you will get all kinds of knowledge. Veda means knowledge, and the Vedic literature is full of knowledge. Nigama-kalpa-taru. Nigama means Vedic knowledge and kalpa-taru means the tree from where you can get anything you desire. Whatever you desire. Generally we have got experience that a mango tree, if you desire mango, you can get from the mango tree. If you desire coconut, then you can get from the coconut tree. But you cannot get coconut from the mango tree, and mango from the coconut tree. But there are trees where you go, you can get both mango, and banana, and coconut, and everything you like.

Lecture on SB 3.26.6 -- Bombay, December 18, 1974:

In this way you will ultimately come. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ... Then he will come to this conclusion: bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). If you are actually serious student, research worker, then after executing research work for many, many birth, when you are actually wise, jñānavān, then you will surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19).

So this is the way. But these rascals, infatuated by false ego and under the spell of material nature, being kicked by material nature, thinking that he is kartṛ, kartā... Kartāham iti manyate. Kartṛtvam: "I am doing. I am... We have made so much advance in research, so much scientific advancement, this and that, so many things." No. It is not possible. Without God's hand, you cannot do anything. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca (BG 15.15). A scientist working very hard to find out some chemical or some physical thing, but there are many others working. But unless Kṛṣṇa from within gives his proper intelligence, he cannot invent the particular thing. That is not possible. Kṛṣṇa gives him intelligence. Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca (BG 15.15). One... Two scientists working: one has become successful, and one is not successful. Why? Both are working very hard. The one is favored by Kṛṣṇa, and the other is not favored. Otherwise how you can explain? If material knowledge is sufficient, both of them working hard to find out the truth of a scientific discovery, but one is able to find out, another is not able, then how you can explain these discrepancies? The only explanation is that one is favored by Kṛṣṇa, and the other is not favored.

Lecture on SB 3.26.7 -- Bombay, December 19, 1974:

Worshiper of the material energy. In the Durgā-pūjā, in the Caṇḍi, the direction is that you ask material opulence, dhanaṁ dehi, rūpaṁ dehi, rūpavatī-bhāryāṁ dehi, yaśo dehi. That you can do. And we all living entities within this material world, we are worshiper of the material nature. The scientist also trying to find out means how to exploit the resources of material nature. That is also one kind of worshiping. Because if they are successful in discovering some material energy, new kind of material energy, they get money. Then, by money, they get full advantage of sense gratification. So this is called conditioned life, conditioned by the material..., illusioned by the material... They are trying, discover material advances, and becoming happy by such advancement. This is called material life. This is pāra-tantrya. This is not svātantrya. Pāra-tantrya. Although constitutionally the living entity is svātantrya, asaṅgo 'yaṁ puruṣaḥ, but because we accepted to be satisfied under the control of material nature, that is called pāra-tantrya, and that is called saṁsṛtiḥ. Saṁsṛtiḥ means continuously repetition of birth, death, old age, and disease. That is called saṁsāra.

Lecture on SB 3.26.11-14 -- Bombay, December 23, 1974:

Go-khara. Go-khara. Go means cow, and khara means ass. So in spite of all our educational advancement, if we remain in the darkness of bodily concept of life, then we are no better than go-khara. Go, go means cow, and... So we should not remain that. The human life is meant for above this. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This human life is for inquiring about the soul. And the knowledge of the soul begins... That is the first instruction in the Bhagavad-gītā, that don't be simply enwrapped or encumbered with these twenty-four elements, bodily ele..., material, but you should understand that asmin dehe, there is the possessor, or occupier, of the body. Dehinaḥ asmin dehe. Dehino 'smin... What is that verse?

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ

(BG 2.13)

Dehinaḥ. Dehinaḥ means the possessor, the possessor of this body. I am the possessor. You are the possessor.

That is also another chapter explained very nicely, kṣetra-kṣetrajña. This body is kṣetra. Every one of us, we have got a particular body, and we are working with this body. That is called kṣetra. Just like the cultivator. He works in the field, tilling the field, and getting the desired result, as much he has got nice fertile field or not fertile field. According to the field, he is getting different result. Similarly we, the living entity or the soul, we have got a field of activities, this body. And by... (pause) (someone shouts) (Aside:) What is that? ...working on this body, we are getting different result. That is called karma. Karmaṇy evādhikāras te mā phaleṣu kadācana. So according to different karma, we are getting different body. In this way, bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19), we are getting one body, and then again this body is annihilated, and we get another body. And there are 8,400,000 types of bodies. In this way our life is going on in this material world.

Lecture on SB 3.26.18 -- Bombay, December 27, 1974:

Na māṁ prapadyante. Kṛṣṇa says, "Who does not surrender to Me? They are these classes of men." What is that? Duṣkṛtinaḥ:"Always engaged in sinful activities." Kṛti means meritorious. But they are engaged in manufacturing atom bomb, duṣkṛtinaḥ. Atom bomb means killing. But discover something by which man will not die. That they are dying—so you have discovered some instrument to die quickly. So that is duṣkṛtinaḥ. Merit, he has got merit, but misuse the merit. The death is there. He would have lived for, say, sixty years, and you drop atom bomb—in ten years or twenty years finished. You cannot increase the duration of life. Therefore the so-called scientific advancement, what is that? Duṣkṛtinaḥ,no benefit for the human society.

The real problem is, Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). Our real miserable condition of life is birth, death, old age, and disease. Where is scientific help to mitigate these miseries? There is no stoppage of birth; there is no stoppage of death; there is no stoppage of disease. You can manufacture very good medicine for disease, but you stop disease. That is not possible. So our so-called meritorious activities in scientific research and education, they have been described in the Bhagavad-gītā as duṣkṛtinaḥ, mischievous activities. Duṣkṛtinaḥ. They are not actually beneficial, but they are mischievous. And why, mischievous, they are engaged, they are wasting their so much time in mischievous? Because mūḍhāḥ: they do not know what is the purpose of life.

Lecture on SB 3.26.22 -- Bombay, December 31, 1974:

So there is no such problem for a devotee of how to secure money. Their only problem is how to turn these rascals to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, all rascals, vimūḍhān. We say clearly, "If you are not Kṛṣṇa conscious, you are rascal number one." "No, I am M.A. Ph.D." "Still, you are rascal." That is our verdict. "We don't care for your Ph.D. I know that you are a rascal because you do not know Kṛṣṇa." Just a few minutes before, one gentleman came to see me, and he advertised himself that "I have read Vedas, I have read the Purāṇas, I have seen Dr. Radhakrishnan, but I do not get peace of mind." So I asked him, "You have studied so many literatures. Do you know who is God?" And the God who has created this, what is His name, what is the address—that he does not know. Yes. This is going on. Vimūḍhān. They are proud of education, proud of learning, advancement, everything, all right, complete. But real knowledge—"Do you know God?"—that he cannot explain. That he cannot explain. He will explain something hodgepodge. This is the disease. Therefore they are vimūḍhān.

Real knowledge means to understand God. That is real knowledge. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). What is the Veda, Vedānta? To know Kṛṣṇa, or God. Kṛṣṇa and God, the same. If one knows God but does not know Kṛṣṇa, his knowledge of God is incomplete. His knowledge of God is incomplete. When he knows that kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam, then his knowledge is perfect.

Lecture on SB 3.26.26 -- Bombay, January 3, 1975:

That time is coming. Naturally, what people will eat? They will eat māṁsa and roots and seeds. No milk. No sugar. No wheat. These things will be stopped. As we are becoming entangled in ghora-rūpa activities or mūḍha activities, then the more we shall be entangled with sufferings of material existence. They do not know what is the actually interest. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31).

So therefore this planning, real planning, is this varṇāśrama-dharma. Varṇāśrama means a regulative, regulative life. So we have come to this world. There will be no difficulty for our maintenance. Peacefully let us live and save time for spiritual consciousness, for advancement of. Tapo divyaṁ yena śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1). We have to rectify, purify our existence. This present existence is not purified. Otherwise, why we are accepting death? Because the existence is not purified. But we don't care for it. We are so dull, mūḍha. Mūḍhatvam. Mūḍhatvam. There are so many big, big scholars of Bhagavad-gītā, but they do not know the first lessons of Bhagavad-gītā, first lessons of Bhagavad-gītā. First lesson of Bhagavad-gītā is there. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācit, nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre. Who is thinking of this, that na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20), if after the destruction of this body, I am not annihilated—that is a fact—but who is making research about it? And still, they are big, big scholars of Bhagavad-gītā, and they do not know even the ABCD of Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-2 -- London (Tittenhurst), September 13, 1969:

That history is there. So at that time Candragupta was the emperor of India, and he had his prime minister Cāṇakya Paṇḍita. And he was not charging a farthing. And he was vastly learned man. You see. His politics is studied in the M.A. class in India university. And those who are the students of politics, they might have known this gentleman's name, Cāṇakya Paṇḍita. And in India, New Delhi, there is a quarter where foreign ambassadors are supplied place. So that quarter is known as Cāṇakyapuri. Cāṇakyapuri. Because he was politician, under his name that place is ascertained Cāṇakyapuri. So the prime minister, the great scholar, the great scientist, they used to live in a cottage. They gave us so much contribution how to make scientific advancement. Because the brāhmaṇas, they were meant not for material enjoyment. Simply for... Therefore four classes. Only the kṣatriyas and vaiśyas were meant for economic development.

So the whole idea here is expressed by Ṛṣabhadeva. "My dear sons," ayaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān na arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye, "you should distinguish yourself from the hogs and dogs, that simply for sense gratification, this life is not meant for working very hard." That is the modern civilization. Not only here... Now, the whole material world, history is like that. People are after sense gratification. (aside:) Come on. So Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, a great commentator on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, is explaining this verse that kaṣṭān, kaṣṭa-pradan kāmam yoṣit-darśana-sparśanadim na arhate naivarhati iti.(?) Kāmān. He has plainly explained that kāma, sense gratification, means to see woman with lust or to touch woman with lust. That is called kāma, or sense gratification. So this is natural. Materialistic life means wherever there is some beautiful woman or girl, it is natural. It is not... One sense, it is not bad because it is natural.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-8 -- Stockholm, September 8, 1973:

If your devotional service quality is not first class, then it will take time to realize that here is personally Kṛṣṇa or Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu or the ācāryas are present here. It is a question of realization. The more you strictly follow the regulative principles, chant sixteen rounds regularly, the more you'll realize.

Because God, Kṛṣṇa, is omnipotent. He can accept your service. He can bless you even from the picture. That is God's potency. If you think that this is just like ordinary picture... Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante (BG 4.11). You know the story of Sākṣi-gopāla in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. The..., a atheist is thinking that "Here is a stone statue." And the devotee is thinking that "Here is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." It is a question of quality of advancement. The story, I may recite, that two brāhmaṇas, one young and one old, went to Vṛndāvana. So the younger brāhmaṇa, young man, he served this old man on the way. It is the duty, still in India, if there is any old man... It is not now decreasing. And if there is young man, the young man is always ready to help the old man. So at Vṛndāvana, after reaching, the young man and the old man, the old man felt very much obliged... (aside:) Why this sound? Huh? Felt obliged to the young man, and he said, "My dear boy, you have served me so nicely; without your help, I could not come. So I have got some obligation to you. I want to reward you." (aside:) Stop that sound. So (the) young man said, "Sir, why you are thinking like that? It is my duty. You are just like my father; whatever service possible, I have given you. There is no question of rewarding me." Actually, that is not service. If we serve somebody and with expectation of some reward, that is not service, that is business.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Boston, April 28, 1969:

So first stage is faith. Without faith, nobody can make progress. Just like you are going from here to New York, you are purchasing some travel ticket by aeroplane. So you must have faith that "This company will carry me to New York." Otherwise, there is no progress. If in the very beginning you have no faith—"Oh, I shall purchase ticket. What is guarantee that this plane will carry me to New York?"—it may not carry you to New York, but you have to pinch(?) your faith in the beginning. Then you can go. Similarly, first of all faith is required. Without faith, therefore, faithlessness is no, I mean to say, position of making further progress. Little faith must be there. That faith must be increased by further advancement. In the beginning is the faith, and then the faith becomes firm faith. Then you shall make progress, further, further. You come to the perfect stage. (pause)

Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Hyderabad, April 15, 1975:

One who is engaged in loving service of Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa is very expert, He can understand how you want to serve Him, with a motive or without motive. When He understands, then He personally gives you dictation, "You do like this, you do like that." So that is Kṛṣṇa's friendship. Kṛṣṇa is always available. Kṛṣṇa can be seen twenty-four hours, provided you elevate to the position how to talk with Kṛṣṇa, how to see Kṛṣṇa, how to act toward Kṛṣṇa. It is not very difficult.

So the symptom is described, how even a gṛhastha can become fully Kṛṣṇa conscious. The negative side is described that he's not interested with this worldly, so-called advancement of social position, or advancement of economic problem. So many things they have created. These are described here. Gṛheṣu jāyātmaja-rātimatsu. Ātmaja-rātimatsu na prīti-yuktā yāvad-arthāś ca loke. Neither neglectful as far as possible, yāvat-arthāḥ, not too much overwhelmed, because after all this is temporary. Our so-called society, friendship, love, in this material world, they are all, they are called illusory, phenomenal. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya said, jagan mithyā. He says little bluntly, but actually it has no meaning, because this social condition of life is existent so long this body is there. As soon as I change my body, even in this country We are very much fond of our country, janani janma-bhūmiś ca svargād api gariyasi, but the country is so ungrateful. Suppose There are many vivid examples. Mahatma Gandhi, he worked so much for his country. The result was that he was killed by his countrymen. So, just see the example. So, in this material life, you will never be able to make anyone happy by your activities. That is not possible. Neither you will be happy.

Lecture on SB 5.5.5 -- Stockholm, September 10, 1973:

Then there will be no more pains and pleasures, and you will have to accept another body. And so long you shall continue to accept one body after another, the miserable condition of material existence will continue. Therefore in the beginning it was said that "This body, human body, is not to be misused simply for sense gratification like the dogs and hogs." That was the beginning.

So therefore, again he says, parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam. These rascals, they do not know that for want of knowledge of the soul, ātma-tattvam, on the bodily concept of life, whatever they are doing, that is defeat. They are thinking, "Now, by scientific advancement, we are able to go to the moon planet." Of course, I do not know whether they can go. Till now they are not successful. Or at least attempting. So this is our achievement. But Ṛṣabhadeva says, "That is not your achievement. That is your defeat. It is your defeat." Why defeat? Because you cannot come to the moon planet or sun planet or any other planet like that. You are simply wasting your time. Just try to understand. Suppose you want to go to some foreign country, and if you think that by force... Just like in England some Indians, they come by some what is called? Smuggling method.

Lecture on SB 5.5.5 -- Stockholm, September 10, 1973:

These are higher planetary systems. The demigods live there. So unless you are fit to live with the demigods, you cannot go there. Just like Kṛṣṇaloka. Unless you make yourself fit to enter into the Kṛṣṇaloka, you cannot go by force. That is not possible. Just like to enter into some foreign country, you have to take visa, you have to take passport, immigration. Then you will be allowed. So such attempt to go there. And even if you go there, you will be driven away. So what is the use of such attempt?

Therefore this so-called, what is called, excursion, to attempt to go to some planet, you cannot stay there, neither you'll be allowed to enter. So this endeavor to go there by so-called scientific advancement is simply defeat, because you will not be allowed, neither you can go there. And actually it is happening. What they have achieved so far? Nothing. No tangible action made. But they have spent millions of dollars, Russia and America, to go to the moon planet. And even you go there, but after all, you will have to die, you have to give up this body, and after death, you do not know where you'll be placed. That is under the nature's hand. You cannot dictate that "After death, I shall go to that planet or this planet." No. You are completely under the nature's control. Prakṛteḥ kriyāmāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). Unless you are qualified... Everyone is ambitious, but does it mean by becoming ambitious, one can become very rich man or very respectable man? That is not possible. One must qualify himself. So these are futile attempts. You have to act according to the... But they do not believe that there is higher authority, there is judgment and everything. They think that it is blind: "Whatever we like, we can do." That is not good. Parābhavaḥ. This is called defeat. Parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto yāvan na jijñāsata.

Lecture on SB 5.5.5 -- Vrndavana, October 27, 1976:

"If I play like this, it will be very nice." So becomes engaged in one type of playing. And then again changing, another type of playing, because they do not know what kind of plan should be made so that Children. Abodha-jātaḥ. Children's another name is abodha. So from abodha, one has to be brought to the platform of bodha. Bodhayantaṁ parasparam. This word is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. That is mahātmā. Bodhayantaṁ parasparam. Not the abodhayantam. The other rascals, they are abodha, those who are bodhayantaṁ parasparam. What is that verse? Mac-cittā mad-gata-prāṇā bodhayantaḥ parasparam (BG 10.9). This is called sat-saṅga. Sat-saṅga. People should be engaged always inquiring about progress of spiritual life. That is advancement. Bodhayantaḥ parasparam. There should be constantly discussion. Everything is there in the books. Just like this word abodha-jātaḥ. We can discuss on this point, abodha-jātaḥ.

So this is jijñāsu. And to dissipate this ignorance, get out of this ignorance, one has to approach a person who is not abodha but bodha. Budhā. Budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ, one who knows what is the destination of life. That budhā... What is that? Bhajante ananya manaso budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ (BG 10.8). So one has to approach a budhā. Therefore Lord Buddha's name is Buddha. From this bodha. He has understood everything. He was prince, and he never came out of the palace, and when he came out he saw one old man with a stick, with great difficulty walking. So inquired his servants, "What is this?" "This is old man. Everyone has to become like this." That was the inspiration of understanding. Why he should be like that? Why one should become old man? Why he should walk on sticks? So these inquiries made him Buddha, Lord Buddha, by meditation. That is his pastime. That means one should understand by nature study, why this man is diseased, why this man is old, why this man is suffering. Then bodhayantaḥ parasparam, then the inquisitiveness can lead him to the proper knowledge. And where to get that proper knowledge? That is guru. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). But if there is no inquiry, if one is dull like stone and tree, then how there will be inquiry?

Lecture on SB 5.5.8 -- Vrndavana, October 30, 1976:

And one who follows the regulative principles, he is āśrama. Either it is gṛhastha āśrama or sannyāsa āśrama, the same thing. Āśrama means—very easily understood in India, there is discussion—the place where the spiritual culture is cultivated, that is called āśrama. What is the difference between the āśrama and ordinary home? Ordinary home means the..., without any regulative principles, and āśrama means real purpose is self-realization, development of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But if one is unable to accept sannyāsa āśrama or brahmacārī āśrama, that is gṛhastha āśrama. Not that animal āśrama.

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu, therefore He has said, "If we are eager for advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then we can stay in any āśrama. It doesn't matter." Either gṛhastha āśrama or sannyāsa āśrama, it doesn't matter. Kṛṣṇa, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, says to Rāmaṇanda,

kibā vipra, kibā śūdra, nyāsī kene naya

yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā, sei 'guru' haya

(CC Madhya 8.128)

Sei guru. Who can become guru? Generally a brāhmaṇa, a sannyāsī, that is, that is, they are forced. Brāhmaṇa is the guru of other varṇas, and sannyāsī is the guru for all varṇāśrama. This is... But Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that is social system. If there is a brāhmaṇa, if there is a sannyāsī, one should accept, give preference to him, to accept guru. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, "That is not the criterion. One must be well expert, experienced, well aware of the science of Kṛṣṇa. He shall be guru." Not that particularly because one is born in a brāhmaṇa family or one has taken sannyāsa, he is immediately by the dress, or by birth, one can become guru. No. That is going on.

Lecture on SB 5.5.9 -- Vrndavana, October 31, 1976:

Since, he gives his experience, "Since I have given my mind and heart in the service of yad-avadhi mama cetaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravinde, at the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa, and I have increased my transcendental, blissful life by rendering such loving service, since then even if I think of sex life, yad-avadhi mama cetaḥ, tad-avadhi bata nārī-saṅgame smaryamāne, even sex life, thinking of it, it becomes so abominable that I spit on it." So this is the test of advancement of Kṛṣṇa conscious life.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu when He delivered Jagāi-Mādhāi... This Jagāi-Mādhāi was debauch, drinking, illicit sex, meat eating and these things, degradation. These four principles are the four pillars of degradation. Therefore we prohibit. That if you want to make progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you must give up these four principles. So, Caitanya Mahāprabhu made this condition, that if you promise that you will give up these four principles of sinful life, then I will accept you. Never mind whatever you have done in the past. Every man is sinful, there is no doubt about it, more or less. That is not disqualification. If he agrees to give up that, then immediately he becomes liberated. That is Kṛṣṇa also says in the Bhagavad..., ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. Liberation is not very difficult. It can be obtained in one minute, provided you want to take it.

Lecture on SB 5.5.10-13 -- Vrndavana, November 1, 1976:

They thought it wise that "Because we are in this village, some of the demons, they are coming and disturbing." So they are villagers... Immediately Nanda Mahārāja agreed, "All right, let us leave this place." So immediately, they transferred the whole village with their possessions, cloth or something, everything, within one hour. And they transported by the bullock cart to Nandagrāma. That means, the idea is the whole village was transferred from one village to another within very short time. So the transport is required, the transport by bullock carts. The bulls are there. They can be used for transport. Or the asses, they can be used for transport. But... And the camels can be used for transport. There are so many animals. So advancement, and big, big kings, royal families, they have got their transport service by keeping elephants and horses. They can get on the back of the horses and get yourself there. So nature's arrangement, God's arrangement is there. Transport is required in the human society, but you can utilize so many animals for your purpose. But at the present moment, ugra-karma. The transport is there, but they have manufactured big, big buses for transport, big, big cars, and the animals, they are now killed and eat. That's all. This is civilization. This is civilization. Not to reduce the labor, but increase the labor. Therefore they are called ugra-karma, jagataḥ hita, and that will create disastrous condition of the human society. This is discussed in Bhagavad-gītā.

So our this simple living... We are introducing the simple living, that go to the village, have sufficient food grains and milk, and the experiment is successful in the Western countries, in New Vrindaban, in Philadelphia, in New Orleans. So now the leaders of European and American countries, they are threatened: "This kind of civilization, if it is advanced, then where he'll stand?" This simple living... In Australia, one psychiatrist, he remarked that "If this kind of simple living is introduced, then where you stand?" So they want ugra-karma. They want to work day and night in the factories, and to pacify themselves, they immediately require drinking, illicit sex. Thence, by working on motorcars, they have no enough food, they want to eat meat, kill animals; and to digest the meat, he must drink. One after another. One after another.

Lecture on SB 5.5.14 -- Vrndavana, November 2, 1976:

Pradyumna: "As I have advised you, My dear sons, you should act accordingly. Be very careful. By these means you will be freed from the ignorance of the desire for fruitive activity, and the knot of bondage in the heart will be completely severed. For further advancement, you should also give up the means. That is, you should not become attached to the process of liberation itself."

Prabhupāda:

karmāśayaṁ hṛdaya-granthi-bandham

avidyayāsāditam apramattaḥ

anena yogena yathopadeśaṁ

samyag vyapohyoparameta yogāt

(SB 5.5.14)

So, the bhakti-yoga process is described in the previous verses. Real purport is, karmāśayam, how to be free from karmāśayam. So long our mind will be absorbed in karmāśayam, then there is no question of becoming free from this material body. Karmānubandhaṁ na mucyate deha-yogena tāvat. This is already advised, the whole purpose is how to make the spirit soul from the bondage of contamination of repetition of birth and death. That is the purpose of human life. Karmāśayam, everyone is trying to become happy by working hard and getting the result. Ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ, not only here, but also in other planets up to the Brahmaloka, this process is going on. And to counteract this process, in the previous three verses it has been explained how one can gradually become relieved. The first process is recommended, haṁse gurau mayi bhaktyānuvṛtyā.

Lecture on SB 5.6.7 -- Vrndavana, November 29, 1976:

Here it is said, yogamāyā-vāsanayā. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). These blunt senses, they cannot appreciate what is Kṛṣṇa. Yogamāyā-samāvṛtaḥ. He's covered. To the nondevotees, He is covered. To the devotees—sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva—He reveals: "Yes, I am here like this." So do not think... Caitanya Mahāprabhu has warned, prakṛta kariya mane viṣṇu kalevara, aparādha nāhi āra iṅhāra upara(?). So long we are aparādhī, offender, there is no possibility of understanding Kṛṣṇa. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore has warned, that "Don't hear about Kṛṣṇa or any transcendental subject matter from a Māyāvādī." Māyāvādī-bhāṣya śunile haya sarva-nāśa (CC Madhya 6.169). If you hear from a Māyāvādī, then your advancement in devotional service is finished. Haya sarva-nāśa. You should be very, very careful.

avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ

pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam

śravaṇaṁ na kartavyaṁ

sarpocchiṣṭa-payo yathā

If one is not Vaiṣṇava, don't be liberal, that "Oh, what is the wrong? He is talking Bhāgavatam." But he does not know who can speak Bhāgavatam. Here in Vṛndāvana there is a big Māyāvādī sannyāsī. He speaks on Bhāgavatam and speaks all nonsense, but there is a big crowd go to hear him. Yes.

Lecture on SB 6.1.1 -- Melbourne, May 21, 1975:

The taste, the same. The dog's pot and man's pot and demigod's pot, within the material world, the taste is the same, and ultimately, you have to die. That's all. That you cannot stop. Nobody wants to die. He wants to enjoy life perpetually. Now the scientists are trying to live more years. So what is the use of living more years? The śāstra says, taravaḥ kiṁ na jīvanti (SB 2.3.18) . The trees they live for five thousand years or more than that. So do they not live long years? So sane man will think that "What is the use of living for five hundred or five thousand years, standing in one place?"

So this is not advancement. The advancement is that, as Kṛṣṇa says, that to solve the problem of birth, death, old age, and disease. That is advancement. So Kṛṣṇa says, therefore, that ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokān punar āvartino 'rjuna. Even if you go... Why to the moon planet? Even if you go to the topmost planet, which is called Brahmaloka... There you can live for many millions of years, but you have to die. As you have to die here, as the cats dies, dog dies... We human being, we also die. The demigods, they also die. The Brahmā will also die. Nobody can save himself from death. Death... Birth, death, old age, and disease. We have already discussed that we living beings, soul, we are eternal. We are eternal, we are simply changing the body, one body to another. In this way, material life means you can live for one minute or one hour or hundred years or millions of years. You get a particular type of body, and according to that body, you live. And therefore you have to die. Kṛṣṇa says that ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokān punar āvartino 'rjuna. Even if you go to the topmost planet, you can live for long, long years, but you will have to die and again come to this earthly planet and again begin your life. This is going on. So how it is going on? Pravṛtti-mārga. "I want to enjoy sense gratification." This is the basic principle. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means that back to home, back to Godhead, not to make proceed or progress towards birth, death, old age, and disease, but make progress towards no birth, no death, no old age, no disease. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is called nivṛtti-mārga. Nivṛtti-mārga. Nivṛtti means stop this type of progress.

Lecture on SB 6.1.7 -- San Francisco, March 1, 1967:

Actually, we are not meant for suffering. If we are sons of God, who is full with all opulence, why should we suffer? Does a rich man's son suffer anytime? If he suffers, it is due to his ignorance. Similarly, we are suffering, but our ignorance is so strong that we are suffering, but at the same time we are thinking that we are happy. This is the influence of ignorance. Just like last night in the television, that gentleman was talking with me. He said that "We have got good brain and we are utilizing it. So that is better for our advancement of happiness. Why Hare Kṛṣṇa?" His idea was, he plainly told me, that "If Hare Kṛṣṇa is so powerful, then why India is so poverty-stricken and they are suffering?" So I replied that "Do you think that your problems are solved because you have got a dozens or a hundreds dozens of skyscrapers? That problem is here also. It is not that because America is materially advanced, 'Oh, they are free from all sufferings.' Why there are so many hospitals? Why there are so many lunatic asylums? Why this confusion of the hippies? Why young boys are always disturbed for the draft board? So how can you say the Americans are free from all sufferings?" This is ignorance. The sufferings are there, here or India or hell or heaven—anywhere within this material world—there is suffering. But people are so foolish that simply having a nice motorcar or a skyscraper building, he thinks that "My all problems are solved." He does not know that this life is a flash only. I am eternal.

Lecture on SB 6.1.8 -- New York, July 22, 1971:

Then it grows, the body grows. Grows means changing the body. Growing, we..., we are imperceptibly, cannot understand, but it is actually changing the body. Just like in your childhood you had a small body. That is no longer existing. That means you have changed your body. Similarly, you'll have to change this body. When this body will not work anymore... Because it is material. Every material things deteriorate and it becomes useless at certain length of time. Any machine, any clock... Therefore it has been taken as dress: vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya (BG 2.22).

So this is going on, but unfortunately modern universities, educational systems, they do not know anything about this. And still, they are very much proud of advancement of education. Actually, there is no education. Without this knowledge, spiritual knowledge, this education for earning bread, eating, sleeping, mating... That can be done without education. The animals, they are not educated—they are not technologists, or they have no education in the universities, degrees—they're also eating, sleeping, mating and defending. So if our education is meant for simply eating sleeping, mating and defending, then what is the difference? That is not education. Real education is to understand what you are. That is real education. Ātma-jñāna. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam. So long a man does not develop consciousness to understand his self, ātma-tattvam, the truth of the self, then whatever he's doing in ignorance, it is all defeat for his life. This human life is meant for victorious, to become victorious over the laws of material nature. Actually we are trying for that purpose. The whole struggle is how to counteract the onslaught of material nature. The whole activities are going on. But what is the ultimate victory? The ultimate victory is how to conquer over birth, death, disease and old age. That is the outcome, victory.

Lecture on SB 6.1.10 -- Honolulu, May 11, 1976:

How useless? Manye, "I think it is as useless as kuñjara-śaucavat."

Kuñjara means elephant. Elephants taking bath. Perhaps you have not seen. In India we had some opportunity. They wash the body very nicely, repeatedly throwing water with the trunk, and as soon as come on the shore of the tank, again take some dust and throws over the body. We have to study from nature that how is that. This rascal washed so nicely his body, and immediately, coming out of the tank, he throws dust. Śaucye manye kuñjara-śaucavat. Very appropriate. It is that hasti-snāna. In Sanskrit it is called hasti-snāna. Snāna means bathing and hasti means elephant. So if we are not changing our character, then what is the use of advancement of knowledge, education? That I told you yesterday, that in spite of so-called advancement of education, culture, science, philosophy, the result is when you go to the airport you are proved you are a dishonest man. Everyone is checked means everyone is dishonest, it is to be supposed. Maybe some honest men, but the majority are dishonest. Even there is somebody honest he also... Gardulika pravāha(?) Majority... Nowadays it is democratic days, majority. So as this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is also taken as one of the sentimental movements... It is the most scientific movement, but because there are so many gurus, rascals, they imagine something and cheat people. People want to be cheated. They take advantage. So we are also one of them, because majority is this. "It is folly to be wise where ignorance is bliss." When everyone is rascal, to become intelligent is rascaldom. Otherwise you say, "I am also a rascal." Then it is all right. If you say, "No, you are rascal," then there is fight.

Lecture on SB 6.1.12 -- Los Angeles, June 25, 1975:

So I am eternal. Why I am put into this condition, repetition of birth and death?" This is intelligence. Unless one comes to this intelligence, he is not human being. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13).

So this wrong thing is going on. So here the example is given that if you live in regulative principle, then you will not suffer from this disease. This disease means this material world. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). We take one kind of..., we accept one kind of body and struggle for existence, suffer so much, again we get another body, and new chapter of suffering begins. This knowledge is lacking in modern education. And they are very much proud of becoming advanced in knowledge. What is the advancement of knowledge? You have to cure your disease. The whole Vedic civilization is how to cure this disease of repetition of birth and death. That they do not know. All tapasya, all austerities, penances... This will be explained next verse. Why needed? Now, just to cure this disease, repetition of birth and death. They have no knowledge.

So it is recommended that adhayo vyādhayaḥ. There are three kinds of miserable condition—everyone, not for a particular person—adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. And as soon as you get this material body, you will have to suffer. So if you want to stop this suffering, then you must live regulative life.

Lecture on SB 6.1.12 -- Los Angeles, June 25, 1975:

Human life is meant for tapasya, austerity, so that human life you can stop your repetition of birth and death and come to your eternal life and enjoy blissful eternal life of knowledge. That is the aim of life. Not that "Never mind." The education is that a university student, and if he is said, if he is informed that "If you live irresponsibly, then you may become dog next life," so they say, "What is the wrong if I become a dog?" (laughter) This is the result of education. He doesn't care. He is thinking, "If I get the life of a dog, I will have no restriction of my sex life on the street." That's it. He is thinking that is advancement. "If now there is restriction, now unrestrictedly if I get sex life on the street..." And they are coming gradually, that advancement.

So this is the position. So they do not believe in the next life, and what to speak of cats' and dogs' life. "Never mind." Everything is very dark. Therefore, unless we take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, the human civilization is doomed. It is not human civilization. Human civilization is responsible life. Actually, we are being educated, we go to school, to college, to become responsible man. So this responsibility should be "How to stop this repetition of birth." In many places this is advised. And that is the only aim of human life. Punar-janma-jayāya. I have told you many times that when Viśvāmitra Muni went to Daśaratha Mahārāja to take Rāmacandra and Lakṣmaṇa to kill one demon in the forest... Viśvāmitra Muni is brāhmaṇa. He was so powerful, he could himself kill that demon, but because he is brāhmaṇa, he is not allowed to kill. A brāhmaṇa must be nonviolent. So therefore he went to the kṣatriya, Mahārāja Daśaratha.

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- New York, August 1, 1971:

In this age, especially... Why especially in this or that? All over the world, to remain a brahmacārī is little difficult. One who can, it is very good. But it is difficult. So brahmacaryeṇa, by practicing celibacy, a life of celibacy, even one has the intention, the association, the society is so much polluted that one cannot. It is very difficult. So in bhakti-yoga it is not very strict that one has to observe celibacy strictly. He can marry. Marriage is allowed, but not for indulgence. But because a man requires a woman or a woman requires a man, there is sacred marriage. This man and woman is educated that he or she is not this body. Therefore advancement of this education will stop him for this bodily enjoyment. Just like eating also. We are eating; we are not fasting. We are eating. But we are eating just to maintain the body and soul together, not extravagantly. Although we have very nice plates, kṛṣṇa-prasādam, but we do not make any palatable dishes for enjoyment. We make all nice things for Kṛṣṇa, and we take prasādam. Therefore the material effect of eating, it does not act upon the devotees.

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- Honolulu, May 15, 1976:

Everyone has got that tendency. The śāstra gives them chance to act, fruitive activities, because while working, working, one day it will come when he will be not interested, working any more. Then athāto brahma jijñāsā, jñāna. Jñāna also, theoretical. It has been seen that theoretical knowledge, even one has come to the platform of Brahman... Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho (SB 10.2.32). There are many examples. Simply theoretical knowledge will not help us. Our main aim is how to become perfect.

So by karma we cannot become perfect perpetually. Just like I have given several times the example that in spite of so much education and universities and advancement of civili..., nobody is perfect in the modern civilization, not even honest. In spite of education, so much learning... I have given this example many times. This is tested in the airport, that everyone is examined about his dishonest. That means nobody is honest. So this will not help. If you want to make the world perfect, then not by karma, neither by mental speculation. That is not possible. The only means is bhakti, especially in this age. In this Kali-yuga people are very much embarrassed. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutaḥ (SB 1.1.10). Manda-bhāgyā. Even nobody is happy in his family life, so unfortunate, manda-bhāgyā. That is practical. So these things will not help, especially in this age.

So Śukadeva Gosvāmī suggested for kecit, "somebody," not all. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness understanding is very easy, at the same time very difficult. So therefore here it is said, kevalā bhaktyā. Kevalā means only bhakti, without any jñāna, karma, yoga. That is kevalā bhakti. That is pure devotion, bhakti. Tan manye adhītam uttamam. Prahlāda Mahārāja, when he was asked by his father that "What the best thing you have learned? What is the best thing?" he said this: kevalā bhakti. Kevalā bhakti.

Lecture on SB 6.1.19 -- Denver, July 2, 1975:

And that also aśāśvatam, not permanent. You cannot stay. Even if you make a compromise that "Never mind it is place of misery. I shall make adjustment and I shall stay here..." People are so much attached in this material world, I have got practical experience. In 1958 or '57, when I first published this book, Easy Journey to Other Planets, so I met one gentleman. He was very enthusiastic, "So we can go to other planet? You are giving such information?" "Yes. And if you go, you will not come back." "No, no, then I don't want to go." (laughter) He said the whole idea is that we shall go another planet just like they are making the fun. They are going to moon planet, but they could not stay there. They're coming back. That is scientific advancement. And if you go there, why don't you stay there? And I read the newspaper that when the Russian aeronautics went, they were looking down, "Where is Moscow?" (laughter)

So our attachment is so strong. That even it is duḥkhālayam... Just like some hogs, they are living in filthy place and eating stool. And if you say that "I will take you somewhere else, a good place," then they will not go there. This happened. It is stated in the Bhāgavata that once the king of heaven, he was cursed to become hog. And he was living amongst the hog society. And when Lord Brahmā came to call him back, that "Mr. such and such, for your bad behavior you became hog. Now come back to heaven," so he refused, "No, I have got so much responsibility. I cannot go." You see? This is material... It is called māyā, illusion. Even you are in the most abominable condition of life, we will feel, "Now we are very happy." So that is our position. We do not want to leave this place. Therefore we create nationalism, Communism, this "ism," that "ism," because we want to stay here permanently. But unfortunately nobody will be allowed to stay even if you want to stay. That is the miserable condition of material life. Duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15).

Lecture on SB 6.1.24 -- Chicago, July 8, 1975:

This is the psychology of killing children nowadays, because they know that "This child, I have to take care so much," bahu-duḥkha-bhājaḥ. There are... Tṛpyanti... By very analytical study... Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham (SB 7.9.45). This happiness of the gṛhamedhī, family attachment... Family you can utilize, gṛhastha. If you are inconvenienced to accept sannyāsa or brahmacārī life, remain in household life, but the purpose is the same, to develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If one is in the family life and is trying to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is called gṛhastha, and his family life is called gṛhastha-āśrama. Just like sannyāsa-āśrama. Āśrama means where there is activities, spiritual. That is called āśrama. So if you remain as gṛhastha or family man, there is no harm. But utilize for advancement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then you are gṛhastha. And if you do not know that, if you simply remain a family man for satisfying your senses and begetting children up to the point of death, that is called gṛhamedhī. These two words. Apaśyatām ātma-tattvaṁ gṛheṣu gṛhamedhinām (SB 2.1.2). So one should not be gṛhamedhī. One may become gṛhastha. That is the difference.

Lecture on SB 6.1.32 -- Surat, December 16, 1970:

You do not want to be a dead man, but you are forced to accept death. You do not want to become old man, but you are forced to accept. And these things, if you accept—happiness—that is your foolishness. Vyādhi. Jarā-vyādhi, disease. If you are constantly suffering from various types of diseases and if you think you are happy, that is another foolishness. Therefore Bhāgavata says, parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam, that "All the foolish persons who are born foolish, all their activities are defeat for them unless they are enlightened to inquire about ātma-tattvam."

So in the modern education there is no department for inquiring about ātma-tattvam. And they are proud of advancement of learning. But Bhāgavata says, parābhava: "These are all defeat." They do not know what is ātmā, what is ātma-tattva. They are identifying, "I am this body." "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am Gujarati," "I am Bengali," "I am this," "I am that." Yasyātmā-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke, sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). Anyone who identifies himself with this body, he is nothing but ass and cow. And that is going on. We are fighting, nations and nations, community and community, religious party and religious party—because due to the misidentification of body. Therefore Kṛṣṇa consciousness begins when one is above this bodily concept of life. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). These are upādhis, designations. So these Kṛṣṇa conscious boys and girls, they are no longer thinking that "I am American," "I am Canadian," "I am French," "I am German." No. "I am Indian." No. They know certainly that "I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. I am eternally servant of Kṛṣṇa." And that is our real identity. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They are no more interested to be identified as American or European. And this is knowledge. And this is mukti. If one is under the misconception that "I am American," "I am Indian," then how there is mukti? There is no mukti. Mukti means svarupena avasthiti, to stay in his own constitutional position.

Lecture on SB 6.1.34-39 -- Surat, December 19, 1970:

That is also food—for the hog. So we must have discrimination, that what sort of food we shall take. Not that like hogs, anything will be accepted. That is humanity. So in this way, actually if we enter, if we want to enter into spiritual life, then these four principles of restriction must be observed. (break)

...And those who do not believe in God and act according to whims, such persons are called asuras. In the Bhagavad-gītā you will find, na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhā prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). It is clearly stated, māyayā apahṛta-jñānā asuri-bhāvam āśritāḥ. This very word is very important: asuri-bhāvam āśritāḥ. They have... Because they have taken to the shelter of asuri-bhāva, atheistic philosophy, in spite of advancement of education, they are narādhama, lowest of the mankind. These words are exactly there. Naradhāmā. You cannot say, "How you can say this gentleman asura? He is so much educated, highly qualified, university degree." The answer is there, māyayā apahṛta-jñānā: "Yes, it appears that he is very learned, but his actual knowledge is taken away by the māyā on account of his being atheistic." And such atheistic person, bewildered by māyā and being lowest of the mankind, they cannot surrender unto God. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhā prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). So these things may not be very palatable, but these things are there in scriptures. We have to preach the scriptural injunction. Therefore we say, "Bhagavad-gītā as it is." You cannot play hide and seek with the problem of life. You must know your real position, and you must...

Lecture on SB 6.1.37 -- San Francisco, July 19, 1975:

Why you should eat like dogs and tigers? This is misuse of intelligence.

So therefore, as they are challenging, that first of all, "You are claiming to be servant of Dharmarāja, so let us know what do you know about dharma?" so similarly, we should also challenge, "If you are human being, you must know how to live like human being. Otherwise you are animal. If you eat like animal, sleep like animal and have sex like animal and defend like animal, then you are animal." They say that "It is very good to become dog because there is no restriction of sex life. We can have it on the street." They think like that. "This is advancement." The animals wander naked, so man is also trying to become naked, nudism. This is life. So their extra intelligence is being used like that—very, very abominable condition of the human society. You are the only hope to save them. Otherwise it is doomed.

So the question is, they are challenged, "What is dharma and what is adharma? If you are servant of Dharmarāja, you must distinguish what is dharma." So even though the Yamadūtas, they are not very good-looking as the Viṣṇudūtas, still, this question was put to them to explain. They are not very much civilized, you may say. Still, they are expected to know this distinction. Just see. Even the Yamadūtas were how much advanced, and how we are advanced? We do not know what is dharma, what is adharma. We don't make any distinction. Dharma is... We have repeatedly said: dharma means to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, simple. And adharma means everything except this. If you don't surrender to Kṛṣṇa, then whatever you are doing, that is adharma, means nonreligious. Therefore in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavaḥ atra. Kaitava means cheating, false, pretentious. So all kinds of cheating religion is kicked out.

Lecture on SB 6.1.44 -- Los Angeles, July 25, 1975:

This is the conclusion. And that is being watched by the authorities, as we have already explained, the witnesses. God is the original chastiser or awarder, but there are so many witnesses. That we have already discussed. Sūryaḥ agniḥ khaṁ marud devaḥ somaḥ. Everywhere it is thoroughly watched. So we must be very careful that we have got this human form of body—how to act? The act means first of all you know what is your position. That is the first instruction in the Bhagavad-gītā, that "Your position is that you are not this body. Your position is that you are the proprietor of the body, you are spirit soul." So if people are not educated on this understanding, that the soul is different from body, that is... The beginning of education is wrong. Therefore whatever further advancement of so-called education is wrong, because the basic principle is wrong.

So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means they want to educate people, rectifying the basic principle of misconception: "I am body," "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am fat," "I am thin," "I am black," "I am white"—all bodily conception. This has to be removed first of all. So the śāstra says that if one is in the bodily concept of life, then he is no more better than an animal. No better than an animal. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kunape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). We have discussed many times. This bodily concept of life should be first of all removed. We must be enlightened. Otherwise, if we act on the bodily concept of life, then—not bhadrāṇi, not auspicious—everything is inauspicious, viparītāni. Sambhavanti hi bhadrāṇi viparītāni cānaghaḥ, kāriṇām. Kāriṇām means one who is working. Nobody is... Because dead stone, that is sitting idly, but any..., even a small ant, it is also working. That is the difference between matter and the spirit. So we cannot understand this difference, that what is the difference between matter and spirit. Why the big mountain does not move? Because it is dead matter. And a small ant, it moves. Why it is so? That is the difference between matter and spirit. Why you are misunderstanding that "The spirit is also matter; it is coming from chemical"? This miseducation is going on that spirit is also chemical composition, although I cannot experiment it by mixing chemical, producing...

Lecture on SB 6.1.47 -- Detroit, June 13, 1976:

To understand Kṛṣṇa is not so easy, but Kṛṣṇa Himself is giving Himself: "Take Me." That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So future, past, present, future, whatever it has been, our past, or what is present, it doesn't matter. But if you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, then our present and future, both are bright, undoubtedly.

So we should take the instruction of the Gosvāmīs, Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī... Vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau. Kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau premāmṛtāmbho-nidhī dhīrādhīra-jana-priyau priyakarau nirmatsarau. Nirmatsarau, this movement, there is no distinction. No matsarata. Matsarata means to be intolerant for other's advancement. Nobody's... This is material nature. Nobody wants that his friend or his son, or, of course, the father likes, the son is increasing in opulence, he likes, but sometimes he does not like. So this world is full of envy. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement is for the paramahaṁsa, who is not envious. Paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satāṁ vāstavaṁ vastu vedyam atra. Nirmatsara (SB 1.1.2), when one is not envious of others. That is called nirma..., Because in the material world, everyone is envious of another person. That is the nature. Therefore there is so much fight. Everyone is envious. Nation is another nation's against, envious, even person to person, brother to brother, family to family, community to community. Everywhere, matsarata. Para-utkarṣaṇam asahanam (indistinct). Matsarata means one cannot tolerate other's flourishing condition. Immediately envious. But this system, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is meant for paramo nirmatsarāṇām. One who has learned this art not to become envious. Tolerant. That is the qualification of saintly persons. Kind. Tin... Hm? What is that? Titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikaḥ.

Lecture on SB 6.1.48 -- Detroit, June 14, 1976:

Apūrvam, future. Manasā bhagavān ajaḥ. That is also... So therefore he can give judgment within a second. After death those who are sinful they are taken to the Yamarāja's. Just like in the criminal court, those who are criminals, they are taken there. Thieves, rogues, cheater—not ordinary persons, honest persons—they are not taken there. Similarly, only a few number of the whole human society. Now in the Kali-yuga it is increasing. In the Satya-yuga, Satya-yuga, there was no criminal. Everyone was paramahaṁsa. Then, in the next yuga, Tretā-yuga, seventy-five percent paramahaṁsa, first class; twenty-five percent this third class, fourth class. And then in the Dvāpara, half and half. Now in the Kali-yuga, seventy-five percent all rogues and thieves. Maybe twenty-five percent, that is also decreasing. And with the advancement of Kali-yuga, it will be practically nil. This is advancement of Kali-yuga.

Lecture on SB 6.1.49 -- New Orleans Farm, August 1, 1975:

This is our position. This is our advancement of science, that we do not know "What I was before this life and what I shall become after this life?" Life is continuation. That is spiritual knowledge. But they do not know also even that life is continuation. They think, "By chance, I have got this life, and it will be finished after death. There is no question of past, present or future. Let us enjoy." This is called ignorance, tamasā, irresponsible life.

So ajñaḥ. Ajñaḥ means one who has no knowledge. And who has no knowledge? Now, tamasā. Those who are in the modes of ignorance. There are three kinds of material nature, modes: sattva, raja, tamas. Sattva-guṇa means everything is clear, prakāśa. Just like now the sky is covered with cloud; the sunshine is not clear. But above the cloud there is sunshine, everything clear. And within the cloud there is not clear. Similarly, those who are in the sattva-guṇa, for them everything is clear, and those who are in the tamo-guṇa, everything is ignorance, and those who are mixed up, neither rajo-guṇa, neither tamo-guṇa, via media, they are called rajo-guṇa. Three guṇas. Tamasā. So they are simply interested in the present body, does not care what is going to happen, and has no knowledge what he was before. There is another place it is described: nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). Pramattaḥ, just like madman. He does not know why he has become mad. He forgets. And by his activities, what is going to happen next, he does not know. Madman.

Lecture on SB 6.1.63 -- Vrndavana, August 30, 1975:

Just like a little child, because when his father comes back, he is asleep, and when the father goes out of home, he is asleep. So one night he saw one man is lying there. So he is asking his mother, "Who is this man? Who is this man?" Actually this is the position, that we are working day and... Bombay and Calcutta we have seen that they are hanging on the, what is called, local trains, and there are sometimes accidents.

So in this way, gradually, we are coming to very dangerous, I mean to say, pattern of living condition with the age, with the advancement of this age of Kali. And it is said that for earning our bread we have to work like an ass in this Kali-yuga. This is not civilization. The civilization is... That is really Vedic civilization, that ayaṁ deha. Nāyaṁ deha nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān. We should make our life so simple and easy that we can get our necessities of life without any hard labor and save time to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is perfect civilization. This is not perfect civilization. There is every chance of being influenced by these lusty desires, and that is going on, especially in the Western country. They lusty for fulfilling these lusty desires there are so many clubs at night, nightclubs, bottomless and topless and so many advertisements. This is not civilization. Civilization is peaceful life, and we should be satisfied in simple mode of life and always think of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Vṛndāvana life is like that, Vṛndāvana life, especially those who are engaged in devotional service. So we have opened this temple to give facility to the elderly section of the human being to come and live with us. We invite all elderly persons, especially retired person. They should come and live with us. We have got a nice guesthouse, and if required, we can construct many other guesthouses. At least those are retired Everyone should retire after fiftieth year. That is the injunction of the śāstras, that pañcāśordhvaṁ varaṁ vrajet. After fifty years one should give up family life and vanaṁ vrajet. Pañcāśordhvaṁ vanam. Vanam means Vṛndāvana. Vanaṁ vrajet.

Lecture on SB 6.1.64-65 -- Vrndavana, September 1, 1975:

These are the grāmya things. So we should save ourself. Grāmyair manoramaiḥ. These externally very attractive news, we should avoid it completely. We shall simply talk of Kṛṣṇa. That is the safest method. We shall simply talk kṛṣṇa-kathā. And kṛṣṇa-kathā means what Kṛṣṇa has said. That is kṛṣṇa-kathā. Or what is spoken about Kṛṣṇa. So Bhagavad-gītā means kṛṣṇa-kathā, what Kṛṣṇa has said. And Śrīmad Bhāgavatam is also kṛṣṇa-kathā because everything said about Kṛṣṇa. So we don't We should not indulge in grāmya-kathā. That will mislead us. And if we do not indulge in grāmya-kathā, but if we make advancement on Kṛṣṇa-kathā, then we are always situated on transcendental position. We are no more affected by the modes of material nature. Sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26). So we should stick to this principle. Then we shall be saved. Otherwise, either I become man or woman, we are all condemned because we are implicated with grāmya-kathā.

So grāmya-kathā should be avoided. The temple is specially meant for Kṛṣṇa-kathā. Here there is no other business than Kṛṣṇa. Therefore a temple is always transcendental, nirguṇa. Nirguṇa. If you live in the forest, that is sattva-guṇa. If you live in the city, that is rajo-guṇa. And if you live in the brothel or liquor house or gambling house, that is tamo-guṇa. But if you live in the temple, that is nirguṇa. Traiguṇya-viṣaya-vedā nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna. This is advice of Kṛṣṇa. The whole world is complicated with the three modes of material nature, and you have to become above this material nature. Nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna. So nistraiguṇya, how you can become? Sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26).

Lecture on SB 6.2.3 -- Vrndavana, September 7, 1975:

What is that verse? That Kalki avatāra... Keśava dhṛta-kalki-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare.

So at the end of the Kali-yuga people will be so sinful that... It is already becoming. Only five thousand years we have passed, and the number of sinful men is already greater—three-fourth's sinful men, one-fourth pious men—and it will increase, and gradually it will become zero. Everyone shall be, at that time, end of Kali-yuga. That will take four lakhs and 27,000's of years. We have passed only five thousand years. Since the Battle of Kurukṣetra, or since the demise of Mahārāja Parīkṣit, the Kali-yuga has begun, and that is five thousand years. And the total duration of life of Kali-yuga is 432,000's of years. That means there is a balance of 427,000's of years to finish this Kali-yuga. And gradually, with the advancement of Kali-yuga, people's duration of life, memory, mercifulness, religious propensities, in this way eight items—they are described in the Śrīmad Bhagavatam—will reduce. We can see practically at the present moment. People are not very strong in body. They are lean and thin. And not only in India—we are poverty-stricken—but in Europe, America, also I see. The Europeans and Americans are no more as tall men or very stout men, very... So reducing their bodily strength and memory. That is also fact. We cannot memorize very sharply. People are becoming more and more dull. No more very brilliant scholars are coming out, philosophers, mathematicians. And duration of life, everyone knows it is reducing. In India the average duration of life is thirty years. So this will reduce. And dharma, sense of religiosity, that will also reduce and become more and more punishable by the Yamarāja. Yamarāja is there.

Lecture on SB 6.2.4 -- Vrndavana, September 8, 1975:

Dyūta means gambling. "You can remain in these places." So it was very difficult for Kali to find out such place because Mahārāja Parīkṣit's time the kingdom was so nice that there was no brothel, no slaughterhouse, no liquor shop and no gambling club. This is rājarṣi. So you could not find. Therefore Kali made a conspiracy how to get out Mahārāja Parīkṣit so that he could spread his influence. So long Mahārāja Parīkṣit was there, there was no influence of Kali-yuga. So after all, the age has come. It is ordained. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja was cursed by a brāhmaṇa to die within seven days, and after his death the Kali-yuga spreaded its influence. And now, by the advancement of ages, you will find these four places in every home. This is Illicit sex, and intoxication, gambling and meat-eating—this is Kali-yuga.

So the king was very strict not to allow these things. The people were following. Yad yad ācarati śreyān. The king was strict; the government was strict. Therefore people were following. So these sinful activities of the whole world can be stopped immediately if the government is strong. But the government members, they are themself, they are victims of Kali-yuga, so how they can stop it? Some big, big politician, when they enjoy, they bring naked girls and drinking, and this is their standard of enjoyment. So how you can expect good government? It is not possible. Why they should be bothering about people's happiness? They want to occupy big, big ministerial post to enjoy their life. Therefore the position of the whole world is so deteriorated because there is no ideal man. All rogues, thieves, I mean to say, in very fallen condition. Therefore people are deteriorating. Dāmpatye ratim eva hi. These will be the signs of Kali-yuga.

Lecture on SB 6.2.11 -- Vrndavana, September 13, 1975:

This is the instruction of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Difficult... It is padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadam (SB 10.14.58). In this material world there is only vipada. There is no sampada. Foolishly we think that "Now I am very nice." What is nice? You have to die next moment. What is nice? But these foolish people say, "Yes, I am nice." You ask anybody, "How are you?" "Yes, very nice." What is that nice? You are going to die tomorrow. Still nice. That's all. This is going on. So it is padaṁ padaṁ yad vi... They are making scientific researches to become happy, but these rascals, they do not know how to stop death. So what is the nice? But they have no brain to understand. But Kṛṣṇa says, "These are the problems, my dear sir. You scientists, you are trying so many things." Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). First of all find out what is your problem. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi. You have to take birth, you have to die, you have to suffer from disease, you have to become old. Stop it first of all; then talk of scientific advancement. Otherwise you are nonsense. Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 6.2.24-25 -- Gorakhpur, February 13, 1971:

Tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā, amāninā mānadena. We have to give all respect to everyone. Even one has no respect, he should be also offered respect. In this attitude one can make advancement by chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. That is the instruction of Lord Caitanya. (aside:) I was expecting you earlier because I speak in English for them. (speaks in Hindi with Indian man) So one who cannot understand English, they can hear that. (Hindi) Every one is requesting to have a temple here. Some police officers, they are very much appreciating. (Hindi) So Śrīdhāra Swami is very nicely explaining the omnipotency of chanting the holy name. So he says, tasmād idam upapannam iti tatrāha etāvad iti. If one takes shelter of the transcendental holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he hasn't got to go through the dharma śāstras or abiding by the rules and regulation of different kinds of religious scripture. Etāvat. Etāvad iti. Simply by surrendering to the holy name. So this is applicable in all ages, but especially in this age because nobody can perform the ritualistic ceremonies of any religious principle. The people are so fallen that they cannot. So this hari-nāmānukīrtanam, it is not that it is manufactured for this age. No. This is potent in all other ages also, but especially it is potent because people in this age, they are unable to execute any religious principles very nicely. Bhagavato guṇānāṁ karmāṇāṁ nāmnāṁ ca samyak kīrtanaṁ iti yat etāvatā puṁsām agha-nirṇayāya pāpa-kṣaya-mātrāya alam upayogo nāsti alam-śabdena atra varaṇe. So Śrīdhāra Swami especially stresses on the point, alam, means "It is forbidden. There is no necessity. Simply..." That is the version of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He said, ihā haite sarva-siddhi haibe tomāra. He also stresses that "Simply by chanting, you will get all perfection." Yata amara-śṛṅgāḥ, alaṁ bhūṣaṇa-paryāpi śakti-varaṇa-vaśakam ity upayoga-bhavam eva ajāmilo mahā-pāpa-kṛd api nārāyaṇeti vikṛśya na tu samyak kīrtayitaḥ. You can hear now.

Lecture on SB 6.3.16-17 -- Gorakhpur, February 10, 1971:

Śrīvāsa was chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and his neighborers became enemies. They wanted to insult him in so many ways. These are described in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. So that is natural. But we should always remember that "Let there be enemies. Let there be envious persons. I will be protected by Kṛṣṇa and His associates." And even I am not so accustomed, so I should learn to tolerate.

tṛṇād api sunīcena

taror api sahiṣṇunā

amāninā mānadena

kīrtanīyaḥ sadā...

Kīrtanīyaḥ. If you want to make advancement in the chanting process, then you should be tolerant than the tree and humbler than the grass. And anyone who hasn't got any respect, give him all respect: "Oh, you are so wonderful," and go on with your business, "Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma..." (chuckles)

That's all. Thank you very much. (Hindi) So any other questions?

Lecture on SB 7.5.23-24 -- Vrndavana, March 31, 1976:

So Sanātana Gosvāmī therefore said, avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtaṁ, śravaṇaṁ naiva kartavyam: "One who is not Vaiṣṇava, from him one should not hear hari-kathāmṛtaṁ." Hari-kathā Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is hari-kathā, and it is amṛta, nectarine. But if it is recited or explained by some avaiṣṇava, one should not hear. It is forbidden. The example is given, sarpocchiṣṭaṁ payo yathā. So professional reciters or one who speaks and writes for living means it is strictly prohibited. Na vyākhyām upayuñjītaḥ. One should not make Bhāgavata recitation as a means of livelihood. That is, the process is not accepted. So śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23). You should hear from Vaiṣṇava, at least one who is trying to become Vaiṣṇava, not professional man. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42).

So the test of advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is that one should be detestful, lose attachment to the material things. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja did not like the material education from Sanda and Amarka. He very plainly said to his father that "What I have heard from my spiritual master, Nārada Muni..." Spiritual master means Nārada Muni or his representative. Therefore we should follow the Nārada-pañcarātra instructions. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). According to Nārada-pañcarātra, one should be free from all designation. Just like you boys from America and Europe, you have forgotten your designation. Therefore you are advanced, and people are very much praising that "How these Europeans, Americans have become nice devotee." They do not know that they are no longer Americans or Europeans. They are devotees, Kṛṣṇa's servant. This is sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). So long we shall think that "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am African," there is no possibility of advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 7.5.31 -- Mauritius, October 4, 1975:

The people in general, especially in this age, they do not know what is the goal of life, and still, they are leaders. That is the defect of the modern civilization. It is the defect of material world, but especially in this Kali-yuga, it is the most abominable, fallen age. There are Satya-yuga, Tretā-yuga, Dvāpara-yuga, and Kali-yuga, just like there are different seasons in the year—summer, rainy season, then winter season, autumn, spring, like that. So formerly, in the Satya-yuga people used to live for 100,000's of years. Then, in the Tretā-yuga, they used to live for 10,000 years. And in the Dvāpara-yuga they used to live for 1,000 years. That is the maximum. And in the Kali-yuga they can live up to one hundred years. That is also not completed. With the advancement of Kali-yuga the duration of life, bodily strength, memory, mercifulness, religious sense—in this way everything will be reduced. And the duration of life will be reduced so much so that it is stated in the Bhāgavata that "If a man lives for twenty to thirty years he will be considered as a grand old man." And there will be not available especially rice, wheat, milk, sugar. These are stated. This is Kali-yuga.

Lecture on SB 7.6.3 -- Montreal, June 16, 1968:

He may be a Brahmā, he may be a president, he may be a minister, or he may be a cat, or he may be a dog, or whatever he may be, everyone is servant. And to understand this philosophy is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is not very difficult. It is not very difficult. If we understand our position, that māyā's spell is so nice that everyone is thinking, "I am master," "I am president," "I am minister," "I am teacher," "I am philosopher," "I am scientist," "I am this," "I am that," at last, "I am God." (laughter) When everything fails, when everything fails, he thinks, "Oh, I am God," although he is still a dog. You see? This is called māyā. And to get out of māyā means to understand one's position, that "I am eternal servant." That's all. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And the further advancement of this understanding of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is that "If I am constitutionally a servant, then what sort of service I am rendering?" Oh, kāmādināṁ kati na katidhā palita durnideśāḥ: "I have become servant of my lust, of my greediness, of my avarice, of my anger, of my senses." That's all. I have become servant of all these things. Actually I am nobody's servant, but I am servant of my senses. When I go to work somewhere, actually I do not believe that I am a servant, but I go there to get money. So I am servant of money. And why I require money? For sense gratification. Therefore I am servant of senses.

Lecture on SB 7.6.3 -- Montreal, June 16, 1968:

Prabhupāda: Dreaming is practically interaction of the activities, mental interaction of the activities in which you are engaged. You dream in different way; I dream in different way. So when the body is tired, it cannot work. It stops functioning. The mind works. So dreaming is the function of the mind. That's all. So... Huh?

Guest (2): (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: No. It is not from the spiritual platform. It is from the mental platform. In the spiritual platform, that is called suṣupti. There is no gross or material function of this contamination. So those who are advanced, they also dream Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Of course, that requires time to make little advancement. But after all, dream is the activities of the mind. Just like we work, that is the activities of the gross senses. Similarly, we work also on mental platform. That is called dream.

Guest (2): Are we to take Kṛṣṇa conscious dreams seriously or some illusion?

Prabhupāda: Well, that depends on your particular position, you see. Sometimes a Kṛṣṇa conscious persons dreams very seriously. Sometimes communication is there by dreams. Yes?

Guest (2): Normal sleep for a man would be about eight hours. So is it possible to train the body through the use of yoga to decrease the sleep period down to about three hours or two hours?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Yes. Rūpa Gosvāmī, he used to sleep only for one and a half hours.

Guest (2): How long could the body hold up, how many years could the body...

Lecture on SB 7.6.3 -- Montreal, June 16, 1968:

Well, there is no guarantee of holding up your body even if you have no sleep or have sleep. The material condition is so cruel that body can be finished at any moment. So that is no consideration. The consideration is how to advance in the spiritual consciousness or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And if you make, I mean to say, considerable advance, then the eating and sleeping and sex demand or defense, these things will be negligible. Negligible. These things are depending on our practice. Because actually, I don't depend on sleeping or eating or mating or defending. It is simply due to my bodily consciousness these things are required. But when one is actually spiritually advanced, he has no such appreciation. Just like Lord Jesus Christ, he was crucified, but he never protested because he had no bodily consciousness at all. So when one is spiritually advanced, there is no bodily consciousness. But we should not imitate. That requires advancement, as we have mentioned. Nothing has to be done in hasty. But if you follow the rules and regulation, then someday it will be experienced that how we have spiritually advanced. Just like if you go on eating, not in the first morsel, second morsel, you become immediately satisfied. But when you are full in your satisfaction of hunger you feel happiness, you feel strength. Similarly, we have to follow the spiritual process, and gradually as we develop we become free from all these demands of the body. There was Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, he was eating only say a few grains of butter every alternate day. Only a few grains of futter only. Every alternate day he was eating. So eating is also nonessential to one who is spiritual advanced. And so-called sex life, oh, that can be given up from the very beginning. And so far defense, nārāyaṇa-parāḥ sarve na kutaścana bibhyati (SB 6.17.28). One who is fully spiritually conscious, he doesn't care for death. He does not know what is the meaning of death because he is living perpetually. So these things are to be experienced when you are advanced, but this is possible. This is possible from the examples of great saintly persons and from literature we can find that one can be completely free from the four demands of the body, namely eating, sleeping, defending and mating. Yes?

Lecture on SB 7.6.3-4 -- San Francisco, March 8, 1967:

Of course, this voidness, meditation in voidness, is another negative attempt that "This body is nothing." But actually, I am not void. I am spirit soul. And because I have no information of the spirit soul, therefore I simply try to think of the negative side of this bodily existence. That is called voidness. Simply negative... Now, "I am not this body. I am not this body." "I am not this body," that's all right.

But that is not perfect self-realization. When I understand that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul," that is partial self-realization. And when I understand that "I am not only spirit soul, but I have got spiritual activities," that is still more advancement. And when you are actually situated in spiritual activities, that is the perfection of life. Just try to understand. First thing is, "I am not this body." That's all right. Then what you are, or what I am? The next stage is to understand that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul." Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. The exact Sanskrit language is that, to understand that "I am spirit soul." All right, then is that finished? No. Still you have to go farther. Then "I am a spirit soul." So the spirit soul in this material body has so much activities. Now, regarding this body, I have got so many activities. And when the body is finished, is it correct that the spirit soul stops to act? No. It does not stop to act. Because that is the active principle. Because the spirit is there within this body, therefore the body's acting. Now, suppose I am not this body. Then does it mean that the spirit has no activity? So this is now wrong theory. Spirit has various activities, but you do not know. That is illusion. So meditation means to understand oneself, that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul," and farther advancement of that meditation is to know that what are the activities of the spirit soul, and when one is actually engaged in those spiritual activities, that is the perfection of meditation.

Lecture on SB 7.6.4 -- Vrndavana, December 5, 1975:

Yamunacārya. This is the test. The more you advance in spiritual consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you'll dislike this material happiness. This is the test.

How it is? Now, just like if you are hungry and if you get food, then the more you eat, your appetite or hunger will be minimized, and at last you'll say, "No, no, I don't want any." Similarly, advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness means, "No no, I don't want." Not only saying, "Don't want," but yad avadi mama cetaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravinde nava nava dhāman udyata rantum āsīt tad avadhi bata nārī-saṅgame. Here our feelings of happiness is sex life. Sometimes we think, "Oh, how I was enjoying sex life with my wife, with my husband." That is also pleasure. They read so many novels because there is sex life. They feel very happy: "How this man is talking with this woman, woman is talking, this woman, and how they are enjoying." So that is subtle, subtle enjoyment. There are eight kinds of subtle sex life. If you see one beautiful woman and if you appreciate, "Oh, how nice the face is," that is subtle sex. If you read books, that is also subtle sex. If you endeavor how to approach that woman or man to find out the opportunity, that is subtle sex. There are eight kinds of subtle sex life. So it is forbidden for a brahmacārī even to think of woman. That is brahmacārī. Even thinking of woman is subtle sex life. It is very, very difficult. But mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). If you catch the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa very tightly, these things will not disturb. That is said by Yamunacārya. Bhavati mukha-vikāraḥ. If you become pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa, then as soon as you think of sex, you'll spite. "Eh! Nonsense. What is this?" This is the result. That is the certificate, whether you have got that attitude—spite on it. Then you understand that you are increasing. Otherwise you are in the same hellish condition. You may show that you are becoming a devotee, very great devotee. So test yourself, how much you have advanced.

Lecture on SB 7.6.6-9 -- Montreal, June 23, 1968:

To understand Brahman, to understand the situation of this world, they understand spiritual knowledge. Those who are engaged in such cultivation of knowledge, they were called brāhmaṇa. But at the present moment anyone who is born in the family of a brāhmaṇa, he is called a brāhmaṇa. But actually he may be a cobbler. But that is not the idea.

So these eight divisions of human society, scientific division of human society, is now lost. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu instructed that kalau, "In this age," nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā, "there is no other alternative for advancement of human society's goal of life." Because human society is meant for advancing in the goal of life, and that goal of life is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says... That is the sublime gift of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. And Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī adored Him, namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te: (CC Madhya 19.53) "My dear Lord, You are the most munificent, magnanimous incarnation, because You are distributing love of Kṛṣṇa." This is very rare thing, love of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa personally failed. He canvassed, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You give up everything. Just surrender unto Me, Kṛṣṇa, personally." But nobody surrendered; only a few persons of the Pāṇḍavas, Arjuna, Bhīma, or the gopīs in Vṛndāvana. But at that time there were others. And later age, people misunderstood Him. But the idea is that Kṛṣṇa also came to distribute love of Kṛṣṇa, but He actually could not induce people to this cult. They misunderstood Him. But Lord Caitanya, by His grace, by this saṅkīrtana movement, He very easily distributed this love of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore He is called namo mahā-vadānyāya: "My dear Lord, You are the most magnificent, munificent personality, incarnation, because," kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53), "You are distributing kṛṣṇa-prema, love of Kṛṣṇa, the most important thing, the goal of life." And that was the mission of Lord Caitanya. He said, kalau, in this age, when everything has become topsy-turvied, there is no more chance for systematizing the whole human society. It is lost.

Lecture on SB 7.6.7 -- Vrndavana, December 9, 1975:

"So a finger, which finger?" "My finger." "Head?" "My head." "Leg?" "My leg." Everything, "my, my." And where is "I"? This is intelligence. Everything, he is studying, "my," and who is "I"? This very question will establish the fact, dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13), that "I" is within this body. Therefore I am speaking, "my."

So if one is expert in understanding, in analyzing this body, neti neti—"This is blood. This is skin. This is this. This is this. This is urine. This is stool"—then whole body we analyze. Then where is that "I"? We cannot see. But why you cannot see? As soon as the "I" is off, then whose stool, whose skin, whose bone? So in this way, if we analyze, then we can understand that asmin dehe, within this body, the "I" is there. And what is this "I"? Again, ahaṁ brahmāsmi. This is further advancement. But these rascal—"Ahaṁ brahmāsmi means 'I am God.' " No. Take, consult Bhagavad-gītā what is this aham. Aham means the part and parcel of the Supreme Brahman, Parabrahman. Kṛṣṇa is Parabrahman. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). So Kṛṣṇa says, "These Brahmans, these living entities, they are My part and parcel." That is aham understanding, "I." What I am? I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 7.6.9 -- Vrndavana, December 11, 1975:

Again the same thing. Īśa tantryām, uru-dāmni baddhāḥ. We are bound up, hands and legs, by the tantryām, the shackles or ropes of nature, or God. We are not free. 'Pīśa tantryāṁ baddhāḥ. We are not free; still, we are trying to excel the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The modern scientists, they are very much proud that they have advanced very much so that there is no need of talking about God. This is the material civilization. So many wonderful things are going on. They cannot explain even how things are going on, and still they are proud of scientific advancement and declare, "There is no God." This is foolish civilization, narādhama. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ (BG 7.15). And they are engaged in sinful activities. To solve the population—janma, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9)—they are killing. That means increasing problem. They do not know the actual fact, that by this killing process they are increasing the problems of life. So what is due to? This is due to sneha-pāśair dṛḍhair baddham. We are bound up by the shackles of nature, and it is due to our attachment for material existence. Attachment. And we have to undo this attachment, vairāgya. Undo this attachment means vairāgya, detachment. That is the thing necessary.

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

Therefore, what you are feeling individually, that is known to God. What you are thinking individually, that is known to God. What I am thinking individually, that is known to God. Therefore we cannot hide anything from God. He is situated within.

So if you are sincerely in God's service, if you are sincerely in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, He knows it. He knows it that you are not anxious. So he will give you intelligence so that you can make progress towards God. And, if you don't want, if you want to make progress in this material change of bodies, then God will give you such intelligence so that you can make your advancement materially. He has given you full freedom. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo (BG 15.15). In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find this verse, that He is situated in everyone's heart, and He is giving intelligence. If you want to enjoy this material world by changing different... Because you have to change your body. You are making your next body in this body. There is no certainty what kind of body you are making, but you are responsible for making your next body. As I have several times discussed that the, at the time of death, the mental condition will help you to have another next body, mental condition. So if your mental condition is very nice, whatever you think, God has given you chance: you get next immediately. Similarly, if you think of Kṛṣṇa, then your next body is like Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so important. What is the advantage of Kṛṣṇa consciousness? If you acquire the body like Kṛṣṇa, sac-cid-ānanda vigraha (Bs. 5.1), eternal, blissful and full of knowledge, then your botheration of this constant change of bodies, bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19), you become relieved from this business. Nobody wants this, but because we want to enjoy this material world, so we have to accept it. So this is going on. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo (BG 15.15).

Lecture on SB 7.7.28, 32-35 -- Mombassa, September 11, 1971:

The Kṛṣṇa book reading means remembering all these activities of Kṛṣṇa. Simply go on reading Kṛṣṇa book, repeat it, you are in the perfect stage of transcendental position. Simply read our Nectar of Devotion. Līlā, atulyān. Niśamya karmāṇi guṇān atulyān, vīryāṇi līlā-tanubhiḥ kṛtāni, yadātiharṣotpulakāśru-gadgadam. Pulakasru, in ecstasy. Pulaka is trembling and faltering voice and tears coming down, perspiring, these are (called) aṣṭa-sāttvika-vikāra (CC Antya 14.99). Protkaṇṭha udgāyati rauti nṛtyati.

yadā graha-grasta iva kvacid dhasaty

ākrandate dhyāyati vandate janam

muhuḥ śvasan vakti hare jagat-pate

nārāyaṇety ātma-matir gata-trapaḥ

(SB 7.6.35)

Nirjita sāmyam kāma krodha lobha moha mada mātsa jana indriyāṇi nirvā varga jay bhagavat rathe liṅga saha(?). The symptoms of advancement, these are stated here. (end)

Lecture on SB 7.9.4 -- Mayapur, February 11, 1976:

So everyone has got the potency to become mahā-bhāgavata, provided he tries. Sādhana-siddha and nitya-siddha. Prahlāda Mahārāja is nitya-siddha and there are sādhana-siddhas, just like we are. We are trying to approach the topmost goal of life by bhajana, by sādhana. So anyone has got the potency to come to the stage of mahā-bhāgavata provided he follows the mahājana. You can become mahā-bhāgavata if you follow mahājana. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). If you follow the mahājana's path then everyone can become. Of course, it is not possible everyone to become mahā-bhāgavata, but there is possibility. Simply we have to become serious to follow the path of mahājana. Dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyāṁ mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ. Tarko apratiṣṭhaḥ. Simply by argument, you cannot make advancement. Simply by neti neti, or there are many other processes, mystic yoga process to become very austere, remain silent, mauna-vrata śruta-tapa, tapasya, education, austerity. None of them are the cause, but becoming bhakta, only devotional service, if one is fixed up, dṛḍha-vratāḥ. Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritaḥ bhajanty, dṛḍha-vratāḥ (BG 9.13). So we should be very much firmly fixed up, following the rules and regulation.

Lecture on SB 7.9.4 -- Mayapur, February 11, 1976:

Prākṛtaḥ stage, so prakṛtaḥ stage means just like we are worshiping The Deity, but not only we shall worship Deity but we make advancement. What is that advancement? To become gradually a preacher. That is madhyama-adhikārī, second stage, preacher. Preacher means that,

īśvare tad-adhīneṣu

bāliśeṣu dviṣatsu ca

prema-maitrī-kṛpā upekṣāḥ

yaḥ karoti sa madhyamaḥ

When you become fully Kṛṣṇa conscious by worshiping the Deity regularly, as we have got prescription to rise early in the morning, offer maṅgala-ārati, then kīrtana, then class, in this way practicing, practicing. When you become advanced Kṛṣṇa conscious, then your natural tendency will be how to preach. So long you do not develop this tendency for preaching, simply remain in kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, you do not know how to deliver others, na tad-bhakteṣu cānyeṣu, you do not know how to receive elevated, one elevated devotee, you do not know how to do good to others. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission is not to keep one in the kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, especially those who are born in India.

Lecture on SB 7.9.4 -- Mayapur, February 18, 1977:

This is advancement of devotional service. By simply we remain stuck up in Deity worship, we do not feel for others—na cānyeṣu na tad-bhakta—you do not know who is devotee, how to worship him, then we remain kaniṣṭha-adhikārī. And madhyama-adhikārī means he must know his position, others' position, devotee's position, God's position, and that is madhyma-adhikārī. Īśvare tad-adhīneṣu bāliśeṣu dviṣatsu ca. He'll have four kinds of vision: Bhagavān, īśvara; tad-adhīneṣu, he's one who has taken shelter of Bhagavān—that means devotee—īśvare tad-adhīneṣu baliśu, innocent children, just like these children, baliśa, arbhakaḥ; and dviṣatsu, envious. A madhyama-adhikārī can see these four different persons, and he deals with them differently. What is that? Prema-maitrī-kṛpopekṣā. Īśvara, to love God, Kṛṣṇa, prema. And maitrī. Maitrī means to make friendship. One who is devotee, we should make friendship with him. We should not be envious. We should make friend. Maitrī. And innocent, just like these children, kṛpa—to show them mercy, how they'll become devotee, how they'll learn chanting, dancing. Give them food. Give them education. This is called kṛpa. And last, upekṣā. Upekṣā means those who are envious, don't take. Don't associate with them. Upekṣā. "No, let him..."

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Montreal, July 2, 1968:

Rather, he took to fighting more vigorously. So "Give up all other engagement" means don't take the fruit of your engagement. Give up. Just sacrifice the fruit of the engagement. That is to be given to Kṛṣṇa. This is surrender. Just like a good boy surrenders to his father means whatever he earns, the money, at the end of month he puts in the hand of the father: "Oh, this is my month's earnings"; similarly, we have to sacrifice the fruits of our labor to Kṛṣṇa. This is the beginning of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

And to develop that Kṛṣṇa consciousness, just like when you have passed preliminary examination in the school, then you have to further enlightenment, further progress of advancement of education, you enter into the college, degree college, similarly, after finishing or understanding Bhagavad-gītā very nicely, if you are convinced about Kṛṣṇa, then study Bhagavad-gītā (Bhāgavatam), where the beginning is: namo bhagavate vaṣudeva. Vyāsadeva begins by surrendering himself to Bhagavān, Kṛṣṇa. Bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). He is the origin of everything. Then Bhāgavata begins. And one who has understood Bhāgavata, or he has made his relationship well established with Kṛṣṇa and is functioning in that relationship, then he is passed on the subject matter of Bhāgavata, and then you begin Caitanya-caritāmṛta. That is postgraduate study. After getting your degree, as you try for your Ph.D. or M.A., similarly, Caitanya-caritāmṛta is like that, post-graduate study. And the author of the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, he places himself that "I am lower than the worm in the stool." Just see how humble. This is the nature of Vaiṣṇava. That is not artificial. He says. Every Vaiṣṇava thinks himself as very insignificant. Actually, every one of us is very insignificant in comparison to the Supreme Lord. What we are? Nothing. But if we establish our loving relationship, which is already there, then we will become the greatest. By relationship with the greatest, we become the greatest.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Seattle, October 21, 1968:

Religion you cannot manufacture, just like you cannot manufacture law. Law is made by the state. You cannot manufacture law. If you say, "I have manufactured this law," who cares for your law? Similarly, so-called religion, nonsense religion, there are so many manufactured, who cares for? That is not religion. Religion means God's law. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). That is religion. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā we understand Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You give up all other things. Simply you become Kṛṣṇa conscious." This is religion. This is the order, this is the word. So to become Kṛṣṇa conscious is to become religious, is to remain in goodness, and is to make progress and advancement in self-realization. Everything is complete. There is no comparison of any religion with Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We can challenge any religionist, "Come and see, and test and compare." So the same advertisement: "You all, in '69, match this." So nobody can match Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is so nice.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Hawaii, March 21, 1969:

Otherwise, how He is father of everyone? You see.

So the torturing business of the demons is going on, going on. As soon as the demons finds somebody little weak, they will torture, weak, in their way. A devotee is not weak, but they think that "These devotees, they are weak. They cannot do any materialistic work. They cannot build skyscrapers. They cannot build a subtle machine. So they have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa." You see? They think like that. But actually, they know, the devotees know, what is this value of this materialistic advancement. People are not happy actually. Now, so far materialistic happiness is concerned, your country, America, is number one. You are all qualified boys and girls, I see. But still, if we calculate impartially, what is the advantage? The advantage: hand to mouth. You earn in the morning and eat in the evening—finished. You see? Such qualified boys that... I take, for example, Gaurasundara. He is thoughtful. He is educated. He knows so many things, artist. But for livelihood he has to go early in the morning and come late in the evening. So what is the result? This is the way of materialistic life. Life means that they should not work. Working hard, very hard working, that is the animal's business. The animal should be engaged to work hard for feeding, whole day. Just like the cow is standing here, sometimes eating this, sometime eating that, sometime eating that. What is the business? Only business: to fill up the belly. That's all. But after all qualification, if one has to do the same thing just to fill up the belly, working twelve hours, fourteen hours, then what is this civilization? Has this civilization given the opportunity that "Oh, you have no more to work. Simply sit down, every, all comforts." You can say some of the rich men, they are employing like that, but they are enjoying at the cost of others. They have made such machinery that hundreds of men will work for them and they will sit down and enjoy. What is the enjoyment? Women and wine. That's all. Therefore some, a section of people, revolting-Communists.

Lecture on SB 7.9.35 -- Mayapur, March 13, 1976:

So those who are ordinarily sinful, they can at least see the light once, but those who are very severely sinful, they're killed within the womb. They cannot see even the light coming out. There are so many cases now, it is very (indistinct) that so many children, before coming out of the womb of the mother and before seeing the light of the sun, they are killed. And after killing, after being killed, the body is finished. Then he has to be put another body. Then enters another mother's body. Again the body is developed, and again he is killed. Just imagine. This... Because if... Tit for tat. If I kill a child in the womb—"Now I am very much proud of my scientific advancement"—then I am have to be killed in my birth. That's all. You cannot avoid this nature's law. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). There is very, very sūkṣma. The word is used sūkṣma, very, very fine laws. Who can see it? Ātma-yoni, so he's also not free. Although he is Lord Brahmā, he's also not free. He's perplexed: "Wherefrom I came? What is the source of my birth in darkness?" He could see only the lotus flower on which he was sitting, nothing else. Exactly our position... Just like so many scientists, they think that this world is everything, and other planets and worlds, there is no life. Only because he is there, there is life. This is the modern presentation.

Lecture on SB 7.9.43 -- Visakhapatnam, February 22, 1972:

So I say to my American and European disciples always that your nation, American nation, you have got your birth in a very rich nation or rich family. In America, every family is rich because there the poorest man earns monthly not less than four to five thousand of rupees, according to our (indistinct). The poorest man. And what to speak of the richest man. So janma, aiśvarya, śruta, śrī, these things are achieved out of pious activities. Therefore, in the Vedas, the karma-kāṇḍa vicāra, performing great sacrifices, they are mentioned. (Sanskrit) Performing yajña. In order to keep ourself happy within this material world, we have to perform yajña. That we are forgetting. There is no yajña performance. Therefore, as we are forgetting to live according to the direction of the Vedas, we are meeting with so many dangerous ways of life. Take for example, in our country, 20 years ago, there was no fight between Punjab and Bengal. Now because we are advanced, we have got independence, now the fighting is between Punjab and Bengal. This kind of advancement we are making, and we have to face such calamities more and more if we forget performance of yajña.

Lecture on SB 7.9.43 -- Visakhapatnam, February 22, 1972:

Everything is explained there. So unfortunately, we are forgetting our Vedic culture and we are very much puffed up as if we are advancing. This is not advancement. We learn many industrial houses, commercial houses, they have contributed enough lumps of money to the war fund, defense fund. What for? To burn the money in gunpowder, that's all. But they are not prepared to burn the money in sacrifice. So you have to meet all these calamities more and more. This is the fact. You cannot avoid. The law of nature, the law of God is there. You may deny the existence of God, but the God's agency, Durgā-devi, Candi, is there. Sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekā chāyeva yasya bhuvanāni bibharti durgā (Bs. 5.44). Durgā, the Goddess Durgā, the material energy, she is working under the direction of Kṛṣṇa. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā,

mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ

suyate sa-carācaram

hetunānena kaunteya

jagad viparivartate

(BG 9.10)

So Kṛṣṇa also says, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14), the same thing. As Kṛṣṇa says, mama māyā duratyayā, similarly, Prahlāda Mahārāja also says duratyayā, it is very difficult to supplant the laws of nature. If you don't act according to the direction... Veda means knowledge. So in the Vedas, they are giving direction how to live. Even if you want to be materially prosperous, you have to follow these rules and regulations.

Lecture on SB 7.9.49 -- Vrndavana, April 4, 1976:

That is heart failure. Heart is palpulating, but as soon as the jīvātmā goes, heart fails. And these materialist science, they cannot give any cause. They are giving, what is that, oxygen gas and every minute injecting to keep the palpitation of the heart, throbbing of the heart, continuous. But how they can do it? As soon as the living soul departs from the heart there is no more palpitating. It is simply a lump of matter. That requires intelligence, that this matter is never the living soul.

Therefore anyone who is accepting this body as self, they have been described in the śāstra no better than... Sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). Go means cows, and khara means asses. These are asses. They are taking so much credit, advancement of scientific knowledge, but so long they do not understand there is the soul-dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13)—they are all asses, that's all, simply asses. This is our challenge, that "You are all asses. If you do not accept the existence of the soul, if you cannot find out where it is, then you are all asses. We don't give him any credit." This is our challenge. Let anyone come. We shall prove that he's an ass. We shall prove. How? It is very easy. Any intelligent man can analyze this body. Take this breathing. What is this breathing? It is air. Now, you are very much anxious to keep the breathing going on by oxygen gas and injection. What is the use of oxygen gas? If breathing is lost, you can put some air within, just like the bellow, and by machine, by some electric arrangement, the bellow can go on and the breathing will come out. Why don't you do that? It is very easy. Anyone can do it. And not anyone, at least one who has got some mechanical idea.

Lecture on SB 10.22.35 -- Bombay, March 19, 1971:

In order to make our life successful, dehinām iha dehiṣu. There are many embodied souls, 8,400,000 of species of life. Out of that, this civilized form of life, especially those who are followers of Vedic regulations, they are called the Aryans or the advanced civilized persons. So, it is obtained after many, many evolutionary process. Bahunam janmanam ante (BG 7.19). Labdhvā sudur... Sudurlabhaṁ idam bahūnāṁ janmanām ante. So dehinām iha dehiṣu, of all the embodied souls, this embodied soul, this human form of life is meant for liberation. We are entangled in this chain of repeated birth and death, old age and disease, but we are not yet fed up. We think that, "All right, let us go on like this," but that is not actually advancement of knowledge. That is ignorance. There is a way to stop this repetition of birth, death, old age, and disease. Therefore in this age, in this life especially, we should try to get out of this entanglement. That is the special function of this human form of life. Dehinām iha dehiṣu. There are many dehī Dehī means one who accepts this material body, he is called dehī In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is said, kaumāraṁ yauvanam jara, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). Dehinām iha dehiṣu. So dehī means I am not this body, but I have accepted this body. Just like we accept a kind of dress. Similarly, according to my desire, according to my karma, I have accepted a certain type of body and according to that body, I am subject to different types of pains and pleasures. This is going on. Therefore Bhāgavata says especially in this body it is the duty of everyone, śreya ācaraṇam. There are two words in the Vedic literature—śreya and preya. Preya means... Just like ordinarily everyone is engaged in some sort of duty for sense gratification. Everyone is working very hard to satisfy the senses according to his standard of desire. So that is called preya, immediate benefit. But besides this preya, there is another departmental activities which is śreya. Just like children, they like to play.

Lecture on SB 11.3.21 -- New York, April 13, 1969:

That means this human form of life is meant for finishing all kinds of troubles. That should be the effort of human being. Actually, they are doing so. Everyone is trying to minimize the miseries of life and get happiness of life. That is the impetus of all activities. But unfortunately, they do not know how to do it.

The first thing is that one should very nicely understand the position of material existence. Sanātana Gosvāmī, who approached Lord Caitanya, he presented himself that "My dear Lord, people in general, they speak of me that I am very learned man," grāmya vyavahāre kaha paṇḍita, "I am very learned man. But actually when I think of myself, what kind of learned man I am, I do not know what I am." So this type of advancement of knowledge, simply for material comforts, without knowing about oneself, "What I am?" they're simply useless labor. One should try to understand what he is. That is also the beginning of Vedānta-sūtra. Athāto brahma jijñāsā: one should be inquisitive to understand about himself, Brahman, or the Supreme Brahman. That is the real necessity of this human form of life. The animals, they cannot inquire about himself or about the Supreme. But a human being can inquire, that "I want to become happy, but miseries are coming upon me one after another." At least, one should know what are the miseries. The miseries are three kinds of miseries. It is not the question of one religion or another religion. The miserable condition of life is for everyone, either he is Hindu or he is Muslim or Christian or Jew. It doesn't matter. Anyone who has accepted this material body has to undergo the miserable condition of material existence. That is a fact. And what are the miserable condition? There are three types: adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. Adhyātmika means pertaining to the body, mind. Everyone is experienced that "I'm not feeling today well due to some sickness of my body or some mental disturbance." This is called adhyātmika.

Lecture on SB Lecture Excerpt -- Los Angeles, June 8, 1972:

The person in knowledge, he must see that "I cannot avoid death, I cannot avoid birth, I cannot avoid old age, I cannot avoid disease so long I have got this material body." But Kṛṣṇa says, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ, "Anyone who understands Me in reality, what I am, then he immediately becomes immune from these four things." Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). After giving up this This body we have to give up. And then next body, tathā dehāntara-prāptir... So a devotee at least is not going to be cats and dogs or trees. The nondevotees, they are.

Now they are, now the modern advancement is to be naked. So these people are going to be trees. You know Yamalārjuna. You have seen the picture. They were dancing and they were taking bath naked, and they were not ashamed when Nārada Muni was passing. So he cursed them that "You are so fool, you have lost your sense. All right, next life you become a tree, immediately." So these senseless, shameless persons who are advancing in their knowledge by becoming naked, they are going to be tree next life. The naked tree is standing naked for many thousands of years. Or animals. They have no shame. So if human being becomes so shameless, then next life is to become animal and trees.

But in the universities they say that "What is the wrong if I become an animal?" I asked them, "Do you like to be animal?" "Yes." "Then all right, next time you become animal. (laughter) This is your I give you this blessing. That's all." (laughter) Flatly said, "Yes, yes I will be happy." All right, say it. Kṛṣṇa is so kind: "You want to be naked? All right, you become naked for ten thousand years and stand up." So therefore to save ourself from degradation, to save our, this life We are Actually, we are all eternal, but because we don't want Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we want animal consciousness, tree consciousness, animal consciousness.