Aroma (Lectures, Conv and Letters)

Expressions researched:
"aroma" |"aromas" |"aromatic" |"aromatics"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

The aroma of a rose flower is carried by the air and if the air passes through us we also experience the rose flavor.

Lecture on BG 6.35-45 -- Los Angeles, February 20, 1969:

We are preparing this consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, divine consciousness. And the consciousness we go. Just like the flavor, the aroma of a rose flower is carried by the air and if the air passes through us we also experience the rose flavor.

If it is rose flavor aroma, you enjoy, "Oh it is very nice." And it is filthy flavor, passing through stool or any other filthy place and you say, "Oh, it is very bad smell." So this consciousness will carry you either in a stool smell or rose flavor according to your work, as you make your consciousness.

Lecture on BG 6.35-45 -- Los Angeles, February 20, 1969:

And according to the, just like the flavor, if it is rose flavor aroma, you enjoy, "Oh it is very nice." And it is filthy flavor, passing through stool or any other filthy place and you say, "Oh, it is very bad smell." So this consciousness will carry you either in a stool smell or rose flavor according to your work, as you make your consciousness. So if you make your consciousness, train your consciousness into Kṛṣṇa, then it will carry you to Kṛṣṇa. This is not very difficult to understand. You cannot see the air but you can experience by smelling. "Oh the air is passing through like this." Similarly, these different kinds of body are developed according to the consciousness.

Not only He is beautiful... Just like a flower, very beautiful to see but no good smell, no aroma—useless. So Kṛṣṇa is not only beautiful, but He is the most wise.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Nairobi, October 27, 1975:

Aiśvaryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ, and jñāna. Not only He is beautiful... Just like a flower, very beautiful to see but no good smell, no aroma—useless. So Kṛṣṇa is not only beautiful, but He is the most wise. He spoke Bhagavad-gītā. Five thousand years ago He spoke. Still big, big scholars, religionists, philosophers, they studying. This is called jñāna.

You see the flavor, aroma of very nice flower, puṇya gandhaḥ—immediately remember Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 7.9 -- Vrndavana, August 15, 1974:

You drink water—you remember Kṛṣṇa. You see the light—remember Kṛṣṇa. You see the flavor, aroma of very nice flower, puṇya gandhaḥ—immediately remember Kṛṣṇa. Practice this. It is not difficult.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Just like some eatable things—the form is appreciated by taste. The flower—the form is estimated by its smelling, aroma.

Lecture on SB 3.26.39 -- Bombay, January 14, 1975:

dravyākṛtitvaṁ guṇatā

vyakti-saṁsthātvam eva ca

tejastvaṁ tejasaḥ sādhvi

rūpa-mātrasya vṛttayaḥ

(SB 3.26.39)

So little explanation is there. This is the transformation of the elements, how from sky, the air; from air, the fire; fire, water. Everything in that proportion is explained by Sāṅkhya philosophy, how one after another, the form, taste, smell, touch are appreciated in different objects differently. Just like some eatable things—the form is appreciated by taste. The flower—the form is estimated by its smelling, aroma.

We have already explained several times, that the different gandha, or smell, or fragrance, or aroma, whatever you call, there are already within the earth. Puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca.

Lecture on SB 3.26.44 -- Bombay, January 19, 1975:

That we have already explained several times, that the different gandha, or smell, or fragrance, or aroma, whatever you call, there are already within the earth. Puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, puṇyo gandhaḥ and pāpo gandhaḥ. In the material world, everywhere, there are two things: pious and impious. So the pāpo gandhaḥ, bad smell, when it passes, so you close your nose, nostrils, not to accept it. But when there is puṇyo gandhaḥ, you feel fresh: "Oh, it is very nice."

So Kṛṣṇa says, puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca. When you smell something very fragrant... Just like in the flower. There are different varieties of flower, and they are exacting different varieties of aroma from the earth.

Lecture on SB 3.26.44 -- Bombay, January 19, 1975:

So Kṛṣṇa says, puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca. When you smell something very fragrant... Just like in the flower. There are different varieties of flower, and they are exacting different varieties of aroma from the earth. So the good smell of the flower... In some other place it is said in the Bhāgavatam that the..., when you see flower, you see Kṛṣṇa smiling. That is the seeing of Kṛṣṇa smiling. Therefore the flower should be utilized for Kṛṣṇa's service.

You have got nice flower, or you see rose flower, how nice aroma is there. But everything, whatever you see, they are simply interaction of those eight different, differentiated energy and the three guṇas, three qualities.

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

So Prahlāda Mahārāja: vikārāḥ ṣoḍaśācāryaiḥ pumān ekaḥ samanvayāt. Now, these eight elements, they have changed by the interaction of the three guṇas into another sixteen items. What are those sixteen items? Ten items are the senses: five senses for acquiring knowledge and five senses for enjoying, and five tan-mātra, or objects of sense enjoyment. Just like you have got your eyes. This is the sense for enjoying. What is that? You want to see beautiful things. So there must be beauty. So this beauty is another change, and this eye is also is another change—out of those eight elements. Similarly, you have got your nose. You want to smell very nice aroma. So there is. Nice aromas, there is. You have got nice flower, or you see rose flower, how nice aroma is there. But everything, whatever you see, they are simply interaction of those eight different, differentiated energy and the three guṇas, three qualities.

So air has neither this flavor, nor this bad or good. But as it is passing on, according to the association, it is getting certain time of, certain type of flavor and aroma. Similarly, by your association, you are getting different types of body.

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

ebhis tri-varṇaiḥ paryastair

buddhi-bhedaiḥ kriyodbhavaiḥ

svarūpam ātmano budhyed

gandhair vāyum ivānvayāt

(SB 7.6.26)

So how I am being carried to different kinds of body, although I am the eternal and existing? How? Now, the very example is here, that gandhair vāyum. Just like vāyu. Vāyu means air. Air is passing through a, I mean to say, garden of rose. So air is carrying the flavor. The aroma of rose is being carried by the air. Now the air is passing through some filthy place, obnoxious, very bad smell, so air is catching. So air has neither this flavor, nor this bad or good. But as it is passing on, according to the association, it is getting certain time of, certain type of flavor and aroma. Similarly, by your association, you are getting different types of body. If you make your association with Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you get next your Kṛṣṇa body. And if you make your association with non-Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you'll have this material body, and you have to undergo birth and death repeatedly.

The rose flower has got a particular type of aroma; another flower, aroma. So the Māyāvādī philosophers, they cannot understand that the variety, vaicitra, is creation of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 7.9.12 -- Mayapur, February 19, 1976:

Kṛṣṇa is not without variety. Just see in the flower. Kṛṣṇa says, puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca. The flavor is Kṛṣṇa. We were studying in the morning. But there are still varieties of flavor. The rose flower has got a particular type of aroma; another flower, aroma. So the Māyāvādī philosophers, they cannot understand that the variety, vaicitra, is creation of Kṛṣṇa.

General Lectures

This flower is made by Kṛṣṇa, so beautiful, so aromatic, let me offer it to Kṛṣṇa.

Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 20, 1971:

This flower is made by Kṛṣṇa, so beautiful, so aromatic, let me offer it to Kṛṣṇa. The same flower, you can become sensuous, and you can give service to Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

A materially conscious person is satisfied, you get him a nice aromatic flower for his personal enjoyment, and Kṛṣṇa conscious person he at once thinks, "It is very nice flower, it should be offered to Kṛṣṇa."

Morning Walk at Stow Lake -- March 27, 1968, San Francisco:

Prabhupāda: What is the difference between materially conscious man and Kṛṣṇa conscious man? Materially conscious person is thinking everything as his property or enjoyable thing. And Kṛṣṇa conscious person is seeing the same thing as Kṛṣṇa's. A materially conscious person is satisfied, you get him a nice aromatic flower for his personal enjoyment, and Kṛṣṇa conscious person he at once thinks, "It is very nice flower, it should be offered to Kṛṣṇa." The flower is there, he is there, the consciousness is changed, that's all. He's thinking everything in relationship with Kṛṣṇa.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

He has no eyes to see either the aroma or the air. Similarly, the soul after destruction of this body is being carried by the desire, but they have no eyes to see what is that desire, what is that soul, what is that intelligence. They are saying, "There is no soul." This is mostly stupidity.

Morning Walk -- December 4, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Spiritual spark is not carried by, but he resides within the body. He is carried by his own karma, subtle, subtle desire is carried. Everyone is carried by his desire. Why did I come here, in America? I have got a desire to preach; therefore I've come. Otherwise I had no business to come here. So desire. So desire carries you. That is, the rascals, they do not know. Desire is there, they cannot see, but desire is there. Mind is there, intelligence is there; they cannot see. That is carried. The example is given, just like the aroma of a flower is being carried by the air. And nobody can see, but one can feel, "Oh, it is very good, nice aroma. Wherefrom it is coming?" But he has no eyes to see either the aroma or the air. Similarly, the soul after destruction of this body is being carried by the desire, but they have no eyes to see what is that desire, what is that soul, what is that intelligence. They are saying, "There is no soul." This is mostly stupidity.

You cannot see the aroma or the air. But you hear from an experienced man. That is the way of understanding which is beyond your sense perception.

Morning Walk -- December 4, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Just like the same example, when good aroma is carried. So somebody says, "This good aroma is coming because the air passing through a flower garden, therefore this aroma." Now this is a fact, but you cannot see the aroma or the air. But you hear from an experienced man. That is the way of understanding which is beyond your sense perception.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Because she was killed by Kṛṣṇa, the whole body has become sanctified. So when the body was burned, there was good aroma.

Morning Walk -- April 12, 1974, Bombay:

Girirāja: "...all the residents of Vraja cut the gigantic body of Pūtanā into pieces and piled it up with wood for burning." (break)

Prabhupāda: Because she was killed by Kṛṣṇa, the whole body has become sanctified. So when the body was burned, there was good aroma. (break)

Girirāja: "...aroma was due to her being killed by Kṛṣṇa." (break)

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

This is a fact, that there is aroma, and the flower has taken the aroma from the earth.

Morning Walk -- November 19, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: ...is taken from the earth. There is no doubt about it. Why the scientists cannot take? This is a fact, that there is aroma, and the flower has taken the aroma from the earth. But why the scientists cannot take?

Brahmānanda: They can make chemicals, the flavors. They can make flavors, aromas, from chemicals.

Prabhupāda: As good?

Brahmānanda: No. (laughter)

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Smelling the aroma, such a nonsense.

Room Conversation with Adi-kesava Swami -- February 19, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: And... (someone enters) (Bengali) (break) Smelling the aroma, such a nonsense.

Hari-śauri: As you say, just like dogs.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Hari-śauri: Just like the dogs.

Prabhupāda: Dogs and all animals, smelling vagina. They think, "Here is real pleasure."

1968 Correspondence

When Krishna Consciousness added to this material advancement, it becomes aromatic gold. Gold is very beautiful, but if there is some aroma, aromatic gold, if it is available in the market, it will have greater value.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Montreal 19 August, 1968:

We have to convince them about this, that this life is very valuable so long this material education has misled us. Misled us in this way, that it is without Krishna Consciousness. So when Krishna Consciousness added to this material advancement, it becomes aromatic gold. Gold is very beautiful, but if there is some aroma, aromatic gold, if it is available in the market, it will have greater value.

1970 Correspondence

The Canakya Pandit says that if there is one tree in the forest producing nice aromatic flower, that one tree can glorify the whole forest by the flavor of its flower.

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Tokyo 25 August, 1970:

There are two verses in the Canakya Sloka how a family or an institution can be glorified or burned into ashes by one person. The Canakya Pandit says that if there is one tree in the forest producing nice aromatic flower, that one tree can glorify the whole forest by the flavor of its flower. Similarly if there is one tree in whose cavity there is a little fire, that one tree can burn into ashes the whole forest.