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Bhagavan means

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 1

SB 1.1.12, Purport:

Bhagavān means the Almighty God who is the controller of all opulences, power, fame, beauty, knowledge and renunciation. He is the protector of His pure devotees. Although God is equally disposed to everyone, He is especially inclined to His devotees.

SB Canto 2

SB 2.10.7, Purport:

Synonyms for the supreme source of all energies, as explained in the very beginning of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, are janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1), vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam/ brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate, called Parambrahma, Paramātmā or Bhagavān. The word iti used here in this verse completes the synonyms and thus indicates Bhagavān. This will be further explained in the later verses, but this Bhagavān ultimately means Lord Kṛṣṇa because the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam has already accepted the Supreme Personality of Godhead as Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). The original source of all energies, or the summum bonum, is the Absolute Truth, which is called Parambrahma, etc., and Bhagavān is the last word of the Absolute Truth. But even with the synonyms for Bhagavān, such as Nārāyaṇa, Viṣṇu and Puruṣa, the last word is Kṛṣṇa, as confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā: ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ samaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8), etc. Besides that, the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the representation of Lord Kṛṣṇa as a sound incarnation of the Lord.

SB Canto 4

SB 4.31.8, Purport:

Nārada has no other business than thinking of Kṛṣṇa, talking of Kṛṣṇa and preaching about Kṛṣṇa; therefore he is sometimes called bhagavān. Bhagavān means "one who possesses all opulences." When a person possesses Bhagavān within his heart, he is also sometimes called bhagavān.

SB Canto 5

SB 5.4.3, Purport:

We find the word bhagavān used twice in this verse. Both King Indra and Ṛṣabhadeva, the incarnation of the Supreme Lord, are described as bhagavān. Sometimes Nārada and Lord Brahmā are also addressed as bhagavān. The word bhagavān means that one is a very opulent and powerful person like Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva, Nārada or Indra. They are all addressed as bhagavān due to their extraordinary opulence.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Introduction to Bhagavad-gita As It Is -- Los Angeles, November 23, 1968 :

So these six principles are there. Just like we are minute part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. Fragment, very small fragment. So every one of us have got some money according to our capacity. Every one of us has got some strength or some reputation or some beauty or some knowledge. Comparatively it may be that your position may be greater than me or other's position may be greater than you, that not all of us on the same level. There are comparative positions. So bhagavān means you go on searching. When you find a person that nobody is richer than Him, nobody is stronger than Him, nobody is richer than Him, nobody is reputed than Him, nobody is wiser than him, nobody is beautiful, more beautiful than Him, and nobody is renouncer than Him, He is Bhagavān, He is God.

Lecture on BG 2.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 7, 1972:

So now Kṛṣṇa speaks, śrī bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān. This Bhagavān means one who is full with six kinds of opulences. He's called Bhagavān.

aiśvaryasya samagrasya
vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ
jñāna-vairāgyayaś caiva
ṣaṇṇāṁ bhaga itīṅganā

Bhaga. Bhagavān and Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa means all-attractive. Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam . There are other great personalities. Lord Śiva is also sometimes described as Bhagavān. Similarly, Lord Brahmā, Nārada, others are also sometimes described as Bhagavān. But real Bhagavān means Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 2.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 7, 1972:

Vyāsadeva describes - śrī bhagavān uvāca. He's not ordinary person. Bhagavān speaking. Bhagavān means... What is Bhagavān? Aiśvarya. Aiśvarya means riches. Nobody can be richer than Bhagavān. We have got our ideas of richness. I may be rich, but you are richer than me. Somebody is richer than you. Somebody is richer than another, another, another. You go, make proceed. When you find out the final richest person, that is Bhagavān. Aiśvaryasya sama... Samagrasya. All riches. Not that partial. One may have one thousand, another man, one lakh, one man, one crore, but nobody can say that "I have got all the monies." No, that is not possible. But Bhagavān has all the monies. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya. Similarly, strength, bodily strength or power. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ. And similarly, reputation. We are also reputed. But nobody can be reputed than Kṛṣṇa. Just like five thousand years ago He spoke this Bhagavad-gītā, and He's so reputed that Kṛṣṇa spoke Bhagavad-gītā and still it is running on. Not only in India, but we are traveling all over the world.

Lecture on BG 2.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 7, 1972:

So I do not know why foolish people, they do not understand what is God. Everything is there. And He comes also, personally. Not only the God's name, address, activities, and everything is there, but He comes personally also. He proves Kṛṣṇa. He proved that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When Kṛṣṇa was present, He proved all these things. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47). He proved. He had sixteen thousand wives, and each wife, a big palatial building of marble, bedecked with jewels and gardens with pārijāta flowers. These are description. Nobody can maintain sixteen thousand wives in sixteen thousand palaces. Not only that, not that if He enters in one palace, He lives with one wife, the other wives are vacant. No. He expanded Himself into sixteen thousand forms. And with each wife He was living comfortably. Each wife had ten children. And those children also had each ten children, grandsons. In this way, Kṛṣṇa's family was more than one crore, Yadu-vaṁśa. So if you study from material point of view, when Kṛṣṇa was present, He proved that He's Bhagavān. And Bhagavān means not a big beard and meditation. Kṛṣṇa never became Bhagavān by meditation. He was not a manufactured God. He's God always. He's not manufactured.

Lecture on BG 2.1-5 -- Germany, June 16, 1974:

So Kṛṣṇa is accepted by the authorities as Bhagavān, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And what is Bhagavān? Bhagavān means that one who is fully equipped with six opulences. Fully equipped with all opulences means Bhagavān is the richest personality. How much rich Bhagavān, or God, is, we can understand that we are proud of possessing a few acres of land, and Bhagavān means who is the proprietor of the whole universe. Therefore He is considered the richest. Similarly, He is considered the strongest. And similarly, He is considered the wisest. And similarly, He is the most beautiful personality. In this way, when you find a person the richest, the most beautiful, the most wise, the strongest—in this way, when you find, that is Bhagavān, or God. So when Kṛṣṇa was present on this planet He proved all these opulences possessed by Him.

Lecture on BG 2.1-11 -- Johannesburg, October 17, 1975:

Kṛṣṇa is Bhagavān. Bhagavān means the Supreme Personality of Godhead, full with all opulences. That is called Bhagavān. Generally in India we speak, bhāgyavān. Bhāgyavān means one who has got opulences. So Bhagavān means one who is full in opulences—in wealth, in strength, in influence, in beauty, in education, in renunciation. In these six ways, when one is opulent fully then he can be called Bhagavān. Partially, if one is very opulent, sometimes he is also called Bhagavān, but real Bhagavān, according to śāstra, is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. Others, they may possess some of the opulences, not in full, partially. Just like Nārada Muni or Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva. They are also sometimes called Bhagavān. But real Bhagavān is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. Ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam . So here Bhagavān, the Supreme Person, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa means, as Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya: "There is no more superior person or element more than Me." And when Arjuna understood Kṛṣṇa he also admitted, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān

Lecture on BG 2.2 -- London, August 3, 1973:

So here, bhagavān uvāca. Vyāsadeva does not say that kṛṣṇa uvāca. If, if he would have said, "Kṛṣṇa," then people would have misunderstood. He's directly speaking, bhagavān uvāca, "the Supreme Personality of Godhead." So anyone who is impersonalist, how he can understand Bhagavad-gītā? Bhagavān means person. Bhagavān is not imperson. The Absolute Truth is manifested in three features: Brahman, Paramātmā, Bhagavān. Brahman is the beginning, impersonal. Sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma. Because... Just like fire. Fire is burning somewhere, but its heat and light is impersonal. Suppose here is big fire. Just like we got fireplace. That is in one corner. But the whole room you are feeling heat. That heat is impersonal. But the fireplace, where there is blazing fire, that is personal. So impersonal conception is the offshoot of the person. That will be explained in the Thirteenth Chapter: mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. Kṛṣṇa says that "Everyone, everywhere I am spread. I exist everywhere." How does He exist? By His energy. That energy is impersonal. But the Supreme Person, He's not impersonal. He's person. Therefore it is said, śrī-bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān means who is full with six kinds of opulence, aiśvarya: the richest, the most famous, the most learned, the most beautiful, the most strong, and the most renouncer. He's Bhagavān. So Bhagavān is the ultimate understanding of the Absolute Truth. Just like when you feel temperature... Just like we feel temperature from the sunshine, heat. And light. The sun is giving heat and light. We enjoy the light and heat. But if you trace wherefrom this heat and light is coming, then you go to the sun planet. That is localized. That is not impersonal. And again, if you enter into the sun planet, then you will see the sun-god, Vivasvan. So we should not conclude final simply by heat and light. So Brahman understanding, impersonal understanding of the Absolute Truth, is imperfect understanding, partial understanding. It is not full understanding. Full understanding is Bhagavān. Therefore it is stated here, śrī-bhagavān uvāca. There cannot be any mistake. That is final.

Lecture on BG 2.9 -- Auckland, February 21, 1973:

And you will find in the Tenth Chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā Arjuna, after understanding Kṛṣṇa, he expressed his opinion, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān puruṣaṁ śāśvatam ādyam. He accepted. And he also said that "I am not accepting... Because it may be said that I am Your friend, so I am accepting You as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but great ācāryas or great stalwart authorities like Parāśara Muni, Vyāsadeva, Nārada, Asita, Devala..." He gave evidence. So Kṛṣṇa is accepted. So far Vedic literature is concerned, the ācāryas are concerned... Recently, within, say, two thousand years, there have been many ācāryas like Śaṅkarācārya, Madhvācārya, Nimbārka, Rāmānujācārya. They have all accepted Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And, say, within five hundred years, Lord Caitanya, He also accepted Kṛṣṇa. By His symptoms, by the historical fact, by the evidence of the Vedas, He is accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, when Kṛṣṇa is speaking, the very words are used, śrī bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān means the Supreme Personality of Godhead is speaking. Uvāca means speaking.

Lecture on BG 2.11 -- New York, March 4, 1966:

So Kṛṣṇa is, in this sen..., He's identified, that bhagavān. Bhagavān means that nobody can surpass His knowledge. Because I have already given the definition of bhagavān, that a personality who is in full, all the opulences—wealth, strength, fame and knowledge, beauty and renunciation—He is God. You see? So... Now, in this, at the present moment, when people are godless, I think, this definition is convincing. If you find out a personality that, one who has got in full all these opulences, He is God. Then it will be very difficult to present an ordinary man as God. You see? You'll find that in the Bhagavad-gītā, when Arjuna was convinced that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead... But because in future others will have doubt about Kṛṣṇa, he requested Kṛṣṇa that "Will You show me Your universal form?" And Kṛṣṇa agreed and showed him the universal form. That means in future any intelligent man, accepting a so-called God, may also ask him, "Just show something, that you are God." Without showing something, simply by false advertisement, one cannot be God.

Lecture on BG 2.11 (with Spanish translator) -- Mexico, February 11, 1975:

Śrī bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān means the Supreme Being. In the English dictionary when you consult the word God, it is stated there, "the Supreme Being." What is that Supreme Being? We are all living being, but amongst ourself there is comparative, superlative positions. I am here; you are here; he is there. So you may be better than me, he may be better than you, and somebody else may be better than him. In this way you go on searching after one better than the other. When you ultimately come to a point that nobody is better then him, that is Bhagavān.

Lecture on BG 2.11 -- Mauritius, October 1, 1975:

Verse:

śrī bhagavān uvāca
aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ
prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase
gatāsūn agatāsūṁś ca
nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ

This is the version of Kṛṣṇa in the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā. So first of all it is said here, Vyāsadeva, the author..., not author, the compiler who recorded the talks between Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna and then put it systematically in a book form. So he says that bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān means the Supreme Person. Just like in this meeting, amongst my students, I am the supreme person, similarly, in the state there is a supreme person, the president or the prime minister, so everywhere you will find out one supreme person. Without a supreme person nothing can be managed, order-giving person. This is everlastingly existing, and you cannot avoid this. Even in Communist country they also have the supreme person, dictator.

Lecture on BG 2.11 -- Mauritius, October 1, 1975:

This is knowledge. So the Supreme Person is Bhagavān. Bhaga means six kinds of opulences: the richest, the most powerful, the wisest, the most beautiful, and the most influential, and the most renounced at the same time. Just like this whole cosmic manifestation is created by the will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but you will not find him here. Disinterested. Many millions of universes are working by His will, but He is not interested. The example is just like a big capitalist. He has got many factories, and if you go to the factory—there is a Tata factory, iron factory—you will find huge factories going on, but Mr. Tata is not there. Things are going on. Similarly, all cosmic manifestation going on, it is under the will of Kṛṣṇa. But He is not present here. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni:. "Everything is resting on Me." Any factory, every worker knows that the whole factory function resting on that supreme person. He knows that. So actually fact is that mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ: "But I am not there. I am not there." Similarly, Bhagavān means that. Under His will, under His power, everything is working so nicely, systematically, but if you want to see God, Kṛṣṇa, you cannot see Him. He is not there. He is in Goloka Vṛndāvana, but His influence is so extensive that even without His personal presence, things are going on so nicely. This is called Bhagavān. Bhagavān means this.

So here in this Bhagavad-gītā, that Bhagavān is giving you knowledge. So how much perfect it is, you have to consider. Vyāsadeva could have said, "śrī-vyāsadeva uvāca." No. Bhagavān uvāca, so authoritative. So whatever He says, there cannot be any change. It is all perfect.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Hyderabad, November 18, 1972:

So here is Kṛṣṇa. From śāstric evidences, by His opulences, by His power... Because Bhagavān means full of six opulences. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ. He must be the richest. He must be the strongest. He must be the most famous. He must be the most beautiful. He must be the great renouncer. In this way, that is the definition of God. So that definition is confirmed by Lord Brahmā: īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ. Īśvara means controller. Unless one is powerful, how he can control? So every one of us is little, a small controller. Somebody controls in his office. Somebody controls in his family life. Somebody controls a few factories. There are controllers. But nobody can say that "I am the supreme controller." That is not possible. The supreme controller is Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Bombay, March 21, 1974:

Therefore bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān means the most powerful, most influential, the supreme wise, most beautiful, most learned, most renouncer. Just see Bhagavān's renouncement. If we construct a building, how much attached we become to that building. But Kṛṣṇa has constructed this whole universe. Whole universe means... We have no idea what is the universe. We have no idea what is this planet. We are trying to go to the moon planet. We have no exact idea even of the moon planet. And there are innumerable planets. Vasudhā. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi-koṭiṣu vasudhādi-vibhūti-bhinnam. Each planet is of different type, different climate, different facilities, different standard of life. And there are ananta, innumerable planets. You cannot count even. So this is only one universe, and there are millions of universes. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi. So Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Lord, is creator of these all universes.

Lecture on BG 4.5 -- Bombay, March 25, 1974:

Bhagavān means who possesses these six opulences in full: all riches, all strength, all influence, all wisdom, all beauty, all renunciation." So, it has been analyzed how we possess all these opulences, and it has been found by the great sages that Kṛṣṇa is the possessor of all opulences—all beauty, all wisdom. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ. The supreme possessor is Kṛṣṇa. Sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ, anādir ādir govindaḥ sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam.

Lecture on BG 4.11 -- Bombay, March 31, 1974:

Everyone is seeking to find out Kṛṣṇa. Directly or indirectly. Kṛṣṇa means the all-attractive. All-attractive. Bhagavān means the all-attractive Supreme Personality of Godhead. So indirectly or directly, everyone is seeking Kṛṣṇa, the all-attractive. Ānanda-mayo 'bhyāsāt. The Supreme Bliss.

Lecture on BG 4.34 -- New York, August 14, 1966:

And even in that knowledge field also... Of course, transcendental knowledge, as we have discussed already, they are viewed in different, three different angles of vision: the knowledge of Brahmavāda, or impersonal, impersonal Absolute Truth, and the knowledge of Paramātmā, the localized Supersoul, and the knowledge of Bhagavān, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There are different stages of development of knowledge. But the first beginning knowledge is that we must understand that "I am not this body. I am spirit soul, and my aim of life should be how to get out of this material entanglement." That is knowledge. That is the beginning of knowledge.

And that knowledge, when developed gradually... The first, first stage of knowledge is impersonal Brahman realization, and the next stage is the Supersoul realization, and the last stage is realization of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam we have got this information, that the tattva, that the Absolute Truth is realized in three visions: brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate. Brahman means impersonal Absolute Truth, and Paramātmā means Supersoul, and Bhagavān means the Supreme Personality of God. That Supreme Personality of Godhead is Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 4.39-5.3 -- New York, August 24, 1966:

Now, śrī-bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān uvāca. Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavān. Bhagavān means... There are definition. There is definition of Bhagavān. Bhagavān means the Personality of Godhead. And who is Godhead? That is described in the Vedic literature.

aiśvaryasya samagrasya
vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ
jñāna-vairāgyayoś caiva
ṣaṇṇāṁ bhaga itīṅganā

Now, aiśvarya is an opulence. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya. Entire opulence. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya. Vīryasya means strength, entire strength. And yaśaḥ. Yaśaḥ means fame. So entire fame. Yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ. Śriyaḥ means... Śrī means beauty, entire beauty. And jñāna. And jñāna means knowledge, entire knowledge. And vairāgya, entire renunciation. These things, whenever you find, wherever you find in complete, He is God. He is God. These six items: entire opulence, entire strength, entire fame, entire beauty, entire knowledge, and entire renunciation, six. Ṣaṇṇāṁ bhaga itīṅganā.

Lecture on BG 6.1-4 -- New York, September 2, 1966:

So here it is said, śrī-bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān means the proprietor of everything and all-powerful, all... He has got all the... All-famous. Nobody can be more famous than God. And all-beautiful, and full of knowledge, and full of renunciation. Full of opulence, at the same time, full of renunciation. Here in the material world you'll find if a rich man has got great opulence, he is not liking to give it up. He's not liking. He does not like to renounce. But in the Supreme Personality of Godhead you'll find full of all opulence, but at the same time, full of renunciation. The six qualifications: proprietor of all opulence, all-famous, all strength, all beauty, all knowledge, and all renunciation. Anywhere you find all these six qualifications in full, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Lecture on BG 6.32-40 -- New York, September 14, 1966:

So śrī-bhagavān uvāca. Now, Bhagavān, the Personality of Godhead... We have several times described the definition of Bhagavān. Bhagavān means one who has got complete control over six things. He is Bhagavān. He is God. What are those six things? Now, aiśvaryasya samagrasya: "Complete riches," and vīryasya samagrasya. Vīrya means strength. Complete riches, complete strength, complete knowledge, complete beauty, complete renunciation and complete fame...

We are after some fame. I want to be famous, you want to be famous, but we are famous in a circle, in a circle, in a country, in a society. But nobody is famous like Kṛṣṇa. You see? Nobody is famous like Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa approached, advented Himself on this earth five thousand years before, but just see how much famous He is still. Can you give any example in the history? So many Hitlers, so many Mussolinis, so many Gandhis born and went away. They were famous for several years only. That's all. Nobody can be famous like Kṛṣṇa. All over the world He is famous, and what to speak of India? Complete fame. Similarly, complete strength, complete riches, complete beauty, complete knowledge... Just see, Bhagavad-gītā. It was spoken by Kṛṣṇa. There is no parallel, and there is no competition of Bhagavad-gītā. It is such a knowledge. You see? Complete knowledge.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Bombay, January 13, 1973:

Parāśara Muni, father of Vyāsadeva, gave us what we mean by Bhagavān. Bhaga means opulence, and vān means one who possesses opulence. Just like we have our practical experience. Anyone who is very rich, he's attractive. He becomes attractive. Many men go to him for some favor. One who is very influential, he becomes very attractive. One who is very famous, he becomes attractive. One who is very learned, wise, he becomes attractive. One who is very wise, he becomes attractive. And one who is in the renounced order of life Renounced order of life means one who possesses everything but renounces, does not use it for his personal benefit. Just like a person who is very charitably disposed, he gives everything to the public. He's also very attractive.So these are six kinds of attraction. So Bhagavān means one who is in full possession of all these attractive features, He's Bhagavān.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Sydney, February 16, 1973:

You will find in the Bhagavad-gītā. Īśvara, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is sitting in everyone's heart. Not only human beings, even animals, everyone. So that feature is called Paramātmā. But the ultimate feature is bhagavān. Bhagavān means the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Bhaga means opulence. There are six kinds of opulences. So the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the possessor of all the opulences, and He's a person. These are the Vedic versions. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇah.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Upsala University Stockholm, September 8, 1973:

Śrī bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān means the Supreme Being. That is also dictionary word. In the... I consulted the Oxford Dictionary, "God." God means "the Supreme Being." And the Supreme means... That is also stated in the dictionary, "The greatest authority." So God means the greatest authority, supreme, Supreme Being. We have got little idea of supreme. Suppose when you go to work in our office, the proprietor of the establishment or the managing director of the establishment, he's called the supreme. We have got experience of the Supreme Court. In India, we have got Supreme Court. If there is any judgment which is not accepted by the litigant, he can go to the Supreme Court. And in the judgment given in the Supreme is final. No more any appeal. That is final. Supreme means that, final.

So bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān means the Supreme Being. We are all beings. We are also living entities. Similarly, Bhagavān, or God, He's also a living entity. As living entity, we are the same. But He's the supreme living entity. No more greater than Him. Here, we can distinguish. I am here. You may be greater than me. Another person may be greater than you. Another person may be greater than him. In this way, you go on searching, greater, greater, greater, greater, and when you come to a person, nobody is greater than him, that is God.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Upsala University Stockholm, September 8, 1973:

So Bhagavān means the supreme opulent. Bhaga means opulence. Just like riches, reputation, strength, beauty, knowledge, renunciation. These are called opulences. So every one of us has got little opulences. I have got also little money. You have got also little money. But I cannot claim, neither you can claim that you are the proprietor of all the riches of the world or the universe. That you cannot claim. Nobody can claim. But God can claim. That is the difference. God can claim. As He claims... We understand from the Bhagavad-gītā:

bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ
sarva-loka-maheśvaram
suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati
(BG 5.29)

God says that "I am the enjoyer of everything." We are acting in this material world to enjoy something. We are working day and night to get some fruit of our labor and enjoy it. Everyone, either he's doing business or he's a professional man or he's a worker or anything he is, he's working very hard, day and night, to enjoy something. So... But we cannot claim that we can enjoy everything in this world. Although we have got the desire, but limited power to enjoy. The unlimited enjoyer is Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Just like we want to enjoy life, family life. We marry one wife. Or, in some countries, more than one wife—two, three, four. But when Kṛṣṇa married, He married 16,108. So... And sixteen thousand wives were given sixteen thousand palaces. And each wife got ten children. And Kṛṣṇa also expanded Himself into 16,108. That is God. For us, it is very difficult to maintain even one wife at the present moment. This is the difference. Just try to understand what is the meaning of this word bhagavān. Bhaga means opulence. This is one of the opulences, richness. When Kṛṣṇa was present on this planet, He was so rich that He could maintain sixteen thousand queens in sixteen thousand very costly palaces, made of marble, the furnitures made of ivory, and the beds were made of silk, and each and every room was decorated, bedecked with jewels, glittering jewels, so that at night there was no need of electricity or lamp. These descriptions are there in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam of Kṛṣṇa's palace, Kṛṣṇa's sixteen thousand wives, Kṛṣṇa's expansion into sixteen thousand forms. This is Bhagavān. Bhagavān means unlimitedly potential. That is Bhagavān.

So here in this chapter, we are trying to understand what is Bhagavān. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to try to understand what is Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is our endeavor. It is very difficult to understand Bhagavān, but there is process, you can understand God, or Bhagavān. That process is being described by the Supreme Lord Himself, Bhagavān. Bhagavān uvāca. What is that process?

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha
yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ
asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ
yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu
(BG 7.1)

"My dear Arjuna, now I shall explain to you. You hear with attention." Tac chṛṇu. What is that? Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha. "You have to increase your attachment for Me." Mayy āsakta. Mayi āsakta. Mayi means "unto Me," and āsakti means "attachment." Mayy āsakta-manāḥ. Mind has to be trained up in such a way that you increase your attachment for God, or Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Hyderabad, April 27, 1974:

You cannot question the statement or instruction of Bhagavān. Bhaga means opulence. There are six kinds of opulences. Bhagavān means one who is full with six kinds of opulences. So nowadays there are so many bhagavāns, but because they have no full opulences, they cannot be accepted as Bhagavān. Bhagavān means full opulences.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Hong Kong, January 25, 1975:

There are two living beings. One is Bhagavān, and the other is the living being as we are. That is the Vedic version. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām. Bhagavān means He is also a living being. He is not nirākāra. When we say bhagavān nirākāra, that means either we have no knowledge of Bhagavān or nirākāra means He is not a form like us. Our form and Kṛṣṇa's form—different. Kṛṣṇa is complete spiritual, divine, and we are, at the present moment, although we have got our spiritual form within this body, but because we have no vision of the spiritual form, we are taking this body as our form. This is called illusion.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- London, March 9, 1975:

The Lord, Bhagavān... Bhagavān means the most powerful, almighty, with six opulences. That is Bhagavān. Bhaga means opulence, and vān, this word, is used in the sense of possession. Just like generally we say bhāgyavān. We Indians, we know. Bhāgyavān means fortunate. This word bhāgya comes from bhaga. Bhaga, and in relationship with bhaga the word comes: bhāgya. And vān means "one who possesses." Asty arthe vatup. The Sanskrit word, when the meaning is to possess, then one affix is added which is called vat, bhaga-vat. And the first word of the bhagavat-śabda is bhagavān.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- London, March 9, 1975:

But here Vyāsadeva purposely says... One may not misunderstand that this knowledge is imperfect. Therefore he says, bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān uvāca means there is no defect. You can accept it as it is and you get the full knowledge. This is the meaning of bhagavān uvāca. Many times he has said. So bhagavān uvāca, and He is speaking about Himself, Bhagavān, Kṛṣṇa, coming here. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham.

paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ
vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām
dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya
sambhavāmi yuge yuge

Bhagavān comes for this purpose, to let people know what is Bhagavān, not this so-called rascal incarnation. Just try to understand what is Bhagavān. If Bhagavān... Bhagavān means the six opulences in full.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- London, March 9, 1975:

Aiśvarya means wealth, riches. One who is the greatest rich man. Every one of us... There are so many rich men, we are present here. But nobody can say, "I am the richest in the world." That is not possible. So one who can say and prove that he is the richest in the world, he can be accepted as Bhagavān, not these rascals, cheap Bhagavān. Cheap Bhagavān we don't accept. We accept Bhagavān Rāmacandra, Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa, because They did something which is impossible to be done by any human being. We are not going to accept cheap Bhagavān.

So Bhagavān means who is the richest, who is the most famous, who is the most..., who is the strongest, who is the most beautiful, who is the most wise, and who is most renounced. Just like Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says that bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram. He is the proprietor of all the lokas. Lokas means where the people or living entities live. So there are so many planets. Everywhere there are living entities. Oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyam. There are Bhūrloka, Bhuvarloka, Svarloka, Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, Satyaloka, Brahmaloka. Seven, fourteen planetary system. Then down: Tala, Atala, Vitala, Talātala, Pātāla, Rasātala. There are so many. This is only one universe. There are millions of universes. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). Koṭi, we Indians understand, millions. There are millions of universes. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi-koṭiṣv aśeṣa-vasudhādi-vibhūti-bhinnam

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Fiji, May 24, 1975:

When we speak "Kṛṣṇa," please try to understand I am speaking of the Supreme Lord. Kṛṣṇa means "all-attractive," Bhagavān. Here it is said in the Seventh Chapter, śrī-bhagavān uvāca. Bhaga. Bhaga means opulence. You use the word bhāgyavān, bhāgya. From this word, bhaga, it has come bhāgya. Bhāgya means fortune, opulence. So Bhagavān means all-fortunate, all-opulent. That is Bhagavān. That definition is given by Parāśara Muni. The wealthiest man, aiśvaryasya samagrasya. Aiśvarya means wealth, and samagra means all, complete. We may be very rich; you may be very rich; but nobody can claim that "All the riches belong to me." Nobody can say. Only Bhagavān can say. Just like Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram. He says, "I am the enjoyer of all activities." Just like there are so many different types of activities, but the result of the activity is enjoyed by somebody. He is called bhoktā. Just like in a very big business establishment so many activities are going on, but the enjoyer of the result of the activities is the proprietor or the managing director, something like that. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa says, bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasām.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Fiji, May 24, 1975:

So bhagavān uvāca. We don't say anything which is not spoken by Bhagavān, the Supreme. We don't manufacture concocted ideas, dogmas. No, that is not our business. One should not do that. But if you speak what Bhagavān has said, what Kṛṣṇa has said, that is perfect. Bhagavān means the supreme complete, the possessor of all opulences. Aiśvarya means riches, strength, influence, beauty, knowledge, renunciation. These are called aiśvaryas. So you try to find out who is that person who possesses all these things, bhaga, in complete. If you are inquisitive, if you are actually philosopher, then you will find Kṛṣṇa: Kṛṣṇa is Bhagavān. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. That is the verdict of the Vedic śāstra.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Durban, October 9, 1975:

Evaṁ paramparā. So absolute knowledge can be achieved when we hear from the Absolute. No person in the relative world can inform us about the absolute knowledge. That is not possible. So here we are understanding about the absolute world, absolute knowledge, from the Supreme Person, the Absolute Person. Absolute Person means anādir ādir govindaḥ. He is the original person, but He has no original; therefore absolute. He is not to be understood being caused by somebody else. That is God. So here in this chapter, therefore, it is said, śrī bhagavān uvāca, Absolute Person... Bhagavān means the Absolute Person who does not depend on anyone else.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Durban, October 9, 1975:

So that Kṛṣṇa consciousness achievement, how it can be obtained is being explained by Kṛṣṇa Himself. Therefore it is said, śrī bhagavān uvāca: "The Supreme Personality..." Bhagavān means He does not cheat you. Others, they will give you instruction and cheat you, because anyone who is not liberated, he has got four defects of his life: he commits mistake, he is illusioned, he cheats and his senses are imperfect.

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

Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavān, the Supreme... Bhagavān means... Bhaga means opulence. Just like we use the word bhāgyavān. From this bhāgya, "fortune," comes the word bhaga. So personally the Supreme Bhagavān or Bhagavān... Bhagavān is never unfortunate. If somebody claims that he is Bhagavān, but Bhagavān is never unfortunate. He is always fortunate. Ṣaṇṇāṁ bhaga itīṅganā.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Bombay, December 20, 1975:

So to know God, God, He is personally giving instruction how to know God. Kṛṣṇa says, bhagavān uvāca. Here it is not, Vyāsadeva is not speaking, Kṛṣṇa says. Because sometimes Kṛṣṇa is misunderstood; therefore Vyāsadeva writes or says in this connection, bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān means the fully opulent, samagrasya. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya: He is the most powerful, the supreme rich, supreme wise, supreme beautiful and at the same time supremely renounced. These qualification makes one Bhagavān. So kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. That is the verdict of Vedic literature. So īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ. Bhagavān is also sometimes called Parameśvara. Īśvara means the ruling power or the personality who controls. So everyone of us, we have got some controlling power either in the society or family or community or government or international. Everyone has got some capacity to control, but nobody is supreme controller. Supreme controller means that He is no more controlled by anyone. Other controller, they are controllers, but they are controlled by somebody else. But Kṛṣṇa is not that kind of controller. He is the supreme controller means He controls everyone but nobody has above Him to control. Therefore He is called Parameśvara. Īśvaraḥ means controller.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Bombay, December 20, 1975:

One of the qualification of Bhagavān is aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ, jñāna. He has got full knowledge. He hasn't got to take knowledge from anyone else. Svābhāvikī jñāna. Bhagavān means svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca. Na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇam, this is Vedic injunction,

na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate
na tat-samaś cābhyadhikaś ca dṛśyate
parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate
svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca

Svābhāvikī jñāna, all full knowledge He has got. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ, He is the creator of everything. So how He got this knowledge to float these big, big planets in the air? That is knowledge, that is art. Just like when you float a big aeroplane in the sky, it requires knowledge, it requires technology, art. It is not flying automatically; that is a mistake. So if to float an ordinary airship it requires so much knowledge, so much technology, how much knowledge is there when you see that the biggest planet, the sun is floating in the air, and it is lying in one corner of the sky and exactly in time it is rotating, yasyājñayā bhramati sambhṛta-kāla-cakraḥ? There is knowledge. There is art who has fixed it. Therefore in the Vedas it is said yasyājñayā bhramati sambhṛta-kāla-cakraḥ. He is also rotating in the orbit by the order of Govinda. Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Hyderabad, August 22, 1976:

Śrī bhagavān uvāca. Vyāsadeva could have written śrī kṛṣṇa uvāca, but purposefully he's writing śrī bhagavān uvāca. Because avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, because He descends as human being, mūḍhas, those who are rascals, they consider Him just like one of us human beings. Avajānanti. Therefore to avoid the offense on the part of the mūḍhas, he writes bhagavān uvāca. Directly.

Bhagavān means full with six opulences.

aiśvaryasya samagrasya
vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ
jñāna-vairāgyayoś caiva
ṣaṇṇāṁ bhaga itīṅganā

Bhagavān means aiśvaryasya samagrasya, the master of all wealth within the creation. That is Bhagavān. Not that millions or trillions of dollars, but all the wealth. Aiśvaryasya samagra. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram:"I am the enjoyer and proprietor of all the planets." That is Bhagavān. Aiśvaryasya samagra. Vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ. He's the master of all strength; He's all-famous. Kṛṣṇa five thousand years ago appeared on this planet, but still He's famous. His worship is going on still. In India there are hundreds and thousands of temples like this. Not only in India, now outside India there are least hundreds of temples like this. He's so famous. That is Bhagavān. He's not a cheap Bhagavān: "I have become Bhagavān by meditation." No. He's real Bhagavān. Bhagavān is Bhagavān.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Hyderabad, August 22, 1976:

So to understand Bhagavān, Parabrahman, that is the mission of human life. The cats and dogs cannot understand Bhagavān. That is not possible. A human being can understand. This Bhagavad-gītā is for the human being, not for the cats and dogs. So Kṛṣṇa says that "If you want to know Me..." It is not easy to understand Bhagavān, or God. God is not the exact word of Bhagavān; therefore we use the word "Godhead." "Back to Godhead." Bhagavān means the Supreme Lord, the Supreme Being. God means the ruler, the controller. But when we come to the supreme controller, He is Bhagavān. You are controller, I am controller. I am controller of my disciples within the Kṛṣṇa conscious society, but I cannot control the whole world. I have got some... You are controller in your home, of your wife, children, servants. But you are also controlled. You are not absolute controller. Therefore Bhagavān means the absolute controller.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Stockholm, September 10, 1973:

This is a verse from the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā which we have published: Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. There are many editions of Bhagavad-gītā, but most of them, they have been edited to push forward the editor's own personal philosophical views. But we do not accept Bhagavad-gītā in that light. Bhagavad-gītā is supposed to be spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore it is stated here, bhagavān uvāca. Those who are Sanskrit scholar, they will understand what is meant by the word bhagavān. Bhagavān. Bhaga means opulence, and one who possesses opulences, he is called vān. The vat-pratyaya. From vat-pratyaya, the word comes, vān. So bhagavān means "one who possesses all opulences."

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Vrndavana, August 9, 1974:

So knowledge of the truth is nondual. Absolute means nondual, no relative, absolute, advaya-jñāna. So what is that advaya-jñāna? Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate. So to approach Kṛṣṇa, to understand, one has to go through the brahma-jñāna, brahmeti, then Paramātmā, paramātma-jñāna. Then kṛṣṇa-jñāna. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate. So generally, those who are inquiring about the Absolute Truth, they come to the point of brahma-jñāna, brahma-jñāna. Then, if one makes further advance, then he can understand paramātma-jñāna. Paramātma-jñāna means the all-pervasive Personality of Godhead, localized aspect. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati. That is paramātma-jñāna. First of all, brahma-jñāna, then paramātma-jñāna, then bhagavad-jñāna.

Bhagavān iti śabdyate. That bhagavān is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam . Bhagavān means opulent.

Lecture on BG 7.11-16 -- New York, October 7, 1966:

So the simple thing is that father has to surrender, er, the son has to surrender to the father. Simple thing. And the father, what kind of father? He is not ordinary father. He is Bhagavān. Bhagavān means possessing full power, full strength, full wealth, full knowledge. He's not ordinary father. He is not like material father, a poor father without any knowledge. But here is the father who is full of knowledge, full of opulence, and we have to surrender to such father. Don't you think yourself to be lucky to go to such a father and enjoy His property?

Lecture on BG 7.18 -- New York, October 12, 1966:

Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante. There are different kinds of transcendentalists. They are called tattva-vit. Tattva-vit means one who knows the Absolute Truth. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavata it is said, vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam. Tattva-vit, the transcendentalists, call it Absolute Truth which is yaj jñānam advayam, where there is no duality. In the transcendental knowledge there is no duality. There is no..., nothing different from nothing. Everything is on the same level. That is called... One who knows that knowledge, he is called tattva-vit. Now, the tattva-vit says that the Supreme Absolute Truth is recognized in three aspects: brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate-brahmeti, impersonal Brahman; and Paramātmā, the localized Supersoul; and Bhagavān. Bhagavān means the Personality of Godhead.So they are three angles of vision. Just like from a distant place, if you see one mountain, you'll see just like something cloudy. If you advance more, the same mountain you'll see something green. And if you enter into that mountain, you'll find so many variegatedness, so many trees, so many animals. So objective is the same. But under different angles of vision, from distance, different people have got different conception of the Absolute Truth.

Lecture on BG 8.28-9.2 -- New York, November 21, 1966:

Now we begin the Ninth Chapter. We have finished the Eighth Chapter. We are beginning the Ninth Chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā. Śrī bhagavān uvāca. The Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, is speaking. Śrī Bhagavān. I have several times described what this word bhagavān means. Bhaga means "opulence," and vān means "who possesses." So bhagavān. There is... Everything has definition. So in the Vedic scripture we'll find the definition of God. We have got some conception of God, but in the Vedic literature you'll find definite description, what do we mean by "God." That what do we mean by "God" is described in one word: Śrī bhagavān. Bhagavān. Bhaga means opulence, and vān means "one who possesses."

Lecture on BG 9.1 -- Vrndavana, April 17, 1975:

Śrī-bhagavān uvāca. Now we will explain. So śrī-bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān, this word, I have explained many times. Bhagavān means the supreme authority. So far authoritative power is concerned, that is analyzed by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī. Cent percent power or cent percent qualification is in Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. There is... This is called saviśeṣa, personal analysis, not that ...Even somebody is sometimes addressed as Bhagavān, that does not mean he is also equal to the Supreme Person. Just like sometimes Nārada Muni is also addressed as Bhagavān. Lord Śiva is also addressed as Bhagavān, not only viṣṇu-tattva, but also others. Sometimes they are addressed as Bhagavān.But in order to particularly point out Kṛṣṇa, it has been said in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. Kṛṣṇa... Actually, Bhagavān is Kṛṣṇa because He has got cent percent qualities of Bhagavān. That is analyzed in Caitanya-caritāmṛta. He is cent percent Bhagavān.

Lecture on BG 9.1 -- Melbourne, April 19, 1976:

Just like some law is passed after much discussion in the legislative assembly, but when the law is passed, enacted, you cannot argue anymore. "Under such and such law you have to do this section." Then you cannot argue. Similarly, Vedic knowledge, it is nirṇītam. It is already established. Simply you have to know it submissively. If you are lacking in that submissiveness, then don't put question. That will be simply waste of time. That is Vedic system. First of all you should approach a person whom you think that he is the right person; he can give the answer. Then you put question. If you have doubt that "This man may be or may not be able to answer my question," then don't put question because you are not prepared to take his answer. Therefore here it is said, bhagavān uvāca. You cannot put any question. That is the way.Because Bhagavān means... Every word has got meaning. Bhaga means opulence. So one of the opulence is nobody is wiser than Him. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ. Bhagavān means one who possesses six kinds of opulences, richness, aiśvaryasya samagrasya, total richness.

Lecture on BG 9.1 -- Melbourne, April 19, 1976:

This has been decided. Nṛpa-nirṇītam. It is already considered and decided. So any part... Suppose Bhagavān means the supreme rich. Supreme Being means everything supreme. In richness He is supreme. In bodily strength He is supreme. His knowledge is supreme. In beauty He is supreme. In renunciation He is supreme. That is the description, definition of God, that He must be supreme in every respect. Therefore He is called Supreme Being in the dictionary. Nobody can be rival to Him. Asamaurdhva. Asama means equal. Nobody is equal to Him. If I become equal to Him, how He can become Supreme? If there is rivalry between the Supreme, then there is not meaning of Supreme. Supreme means there is no rivalry. He is the Supreme, means nobody is greater than Him; nobody is equal to Him; everyone is under Him. That is called Supreme. Asamaurdhva. Nobody can be sama. Sama means equal. If I am God, and another competitor God, you are also God, then neither I am God nor I am God. There cannot be any competition. That is called Supreme. So Arjuna is to that position. He does not challenge Kṛṣṇa that "There is another Supreme Being than Yourself." There cannot be. But sometimes we foolishly challenge. That is our foolishness. But God is always Supreme.

Lecture on BG 10.1 -- New York, December 27, 1966:

Śrī-bhagavān uvāca, the Supreme Personality of Godhead said. Bhagavān, this very word, is very significant. You should try to understand what does it mean, bhaga. Bhaga means opulence and bhagavān means one who has got opulences. The Sanskrit grammar, there is a affix called vat. Vat means possessing. Atha ke vatit (?). When a, when the sense of possession is there, this vat affix is there. So bhaga, bhaga means opulence, and plus vat, that means one who has got opulence. This is the meaning of bhagavān.

Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Miami, February 25, 1975:

And as Arjuna is trying to understand what is prakṛti, what is puruṣa, what is kṣetra, what is kṣetra-jña, what is knowledge, what is knowable, these question are posed. Gradually we shall discuss.

That is wanted. In ignorance if we fight, there is no solution. In darkness if we fight, we may wound, I may wound you, you may wound me, but there will be no solution. So the whole world is in darkness. Therefore there is struggle. One is capitalist, one is communist, one is this, one is that, and there is struggle because everyone is in ignorance, māyā andhakāra, in darkness of ignorance. And Kṛṣṇa is light. Ignorance fighting will not make any solution of the problem. We must come to the light and take knowledge from the most enlightened, Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavān.

Bhagavān means He is endowed with six kind of opulence. He is the supreme rich. He is the supreme famous. He is supreme beauty and supreme wise. We have to take knowledge from the supreme wise. That knowledge is perfect. Therefore here it is said, bhagavān uvāca.

Lecture on BG 13.4 -- Bombay, September 27, 1973:

Because we are all sons of Kṛṣṇa... We are wandering in this material world as mad chap. Just like a rich man's son has become mad. He leaves his home and loitering in the street and eating in the garbage. That is our position. We are the sons of the richest person. Aiśvaryasya samāgrasya. Bhagavān means who is the proprietor of all riches. So we are sons of such a rich man. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanā... But we have become mad.

Lecture on BG 13.19 -- Bombay, October 13, 1973:

So svayaṁ bhagavān, Kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. We have many times explained the word bhagavān. Bhagavān means six opulences. Riches and... Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya. Potency. Vīryasya yaśasaḥ, fame, reputation. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ, beauty, jñāna, knowledge, and vairāgya, detachment. When one is full with all these six opulences, he's God. So people try to get the opulences. Everyone is trying by karma, jñāna, yoga. But nobody can attain the opulences in full strength. That is not possible. So the simple definition of God is that one who is in full six opulences, he's God. That has been analyzed by great saintly persons, including Lord Brahmā, and it has been decided that the all the six opulences can be found in Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 16.1-3 -- Hawaii, January 29, 1975:

Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, as it is, without any change. Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru: "Just become My devotee. Always think of Me." We are teaching the same thing. We have no difficulty. What we are requesting you? "You think of Kṛṣṇa. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." That's all. Where is the difficulty? We don't say, "You think of that, this of that, to this demigod, that demigod." No. We don't say. What is the use of other demigod? We show all respect to everyone, even to the ant, but that does mean that any demigod, any damn, any rascal, should be worshiped as God? No. That is not possible. We can show respect even to the insignificant ant. Tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā. That may be another thing. But we cannot accept anyone as God. That is not possible. That is knowledge. That is knowledge. Be convinced firmly, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam: "Bhagavān means Kṛṣṇa, nobody else." Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ yajante anya-devatāḥ. Anya-devatāḥ, accept as God, they are accepted by the rascals, hṛta-jñānāḥ, those who have lost their knowledge.

Lecture on BG 17.1-3 -- Honolulu, July 4, 1974:

Bhagavān means the ultimate. Just like in some country there is supreme court. So when the judgement is given by the Supreme Court, that is final. And when it was monarchy, the order given by the king, that is final—no more questioning. Similarly, when it is mentioned, śrī bhagavān uvāca, that means it is final. No more argument, no more logic Logic is there argument is there but it is final. No waste of time anymore. What Bhagavān says, that is called paramparā. The first utterances, order, or statement, or judgement, is given by the Supreme Lord, and if that is followed through the disciplic chain, that is real understanding, real knowledge.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Delhi, November 11, 1973:

Bhaga means opulence. Just like we sometimes speak bhagavān. That comes from this word bhaga. Similarly, bhagavān. Bhagavān means the owner of all opulences. That is called bhagavān. There are now nowadays so many bhagavāns, but they are not owner of all opulences. Maybe partly. But God means, bhagavān means samagrasya. Samagra means complete. One rich man can claim that "I am owner of so many crores." Another can claim, "No I have got one or two more crores more than you." Others may say... So on, so on, so on, go on. But nobody can claim that "I am the owner of all opulences." But in the Bhagavad-gītā, you will find, Kṛṣṇa claims, bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram. Sarva-loka-maheśvaram, "The supreme proprietor of all the lokas." That is admitted by the śāstra.

Lecture on SB 1.2.11 -- Vrndavana, October 22, 1972:

So here we find that the Absolute Truth is realized as Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān. Bhagavān is the ultimate, the last word in the understanding of the Absolute Truth. Unless you come to the point of Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa... Bhagavān means original Bhagavān is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. All other Bhagavāns, They are expansions, plenary or part of the plenary expansion of Bhagavān, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. So in the spiritual world also one has to go farther and farther until he reaches to the point of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Delhi, November 18, 1973:

So our Gosvāmī Bhavānanda has explained about the Absolute Truth, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. Bhagavān iti. But who is Bhagavān? That has been also explained. Bhagavān means ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇa, complete in six opulences. He is Bhagavān. Bhaga means opulence. Just like we say bhāgyavān. This bhāgyavān word comes from bhaga. Bhaga bhavārthe śrī-karṇa(?), bhāgya. And vān is vatup, asty arthe vatup(?). If somebody possesses something, this affix vat or mat is used. So bhagavān means one who has opulences. So Bhagavān, Kṛṣṇa, when He was present on this planet, nobody could excel His opulences. That's a fact.

Lecture on SB 1.3.28 -- Los Angeles, October 3, 1972:

So bhagavān svayam, the Absolute Truth is Bhagavān. Bhagavān means person, with six opulences. And why He comes? Indrāri-vyākulaṁ lokaṁ mṛḍayanti yuge yuge. People are harassed by these demons. Therefore, He comes to give protection. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnām. He comes to give protection to the sādhu. They are very much anxious to be... When they are in danger, they pray for Kṛṣṇa. So just to satisfy them, Kṛṣṇa comes. Not even for killing the demons. But when He comes, He also executes this service also, to kill all these demons. Otherwise, for killing demons, He does not require to come. He, He has got many agents. So many demons can be killed within a second. For this purpose, killing purpose, Kṛṣṇa does not come. He comes especially for the devotee. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. For give darśana personally to Prahlāda Mahārāja—he has suffered in the hands of his father—He appeared. Otherwise, to kill Hiraṇyakaśipu, oh, it is not very big business. Indrāri-vyākulaṁ lokaṁ mṛḍayanti. When a devotee is very much harassed, so He comes in, as incarnation. So you stick to remain a pure devotee, and Kṛṣṇa will give you all protection.

Lecture on SB 1.7.6 -- Vrndavana, April 18, 1975:

So he visioned two things, that one, puruṣam... Apaśyat puruṣaṁ pūrṇam. Puruṣa, perfect, pūrṇam, complete. We are trying to become puruṣa or Bhagavān, but we are not perfect. The Bhagavān means pūrṇam. Ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇaḥ. Complete. So we cannot accept anyone as Bhagavān unless he is pūrṇam. Ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇaḥ. That is Kṛṣṇa. Ṣaḍ-aiśvaryaiḥ pūrṇo ya iha bhagavān

Lecture on SB 1.7.40 -- Vrndavana, October 1, 1976:

Because I have several times pressed on this point that everything in relationship with Kṛṣṇa is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the advaya-jñāna. Absolute Truth. Kṛṣṇa and His name, His house, His devotees—His everything. Nāma rūpa guṇa līlā parikara vaiśiṣṭa, everything. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says... Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy, it is said by Viśvanātha Cakravartī, ārādhyo bhagavān vrajeśa-tanaya tad-dhāma vṛndāvanam. Vrajeśa-tanaya, Vrajendra-nandana Hari, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is very much pleased when He is addressed as Vrajendra-nandana, Yaśodānandana, Pārtha-sārathi. Added with the, with His devotee's name. Just to establish that He's not nirviśeṣa. He's always saviśeṣa. So this addition... Kṛṣṇa is everyone's father. Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā. Who can be His father? Nobody can become His father. Still, He accepts a father, and He likes that He should be called by His father's name. Who is that father? His devotee. Vrajendra-nandana Hari. Ārādhyo bhagavān vrajeśa... Bhagavān. He is addressed as Bhagavān. Bhagavān means the Supreme Person, Supreme Being. Who can be His father? Still, it is said, ārādhyo bhagavān vrajeśa-tanayaḥ. Vrajeśa-tanaya. He's son of Mahārāja Nanda, ārādhyo bhagavān, Yaśomatī-nandana.

Lecture on SB 1.7.49-50 -- Vrndavana, October 7, 1976:

Just like a big rich man. He eats so many nice things. But sometimes he says, "Give me some puffed rice." Puffed rice is not his food, but he likes sometimes. Similarly, everyone prays to God with reverence and vow and obedience, but He wants to be chastised sometimes. That chastisement, from where this chastisement will come? It will come from His devotee, not ordinary. If ordinary man chastises, imitating Yaśodāmāyi, he will be offender. He will be punished. But where He agrees to be chastised, "Mother you chastise Me," that is bhakti. That is devotional service. So there is nothing extraordinary when it is said here, bhagavān devakī-suta. He can become Devakī-suta. It is His mercy.

So we have to understand that, how Bhagavān, ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇa. Bhagavān means ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇa. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47). All powerful. He can appear anywhere, without any restriction. But still, He appears as Devakī-suta. Janma karma ca divyaṁ me yo jānāti. We have to understand through the śāstra. And that tattvataḥ understanding is possible only through bhakti.

Lecture on SB 1.8.33 -- Mayapura, October 13, 1974:

Bhagavān. Bhagavān means the proprietor of all wealth, aiśvarya, samagrasya. Not any limited amount, but samagra, everything. Kṛṣṇa says that. Bhoktāraṁ yajña..., sarva-loka-maheśvaram: "I am the proprietor of all the planets." Kṛṣṇa says that. So you check Him, that "How He is the proprietor of all the planets?" Therefore He showed Viśvarūpa, the universal form, how everything is within Him.

Everything is there. Arjuna wanted, requested Kṛṣṇa, that "How I can understand that You are the proprietor, You are the everything in the universe?" So He showed His universal form. Kṛṣṇa showed in every way to fulfill the proper definition of God, aiśvaryasya samagrasya, proprietor of everything, and vīryasya, the powerful. Nobody could kill Kṛṣṇa, but He killed so many demons, big, big demons. Therefore He's powerful. And His reputation? Still continuing, Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.9.3 -- Los Angeles, May 17, 1973:

So Bhagavān means one who has complete opulence, six opulences in complete, pūrṇam. Pūrṇam idaṁ pūrṇam adaḥ. That is Bhagavān. That is Bhagavān. There are so many rascal come as incarnation of God, Bhagavān, but you have to taste whether all the opulences are complete there. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya. First thing is riches. So whether one has got all the riches. Then he will be Bhagavān. And nobody can say that "I have got all the riches." I may have something more than your riches, but I cannot say that "All the riches..." So if you find out somebody, somebody like you or me, and if he possesses all the riches, all strength, all influence, all knowledge, all beauty—then He is Bhagavān. That Kṛṣṇa possesses.

Lecture on SB 1.15.30 -- Los Angeles, December 8, 1973:

So Arjuna here says, bhagavatā, "What I heard from that personality, Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavān." Bhagavān means full of six opulences. I've described it many times. So here is the direct hearer, listener. He says bhagavatā. How you can say that Kṛṣṇa is not Bhagavān-ordinary person? How you can say? One who heard the message, he says directly. This is called paramparā system. This is called paramparā. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ. So if we understand Bhagavad-gītā, as Kṛṣṇa..., as Arjuna understood. that is perfect. That is Bhagavad-gītā As It Is.

Lecture on SB 3.25.1 -- Bombay, November 1, 1974:

So God is one. God cannot be two. When there is competition of God, they are not God. Just like it has become nowadays—in every state there is a God. That is not... Kṛṣṇa is not that kind of God. He is the Supreme God. Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya: "Nobody is superior than Me." So that is... We are preaching. We are teaching people. These Americans and the Europeans, they have taken it seriously because they are fortunate.They have no information of these hodgepodge gods. That is their opportunity.I have told them, given the information that Kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. I have not given any wrong information. Right information. Bhagavān means Kṛṣṇa. God means Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 3.25.2 -- Bombay, November 2, 1974:

So Bhagavān, Bhagavān is not like that person. Therefore it is said, bhagavān ātma-māyayā. When Bhagavān.. We come here to stay for some days, say fifty years or hundred years, enjoy or suffer life, but Bhagavān does not come for that purpose.Na māṁ karmāṇi limpanti. That is stated in the previous verse. And the second verse it is further... Na hy asya varṣmaṇaḥ: "Nobody is greater than Him." Bhagavān means the person, nobody is greater than Him and nobody is equal to Him. That is Bhagavān. Everyone is lower. The Caitanya-caritāmṛta kaṛacā says, ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa āra saba bhṛtya. Āra saba bhṛtya. Only one master is Kṛṣṇa, and others, beginning from Brahmā... Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara, Indra, Candra, all these demigods... There are hundred and thousands. Thirty-three million demigods. And then this naraloka, there are so many rich men, Rockefeller, Ford, Birla and others, others... So they are bhṛtyas, all servants. When Kṛṣṇa will order, "My dear Mr. such and such, now give up your place. Go away," finish. So therefore they are all servants. This is the position beginning from Brahmā down to the ant.

Lecture on SB 3.25.4 -- Bombay, November 4, 1974:

So if we actually are interested to understand spiritual knowledge, we must approach the representative of ācārya. Pratijāne. And ācārya means who follows Vyāsadeva. Just like Maitreya, dvaipāyana-sakha. Maitreyo bhagavān. He has been addressed as Bhagavān. Of course, the Supreme Bhagavān is Bhaga... Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. But other powerful persons, just like Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva, or Vyāsadeva, Maitreya, very, very big personalities, they are also sometimes addressed as Bhagavān. Nāradadeva. They are bhagavān. Actual Bhagavān is Kṛṣṇa. But they have attained, as far as possible... It is not possible to have the cent percent knowledge of Kṛṣṇa. Nobody can do that. Even Nārāyaṇa cannot do that. Even Bhīṣma cannot do that. But those who are, I mean to say, devotees or followers of Kṛṣṇa's instructions fully, they are also sometimes called bhagavān. But that bhagavān does not mean artificial bhagavān. Bhagavān means he knows what Kṛṣṇa has taught. He's also bhagavān. Bhagavāṁs tathā, prāha, he said, idam, viduram, unto Vidura, and prītaḥ, being pleased. Not that simply talking between friends and friends. No. Being prītaḥ. Just to... He's also eager. He's also eager, and he's also very much pleased. Vidura was eager to receive the transcendental knowledge, and Maitreya was pleased upon him.

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

Tasmin bindu-sarovare avātsīt. They lived there in the Bindu, on the bank of the Bindu-sarovara, lake. Avātsīd bhagavān kapilaḥ. Now, Kapiladeva is Bhagavān. There is another Kapiladeva, Kapila Ṛṣi. He is atheist. But here, this Kapiladeva is authority and Bhagavān, incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavān. Most powerful. Bhagavān means most powerful, all-powerful.

Lecture on SB 3.25.9 -- Bombay, November 9, 1974:

So this is Kṛṣṇa's love. Kṛṣṇa is the Īśvara. Here it is said, puṁsām īśvaraḥ: the controller of the whole universe. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram. But a devotee can control the Supreme Controller. Why they shall become one with God? They'll be God's father, God's controller. This is bhakti-mārga. Bhakti-mārga is not satisfied... They do not want to be equal with God or one with God. No. They want to give service. This is bhakti-mārga. Therefore Bhagavān. Bhagavān means "full of all opulence, all-powerful, almighty." That is Bhagavān. So to understand the Absolute Truth, you have to understand what is the meaning of Bhagavān. That is Absolute Truth.

Lecture on SB 3.25.9 -- Bombay, November 9, 1974:

So then you will understand ya bhagavān. Ya bhagavān puṁsām īśvaraḥ. Bhagavān means Īśvara, controller. You are not independent. Everyone is dependent. Somebody is dependent of somebody, somebody... But you are dependent. Nobody can say, "I am independent." Even President Nixon, he's not independent. He was dragged down from the post. So you cannot say that "I am independent." That is a foolish proposal. You must always think that you are dependent. That is said, stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā

Lecture on SB 3.25.13 -- Bombay, November 13, 1974:

So here it is... Kapiladeva... Kapiladeva is Bhagavān. Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Bhagavān has no mistake. Bhagavān... Nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ avyaktāt. Even Śaṅkarācārya says that Bhagavān, Nārāyaṇa, He does not belong to this material world. Nārāyaṇaḥ avyaktāt paraḥ. So when we speak of Bhagavān, or the śāstra says Bhagavān, Bhagavān means above material understanding, divyam, above material understanding, paraḥ, above material understanding. So here it is said bhagavān uvāca. Even he does not say, Vyāsadeva, that kapiladeva uvāca. No. Similarly, in the Bhagavad-gītā also, Vyāsadeva says... Kṛṣṇa says actually. But Vyāsadeva says, bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān means above the defects of this material world. That is Bhagavān. Bhagavān is not subjected to the deficiencies of this material world. There are four deficiencies in the material world. Just like we are concerned, in the material world, we are not perfect because we commit mistake, bhrama. We are illusioned. Bhrama pramada. And vipralipsa, we try to cheat others. I have no knowledge; still, I become teacher or preacher. That is cheating. We have no perfect knowledge. Therefore our principle is to teach what Bhagavān says. We don't manufacture teaching. This is not our business. As they manufacture... They say, the ordinary, I mean to say, so-called scholars and learned men, they give their opinion... Especially in the Western world, there are so many philosophical speculations, each one giving his own mental gymnastics. That philosophy is not perfect. We have to take ideas from Bhagavān. That is perfect.

Lecture on SB 3.25.19 -- Bombay, November 19, 1974:

Therefore it is particularly said, bhaktyā bhagavati. Bhagavati, "unto the Supreme..." What kind of Bhagavān? Now, nowadays there are so many Bhagavāns. No, not that kind of imitation Bhagavān, but what kind of? Akhilātmani. You ask this so-called imitation Bhagavān that "Are you akhilātman? Are you present in everyone's heart? Can you say what I am thinking now?"So Bhagavān means He must be akhilātmā. Don't be misled by so-called Bhagavān. Everything is there. Bhagavān means akhilātmani. He knows. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe. If you are Īśvara, then you must be present in everyone's heart. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ

Lecture on SB 3.25.29 -- Bombay, November 29, 1974:

So understanding of Bhagavān means understand of Brahman and Paramātmā. But understanding of Brahman or Paramātmā is not understanding Bhagavān. Therefore the Brahmavādīs, the Paramātmavādīs, they are impersonalists. They cannot understand the Supreme Being Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. They cannot understand. That is the defect.

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

The Kapiladeva, the son of Devahūti, explained to His mother. The mother wanted to know from the son. His father left home, and the mother was kept by the, at the care of his son, grown-up son. That is Vedic system, that when the son is grown up, the mother should be left at the care of the grown-up son, and the father should leave. He should become vānaprastha or sannyāsa, no more connection with wife. This is Vedic system. So Kapiladeva's father, Kardama Muni, he left home, and he kept his wife under the care of Kapiladeva, and He is propounding this Sāṅkhya philosophy. And today's verse is na anyatra mad bhagavataḥ: "Without Him, without taking shelter of bhagavataḥ, Bhagavān..." Bhagavān means ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇa, almighty Lord. Nobody can give you protection. Just like when one is condemned to death by the justice, so there is no other way to save him than by the mercy of the king or the president—he can save—similarly, we are all condemned. We are suffering this material condition of life, constantly a chain of body, and suffering the threefold miseries. Tīvraṁ bhayam. This is very fierceful, but we do not understand. We are living in such condition. But by the spell of māyā we are thinking we are very happy. But that is not actual fact. It is tīvraṁ bhayam.

Lecture on SB 3.26.1 -- Bombay, December 13, 1974:

So that is Vedic knowledge. You get the exact knowledge. Therefore Vedic knowledge is called apauruṣeya. It is not spoken by ordinary human being by speculation: "It may be," "Perhaps." No. It is not like that. That is Bhagavān. Whatever He'll say exact, that is Vedic knowledge. Therefore it is safer to take knowledge from Bhagavān, especially the knowledge of Bhagavān. Bhagavān is not so cheap thing. If you want to know Bhagavān... If you do not be so fool to accept another fool as Bhagavān, then you have to hear about Bhagavān about Bhagavān. That is the process. Therefore the Vedic instruction is, to get perfect knowledge, you have to approach a person who is guru. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet. And who's guru? Guru means representative of Bhagavān. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ **. Guru... Because the real guru, he's representative of Kṛṣṇa, sākṣāt-hari. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ. In all scriptures it is described that guru is as good as Bhagavān. Means he knows from the right source. Therefore he may be, not maybe exactly, but as good, sākṣād-dharitvena.

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

Adhuna—"just now"; mahā-bhāga—"O the most fortunate." Parīkṣit Mahārāja is addressed as mahā-bhāga. Mahā means great, and bhāga, the same bhāga from the word bhaga, bhāga. Bhagavān and bhāgyavān, mahā-bhāga—these terms are applicable to the very, very great fortunate, opulent. Actually Bhagavān, this word, is applicable to Kṛṣṇa. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā, you will find, whenever Kṛṣṇa is speaking, Vyāsadeva has written, śrī bhagavān uvāca. Real Bhagavān is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. Everyone has got little fortune, opulence, but nobody is comparable with Kṛṣṇa. Therefore in the śāstra it is said, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam: "Real Bhagavān is Kṛṣṇa," The supreme controller. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ. But if one has got little favor of Kṛṣṇa, he is called bhāgyavān, not Bhagavān; bhāgyavān, fortunate. The word is coming from the same bhaga. I have several times explained. Bhaga means richness, bhaga means influence, bhaga means bodily strength, bhaga means knowledge, bhaga means beauty, and bhaga means renunciation. Aiśvaryasya samāgrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ. And bhaga means reputation, fame. So these are the symptoms of bhaga. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja, although nobody can be equal to Kṛṣṇa... Bhagavān means asamaurdha. Nobody is equal to Him; nobody is greater than Him. That is Bhagavān. I am fortunate, you are fortunate, but we have got many equals and many greater than. But when you reach somebody where you find nobody is equal to Him and nobody is greater than Him, that is real Bhagavān. This is a logical conclusion, who is Bhagavān.

Lecture on SB 6.1.16 -- Honolulu, May 16, 1976:

So here it is said that aghavān. Aghavān means sinful. Agha means sin and vān means... Just like Bhagavān. Bhagavān means one who has bhaga, or opulence, or fortune. That is called bhagavat. And just the opposite is called aghavat. This is Sanskrit language. Bhagavān means the most opulent, topmost place, Bhagavān. And aghavān means lowest place. So here it is said that one has to become aghavān to the stage of Bhagavān. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness: not to remain aghavān, but to become Bhagavān. Bhagavān, of course, means the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But those who are very, very advanced, recognized by Bhagavān, they are also sometimes called Bhagavān. Just like Lord Śiva, Lord Brahma, Nārada Muni, on their status, sometimes they are called Bhagavān.

Lecture on SB 6.1.48 -- Dallas, July 30, 1975:

So now the Yamadūtas are describing about Yamarāja, who is as good as Brahmā. He is entrusted with the majestical power To Yamarāja not all the living beings are taken to, neither the animals, only the human being and those who are criminals or sinful, not all of them. First of all there are living entities, 8,400,000 forms, or species. So not all of them sinful and subjected to be brought for justice before Yamarāja. Just like magistrate, criminal magistrate. He is... In every city the district magistrate, not all the people are brought there, only the criminals. So he is so powerful that through his mind he can see the past and the future, tri-kāla-jñā, by mind. And because he is so powerful, he is addressed here as Bhagavān. I have several times explained, Bhagavān means the most powerful, full of opulences. So those who are in charge of departmental affairs within this universal kingdom, they are also sometimes addressed as Bhagavān.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- San Francisco, March 3, 1967:

Bhāgavata-dharma means dealings with the Personality of Godhead. There are many kinds of dealings. So when our dealings are with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that is called bhāgavata-dharma. Bhāgavata means from the word bhagavān. Bhagavān means the person who has got all the six opulences in full. He is called Bhagavān or God. In most scriptures of the world there is idea of God, but actually there is no definition of God. But in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, because it is science of God, there is definition, what do you mean by God. The definition is that one person who has got six opulences in full, He is God.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Montreal, June 10, 1968:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja is teaching to his class friends, that "My dear friends, you try to understand this Bhāgavata-dharma." What is Bhāgavata-dharma? This is Sanskrit word. Bhāgavata means pertaining to God. Bhagavān means God and Bhāgavata, pertaining to God, that is called Bhāgavata. So Bhāgavata-dharma, the purpose of Bhāgavata-dharma means pertaining to my..., you have to test the success of your activities by pleasing God. That is Bhāgavata-dharma.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- New York, April 9, 1969:

Sanātana-dharma means that eternal occupational duty which you cannot cease. Now, Prahlāda Mahārāja is advising that, dharmān bhāgavatān. Bhāgavatān means... Bhāgavata means pertaining to Bhagavān. And Bhagavān means to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So bhāgavata is the adjective form of the noun word Bhagavān. Bhaga, real form of the word is bhagavat. Bhagavat. Vat means possessing, and bhaga means opulences. One who possess all the opulences, He's called bhagavat. And from bhagavat this word has come, bhāgavata. So bhāgavata means pertaining to God and His devotees. That is called bhāgavata. Just like this book is called Bhāgavata because it deals only with the subject matter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, nothing more. Bas. Therefore it is called Bhāgavata. And you'll find description in this book, the dealings between Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and His devotees.

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

So how we become detached? We are so much attached; how we can become detached? That is also given. The process is given in the Bhāgavatam: vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ. If you engage yourself in executing devotional service to Vāsudeva, vāsudeve bhagavati... Vāsudeva means the Supreme Personality of Godhead, most opulent. Bhagavati. Bhagavān means most opulent, full with six kinds of opulence. Vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ—no other means. You cannot become liberated by any other means except bhakti-yoga.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 21, 1972:

The Kṛṣṇa consciousness message is kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. There is no other Bhagavān. Bhagavān means full of six opulences. So Kṛṣṇa is completely, cent percent full of all opulences. Even Nārāyaṇa, He is ninety-six percent. And Lord Śiva is eighty-four percent. And Brahmā is seventy-eight percent. These are calculated by the Gosvāmīs. So Kṛṣṇa is cent percent Bhagavān.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 1, 1972:

The conclusion is, a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa is picked up out of many, many liberated persons. Mukta-saṅgasya jāyate. Kṛṣṇa realization, bhagavat-tattva-vijñānam, mukta-saṅgasya jāyate. Bhagavat-tattva, the truth, the Absolute Truth, which is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, bhagavat-tattva-vijñānam. Tattva means truth, and that is Bhagavān. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti. Brahman realization is not all. One has to go further. Paramātmā realization—one has to go further. When one comes to realization of Bhagavān, ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇa-bhagavān-Bhagavān means full will six kinds of opulences, person, sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ, sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.5 -- Mayapur, March 29, 1975:

So another feature of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is described here by the author, Kavirāja Gosvāmī. In the beginning He has been described as the ultimate Absolute Truth, ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇaḥ ya bhagavān. The Absolute Truth realized in three phases. The ultimate phase is Bhagavān. Ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇaḥ. Bhagavān means full of six opulences. Not as nowadays there are so many Bhagavāns, they have no aiśvarya. But Bhagavān means ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇaḥ, full opulences, six kinds of opulence. Then that Bhagavān, Supreme Personality of Godhead, has descended as incarnation, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, just to bestow the topmost understanding of loving affairs with Kṛṣṇa. Samarpayitum unnata ujjvala-rasāṁ sva-bhakti-śriyam.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.4 -- Mayapur, March 4, 1974:

So we have to achieve the highest benefit, go back to home, back to Godhead. So for this purpose, Caitanya Mahāprabhu or Lord Kṛṣṇa has not only appeared Himself, but with His associates. They are called Pañca-tattva. So here it is explained, pañca-tattva avatīrṇa caitanyera saṅge. If you take guru, then there are six tattvas. But Caitanya personally has expanded, parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate. When you speak of Bhagavān, brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate. When Bhagavān... Bhagavān means His paraphernalia. Just like when we speak, "Now the king is coming," it is not that king is alone coming. The king is coming with his minister, with his commander, with his secretaries, with his so many officers. So when we speak of Bhagavān, don't think He is alone only. No. Pañca..., that Pañca-tattva. When Bhagavān incarnates, He comes with all the associates, His śakti-tattva, avatāra-tattva, prakāśa-tattva. Many paraphernalia He comes. So here Caitanya Mahāprabhu, avatīrṇa. Here it is said, pañca-tattva avatīrṇa caitanyera saṅge. Caitanyera-saṅge... Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa Himself. So He must have His associates. Associates. That is Bhagavān.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.7 -- Mayapur, March 9, 1974:

Svayam bhagavān kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. Whatever Kavirāja Gosvāmī is speaking, not out of his own whimsical way, whatever he's speaking, he's following the paramparā system. That is Vaiṣṇavism, or ācārya. Ācāryavan puruṣo veda. (noise, talking) (aside:) Stop this. Unless we accept the ācārya in the paramparā system, we cannot understand things as they are. It is not possible. So Kavirāja Gosvāmī, he's describing this Caitanya-caritāmṛta strictly according to the verdict of the śāstras. His statement is that Kṛṣṇa is the original Personality of Godhead. Svayam bhagavān kṛṣṇa. Bhagavān is person; Bhagavān is not imperson. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate. First realization of the Absolute Truth by speculative knowledge is impersonal effulgence of the Lord, which is called brahmajyoti. Then next realization is Paramātmā, the localized aspect of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But realization of Kṛṣṇa, that is the ultimate realization. Svayam bhagavān kṛṣṇa.Bhagavān means six opulences. Nobody is richer than Bhagavān, nobody is stronger than Bhagavān, nobody is more beautiful than Bhagavān, nobody is wiser than Bhagavān, and nobody is more renouncer than Bhagavān. That is Bhagavān. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ. That is Bhagavān. Svayam bhagavān. He is opulent—ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇa—not partially.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.98-99 -- Washington, D.C., July 4, 1976:

So the śāstra says that controller or ruler is the same, and the Sanskrit synonym is īśvara. Īśvara means controller or ruler. So there are different kinds of controllers according to time, sphere. Just like in your country, the President is the controller. In other country somebody is controller. So there are many hundreds and thousands of planets within this universe, and each and every planet there is a controller. The sun planet, there is a controller. His name is Vivasvān. That we find. Similarly, the moon planet, there is a controller. Every planet, there is controller. And above all of them there is another supreme controller of the universe, the Brahma, and there are many millions of brahmāṇḍas, or universes. So there are controllers. But so far Kṛṣṇa is concerned, He is described in the śāstras, Brahma-saṁhitā, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). There are controllers, but the supreme controller is Kṛṣṇa. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ. Īśvaraḥ means controller. Sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). His form... He has form. Bhagavān means with form. You see the form here, vigrahaḥ. Vigrahaḥ means form. But His form is different from our. He's sac-cid-ānanda. His form is eternal. Our, this form is not eternal.

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

He said, "Arjuna, because you are My very confidential friend, so I am giving you the confidential knowledge." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: "You surrender unto Me, and whatever I say, you do. That is your duty." So from that point, when one surrenders to Kṛṣṇa... Why one should surrender to Kṛṣṇa? Everyone is puffed up that "I am as good as Kṛṣṇa. Why shall I surrender to Kṛṣṇa?" Many, many scholars, they comment on this verse, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ. Vraja, "Why? This is sophistry. Everyone should give up everything, simply surrender to Kṛṣṇa?" Still they say that "Why you are after Kṛṣṇa? Why not other gods or demigods?" That is their... Sometimes they question. But one who knows Kṛṣṇa,he cannot be deviated from this path, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. Bhagavān means Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.146-151 -- New York, December 3, 1966:

That Absolute Truth is manifested in three phases. What is that? Brahman. Brahman is impersonal, Brahman conception. Then Paramātmā, localized conception. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānām: "Īśvara, the Lord, is sitting in everyone's heart." This is Paramātmā conception. And Bhagavān. Bhagavān means the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So Bhagavān, Paramātmā and Brahman, they are not different. Simply according to my realization, the different names are there, according to my different realization. Somebody is realizing only the impersonal manifestation, energies, and somebody is experiencing the... Because God is everywhere. So I experience this way; you experience in that way. Therefore the name, Absolute Truth, is differently named. Otherwise there is no difference.

Festival Lectures

Govardhana Puja Lecture -- New York, November 4, 1966:

Tad abhijño 'pi. This very word is used here, that "He knew everything," Bhagavān. Because Bhagavān means He must know everything, past, present future. There is no lack of knowledge. I have several times described before you. Bhagavān means He is full of all opulences, and there are six opulences: riches, strength, fame, beauty, knowledge, and renunciation. So Bhagavān cannot be in lack of knowledge. He must know everything. That is Bhagavān.

Jagannatha Deities Installation Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.13-14 -- San Francisco, March 23, 1967:

Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate. This morning we have been discussing this śloka. So here also Bhāgavata says that tasmād ekena manasā: "With your one attention," tasmād ekena manasā bhagavān sātvatāṁ patiḥ, "you have to fix your mind on the Supreme Personality of Godhead," sātvatāṁ patiḥ, sātvatāṁ patiḥ, "the master of the devotees." Which bhagavān? There are many bhagavān, because nowadays we have manufactured many bhagavāns. But here it is said that bhagavān means sātvatāṁ patiḥ, who is accepted by great devotees, just like Brahmā, Śiva, and not that by ordinary public one has been accepted, "Oh, here is incarnation of God." No. So that God is Kṛṣṇa. That conception of God is Kṛṣṇa, because in the Bhagavad-gītā you find mattaḥ nānyat parataram asti. Kṛṣṇa says that "There is nothing beyond Me.

Six Gosvamis Lecture, Sri Sri Sad-govamy-astaka -- Los Angeles, November 18, 1968:

Therefore Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the highest goal of life. We should always remember. And Bhagavad-gītā says bahūnāṁ janmanaṁ ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate. After many, many births of evolution, one after another, one after another, one after another—that evolution is going, every moment—so when one is perfectly wise, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān. Jñānavān means perfectly wise. Jñāna means knowledge, and vān means one who has. The Sanskrit word vān... Just like bhagavān. Bhaga means opulence, and vān means one who has. So Bhagavān means one who has got six kinds of opulences in full. Every Sanskrit word has got its root meaning. It is not... Just like Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa has got His root meaning. Kṛṣṇa, "the greatest." Kṛṣ, and ṇa means negation. There are different meanings, but this is one of the meanings. Another Kṛṣṇa meaning is "all-attractive." So God is great.

General Lectures

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

Bhagavān. Bhagavān means... Bhaga means fortune. So Bhagavān. Vān means possessing fortune. So these are the symptoms of becoming fortunate: wealthy, strong, wise, beautiful, reputed, and at the same time, renouncer, without any attachment. These things are to be tested. So don't accept cheap God, or don't try to imitate God, "I am God." This is a great, what is called, standard of ignorance. Anyone falsely claiming that "I am God," that is the last snare of māyā, that one is falsely claiming God.

Lecture -- London, July 12, 1972:

Therefore He again came, Kṛṣṇa again came in the form of Lord Caitanya, as a devotee, and He taught us how to approach Kṛṣṇa, how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. So this bhāgavata-dharma is eternal. As long as we are there, as long God is there, our relationship with God, that is called bhāgavata-dharma. Bhaga. Bhaga means fortune. Bhaga means fortune, and bhagavān... Bhagavān means who is the most fortunate or who has got all the opulences. So God has got all the opulences. And one who is in association with God, he has also all the opulences. And the exchange between God and the devotee in all opulences, it is called bhāgavata-dharma.

Lecture with Translator -- Sanand, December 25, 1975:

Prabhupāda: So Bhagavān means the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Absolute Truth is realized in three phases: brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate. Absolute Truth can be realized in the beginning as impersonal Brahman, which is the objective of the jñānīs, and next, Paramātmā, which is the objective of the yogis, and at last, the last word in the absolute understanding is person, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Ultimate issue is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, just like we understand that in the sun globe there is the Supreme Person or the sūrya-nārāyaṇa, or the chief person within the sun planet.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk At Cheviot Hills Golf Course -- May 15, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: So man is the sample of God. So why don't you try, study nicely man, and you can know, understand God, what is God. I asked these Christian people, "If man is made after the image of God, you study very scrutinizingly a perfect human being, and you will know what is God."

Umāpati: The most ideal image of a human being is God.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is the Vedic injunction. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām. So you take a perfect man. Just like Kṛṣṇa, you take a perfect man, take him as man, you see that He is God. He has got all the perfections. Even if you take him as a man.

Paramahaṁsa: No competition.

Prabhupāda: No competition. That is Bhagavān. Bhagavān means... We are giving this definition. Bhagavān means a perfect man. That's all. Now, just like man wants to wife, to have wife. So why there is, what is called, adulteration? He wants more than one wife. Just see, perfect Kṛṣṇa, He has got sixteen thousand wives, which you cannot imagine. Here is perfection. You cannot say that a man has no inclination to have more than one wife. That is there. So that propensity is, in perfection, is there in Kṛṣṇa. Therefore He is God.

Page Title:Bhagavan means
Compiler:Sharmila, Alakananda, Sureshwardas, Visnu Murti, Rishab, MadhuGopaldas
Created:14 of Dec, 2008
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=4, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=94, Con=1, Let=0
No. of Quotes:99