Burden (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"burden" |"burdened" |"burdening" |"burdenless" |"burdens" |"burdensome"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.15 -- London, July 15, 1973:

So Vṛkodara, Bhīmasena, is advertised as voracious eater. But he can perform Herculean task also. Just like the elephant, it eats voraciously, but it gives service also. Similarly if we simply eat voraciously and we cannot give any service that is not good. We must eat sumptuously and give service also. In Bengali it is said that peṭe keli piṭhe soya (?). If one is given sufficient food in the belly, he can carry more burden on the back. So Bhīma-karma, his activities were very Herculean, very, very, difficult tasks he performed.

Lecture on BG 2.25 -- London, August 28, 1973:

So first of all, we have to become brāhmaṇa. Then Vaiṣṇava. Brāhmaṇa simply knows that "I am spirit soul," ahaṁ brahmāsmi. Brahma jānāti iti brāhmaṇa. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). By such knowledge one becomes prasannātmā. Means relieved. As you feel relief... When there is burden on your head, and the burden is taken away you feel relieved, similarly, this ignorance that "I am this body" is a great burden, a burden upon us. So when you get out of this burden, then you feel relieved. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). Means when actually one understands that "I am not this body; I am soul," then he has to work so hard for maintaining this body, so he gets relief that "Why I am working so hard for this lump of material things? Let me execute my real necessity of life, spiritual life." That is great relief. That is great relief. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). The relief means there is hankering, no more lamentation. These are the brahma-bhūtaḥ.

So our actual business is to become brahma-bhūtaḥ. So who can become?

Lecture on BG 2.25 -- London, August 28, 1973:

So our actual business is to become brahma-bhūtaḥ. So who can become? That is explained already. Kṛṣṇa has already explained that, what is that verse? Yaṁ hi na vyathayanty ete. Vyathayanti, does not give pain. Material, material burden, that is always troublesome. Even this body. This is also another burden. We have to carry it. So when one is not disturbed by this bodily pain and pleasure... There is no pleasure, simply pain. Here, pleasure means a little absence of pain. Just like you have got a boil here. What is called? Boil? Phoṛā? So it is always painful. And by some medical application, when the pain is little relieved, you think that "Now it is happiness." But the boil is there. How you can be happy? So here, actually there is no happiness, but we think we have discovered so many counteraction. Just like there is disease. We have discovered medicine. We have discovered medical college. Manufacturing, big, big physician, M.D., a pharmacist(?) But that does not you'll live. No, you'll have to die, sir. So the boil is there. A little application of temporary medicine, it may... Therefore there is no happiness at all in this material world.

Lecture on BG 4.2 -- Bombay, March 22, 1974:

Everyone is eating four cāpāṭis, but he's working so hard, like an ass. Well, ass also can get his share of foodstuff anywhere. The ass is so fool that he can get grass anywhere. It is for a few pieces of grass only, he's loading on his back so much burden from the washerman. He thinks that "The washerman is giving me this morsel of grass." He's so foolish that he can see there are grasses so many here and there. Still, he has agreed to take the burden. Therefore, he's an ass. Similarly, the karmīs, you see in Bombay. There are so many karmīs. They are working so hard. What is that? He's also eating less. Four cāpāṭis, that's all. But he does not think that "Four cāpāṭis, why I am working so hard and wasting my time?"

The life is meant for understanding what is my relationship with God. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is the vision of life: what is Brahman, what is God, what I am, what is my relationship with God. And so far eating, sleeping concerned, that is done by the cats and dogs. But the modern civilization, they are busy.

Lecture on BG 4.19 -- Bombay, April 8, 1974:

The ass works very hard, the washerman's cloth loaded on the back of the ass to the greatest extent so that he cannot move. But what does he get in exchange? A morsel of grass. That's all. He knows it, that in exchange of... "None of the cloth belongs to me; still, I am carrying so much burden, and in exchange I'll get a few pieces of grass," which is available anywhere. But he's thinking that "This washerman will supply me grass." This is ass, ass-mentality. Therefore they are called mūḍha.

All the karmīs. In Bombay there are so many karmīs, working very, very hard. If you want to see him, "No, sir, no, I have no time." What you are doing? "Working." What are you eating? "Four cāpāṭis. That's all." Why four cāpāṭis you are working so hard? "No, for my next generation. Or for my son, for my grandson, for my this, for my that, and..." This is called mūḍha. Therefore it is said, jñānāgni-dagdha-karmāṇam. When one understands by knowledge that "I am uselessly working this. I am uselessly working. What is the benefit of this work?" But he has no knowledge.

Lecture on BG 9.20-22 -- New York, December 6, 1966:

Now, this śloka is very important for the devotees. There was a great devotee. His name was Ānandācārya. So when he was writing commentaries on this particular śloka, verse, he saw that teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham (BG 9.22), the Lord says that "I myself take the burden and take the load on my head, and I deliver them to my devotees, what they require, what they require. He doesn't require to go outside. I myself go and deliver the goods, whatever he requires." This is written here. Teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānām. Those who are cent percent engaged in the loving service of the Lord, teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham (BG 9.22). Yoga means what is required by him, and kṣemam means what he has got, he requires to be protected. So these two things the Lord takes charge, that "I personally do it." For whom? Ananyāś cintayanto mām. Those who have no other thought than Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa conscious. Ananyāś cintayanto mām. Ye janāḥ paryupāsate, and engaged in that way always. He has no other business, simply Kṛṣṇa. For him these things the Lord does.

Lecture on BG 9.20-22 -- New York, December 6, 1966:

Now this Arjunācārya...that's a very nice story. When he was writing commentaries, oh, he thought, "How is that Lord will come Himself and deliver the goods? Oh, it is not possible. He might be sending through some agents." So he wanted to cut vahāmy aham, "I bear the burden and deliver." He wrote in a way that "I send some agent who delivers." So that Arjunācārya went to take bath, and in the meantime two boys, very beautiful boys, they brought some very nice foodstuff in large quantity. And in India there is a process to taking two sides burden on the bamboo. Just like a scale it is balanced. So these two boys brought some very highly valuable foodstuff and grains and ghee, and his wife was there. And the boys said, "My dear mother, Arjunācārya has sent these goods to you. Please take delivery." "Oh, you are so nice boy, you are so beautiful boys, and he has given. And Ācārya is not so cruel. How is that? He has given so much burden to you, and he is not kind...?" "Oh, I was not taking, just see, he has beaten me. Here is cane mark. Oh, see."

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- New Vrindaban, September 5, 1972:

Then it will be happening. Just like in India it has become. Because they have given up the process of śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam, therefore they are feeling now... Everywhere, not only India, everywhere, because they have given up bona fide śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam, hearing and chanting about God, it has become a burden and they are trying to sell the temples and churches. So don't stop. If you stop this śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam, then you have to..., gradually you will diminish in your devotional service. That is called bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga begins from śravaṇam, from hearing. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam viṣṇoḥ. So Kṛṣṇa also says in the Bhagavad-gītā that if we want to know Kṛṣṇa, God, then it has to be known through bhakti-yoga, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). Not by other means. Then Kṛṣṇa would have declared that you can understand God by haṭha-yoga, or jñāna-yoga, or dhyāna-yoga, or karma-yoga. There are so many yogic principles.

Lecture on SB 1.3.23 -- Los Angeles, September 28, 1972:

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

ekonaviṁśe viṁśatime

vṛṣṇiṣu prāpya janmanī

rāma-kṛṣṇāv iti bhuvo

bhagavān aharad bharam

(SB 1.3.23)

Translation: "In the nineteenth and twentieth incarnations, the Lord advented Himself as Lord Balarāma and Lord Kṛṣṇa in the family of Vṛṣṇi, or the Yadu dynasty, and by so doing He removed the burden of the world."

Prabhupāda: So ekonaviṁśe. Eka ūna. Ūna means less. Eka means one. And viṁśa means twenty. So this is the way of Sanskrit literature: ekonaviṁśe, "less than one of twenty." That means nineteen. Ekonaviṁśe viṁśatime. And next, twentieth. So Balarāma first appeared, and then Kṛṣṇa appeared. Ekonaviṁśe viṁśatime vṛṣṇiṣu, in the family of Vṛṣṇi, Vṛṣṇi dynasty. Kṛṣṇa's another name is Vārṣṇeya because He appeared in the Vṛṣṇi family. Just like sandalwood. Sandalwood is known as "Malayan sandalwood." Malaya. There is a country, you know. East Asia, Malaysia. Now it called Malaysia. So formerly they were growing sandalwood in large quantity. Now they are growing rubber, no more sandalwood. They are not interested with the sandalwood. They are now interested in rubber wood. Because you have got motorcars, you require motor tires. So formerly these Malaysian sandalwood was very famous. So sandalwood can grow anywhere, but because in Malaysia sandalwood was very largely growing, therefore sandalwood was generally known as malayaja-candana. Malayaja, in Sanskrit. "The sandalwood of Malaysia."

Lecture on SB 1.5.9-11 -- New Vrindaban, June 6, 1969:

This is māyā. Simply at the end he will eat some grains or some this or that, little. And by whole day... Therefore they are called mūḍha. According to Bhagavad-gītā, they are rascals, mūḍha, ass. Just like ass, the beast of burden. He takes washerman's load, three tons, four tons. Whole day working, but eating a morsel of grass, that's all. He has no knowledge that "I take a morsel of grass only, I live. And why whole day I bear these so much tons of clothing of the washerman?" You have no experience of the ass, ass's business. In India the washerman loads the ass three tons and he goes to the waterside and the washerman washes all these clothings in some bank of river or reservoir of water. Again evening, the ass brings back the clothing.

So the karmīs, they have been described in the Bhagavad-gītā: mūḍha, ass, simply unnecessarily working day and night, whole day and night. You see. Without taking care of the ātmā, without taking care of the religion. Economic development.

Lecture on SB 1.5.12-13 -- New Vrindaban, June 11, 1969:

The philosopher class, they are better than the karmīs because they are searching after something. They are making research by knowledge. But the karmīs, they are simply satisfied just like animals. They have been described in the Bhagavad-gītā as mūḍha. Mūḍha. Na māṁ prapadyante mūḍhāḥ (BG 7.15). Mūḍha means ass. The karmīs have been described as ass, whole day working, a beast of burden. Simply, unnecessarily, they have piled up on their back so many work. They have no more interest, nothing, no more interest, neither philosophy, nor Kṛṣṇa, nor... Simply work hard and get some money and enjoy in eating, sleeping and mating, eat, drink, be merry and enjoy. That is their... That is... They are called karmīs. So Nārada says that "Even great philosophers who are trying to elevate themselves in the self-realization platform, if that sort of philosophy is acyuta-bhāva-varjitam, without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that does not look well. That is not first-class philosophy." Philosophy should be to search out Kṛṣṇa. That is philosophy. As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15).

Lecture on SB 1.7.2-4 -- Durban, October 14, 1975:

He works under one washerman and loads tons of cloth on the back, and the washerman gives a morsel of grass. And he stands the whole day, again carrying back the big tons of cloth. But why he is gādhā? This grass can be had anywhere, but he is thinking, "The washerman is supplying me grass; therefore I must carry his burden." Therefore he is gādhā, ass. (laughs) He can get grasses anywhere, but he is thinking that "This Mr. Washerman is so kind that he is giving me grass, so I have to bear his cloth." So the karmīs, they are like that. They are thinking that "Unless we work, we cannot get our grass." Therefore they have been described in the śāstra as asses, mūḍha. Mūḍha. Mūḍho 'yaṁ nābhijānāti (BG 7.25).

So these mūḍhas, these asses, they consider Kṛṣṇa as one of us. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam, paraṁ bhāvam ajānantaḥ (BG 9.11). Paraṁ bhāvam ajānantaḥ, they do not know what is the value of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is there to teach people to understand properly Kṛṣṇa. And what will be the result?

Lecture on SB 1.7.25 -- Vrndavana, September 22, 1976:

Pradyumna:

tathāyaṁ cāvatāras te

bhuvo bhāra-jihīrṣayā

svānāṁ cānanya-bhāvānām

anudhyānāya cāsakṛt

(SB 1.7.25)

"Thus You descend as an avatāra, incarnation, to remove the burden of the world and to benefit Your friends, especially those who are Your exclusive devotees and are rapt in meditation upon You."

Prabhupāda:

tathāyaṁ cāvatāras te

bhuvo bhāra-jihīrṣayā

svānāṁ cānanya-bhāvānām

anudhyānāya cāsakṛt

(SB 1.7.25)

So, Kṛṣṇa, the original Personality of Godhead-sākṣāt, not imagination. Here it is said sa eva jīva-lokasya māyā sākṣād... Here, yes. Tvam ādyaḥ puruṣaḥ sākṣād īśvaraḥ. Sākṣāt, directly. Not indirectly. Just like we are meeting face to face. It is not that I am imagining. Face to face, sākṣāt. Sa-akṣa. Akṣa means eyes or senses. With senses. Kṛṣṇa cannot be seen with these material senses. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). It is not possible to experience Kṛṣṇa by our, these material blunt senses. It is not possible. We have to make purified. How it is purified? Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. When you engage yourself in the service of the Lord, sevonmukha—"Kṛṣṇa, I want to serve You"—this much wanted, qualification. No educational qualification, no Ph.D. degree, or to take birth in very high family or to become rich.

Lecture on SB 1.7.25 -- Vrndavana, September 22, 1976:

Therefore he is denying the authority of Vedas. Nindasi yajña-vidher ahaha śruti-jātam. We cannot violate which is mentioned in the... Therefore he was taken... But he's avatāra. It was needed at that time.

As it is said here, bhuvo bhāra-jihīrṣayā. When these rascals and fools increase, it becomes a burden to the earth. Just like a practical example: a child or a man, you weigh him. When he's alive you will find one weight, and when he's dead you will find another weight. That is practical. It will be heavier. Why heavier? Because there is no more spirit soul. So the more people will be materialistic, the world will be burdened. Therefore there must be war, pestilence, famine, to clear these rascals, clear out. You'll find these things. In Europe, every ten years, twenty years, there is a fight, war. It is the history. From the Greece history, Roman history and Seven Years War, Hundred Years War-wars. There must be war, because they are sinful. The same sinful, killing animals continually. So there is war, reaction. So what is that war? To lessen the burden. To lessen the burden. It becomes very heavy, unbearable by the earth.

Lecture on SB 1.7.25 -- Vrndavana, September 22, 1976:

They are thinking independently. No independence. As soon as you become sinful, there is reaction immediately. Immediately there will be war, pestilence, famine, flu, and so on, so on.

So here it is said, tathā ayaṁ ca avatāras te... Arjuna said that "You have descended to," I mean to say, "lessen the burden of this world." Bhuvo bhāra-jihīrṣayā. There are many instances like that. When Pṛthu Mahārāja was the king, there was no production food production Because his father was a great sinful king, so on account of that there was no production. And Pṛthu Mahārāja wanted... He was a very good king. He is incarnation also. He asked the earth, "Why you are not producing? If you do not produce, I shall kill you." This is mentioned in the Fourth Canto. And mother earth said, "My dear King, why you are angry upon me? It is my duty. When the people become rākṣasas, I'll restrict my supply. Let them starve and die. I shall do that. This is my duty. Why you are angry with me?" The more people will be godless, there will be starvation, no supply.

Lecture on SB 1.7.27 -- Vrndavana, September 24, 1976:

If we think that "Here is a stone statue," then it will not prolong many days. It will not... Galagraha. No more vigraha, but galagraha. Suppose I have established this temple. Now under my direction, my disciples are worshiping vigraha. Vigraha means the form of the Lord, rūpa. But if there is no following of the regulative principles, then after my death it will be galagraha, a burden, that "Our rascal Guru Mahārāja established this temple, and we have to worship, early rise in the morning, all botheration." This will be... That is called galagraha, a burden, "He has left with us a burden." This is the risk. Then this, such a big temple will be mismanaged, and you'll find that "This is breaking" and "This is unclean," and there is no attention. This will be our... That is called galagraha. "The rascal has given us a burden."

So it is very difficult. If we lost, if we have lost that feeling that "Here is Kṛṣṇa. Here is a chance to serve Him..." Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ... Not that. Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārjanādau **. As soon as... Therefore we are very much vigilant, "Why you did not this? Why you do not this?

Lecture on SB 1.7.27 -- Vrndavana, September 24, 1976:

Here is a chance to serve Him..." Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ... Not that. Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārjanādau **. As soon as... Therefore we are very much vigilant, "Why you did not this? Why you do not this? Why...?" As soon as the feeling of devotional service will be lost, this temple will be a burden. This is the way. It will be such a big temple. To manage, it will be a great burden. So they are feeling burden. Therefore they don't mind if somewhere is broken sometimes. "All right, let us, whatever money we have got, let us eat first of all." This is the position. Vigraha and galagraha. You should understand. If we forget that "Here is Kṛṣṇa personally present. We have to receive Him very nicely. We have to give Him nice food, nice dress, nice..." Then it is service. And as soon as the feeling comes that "Here is a stone idol..." They say sometimes "idol worship." "And we have been instructed to dress Him, to give Him..., all botheration." Then finished. Finished. That has come everywhere. I have seen in Nasik in many, many big temples there is no pūjārī, and the dogs are passing stool. Not only they're breaking.

Lecture on SB 1.8.19 -- Chicago, July 5, 1974 :

Kuntī Devī therefore said, māyā-javanikācchannam. Māyā-javanikācchannam ajñā. Ajñā means rascal, who has no knowledge, dull, dull-headed, mūḍhāḥ, ass. These words are used in the śāstra. Why mūḍhāḥ? The word is used as an, an ass. The ass, amongst the animals, is the most, I mean to say, what is called, foolish, most foolish. The ass works very hard, and bears burden, heavy burden, ton, but he does not know "Why I am carrying so big burden? Why I have taken so much responsibility?" That he does not know. So here you will find so many big, big politicians, leaders, they have accepted big, big burden like an ass, but they do not know why they are doing so. They do not know. Their only solace is a temporary satisfaction that "I have become president," "I have become this master," "I have become this," for few years. But he does not know what is his real business. So therefore the karmīs, they are working hard day and night, but he does not know why he is working so hard day and night.

So actually, they are working so hard simply for sense gratification.

Lecture on SB 1.8.19 -- Mayapura, September 29, 1974:

Our bhakti begins: śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23). We have to hear and we have to speak. But if we are not interested in hearing and speak, then it will be the same ṭhākura-bari(?), simply formula. That's all. And gradually it will be stopped. Unless there is life of śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam, these big, big buildings, temples, will become burden. So if we are, if we want to create burden for future, then we may give up this hearing and chanting and sleep very nicely. It will be burden. Galagraha. Not śrī-vigraha, but galagraha. Galagraha. Śrī-vigraha means worshipable Deity. So if we give up this śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ, then it will be thought that "Our Guru Mahārāja has given a burden in the neck, galagraha." This is the danger. So we must be very much alert in śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. Otherwise all this labor will be futile. This building will be only the nest, nest for the doves and the pigeons. That is the danger. That is being done. Nobody is interested. Such, such things...

Now, who is, who can understand Kṛṣṇa? There are so many impediments. One side, there is curtain of māyā; another side, everyone is a rascal and fool; and another side, Kṛṣṇa is beyond your sense perception. This is the position. How much one must be alert. Then one can understand. Just like the Gosvāmīs.

Lecture on SB 1.8.34 -- Mayapur, October 14, 1974:

And Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu gives His order. So once upon a time, when the whole world was overburdened—this is the history of Kṛṣṇa's birth—so the earthly planet approached Brahmā to appeal to Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu to have His incarnation to diminish the burden of the world. The world is, of course, it is very heavy. We can understand there are so many oceans and so many big, big hills, besides your skyscraper building, and certainly the whole lump of matter is very heavy. But not only this planet, but many other planets, even the sun planet. It is heavier by fourteen hundred thousand times. Still, they are floating in the air by... Why? Because Kṛṣṇa enters in each of them.

In each of them... Gām āviśya (BG 15.13). Dhārayāmy aham ojasā. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that "I enter into each planetary system, each universe, and by My power I hold it. It is floating." Why it is floating? Because Kṛṣṇa is there. The atheist may not believe it, but it is a fact. It is a fact. How? Just like an animal or a man, while he is living, he can float in the air or in the water. That everyone has seen. But if the man is dead, it will not float. It will fall down. Is it not a fact? So why it is floating? Because a very small particle of Kṛṣṇa's spiritual potency is there. That is living entity.

Lecture on SB 1.8.34 -- Mayapur, October 14, 1974:

And if there is too much material activity and materialistic persons, it become heavier and troublesome. So such time became possible, and therefore the earthly planet went to Brahmā to appeal to Viṣṇu to take His incarnation. So somebody says that bhārāvatāra..., tāraṇāya, avatāraṇāya, to diminish the burden, burden... Just like a bad son is a burden of the father. This has been explained by Cāṇakya Paṇḍita that a stupid son... Ko 'rthaḥ putreṇa jātena yo na vidvān na bhaktimān: "What is the use of getting a son who is neither learned nor a devotee? Useless." Ko 'rthaḥ putreṇa jātena: "Such kind of son, what is the use?" The son who is not a devotee... Two things are required: the son should be a devotee or a learned. Without being learned, nobody can become devotee. If one becomes devotee, he's learned also. But sometimes materially learned, not devotee, it happens. So if one is neither learned nor devotee, what is the use of such son? The example is given: kāṇena cakṣuṣā kiṁvā cakṣuḥ pīḍaiva kevalam: "If you have got one eye, cataract, you cannot see, but it is always troublesome."

Lecture on SB 1.8.34 -- Mayapur, October 14, 1974:

Therefore the varṇa-saṅkara, the hippies... That is varṇa-saṅkara. So varṇa-saṅkara... In the Bhagavad-gītā... If the varṇa-saṅkara increases, strīṣu duṣṭāsu varṇa-saṅkaro jāyate. When women become polluted, no fixed-up husband—that is pollution for woman, no chaste, no chastity—then this varṇa-saṅkara will come out. And when the world is overpopulated by varṇa-saṅkara, it will become a burden. Therefore it so became, atheist, varṇa-saṅkara, demons. So it was unbearable by the earthly planet. And it is said, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7). Therefore mother earth went to appeal, "Please come and save me. I am very much overburdened." Therefore it is said, bhārāvatāraṇāya: "diminish."

So five thousand years ago Kṛṣṇa came to kill some of the demons. Not all of them were demons. But next time, when Kṛṣṇa will come, it will be only demons. Only demons. Kalki avatāra. What is that stotra? Keśava dhṛta-kalki-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare. So at that time Kṛṣṇa will not preach Bhagavad-gītā. Kalki avatāra will simply come to cut the throat only. That will be the preaching. That will be preaching.

Lecture on SB 1.8.34 -- Mayapur, October 14, 1974:

Therefore Kṛṣṇa said that "Both I and you, you and Me, we appear many times." Bahūni me vyatītāni. "And you were also... But you forget because you have got past, present, future. I have no such thing. Therefore I remember."

So in this way, if people become irreligious or not spiritual, the burden of the world becomes heavier, unbearable. That you can understand. I have already explained. This body, this body, you weigh it. Say, it is one man, fifty seras or something like... But as soon as it will be dead, the burden will... The weight will increase. Is it not? What do you think? The weight will increase. Not the same weight. So, so long people are materialistic, the burden will increase. And so long people are spiritualistic, there will be no burden. So bhārāvatāraṇāya anye bhuvo nāva ivodadhau. Just like if there is a boat, then you can cross over the sea or the river with the help, so when you are Kṛṣṇa conscious, then you can cross over the sea of nescience very easily. Bhuvo nāva iva udadhau, sīdantyā bhūri-bhāreṇa (SB 1.8.34). Bhūri-bhāreṇa, very heavily burdened.

Lecture on SB 1.8.34 -- Mayapur, October 14, 1974:

And then the weight of the earth, or any planet, will increase and the situation will degrade, and everyone will be unhappy and there will be restlessness. And at that time, Kṛṣṇa comes. He says, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7).

So at the present moment, the actually it is overburdened by the material activities. So Kṛṣṇa has descended already. Kṛṣṇa has descended already. Nāma-rūpe kali-kāle kṛṣṇa avatāra. Kṛṣṇa has taken His incarnation in the form of Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. So if people take to it, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, the present situation of the world can be favorable for our living, and atmosphere will change. Therefore the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for this purpose, to give people relief from all these burdens so that they can peacefully live, understand the value of life, and become spiritualized so they live peacefully in this life and go back to home, back to Godhead. That is the mission of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Thank you very much.

Lecture on SB 1.8.36 -- Los Angeles, April 28, 1973:

So in the previous verse it is explained

that: bhave 'smin kliśyamānānām. Anyone who has come to this material word, bhave, in this material world, asmin, in this, kliśyamānānām, they are all working very hard or taking trouble very much like ass, work, kliśyamānānām. He cannot bear the so much burden. Still he's loaded with so much burden. That is kliśyamānānām. If you, if you can bear some load, that's all right. But if you cannot, if it is overloaded, then it is very difficult to go on. So in the previous verse it was suggested that śravaṇaṁ smaraṇam arhāṇam. To get out of this troublesome life, kliśyamānānām avidyā-kāma-karmabhiḥ... They have created kāma-karmabhiḥ, kāma, lusty desires, desireful. They have created work, heavy work. Therefore kliśyamānānām, always in trouble. So to mitigate that trouble, the recommendation is: smaraṇa smaraṇam arhāṇam.

So Kṛṣṇa comes to introduce the system by which one can get relief from this continuous, troublesome life. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says: yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir, glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). Just like you suffer when you create some disturbance in the law. Then you suffer. We have got experience. If we violate the state laws, then you have to suffer. Similarly, religious, religion means God's laws. They do not know.

Lecture on SB 1.8.51 -- Los Angeles, May 13, 1973:

Therefore the father wants to get her married, to get relief from the responsibility. He has a great responsibility. It is called kanyā-dāya. Actually the word is called kanyā-dāya. Putra-ṛṇa. Ṛṇa means debt. If you are debtor to somebody you may not pay it, saying, "Sir, I have no money. Whatever you like, you can do." But dāya means a great burden. It must be get relieved of. Dāya means a great responsibility. Dāya. Dāya-bhāk. Just like a son inherits the property of the father... It is called dāya-bhāk, law. Similarly, this is the, I mean to say, most obligatory duty of the father, to get the daughter married. And then it is the duty of the husband next. Just like we get... When we perform marriage ceremony in our society, we get the husband promise that he takes charge of the girl for life. And the girl agrees to serve the boy for life. There is no question of divorce.

So the father hands over the charge to a nice boy. Never mind he is rich or no. That doesn't matter. He must be a responsible boy, who knows his responsibility. Not that "Today I marry, and tomorrow I go away. That's all." Not like that.

Lecture on SB 1.15.25-26 -- Los Angeles, December 4, 1973:

Pradyumna: "Translation: O King, as in the ocean the bigger and stronger aquatics swallow up the smaller and weaker ones, so also the Supreme Personality of Godhead, to lighten the burden of the earth, has engaged the stronger Yadu to kill the weaker, and the bigger Yadu to kill the smaller." (SB 1.15.25-26)

Prabhupāda: This is the theory of struggle for existence and survival of the fittest. The law of nature is like that, that the stronger overpowers the weaker. The stronger overpowers the weaker. In another place it is stated,

ahastāni sahastānām

apadāni catuṣ-padām

phalgūni tatra mahatāṁ

jīvo jīvasya jīvanam

A living entity, they live by eating another living entity. What is that? Ahastāni sahastānām. Sahastānām means those who are endowed with hands. That means man, man form, human form, they have got hands. So those who have no hands..., just like the animals, they have got legs, they have no hands. So ahastāni, those who have no hands, they are food for the animal with hands: bite that animal. Those animal with hands... They are animal, those who are eating another animal; they are not human being. Although they have got the form of human being, they are not considered human being. Human being means when he's civilized, cultured, then he's human being. If he's not civilized, if he's not cultured, simply having two hands-he's animal.

Lecture on SB 1.15.25-26 -- Los Angeles, December 4, 1973:

So here the example is given, jalaukasāṁ jale yadvan mahāntaḥ adanti. Adanti means swallows up. Similarly, when the Yadus became very powerful... Because they are descendants of Kṛṣṇa, who can be...? So they were fighting anywhere, conquering anywhere, and everywhere they were victorious. So that was bhū-bhārān. Bhū-bhārān means burden of the world. When one becomes extravagant and misuses his power, that is burden of the world. You cannot misuse your... You get power by the grace of God, by grace of Kṛṣṇa. If you misuse it, then you become a burden, a burden. As soon as there is burden, then it is dharmasya glāniḥ. Kṛṣṇa says, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). As soon as there is a misuse of power, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham, He comes. So Yadu-vaṁśa, Kṛṣṇa's dynasty, when Kṛṣṇa saw that they are becoming so powerful, that unnecessarily they are fighting, therefore to kill them, that fighting spirit was engaged for fighting amongst themselves, one another. Therefore they were all... Fighting, there is necessity; but if you misuse that fighting spirit.

Lecture on SB 1.15.25-26 -- Los Angeles, December 4, 1973:

And who can kill them? No outsider can kill them, they are Kṛṣṇa's descendants, that is not possible. Therefore yadūn yadubhir anyonyaṁ bhū-bhārān sañjahāra ha, they fighting amongst themselves, they reduced the burden of the world.

So it is... Kṛṣṇa is exhibiting how things are going on. As soon as there will be burdensome, there will be some war, pestilence, famine—and finished. And finished. You don't require to reduce population by contraceptive method. By nature's way, the wholesale it will be reduced, bhū-bhārān sañjahāra. By nature's way. Why should you commit sinful activities? You don't beget children unnecessarily and don't kill them. That is religion. That is civilization. Why should you unnecessarily produce children like cats and dog? Their śāstra says that don't become father, don't become mother if you cannot save your sons from death. This is the responsibility. This is father's, mother's, responsibility. Na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum, pitā na sa syāj jananī na sa syāt. One should not become, try to become father, one should not try to become mother if the parents cannot save the child from imminent death. That is the responsibility. And who is that father? Who is that mother?

Lecture on SB 1.15.25-26 -- Los Angeles, December 4, 1973:

So when Kṛṣṇa wanted to go, He wanted to go with the descendants also, who came to help Him. So this is a make-show that the Yadus fought amongst themselves. The real purpose is, Kṛṣṇa wanted to take them away. Otherwise, superficially, when one becomes unnecessarily powerful, disturbs the world situation, he's a burden. He's a burden. That kind of burden is vanquished by Kṛṣṇa's desire, will. There must be some catastrophe like war, pestilence, famine, and everything will be finished.

So our duty is, the human form of life, duty is that we should know that we are eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa and, forgetting our relationship, we have come to this material world, and there is struggle for existence, beginning aquatics, jalajā nava... There are nine hundred thousand species of aquatics. Who is that physiologist who can know nine hundred thousand species of aquatics? But in the śāstra you will find, exactly. It doesn't say nine hundred one, Or eight hundred ninety-nine. No. Nine hundred. Nine hundred thousand species, there are.

Lecture on SB 1.15.34 -- Los Angeles, December 12, 1973:

Pradyumna: Translation: "The Supreme Unborn, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, caused the members of the Yadu dynasty to relinquish their bodies, and thus He relieved the burden of the world. This action was like picking out a thorn with a thorn, though both are the same to the controller." (SB 1.15.34)

Prabhupāda: So Kṛṣṇa's two business is going on in this material world. One is paritrāṇāya sādhūnām (BG 4.8), and the other is vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām. One business is to give protection to the law-abiding devotees. Devotee means who accepts the Supreme Lord as the supreme controller and accepts himself as subordinate. This is devotee. Devotee is not very... Actually, we are subordinate to the laws of nature, and the nature is being manipulated by the Lord. Therefore, ultimately we are subordinate to the Supreme Lord. God is great; everyone knows it. But I am not great; I am subordinate. Acceptance of this philosophy means, I mean to say, godly conscious or Kṛṣṇa conscious. Very simple thing. There is no difficulty. But the demons are so rascal, they will not admit it. They are already under control-prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27)—under the control of the stringent laws of material nature. Still, foolishly that rascal demon is thinking that he is free.

Lecture on SB 1.15.34 -- Los Angeles, December 12, 1973:

Prabhupāda: Yes, everyone will be sorry, that "How Kṛṣṇa's descendants could fight amongst themselves and die like this?" It was not very happy to think by other devotees. Therefore the explanation is given. Go on.

Pradyumna: "...by which they had to take away the burden of the world. The Lord and His eternal associates appeared on earth to help the administrative demigods in eradicating the burden of the world."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yadā yadā hi dharma... The beginning of Kṛṣṇa's appearance... You know that in the Kṛṣṇa book, how Kṛṣṇa appeared. There was an appeal by the earth, mother earth, that she is overburdened with demons, and it was unbearable for her what to do. So this petition was submitted to Viṣṇu by Brahmā, and Viṣṇu replied that "Kṛṣṇa is coming and He will do the needful." This was the beginning. So as soon as there is yadā yadā hi dharmasya glāniḥ (BG 4.7), the planet becomes overburdened by the sinful demons, so they require to be moved and the burden lessened.

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

Pradyumna: Translation: "The Supreme Lord relinquished the body which He manifested to diminish the burden of the world. Just like a magician, He relinquishes one body to accept different ones like the fish incarnation, etc." (SB 1.15.35)

Prabhupāda:

rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan

nānāvatāram akarod bhuvaneṣu kintu

kṛṣṇaḥ svayaṁ samabhavat paramaḥ pumān yo

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

(Bs. 5.39)

Govindam, Govinda is ādi-puruṣa. So ādi-puruṣa means the original person. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said by Kṛṣṇa Himself, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7), "I am the Supreme Person." Now there are different forms of God, advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). There are different incarnations. Just like īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). That Kṛṣṇa, He is staying in everyone's heart. This is also another incarnation, antaryāmī, Supersoul incarnation. Just imagine how many. Anantyāya kalpate, these living entities are unlimited, so this incarnation, īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānām (BG 18.61), the Lord in everyone's heart is staying.

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

This is an example. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is the same but He has got different manifestations. That different manifestation He takes. Why? Bhū-bhāraḥ kṣapitaḥ. Bhū-bhāraḥ. He comes in different forms just to liquidate the burden of the earth, bhū-bhāraḥ. Bhū-bhāraḥ kṣapitaḥ, just to reduce the burden of this earth.

When demons are, demonic civilization is there, then the whole planet becomes overburdened with their sinful activity. It is very easy to understand. Where in the state everyone is rogue and rascal, then the state becomes overburdened. Overburdened means the duty of the state for arranging police, military and other things becomes very much confused. Similarly, if the people are all law-abiding citizens then the government has no burden. Let things go on nicely, everything is going nicely. Similarly, this is also great state, the universal state. So when people become rascals, rogues and demons, it becomes very much overburdened.

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

Religion means to abide by the laws of, to abide by the laws of God. So dharmasya glānir bhavati means when people do not abide by the laws of God. That is dharmasya glāniḥ, discrepancy in the matter of discharging religion. Just like when you begin to break laws, everyone, then government becomes very furious, arrest, punish, hang—these things are going on. But if you are abiding by the laws of government, there is no such question to harass you. There is no... You live peacefully. This is the process going on. And bhū-bhāraḥ, when people become irreligious, not abiding by the laws of God, then it becomes burdensome. How one can say that "To cut throat is my religion"? Nobody can say like that. That is not religion. That means he has no sense of God consciousness. He's a rascal.

God consciousness person, God conscious person, what is the symptom of God conscious person? That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. What is that?

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

So this is bhakti. This is bhakti. Kṛṣṇa wants that. Kṛṣṇa can eat anything, either you give the pulp or skin, He can eat anything because He is all powerful and everything is equal to Him.

So real thing is bhakti. So when people become rascals and nonsense and do not care for God consciousness, devotion to God, that is become bhū-bhāraḥ, burdened. That has now become. Now Kṛṣṇa has, because at the present moment in the Kali-yuga... Kṛṣṇa formerly came to kill big, big giant demons like Rāvaṇa and Kaṁsa, Hiraṇyakaśipu, very, very big giant. But that the present moment where is that big giant? They are all poor. There is no... Although by mentality they are all rogues and rascals and demons, but in material condition they are very very poor. That is stated. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). People are so unfortunate that even the bird and beast, they can get their two meals, eating, sleeping, mating; they have got their arrangement. At the present moment a human being has no arrangement what he is going to eat in the morning or in the evening, whether he has got any chance of sex life. These things are preliminary requirement, but nobody is guarantee of these things, they are so unfortunate.

Lecture on SB 1.15.37 -- Los Angeles, December 15, 1973:

It is to be used only for purpose of having good children, not for enjoyment. That is false enjoyment. So therefore it has been described as the camel. And ass. Ass means fool number one, because he works very hard. He carried the washerman's load of cloth, two tons of, but not a single cloth belongs to him. Not a single cloth. And he will agree to carry so big burden. What is the profit? The profit is that the washerman will give a little morsel of grass, and he is satisfied. This rascal does not know, "I can get grass anywhere. Why shall I be employed by this washerman?" And another ass's qualification is that when he goes for sexual intercourse, the lady ass kicks on his face. Fut! Fut! Fut! Fut! You have seen it? (lots of laughter) So these karmīs, they are like ass. They will eat two breads, pieces of bread, and the lady karmī will kick on his face at the time of sex intercourse, and he is very happy. And for this purpose he has no time: "Sir, I have no time." He is very busy. You go into a karmī office, he will say, "Oh, I cannot see you. I cannot talk. I am very busy." So what is the result of your business? "Now I will eat two pieces of bread at night, and my wife will kick on my face." (laughter) Just see the ass.

Lecture on SB 1.15.46 -- Los Angeles, December 24, 1973:

And satyatve dhārṣṭyam eva hi. And one who will simply play jugglery of words, he will be considered as very truthful. Another, dākṣyaṁ kuṭumba-bharaṇam. One shall be considered very expert if he can maintain his family-wife and children. That means this will be difficult. It has already become difficult. To maintain wife and a few children, that is also a great burden at the present moment. Therefore nobody wants to marry. Evaṁ prajābhir duṣṭābhir ākīrṇe kṣiti-maṇḍale. In this way, when all the people will be infected by the poison of Kali-yuga, brahma-viṭ-kṣatra-śūdrāṇāṁ yo balī bhavitā nṛpaḥ.

So it doesn't matter whether he is a brāhmaṇa or a kṣatriya or vaiśya or śūdra or caṇḍāla. One who is powerful in getting votes, he will occupy the presidential post or the royal post. Just see. Formerly the system was that not the brāhmaṇa, er, vaiśya, or śūdra can occupy the royal throne. Only the kṣatriyas. Now, in the Kali-yuga, there is no such thing, who is a kṣatriya, who is a brāhmaṇa, who is a... Anyone, hook and crook you get your votes, democracy, and occupy... And whatever you may be... You may be rascal number one, but you will be posted on the supreme exalted presidential post.

Lecture on SB 1.16.23 -- Hawaii, January 19, 1974:

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

yadvāmba te bhūri-bharāvatāra-

kṛtāvatārasya harer dharitri

antarhitasya smaratī visṛṣṭā

karmāṇi nirvāṇa-vilambitāni

(SB 1.16.23)

Translation: "O mother earth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Hari incarnated Himself as Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa just to unload your heavy burden. All His activities here are transcendental, and they cement the path of liberation. You are now bereft of His presence. You are probably now thinking of those activities and feeling sorry in their absence."

Prabhupāda: So Dharmarāja is suggesting so many things why mother earth in the shape of a cow was morose. He was suggesting so many. So one of the suggestion is that "Kṛṣṇa was present. Now He's not present. Therefore you are so morose." So Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā,

yadā yadā hi dharmasya

glānir bhavati bhārata

abhyutthānam adharmasya

tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham

(BG 4.7)

Kṛṣṇa incarnates when there is discrepancies in the matter of discharging religious principles. Just like, when there is discrepancy in the discharge of law and order, the government takes special measure, what is called, that? A special law?

Lecture on SB 1.16.23 -- Hawaii, January 19, 1974:

"Everyone has got problem in this material world. They're trying to overcome the problem. But I have no problem." Naivodvije para duratyaya-vaitaraṇyās tvad-vīrya-gāyana-mahāmṛta-magna-cittaḥ (SB 7.9.43). "I have no problem because my mind is always absorbed in glorifying Your Lordship. Therefore, I have no problem." Kīrtana. You'll feel immediately refreshed. However burden you may feel, as soon as you perform kṛṣṇa-kīrtana, you'll find immediately refreshed. So one who has got taste for this kīrtana, he has no problem. That is... Prahlāda Mahārāja says. Tvad-vīrya-gāyana-mahāmṛta-magna-cittaḥ: "Because my heart is always merged into the ocean of Your glorification, I have no problem." This is the devotee. Everyone goes to God to mitigate some problem, that "God, give us our daily bread." That means bread is a problem, and... That is the general tendency. They go to temple, church, to mitigate some problem. And as soon as the problem is finished, they forget God. No more church, no more temple. You see? That is not devotion. Devotion is that "No problem. I am ready to serve You, my Lord." That is life. No problem.

Lecture on SB 2.1.2 -- Vrndavana, March 17, 1974:

Because they were nirmatsarau pūjitau, they were worshiped by everyone. Pūjitau. Śrī-caitanya-kṛpā-bharau bhuvi bhuvo bhārāvahantāra... And because they received the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they were able to lessen the burden of this material world. Bhārāvahant...vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau. So if you simply study these eight verses of the Gosvāmīs... Vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau. In Vṛndāvana, they lived, and they set the examples. And if you follow their footsteps, then your life will be successful. So, so many others, the so-called gosvāmīs, have become envious about us, but if you become one of them, then your life is not very... You just try to follow the real Gosvāmīs and make your life as gosvāmī. Then people will adore you. Śrī-caitanya-guṇānuvarṇana-vidhau.

Lecture on SB 2.3.18-19 -- Bombay, March 23, 1977, At Cross Maidan Pandal:

The ass is an animal who is celebrated as the greatest fool, even amongst the animals. The ass works very hard and carries burdens of the maximum weight without making profit for itself. Footnote. The ass is generally engaged by the washerman, whose social position is not very respectable. And the special qualification of the ass is that it is very much accustomed to being kicked by the opposite sex. When the ass begs for sexual intercourse, he is kicked by the fair sex, yet he still follows the female for such sexual pleasure. A henpecked man is compared, therefore, to the ass. The general mass of people work very hard, especially in the age of Kali. In this age the human being is actually engaged in the work of an ass, carrying heavy burdens and driving ṭhelā and rickshaws. The so-called advancement of human civilization has engaged a human being in the work of an ass. The laborers in great factories and workshops are also engaged in such burdensome work, and after working hard during the day, the poor laborer has to be again kicked by the fair sex, not only for sex enjoyment but also for so many household affairs.

Lecture on SB 2.3.19 -- Los Angeles, June 15, 1972:

Pradyumna: "The ass is another animal who is celebrated as the greatest fool, even amongst the animals. The ass works very hard and carries burdens of the maximum weight without making profit for itself. Footnote: Human life is meant for earning values. This life is called arthadam, or that which can deliver values. And what is the greatest value of life? It is returning home, back to Godhead, as indicated in the Bhagavad-gītā (8.15). One's selfishness must be aimed at the point of going back to Godhead. The ass does not know its self-interest, and it works very hard for others only. Similarly, a person who works very hard for others only, forgetting his personal interest available in the human form of life, is compared to the ass. In the Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa it is said:

aśītiṁ caturaś caiva lakṣāṁs tāñ jīva-jātiṣu

bhramadbhiḥ puruṣaiḥ prāpyaṁ mānuṣyaṁ janma-paryayāt

tad apy abhalatāṁ jātaḥ teṣām ātmābhimānināṁ

varākāṇām anāśritya govinda-caraṇa-dvayam

Prabhupāda: Hm. This is very important verse. You can repeat this. One may take it by heart.

aśītiṁ caturaś caiva lakṣāṁs tāñ jīva-jātiṣu

bhramadbhiḥ puruṣaiḥ prāpyaṁ mānuṣyaṁ janma-paryayāt

tad apy abhalatāṁ jātaḥ teṣām ātmābhimānināṁ

varākāṇām anāśritya govinda-caraṇa-dvayam

Repeat it. (Devotees say the verse.) So aśītim means eighty. Aśītiṁ caturaḥ. Caturaḥ means four. So eighty-four. Eighty plus four means eighty-four. Lakṣāṁs. Lakṣāṁs means hundreds of thousand.

Lecture on SB 2.3.20-21 -- Los Angeles, June 17, 1972:

Pradyumna: (reads synonyms, then:) Translation: "The upper portion of the body, though crowned with a silk turban, if not bowed down before the Personality of Godhead who can award mukti, freedom, is a heavy burden only. And the hands, though decorated with glittering bangles, if not engaged in the service of the Personality of Godhead Hari, are like those of a dead man."

Prabhupāda: So you have seen Indian turban—very, very big, made of silk and jewels. Perhaps you can, you have seen the typical turban by the Indian Airways, a big turban. So what is the use of the turban? It is a great burden, you, if you do not bow down before the Lord. Similarly, if you don't engage your hand in the service of the Lord, it is exactly like the dead man's hand. If the dead man's hand, if it is decorated with nice, glittering, golden bangles, what is the beauty? There is no beauty. So we'll discuss tomorrow again. Thank you.

Lecture on SB 2.3.21 -- Los Angeles, June 18, 1972:

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

bhāraḥ paraṁ paṭṭa-kirīṭa-juṣṭam

apy uttamāṅgaṁ na namen mukundam

śāvau karau no kurute saparyāṁ

harer lasat-kāñcana-kaṅkaṇau vā

(SB 2.3.21)

Translation: "The upper portion of the body, though crowned with a silk turban, if not bowed down before the Personality of Godhead who can award mukti, freedom, is a heavy burden only. And the hands, though decorated with glittering bangles, if not engaged in the service of the Personality of Godhead Hari, are like those of a dead man."

Prabhupāda: So bhāraḥ paraṁ paṭṭa-kirīṭa-juṣṭam. A silk turban with pearl, what is called, decoration, bedecked with pearls, these are the signs of king. Just like we decorate Kṛṣṇa with turban, bedecked with jewels. So this turban is good so long we bow down before the Deity. Otherwise it is a great burden. Although it is made of silk, still, it will be a great burden. The idea is that if we bow down or surrender unto the lotus feet of Mukunda-Mukunda, Kṛṣṇa, one who gives liberation—then we can enjoy princely order or richness. There is no harm. But if we are lacking in that capacity to surrender unto the Supreme Lord, and simply we become puffed up with these riches, then it will be a burden. Burden means very soon everything will be lost. Just like you cannot keep the burden, heavy burden, on your head for a long time, similarly, this nice turban, silk turban, will be felt as great burden. This is the law of nature. If you misuse the power and do not feel obliged to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has given you the power, then you'll be finished very soon.

Lecture on SB 2.3.21 -- Los Angeles, June 18, 1972:

That is the only medicine. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Here, also, the same thing: bhāraḥ paraṁ paṭṭa-kirīṭa-juṣṭam. A princely order, a king, he has been given the chance of ruling over, over a kingdom, but if he forgets his position, he actually becomes the proprietor, then this kingdom will be burden. Just like it became so in the case of Rāvaṇa, and he was finished. Similarly, as soon as the kings of the world became puffed up with their false power, the monarchy is now finished. All over the world. Otherwise, say, five hundred years ago, all over the world, there were kings, monarchy, monarchical government. But they misused their power. They did not surrender. Therefore their turban or crown became very burdensome, and they had to give it up. Still in some countries the so-called king or queen are existing. And they have no power. It is simply a show-bottle. So they have lost their power.

So we should be very much careful, not become puffed up by a princely order, turban, but we must know that this opulence, this kingdom, this power... Everyone.

Lecture on SB 2.3.21 -- Los Angeles, June 18, 1972:

So we should be very much careful, not become puffed up by a princely order, turban, but we must know that this opulence, this kingdom, this power... Everyone. Anyone who has got some power, he must know that "This power is given by Kṛṣṇa unto me, and to execute His will, not my sense gratification." Otherwise, it will be burden, and he will be finished. This is laws of God. Nobody can become the enjoyer. The only enjoyer is God. And if we want to enjoy falsely, then we will be in trouble. Similarly, those who are rich, have got ornaments, bangles, if the hand is not engaged in the service of the Lord... Therefore we should always engage our hands. Not only hands. Hands, legs, eyes—everything should be engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service. Either you wipe the floor of the temple, or you type, or anything, or you do something... hands must be engaged for the service of the Lord. Similarly, legs should be engaged also for the service of the Lord.

The legs can be engaged... If you are living in a distant place, engage your legs to come here. That is the engagement of the legs.

Lecture on SB 3.26.30 -- Bombay, January 7, 1975:

So there is a planet which is called Siddhaloka. In that Siddhaloka, the inhabitants are by nature siddhas. They can fly in the sky. From one planet to another planet they can go. There is siddhi, there is laghimā-siddhi, to become lighter than the air. So they can fly in the air without any burden. These are Siddhaloka. So even these Siddhalokas, the inhabitants who are by nature born perfect in yoga-siddhis, they also could not enter into the Vaikuṇṭhaloka. And karmīs, they go up to the heavenly planet. And jñānīs, they may go up to Brahman effulgence. Paraṁ padam. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padam (SB 10.2.32). Āruhya kṛcch... They elevate themself very high, so much so that they enter the spiritual world, paraṁ padam. Paraṁ padam, the spiritual world. Really paraṁ padam means the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. But paraṁ padam, because this Brahman effulgence is also bodily rays of Kṛṣṇa, the Brahman effulgence is also called sometimes paraṁ padam. But those who are aspiring to merge into that paraṁ padam, Brahman, they are actually not vimukta, vimukta-māninaḥ.

Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Stockholm, September 9, 1973:

This is economic development. So the same milk is supplied by the cow. She's actually mother, and this rascal civilization is killing mother. Mother-killing civilization. Just see. You suck the breast of your mother from the beginning of your life, and when she's old if you think, "Mother is useless burden. Cut its throat," is that civilization?

So these rascals are doing that. Taking milk as much as possible from the cows, and then as soon as... Milk is not stopped, it will again come if the cow is protected, given right nutritious food and protection, cow will supply you milk so long she lives. As long as she lives. But as soon as they see that the cow... "Now they were giving thirty kilos. Now it has decreased, twenty kilos or ten kilos. Oh, economic development. Cut its throat." Economic development. Just see how rascal civilization it is. Therefore, it is called nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). Vikarma. Vikarma means criminalities. You cannot kill anyone. Just like in the state laws, if you kill somebody, then you'll be hanged. This is the law: life for life. That is sanctioned in the śāstras, Manu-saṁhitā. When a person is a murderer, he should be killed. Why he should be killed? Because he'll be saved from so many dangerous conditions in his next life.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6-8 -- New York, July 21, 1971:

He has exactly used this word, vimūḍhān. Mūḍha I have already explained several times in connection with Bhagavad-gītā. Mūḍha means rascals. And here Prahlāda Mahārāja uses another nice word with addition, "vi." Vimūḍhān. Vi means viśeṣa, "particularly." The vimūḍhān... Māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahataḥ: "They have created unnecessary burden on their shoulder simply for temporary happiness." Temporary happiness. Therefore, in the Vedic civilization, a sannyāsa, renounced order of life, is recommended for prosecuting spiritual life absolutely without any anxiety. If one can execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness in family life, that's very good. Just like Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. He was a family man, magistrate. Still, he executed devotional service so nicely. Dhruva Mahārāja, Prahlāda Mahārāja, they are, they were gṛhastha, householders, but they trained themselves in such a nice way that even householder, as a householder, there was no interruption. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja said that "I have learned the art, how to remain always in Kṛṣṇa consciousness." What is that? Tvad-vīrya-gāyana-mahāmṛta: "Simply glorifying the," I mean to, "the victorious activities, pastimes of the Lord." Tvad-vīrya. Vīrya means very strenuous, very heroic. Vīrya means heroic. So Kṛṣṇa's activities are all heroic. You can read from Kṛṣṇa book. Tvad-vīrya-gāyana. Kṛṣṇa's name, Kṛṣṇa's fame, Kṛṣṇa's activities, Kṛṣṇa's associates—everything is heroic. So Prahlāda Mahārāja says, "For me, I am certain, wherever I shall go, I can glorify Your heroic activities and I am, I mean to say, saved. There is no question of my falling down.

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

The... Lord Buddha's also principle is ahiṁsā paramo dharmaḥ, no killing. Lord Jesus Christ also says, "Thou shalt not kill." In our Bhagavad-gītā it is also said, amānitvam adambhitvam ahiṁsā (BG 13.8). Ahiṁsā means not to become violent, not to kill.

So as there is state laws that you shall be killed if you kill your fellow man, similarly in the God's law there are the same thing. Not only man; if you kill anyone, then you'll have to suffer, because everyone is God's creature. They are in different dress only. He's considered the supreme father. So father may have many children—one is not very intelligent, another is very intelligent. And if the intelligent son says to the father that "This, my brother, is not intelligent. Let me kill him," will the father allow? Because his one son is not very intelligent, and if the intelligent son desires to kill him to avoid the burden, will the father agree to this? No. Similarly, if God is the supreme father, how He can sanction that you live and you kill animal? The animals are also His sons.

Lecture on SB 6.1.33 -- Honolulu, June 1, 1976:

So in that interview I gave that information that woman's freedom? I gave this reply, that "Where is the woman's freedom? The boy and the girl intermingle, and the girl becomes pregnant, and the boy goes away without any responsibility, and the burden..., the child is a burden for the woman. Either she should kill or beg from the government. Is that independence?" They are trying to be independent. This is not civilization. There is no question of independence. The woman must be given protection in childhood by the father unless she is married, and in youthhood by the husband, and in old age by grown up sons. This is Vedic civilization. Na striyaṁ svatantram arhati. Just like children, they must be always protected. It is not dependence, it is protection. So there should be responsible father, responsible husband, responsible sons to keep woman very happy. In India still it is going on.

So the point is that here the sex life is the highest pleasure, and in the spiritual world there is no sex. So what is that pleasure? That pleasure is this chanting and dancing, Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. That is stated in the śāstra. They are so much absorbed in this chanting and dancing, they are no more interested in sex. That is the only way. If you want to stop the pleasure of sex, then you have to take this pleasure, this transcendental pleasure. You'll forget everything.

Lecture on SB 6.1.39-40 -- Surat, December 21, 1970:

Prabhupāda: Well, the rats will be fed. Either you give or not, it will steal. So that is not the problem. But if you give them food, they will... Of course, that is Western philosophy, that because the animals are increasing, they should be killed. We Indians also, we have taken that view—because we cannot give protection to the cows, they must be sent to the slaughterhouse. That is the modern view. But that is not injunction of the Vedas. The Vedas says that everyone has right to live, every living entity. That is going on not only in consideration of the animals—even in human beings. Just like the Americans, they were all Europeans, and they entered this American land, killed so many Red Indians. So these kind of things are going on, but that does not mean that is the law. You killed so many Red Indians for your benefit, but you have to suffer for that. So that... This is going on in the human society, but that does not mean it is dharma. No. Dharma means you have to abide by the regulation given by the Vedas. You have to adjust things. Sometimes in Africa the man-eaters, they kill their grandfather, make a feast. The Russians also, they maintain such theory, that old men, they should be neglected. I have heard. I do not know. They become burden. But that is not Vedic injunction.

Lecture on SB 6.1.56-57 -- Bombay, August 14, 1975:

So although we are feeding two hundred men daily, still, it can be collected by muṣṭi. Everyone, gṛhastha, can come and place one muṣṭi attar. That is not difficult for him. He has got children, family. He is consuming five kilos of attar daily. Out of that, little, if it is put into the temple, he does not feel any burden. Therefore the collection... Sannyāsī, brahmacārī collects little, little, little from everywhere. That is called mādhukāri, exactly following the footsteps of mādhukāra, bumblebees.

So they are very... Householder, this is meant for the householder especially. This is ideal householder, that guru, agni, atithi, vṛddhānām. Old man also should be taken care of. Nowadays the philosophy is coming: "mercy-killing." "Old men should be killed to show him mercy." Because he is burden in the society, the communistic theory "Old man does not do anything and simply eats; therefore to show him mercy he should be killed." "Mercy-killing." Just see the philosophy: "Killing is mercy." But this is going on. "Mercy-killing." Is that? "Mercy-killing"? What is that?

Lecture on SB 7.6.6 -- New Vrindaban, June 22, 1976:

So this arca-vigrahaḥ is Lord's incarnation to give facilities to people like us who cannot see God everywhere. For the neophyte devotees, it is essential to worship the Deity. But if we simply worship the Deity without hearing about the Lord, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam—these things are essential—then the Deity worship will be a burden. At a certain point, it will be a burden, and gradually it will be neglected, and the whole thing will be spoiled. So both things should continue: bhāgavata-mārga and pañcarātriki-mārga. Deity worship is pāñcarātriki-vidhi, and bhāgavata-mārga is hearing, chanting, like that. Both of them should be accepted, parallel line. Otherwise, one without the other will be later on troublesome. So you must continue. This temple means not only we shall decorate the Deity very nicely, cleanse the temple:

sri-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-

śṛṅgāra-tan mandira-mārjanādau

yuktasya bhaktāṁś ca niyuñjato 'pi... **

So the temple worship should go on, at the same time, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam of Viṣṇu must go on. Two things, parallel. Then it will be done very nicely.

Lecture on SB 7.9.10 -- Montreal, July 12, 1968:

Let me spend it for Kṛṣṇa." Prahlāda Mahārāja, Bhisma Mahārāja, and Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, and many, many great kings, they were very rich, but they engaged their money for the service of Kṛṣṇa. Similarly a devotee, if he is educated, he tries to apply his educational qualification in describing Kṛṣṇa by so many literatures, so many publications. That is the proper use. And Bhāgavata says, as I have several times explained before you, that svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam (SB 1.2.13). If you want to see the perfection of your acquisition, if you want to take... Suppose you are a very great, learned man. Now you think over whether by becoming such learned man your life has become successful. That test is when you will see that you have engaged your learning in the service of Kṛṣṇa, then it is successful. Otherwise it is finished with this body. Similarly, take anything—learning, beauty, or wealth, or anything, whatever you possess. There are many good things to possess in this material world. But if that good thing is engaged in the service of Kṛṣṇa, or God, then it is success. Otherwise it is simply a burden, or it is finished as soon as this body is finished.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 1, 1973:

That is perfection. The people do not know that. They think... People, the karmīs, they think that "If we get a nice body in the heavenly planet, that is perfection of life." Svargaloka. And the jñānīs, they think that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul. But somehow or other, if we finish my body, and merge into the Brahman effulgence, that is perfection of life." The yogis, they think that "We may keep this body, but with this body, if we can play some jugglery, magic, that is perfection of life." Sometimes we see somebody plays some jugglery, magic, little magic, not very nice magic... One cannot show greater magic than Kṛṣṇa, because Kṛṣṇa, when He was seven years old, He lifted the Govardhana Hill with little finger. So who can show this magic? There are so many imitation Gods, but if I ask him that "You just lift this one hundred kilo burden with your finger," it will be very difficult for him. You see.

So this kind of magic, or this kind of perfection, the devotees do not want. The devotees, they say.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 8, 1973:

Jñāna means to know the thing, and vijñāna means to apply the things in practical life. Jñānaṁ vijñāna-sahitam. So we must know the vijñāna, how practically. That is taught by the Gosvāmīs, kṛṣṇot-kīrtana-gāna-nartana, always chanting the glories of Kṛṣṇa. Kīrtana, gāna, nartana, nartana means dancing. Dancing is very good. The more you dance, the more you become light; means the burden of material contamination becomes reduced. Dancing is so nice. Even if you don't feel ecstasy, if you dance by force, that will also help us. Kṛṣṇot-kīrtana-gāna-nartanau-parau premāmṛtāmbho-nidhī. By dancing dancing, we shall develop our dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness, love for Kṛṣṇa. This is a nice process. Kṛṣṇot-kīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau premāmṛtāmbho-nidhī. Then you will merge into the ocean of love for Kṛṣṇa. So this is the highest stage of ecstasy for Kṛṣṇa consciousness, always chanting Kṛṣṇa's name, dancing in ecstasy, and to be merged in the ocean of love for Kṛṣṇa. These are the perfection.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 28, 1972:

That is pure devotion. Not that forced. In the beginning, we have to force, that "You rise early in the morning. There is maṅgala ārātrika. You have to perform it." But when this function will be done spontaneously, "Oh, this is the time to offer maṅgala ārātrika to my Lord..." That is wanted. That is wanted. Not that "Oh, it is a heavy burden to rise early in the morning and to offer maṅgala ārātrika." That is not spontaneous. But one has to act under the direction of spiritual master and śāstra, which is called vidhi-bhakti, regulative devotional service, he comes to the platform of spontaneous service.

We have got an example in this connection. Formerly there was child-marriage. Boys and girls were married at the age of ten years, twelve years. So at that time, there was no practically love. But the guardians, they induced the girl to go and offer her husband some eatables, to give her some service. In this way... That was just like regulative. But when they actually come in the platform of attraction, there is no need of direction. So the spontaneous love, when spontaneously we shall serve Kṛṣṇa, without any obligation, without any force, that is required. Spontaneous love, rāga-mārga.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 10, 1972:

We create some so-called comforts of life for temporary enjoyment, but at the same time, we take the risk of so many dangerous condition. In the śāstra it is said that this place is padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām (SB 10.14.58). In every step there is danger. Although we are trying to mitigate all kinds of discomforts, it is simply changing the burden from head to the shoulder. Just like a coolie carrying some burden, when he feels uncomfortable, he changes the burden from head to the shoulder, but actually, that is not mitigating the pains of burden. Similarly, we are trying to get material comforts by manufacturing or adventing so many scientific discoveries, but that is not actually getting happiness. It is simply changing the position. Exactly, we just consider that in your country, especially, you have got many motorcars, but riding on motorcars, how much dangerous conditions you accept. Everyone accept.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 10, 1972:

You cannot expect real comfort within this material world. It is a place... Because Kṛṣṇa Himself certifies this place duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). It is a place for miserable condition of life. Now, how you can make it a happy place? That is not possible. So our attempt to make us happy, the example is given, just like to take the heavy burden from head to the shoulder. That's all. Changing the place. Now we are creating so many problems, you know. You have got many cars, many roads, but still, you have to construct highways or flyways, one road after another, one road after another. Still, there is congestion. Still, there is accident. So in this way we cannot be comfortable. This is a vain endeavor. Durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ. They are unnecessarily, hopelessly trying to become happy within this material world. And people, the so-called scientists, so-called advancement of material education means... Now, the scientist says that they have finished their business; they have no more to discover. But the discomforts of life still is there. As it was two hundred years ago, still, I think it is more acute now than two hundred years ago.

Festival Lectures

Sri Sri Radha Gokulananda Deity Installation -- London, August 21, 1973:

There are sixty-four kinds of offenses. You have seen it in The Nectar of Devotion. So not very much... You should be very much clean, first thing is. Cleanliness is next to godliness. Very much clean, rise early in the morning, take your bath and perform maṅgala ārātrika, then chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, then read scriptures. In this way remain twenty-four hours engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service. This is the purpose of installing Deity. Not that after few days you think it is a burden. No, then it will be great offense. It is not burden. It is a great opportunity to serve Kṛṣṇa. As the gopīs are serving in Goloka Vṛndāvana. Kṛṣṇa is so kind. He has come here to accept your service in a manner in which you can handle Him. You can dress Kṛṣṇa, you can offer prasāda, you can chant His glory. In this way, always remain engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and gradually you'll find how you are advancing in spiritual life. Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Karl Marx:

Hayagrīva: He felt that the state should eventually assume the role of Christ. He said, "As Christ is the mediator on whom man unburdens all his own divinity and his whole religious burden, so also the state is the mediator on which man places all his unholiness and his whole human burden." So, in other words, that Christ, of course, relieves man of all his burdens and his sins through his message of salvation, and instead of Christ it would be the state that would assume this role.

Prabhupāda: So Christ gives the knowledge how one can be relieved of the material burden. That is the business of all religious preacher. The religious preacher should give information to the people in general the exact position of God or idea of God, and when people will learn scientifically about God's existence and his relationship with God, then everything will be adjusted. That is wanted. Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to give people exact idea of God, exact definition of God, and exact instruction of God. If we take that, take to that, then our religious life will be perfect.

Purports to Songs

Spelling of Prayers to the Six Gosvamis -- Los Angeles, December 26, 1968:

So śrī-caitanya-kṛpā-bharau: "They were so kind and merciful because they actually received the blessings and mercy of Lord Caitanya." Śrī-caitanya-kṛpā-bharau bhuvi. Bhuvi means "on this world, on this earth." And bhuvo. Bhuvo means "on this earth," bhuvo, and bhuvi, "they became." Bhuvi bhuvo, bhārāva-hantārakau. Bhara, b-h-a-r-a, bhara means burden. Hantārakau, "just to take out the burdens." When people become too much sinful, the earth becomes overburdened, and just to make it lighter... If it becomes too much heavy, then it will fall down. So these great souls, they come to make it lighter. Bhārāva-hantārakau, vande rūpa. "Oh, you are so kind." So therefore vande: "I offer my respectful obeisances," rūpa, lord..., not lord. Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī and two Raghunātha Gosvāmīs. There are two Raghunāthas. And Jīva Gosvāmī and Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī. Vande-rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau.