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Car (Other Lectures)

Lectures

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 17, 1972:

You cannot say that "I am accustomed to drive my car from the left side. Why shall I go to the right?" No, the law is there. You have to abide by the law. Similarly, religion means the law given by Kṛṣṇa, by God. That is religion. You cannot manufacture religion. Kṛṣṇa... Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Therefore real religion is to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). So actually, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is real religion. Everyone should follow this. Then he will be saved. Kṛṣṇa assures, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 19, 1972:

This body is machine. Yantrārūḍhāni māyayā (BG 18.61). This is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. This is yantra. So just like your car, you are driving one car, the car is stopped for some reason. It is no more working. Then what do you do? You get down. You get another car. Similarly, when this body's not working, then you give up this body; you take another body.

Now, taking another car means as you are paying for it. If you are paying very lump sum, you can a better car. But if you cannot pay, then you have to accept a low grade car. Similarly, the price means according to your karma, you are offered a car.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 19, 1972:

Māyā creates a car for you, a carrying conveyance, this body. So that conveyance is according to karma. So if you act piously in this life, then next life you get good body. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthā (BG 14.18). Sattva-sthā. If you are in goodness, then, in the modes of goodness, then you are promoted to higher standard of life.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 28, 1972:

Sometimes the car becomes blocked. But some fellow pushes it. We have got this experience. What is called that? Chocked up? Then you get, get down and push the car and (makes noise:) brut brut brut, goes. Similarly the bhakti-rasa is there in everyone's heart. Nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti. Because we, we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Just like father and son. A father and son may be separate for many, many, many, many years. But as soon as they meet together, again the same affection comes. Again the same affection comes.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 28, 1972:

As soon as you understand Kṛṣṇa tattvataḥ, then tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). You don't, won't have again in this material world. Don't get any material body. You go back home, back to Godhead. And this tattvataḥ, to understand Kṛṣṇa, tattvataḥ, you have to take to the devotional service. This jñāna process or the karma process or the yoga process, it can push you little further. But... Just like if you push the car little farther, but unless the energy of the car comes into action, this car will not go. Simply pushing is not sufficient. The car must come to his energy automatically. Then it will go. So that process is bhakti.

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

These materialistic persons, they are engaged at night either by sleeping or by sex indulgence. Nidrayā hriyate naktaṁ vyavāyena ca vā vayaḥ. They are wasting their time, valuable time of this life either by sleeping or by sex at night. This is their night's business. And what is day's business.? Divā cārthehayā rājan. In the daytime, simply walking or running by cars. We have seen in your country. there are flyways and always cars, hundreds and thousands of cars. Sometimes I think that so many cars are going this way, and so many cars are going this way. Why they not settle up their business by telephone, that "I do here your business", "I do here,"? (laughter) But that is not possible. Because it is karmī, all of them running this way, whoosh-whoosh, and there is accident.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1972:

Those who are under the material energy, they are pulled by the ear of the person by the material energy. Bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni māyayā (BG 18.61). Yantrārūḍhāni. This body is a yantra, is an automobile, mechanical car. Just like I, we are placed on the motorcar and the driver moves us in different places, similarly, according to our karma, we are given a certain type of body, cat's body, dog's body, human body, this body, that body—8,400,000 species. So we are moving. Bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni māyayā (BG 18.61). So actually, we are under the control of the material nature. But ahaṅkāra-vimūḍha ātmā. Those who are fools and rascals, they are thinking "I am independent, I am God, I don't care for God," this or that... So many. So this is called mati-cchanna, madness.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1972:

Suppose I am sitting on a Rolls Royce motorcar. If I say, "I am Rolls Royce," is that my identification? No. Actually... And this is a fact. If a man is driving a very nice car, and if in his front there is a thela walla... I've seen it. The driver says, "He thela." As is if that man has become thela. And he has become motor. So actually, this is the fact. Piśācī pāile yena mati-cchanna haya. Neither he's thela, nor he's motorcar. He's living entity, pure living entity. Therefore in Bhagavad-gītā it is said, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). When one actually is self-realized, that "I am not American, not Indian, not Hindu, not Muslim, not man, not woman. I am spirit soul. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi," at that time, he does not lament. Na śocati na kāṅkṣati. We are fighting with one another, lamenting and hankering due to this misidentification of the self with this body.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 4, 1973:

Force will not act. Kṛṣṇa is not our order-supplier, servant: "Kṛṣṇa, please come here. I'll see You." No, no. That will not do. You must be submissive, first of all surrender. You follow the rules and regulations, be mad after Kṛṣṇa. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu: govinda-viraheṇa me. Śūnyāyitaṁ jaga, śūnyāyitaṁ jagat sarvaṁ govinda-viraheṇa me. Śūnyayitaṁ jagat sarvam: "Everything is vacant because I cannot see Govinda." Just like if one's beloved son dies, he sees everything vacant. He no more sees that cars are running on the street or people are running. No. He sees everything vacant. Why? Due to love. Similarly, when we'll come to that position, we shall see everything vacant without Kṛṣṇa. Then that is the proper position to see Kṛṣṇa.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 11, 1973:

Why don't you become, always think of Kṛṣṇa? Where is the loss? If you are walking on the street or going on bus or on your car, if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, what is your heavy loss? Is there any loss? Why don't you do it? Try it. There is no loss. And if there is any gain, why don't you try it? For nothing, without any loss. These Europeans and American boys, they are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. They are more enlightened, so far material civilization is concerned. But in their country, almost all young men, as a hobby, they have taken a bead and chanting. Our, the George Harrison, the famous Beatle, he is supplying beads and bags to his friends: "Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." And he has written in his record that "Anyone who is friend of Kṛṣṇa, I am his friend."

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

Actually, we are seeing, especially in the Western countries, this motorcar civilization, when we run on on the motorcar, especially with high speed, it is always we think that any moment danger can take place. (aside:) You remember, you were driving your father's car, eighty miles. So I asked you, "Don't go so fast." So the materialistic way of life is that. 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.

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.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.102 -- Baltimore, July 7, 1976:

In this material world means the suffering is going on. We are thinking we are very safe, running in the car. At any moment there may be accident. At any moment. I do not want it, my life may go. So this is sane man's life, that "So many things, I do not want them, but they are enforced upon me, and I do not know how to get out of it."

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.102 -- Baltimore, July 7, 1976:

So this movement, our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is for this purpose, to see the Absolute Truth, to understand the Absolute Truth, to know the problems of life and how to make a solution. These things are our subject matter. Our subject matter is not material things, that somehow or other you get a car and a good apartment and a good wife, then all your problems solved. No. That is not solution of problems. The real problem is how to stop your death. That is the real problem. But because it is very difficult subject matter, nobody touches it. "Oh, death—we shall peacefully die." But nobody peacefully dies. If I take a dagger and I say, "Now die peacefully," (laughter) the whole peaceful condition finished immediately. He will cry.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.104 -- New York, July 10, 1976:

So when one understands that "I am not this body," he is not very much affected. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, deha-smṛti nāhi yāra, saṁsāra-bandhana kāhāṅ tāra. Deha-smṛti: it is simply to understand. Just like I have given several times this example: you are in a very nice car, Cadillac, and you are very proud of it, and if by chance the car is by accident broken then your heart breaks. Why? You are not the car. But because your thoughts are absorbed in the car, that "This is my car," therefore your heart becomes broken. Actually you have nothing to do with the car. Even the car is broken into pieces, you are not affected. But because I have got affection for the car, therefore I am... So this affection can be withdrawn by cultivation of knowledge. That I am not this car, it is a fact, but on account of my ignorance and attachment I am thinking, "Now I am finished because my car is broken." It is simple truth. Similarly those who are too much absorbed in the thought that "I am this body," their sufferings are more on account of this misconception that "I am this body."

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.104 -- New York, July 10, 1976:

We have got this body, field of activities. We are very much proud of civilized... But subject matter is the same. The dog is thinking, "I am this body." He is jumping with four legs, and you are jumping with four wheels, that's all. Because the knowledge is the same, that "I am this body." There is no improvement. So we are thinking that "Dog is running on the street without any car, and we have got a nice car we are running, so therefore we are civilized." No. This is not civilization. This is the same civilization as the dog and cat has got.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.118-119 -- New York, November 23, 1966:

So Lord Caitanya is explaining the position of the conditioned souls. They are completely under the grip of this material nature. And just like one is seated on the car and the driver drives him—if the driver is not under control, he drives him anywhere, to any hell—similarly, we are sitting on this car of this body, supplied by the material nature, and she is driving anywhere, sometimes up, sometimes down. In this way we are suffering life after life, birth after birth. This is our condition. We are not independent; completely under the stringent laws of material nature.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.137-146 -- Bombay, February 24, 1971:

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, ataeva bhakti kṛṣṇa prāptyera. The conclusion is that if you want Kṛṣṇa, then you have to take the path of devotional service. That will help you. And that bhakti is technically known as abhidheya. That is the technical..., abhidheya. Abhidheya means discharging one's duty. That is abhidheya, or the performance of the means by which one can reach the ultimate goal of life. That is called abhidheya.

dhana pāile yaiche sukha bhoga phala pāya
sukha-bhoga haite duḥkha āpani palāya
taiche bhakti-phale kṛṣṇe prema upajaya
preme kṛṣṇāsvāda haile bhava nāśa pāya

He says that "If a poor man gets some money, not only he becomes happy, but the symptoms of his poverty is also immediately vanquished." Just like a poor man gets, say, ten lakhs of rupees. Immediately he'll have a nice bungalow, he'll have two, three cars, and so many other opulences. So simultaneously, the distress out of his poverty-stricken life is also vanquished, and there are symptoms of sukha, symptoms of happiness. We suppose like that.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.137-146 -- Bombay, February 24, 1971:

If a man has got a car, we think he's very happy. But this is a symptom of happiness. A poor man cannot get a car, but a rich man cannot get... If one has got a car, it is understood that he is rich man. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that automatically the symptoms of happiness come unto him, and his distress of material condition simultaneously becomes vanquished if one is elevated to the position of devotional service. That is the test.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.313-317 -- New York, December 21, 1966:

Don't think that you are producing your foodstuff, you are producing your necessities. No. You cannot do anything. He is providing. God is giving you. God is giving you. So you should always remember that pālanārtha. Eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. Eko, that one supreme eternal, He is providing all the necessities of so many, innumerable living entities. Don't you see? We are mad after economic development from morning to late at night. In our cars, in our trucks we are going hither and thither. But there are many, many millions of living creatures; they have no economic problem. Who is providing them? Who is providing them? Providing, Kṛṣṇa is providing them. Viṣṇu is providing them.

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 9-10 -- Los Angeles, May 14, 1970:

Those who are in ignorance, they are cultivating a different type of advancement of knowledge, and those who are actually in knowledge, they are cultivating in a different way. Ordinary people, they do not like our activities, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They are surprised. Gargamuni was telling me yesterday evening that people ask, "Where do you get so much money? You are purchasing so many cars and big church property and maintaining fifty, sixty men daily and enjoying. What is this?" (laughter) So they are surprised. And we are surprised why these rascals are working so hard simply for filling the belly.

Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Verse 35 -- New York, July 31, 1971:

It is very distinctly visible wherever you go, so many congested work (?). All buses and cars are running, so many luggages being loaded in the street. Bharam udvahato. Great humbug, you see, great humbug. Prahlāda Mahārāja said māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (SB 7.9.43), actually they are taking so much trouble for loading these big, big cases, but because they're getting, say $40.00 a day, they say, think, "I am enjoying. I am enjoying." Actually he's working so hard, just like ass or hogs, day and night, but because getting some money and with that money because he is gratifying his senses, he thinks "I am happy." This is illusion.

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Lecture -- Bombay, January 3, 1973:

Whole day and night, these cars are going and there is huge sound. Where is secluded place? And, and it is recommended in Bhagavad-gītā, secluded place and sacred place. And he should remain alone. Where is such yogi? Find out. Where is such yogi? He should remain alone, and in a secluded place and a sacred place. And he should not change his āsana. Then he becomes a yogi. These are the preliminary things. But who is practicing these preliminary even? They cannot. Especially in the cities, there are so many yoga societies, but in the, it is stated that it should be practiced in a secluded place. So how it is possible in the city? So if you follow the instruction, it will be very difficult.

Festival Lectures

Ratha-yatra and Press Conference -- San Francisco, July 4, 1970:

Lord Caitanya, when He appeared, He took sannyāsa at the age of twenty-four years, and by His mother's request He was living at Jagannātha Purī. So every year He was taking part in this car festival of Jagannātha. This Jagannātha Deity was established by one King Indradyumna about more than three thousand years ago. This temple is very old. Even in some literatures of your Christian religion I find that Lord Jesus Christ also went to this Jagannātha temple and lived there for sometimes. Of course, how far it is true, that is to be judged by you, but I have read this information in a Christian book, Aquarian Gospel. So if we take this incidence that Lord Jesus Christ also went to Jagannātha temple, then from historical point of view it is two thousand years old. But it is, according to our calculation, it is more than three thousand years old.

Ratha-yatra and Press Conference -- San Francisco, July 4, 1970:

The Deity Jagannātha as you see, it appears half finished. The king decided, "Never mind it is half finished. I shall install these deities in the temple." Since then, the three deities Jagannātha, Balarāma and Subhadra are being worshiped in India, Jagannātha Purī. Perhaps you know. And the car festival takes place every year, and millions of people go there to participate in that cart, car festival.

Ratha-yatra and Press Conference -- San Francisco, July 4, 1970:

So because we have started this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement in your country, this car festival and Lord Caitanya's taking part in this is one of the paraphernalia of our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And because it revives our consciousness about Kṛṣṇa, it is an easy process for reviving mass Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore if you participate in these car festivals, as it is stated in the scriptures, rathe ca vāmanaṁ dṛṣṭvā punar janma na vidyate... If you kindly see these Jagannātha deities riding on these cars and in procession, and as Caitanya Mahāprabhu chanted the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra in front of this car, then according to our Vedic scripture, if you participate in this festival, in your next life you'll go to back, back to home, back to Godhead.

Ratha-yatra and Press Conference -- San Francisco, July 4, 1970:

So at least I'll request you to come and see this car festival. There is no expenditure, but it is simply joyful. You haven't got to pay anything. You simply come, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, dance with us, and when you are tired we shall give you nice prasādam. So on behalf of Kṛṣṇa conscious society I invite you, all boys, girls, ladies, and gentlemen, to take part in this car festival, and I thank you very much.

Ratha-yatra -- San Francisco, June 27, 1971:

I have already explained what is this Ratha-yatra festival. It is in commemoration of a grand visit by Lord Kṛṣṇa along with His elder brother, Balarāma, and His younger sister, Subhadrā, in a solar eclipse ceremony at Kurukṣetra. This occasion is the subject matter of this Ratha-yatra festival. Apart from these historical references in the matter of Ratha-yatra festival, there is another spiritual meaning, that the Lord is situated in everyone's heart, and this body is just like ratha, or car. He is sitting in everyone's heart. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ: "I am sitting in everyone's heart." Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca: (BG 15.15) "I am giving everyone the intelligence as well as I am taking away the intelligence from everyone." This double work is being done by the Supersoul. In one side He is helping how to realize self, how to realize God, and other side He is helping also to forget God. How is it that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as paramātmā, is doing this double work? The sense is that if we want to forget God, God will help us in such a way that we'll forget God life after life. But if we want to reestablish our relationship with God, from within He will help us in every way.

Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami's Appearance Day -- Vrndavana, October 19, 1972:

There is a normal instruction that a so-called gentleman, nicely dressed in the assembly of human society, may appear to be very nice so long he does not speak. But he's, if he speaks nonsense, without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, immediately he becomes the lowest of the mankind. If he proves by his speaking that he has no knowledge in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he's simply well dressed, that's all... That we are finding all over the world. They are very nicely dressed, they have got very nice car, but if we ask him about God consciousness, they say, "Sir, after finishing this body, everything is finished." This is their knowledge. Therefore they are the lowest of the mankind. Lowest of the mankind means that in the human form of life he was supposed to know that life is eternal and the soul is changing different types of bodies on account of karma, different types of activities.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Disappearance Day, Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 9, 1968:

In those days a magistrate is a big officer in the government, practically next to governor. And Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura was in charge of the Jagannātha temple. That is the system in Jagannātha Purī. The manager in charge of the temple is the district magistrate. So there was a Ratha-yātrā festival, and the car was passing in front of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's house. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's name was Kedaranath Datta. When he was magistrate, he was known as K.N. Datta. Kedaranath Datta. So the car stopped before his house, and at that time, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, a child in the lap of his mother. The mother took the opportunity of rising on the car. He (She) was magistrate's wife, so he (she) had the facility. Immediately, people gave her way to go on the top of the car and place the child on the lotus feet of Jagannātha. And there were many garlands. One garland fell upon him, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī, blessings.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Disappearance Day, Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 9, 1968:

Suppose a foreigner like me comes in America and he does not know... Because in India... Just like in your country, the car is driven from the right side; in India, I've seen in London also, the car is driven from the left side. So suppose he does not know, he drives the car on the left side and incurs some accident, and he is taken by the police custody. And if he says, "Sir, I did not know that here the car is driven from the right side," that does not make him excused. The law will punish him. So ignorance is the cause of breaking the law or sinful activities. And as soon as you commit some sinful activity, you have to suffer the result. So the whole world is in ignorance, and due to ignorance he's complicated in so many actions and reactions, either good or bad.

Varaha-dvadasi, Lord Varaha's Appearance Day Lecture -- Bhuvanesvara, January 31, 1977:

Without sex life he could live for some years. Everyone will die. So for tuberculosis patient sex life is strictly prohibited. So when there is prohibition... Just like in the material world there is prohibition, "No sex life," because we are patient here, tuberculosis patient. If we enjoy sex life then we'll die. Die means... We are already dead because we have to accept this dead body. This body is dead. But so long I am within this body, simply it is moving. Just like motor car. Motor car is a lump of matter, but when the driver is acting, it is moving. Similarly this body... By māyā we are thinking that this body is living. It is not living. It is dead. From the very beginning it is dead. And when the soul will go away, it will appear its real identity-dead.

Lord Nityananda Prabhu's Avirbhava Appearance Day Lecture -- Bhuvanesvara, February 2, 1977:

Suppose you have got a very good car, Mercedes car or Rolls Royce car. But when there is no petrol, how the car will move? It is not possible. There is spirit, petrol spirit. Similarly, real strength is spiritual strength. That spiritual strength is Balarāma. Bala means strength. Therefore we have to take shelter of the lotus feet of Balarāma, guru-tattva.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, Lecture -- Los Angeles, February 7, 1969:

When the Ratha-yātrā takes place? In July. So February, March, April, May, June, July. So when he was six months old, the Ratha-yātrā festival was held. And by chance the big cart stopped in front of that house. That is generally in the Jagannātha car stops. Just like our car also stops somewhere. And you have some difficulty to push it again? That's nice. That also happens in Jagannātha Purī. It was stopped, and some people were... Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to push with His head. So that was wonderful. So anyway the car stopped, and mother of our Guru Mahārāja, the child Guru Mahārāja, so she took the opportunity, and because she was manager's wife, so everyone respected with the child. So she put the child on the leg of Jagannātha. And as there are so many garlands, one garland immediately fell on the child.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, Evening -- Gorakhpur, February 15, 1971:

The material consciousness means to enjoy sex life and drink and have sufficient money. These three items, they have got sufficient, immense. There are... So far material comforts, oh, there is no conception in India how they are materially comfortable. Their roads, their cars, their machines... You cannot imagine how American roads are there. There are freeways. In America, there are freeways: without any stoppage you can run your car in seventy mile speed, and four cars going up and four cars going down. And road just like velvet. (laughter)

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, Evening -- Gorakhpur, February 15, 1971:

These boys run our cars. And you'll be very pleased that in each and every temple we have got at least four cars, nice. Especially one car for me and two cars for carrying them for saṅkīrtana movement. Very good arrangement.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Lecture -- New Delhi, November 10, 1971:

We want hundreds and thousands of preachers to go outside India and preach this cult. And there are customers ready. Wherever we are opening our branches, it appears as if they are awaiting our arrival. Immediately they take up. So there is very great opportunity. You cannot compete with the Western countries by your technology, however you may make some sewing machine or cycle or Ambassador car. They are hundred years ahead. You cannot make any competition by machine. If you can give them anything and glorify your country, then this is this movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then they will admit that you have something.

Arrival Lecture -- Los Angeles, May 18, 1972:

So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very scientific, factual, authorized. Simply intelligent persons can understand it. Every human being has got intelligence, better than the animals. If you simply try to understand what is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, this human life will be perfect. Here, we are trying to enjoy, but we do not know that next life, next chapter, may stop everything—at any moment. Don't think because you are American, you have got material opulences, very comfortable life, cars, roads, buildings... That's all right. But any moment, you will be kicked out, and it may be that you'll have to accept another body which is not at all American. It may be the body of a tree or a cat or a dog. That science we must know. Don't be enamored by the flickering happiness. This happiness is there which is factual: this Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. You see Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, how He's jolly, with His cows, with His flute, with His comrades, with His boyfriend, girlfriend, how He's happy.

Arrival Lecture -- Mexico, February 11, 1975, (With Spanish Translator):

Hṛdayānanda: (translating question) If everyone is spirit soul, then isn't sex life also spiritual?

Prabhupāda: Well, sex life... There is no sex life in the spirit soul. Sex life is in the material body. We are not this body, but because we are in this body, therefore we are thinking pleasure of the body is pleasure of the soul. Just like when you are sitting in a nice car, if the car is damaged, the proprietor thinks that he is damaged. But actually he is not damaged; the car is damaged. It is due to our false identification with the body. Therefore we think that sex life is a pleasure. But so long we are in this body, sex life is not prohibited, but it is regulated.

Arrival Conversation -- Los Angeles, June 20, 1975:

If one is turned into devotee, then all the good qualities automatically become manifest. That is the verdict of Bhāgavata. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā (SB 5.18.12). Anyone who is not a devotee, his material qualification has no value. Mano-rathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ. He is hovering over the mental plane. Therefore in your country, Western country, the so-called big, big philosophers, scientists, they could not do anything tangible, because they are hovering on the mental plane. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Manorathena. Mana means mind and ratha means car. They are driving on the mental car. So mind is material.

Arrival Conversation -- Los Angeles, June 20, 1975:

Prabhupāda: The soul has been embarrassed, the unnecessary things. Just like a man is within the huge garbage. What is his position? If... You have got your garbage car, so within that, (chuckles) if a man is pushed...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Abominable.

Prabhupāda: It is like that. Twenty-four elements. Five material elements, three subtle elements, then five working senses and five all knowledge gathering senses—how many?

Jayatīrtha: Eighteen.

Prabhupāda: Eighteen? No.

Jayatīrtha: So far.

Prabhupāda: Twenty-three, I think. Five gross elements, five senses..., five knowledge gathering senses, and five working senses, fifteen,...

Arrival Speech Excerpt -- Detroit, June 11, 1976:

So Kṛṣṇa says very simple thing. Our real problem is how to get relief from the material world. One may say, "What is fault of material world?" The fault is that you may arrange... First of all, there is no happiness. But even though you make some arrangement, still, you are not allowed to stay. Suppose you have made very good arrangement: "I have got very nice house, nice car, very nice family, wife and relatives, and business, just going on." But where is the guarantee that you shall stay here very long? That is the question.

Arrival Address -- New York, July 9, 1976:

The creator of this world says that this place is for suffering, duḥkhālayam. And aśāśvatam. That is also temporary. You may think, "Never mind. I am American. We have got big, big buildings and big, big roads and cars. Never mind it is duḥkhālayam, I shall remain here." No, sir, you cannot remain." Aśāśvatam: you have to leave this place. Even if you make compromise that "Never mind. I am happy now to my estimation," the answer is duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). You cannot make permanent settlement.

Initiation Lectures

Initiation of Lokanatha dasa -- New Vrindaban, May 21, 1969:

Simply we can understand God by the mercy of God. So here is the mercy of God, Kṛṣṇa, He Himself speaking about Himself. You learn God. God is speaking about Himself. You haven't got to speculate. And He, by His pastimes, by His activities, He... (aside:) What is that sound coming? That is car? Oh. By His activities, He proved Himself that He is complete God. From His childhood.

General Lectures

Lecture at Engagement -- Boston, May 8, 1968:

This human form of life is the opportunity to achieve that highest perfection of life. If we do not make progress with that vision of life, then we are simply spoiling our, this opportunity of human civilized life. Especially I mean this civilized form of life with developed consciousness, developed education. If you do not take care "What I am? Why I am meeting death? I do not wish to die. Why calamities are enforced upon me?" Nobody wants to meet calamities. In your country, especially I see in every city, the fire brigade, ambulance car is always wandering in the street. That means who wants that his house should be set in fire? Who wants that he should meet an accident? But these things are being enforced, but there is no question that "Why these things are enforced? I do not want this. Why this...?" This is self-realization.

Lecture Engagement -- Montreal, June 15, 1968:

So long we have got this bodily concept of life, we cannot be cheerful. Full of anxiety. And as soon as we understand that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul," the next moment you will be cheerful. There will be no anxiety. I am full of anxiety because on account of this bodily concept of life. Just like one man has got very costly motorcar, and he is running the car on the street. He is very careful so that there may not be any accident in the car, the car may not break. So much anxiety. But a man who is walking on the street, he has no such anxiety. Why the man in the car is so anxious? Because he has identified himself with the car.

Lecture Engagement -- Montreal, June 15, 1968:

If the car, if there is any accident to the car, if the car breaks, he thinks, "I am gone. Oh, my car is gone." Although he is different from car, he thinks like that due to identification, false identification. Similarly, because we are falsely identified with this body, therefore we have got so many problems of life. So if we want to make solution of the problems of life, then we have to understand what I am. And unless this question arises in your mind—not only in your mind, everyone's mind—then we should, we must consider that whatever we are doing, that is our defeat because we are doing everything in false consciousness.

Lecture Engagement -- Montreal, June 15, 1968:

You are governed by authority. You are running your car by authority—"Keep to the right." Why? Why don't you defy it? So authority we have to obey. But the difficulty is: who is authority? That we require to learn who is actually authority. So authority means who has no mistakes, who has no illusion, who does not cheat, and whose senses are perfect. That is authority. That is the definition of authority.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 7, 1968:

The Americans, they also come from Europe. So this group of human society is very few. There are other, many uncivilized groups. Therefore Vedānta says, atha ataḥ: now you have got developed human form of life, civilized life, you have got nice arrangement for your comfortable life. Especially in America you have got all material comforts. You have got cars, you have got good road, nice food, nice building, nice dress, nice feature of your body. Everything God has given you very nice. The Vedānta advises, "Now you take to about the inquiry of Brahman." Athāto brahma jijñāsā.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 9, 1968:

The Lord is present by His words. Just like in your Bible, there are ten commandments. So if you follow... Just like the state is present by the lawbooks. If you follow the law, then you are satisfying the state. Just like "Keep to the right." If you are following the rules, you are keeping your car on the right side, you are stopping when there is red light, that means if you are satisfying the regulation, then you are satisfying the state. Similarly, if you satisfy the regulative principles, then you are satisfying the Lord. It is very nice. It is very simple thing. But you must try to satisfy. Whether by your work, by your activity, you have satisfied, then your life is perfect.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 18, 1968:

Spiritual realization can be perfected by three parallel process. Sādhu. Sādhu means saintly persons, who are realized souls, sādhu. And śāstra. Śāstra means scriptures, authoritative scriptures, Vedic scriptures, śāstra. Sādhu, śāstra, and guru, a spiritual master. Three parallel line. And if you place your car or vehicle on these three parallel line, your car will go direct to Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture -- Los Angeles, November 13, 1968:

So this purport of this song is very nice. He's lamenting, appealing to Hari, the Lord. Hari hari biphale janama goṅāinu: "My dear Lord, I have uselessly spoiled my life." Biphale means uselessly, and janama means birth, and goṅāinu means "I have passed." He's representing a common man, as every one of us is simply spoiling our life. They do not know that they are spoiling their life. They are thinking that "I've got very nice apartment, very nice car, very nice wife, very nice income, very nice social position." So many things. These are the material attractions.

Class in Los Angeles -- Los Angeles, November 15, 1968:

So one has to go outside this limited area. That is called brahma-bhūtaḥ stage. Then they'll have real Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Matir na kṛṣṇe parato svato. So why I want that I shall be happy in this way? I make my own plan: "My nation will be happy in this way." This is called saṁsāra, adānta-gobhir, because I want to satisfy my senses. Adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisram. And the position is punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). Punaḥ punaś carvita-car..., carvita-carvaṇa means chewing the chewed. Something is chewed and thrown away in the street, and if somebody comes and chews again that thrown away article, he cannot get any juice out of it. Similarly, we are making plan, but because it is on the platform of sense gratification, the whole thing is coming to the four principles of animal life—eating, sleeping, mating, defending—that's all.

Lecture -- Hawaii, March 23, 1969:

Successful life is that, that we should make our bodily necessities of life as far as required, not more than that. I want to eat something. God has given sufficient food. You grow. You live anywhere. You grow foodstuff. You grow grains. You grow fruits. You grow vegetables. Keep cows. Take milk. You can live anywhere. You haven't got to go fifty miles off with a car to attend your office at six o'clock with velocity of hundred miles' speed. Is that successful life, do you think? So where is successful life? We are proposing successful life.

Lecture -- New York, April 16, 1969:

After this life, they get another life. From aquatics they are promoted to the plant life. From plant life they are promoted to the insect life. From insect life they are promoted to the birds' life. Gradual evolution. They are coming by nature's way. Nature is helping. And nature has helped you to come to this life, to civilized form of life, where you can have education, where you can have nice compartment, apartment, nice food, nice association, nice car, nice city. Because... What is the difference between this nice and, I mean to say, not nice? Because you have got nice intelligence.

Lecture -- New York, April 16, 1969:

Two businesses. One has no opportunity... One who has no sex opportunity, he's sleeping. Or enjoying sex life. Then what about day? Divā cārthehayā rājan. And the whole day is being spoiled, "Where is money? Where is money? Where is money?" All right, you take money. Here is money. He gets, say, one thousand dollar, earns the whole day. Then? Divā cārthehayā rājan kuṭumba-bharaṇena vā (SB 2.1.3). Then shopping. As soon as you get money there are nice shops, all advertising, "Come here. Take this garment. Take this. Take that. Take that car." Always advertisement. Anyone who has got his money in the pocket, he's immediately spending. So for earning money and to spend them or to sleep at night or to enjoy sex life at night. So this is the engagement of a materialistic man throughout the whole day and night.

Lecture -- Boston, April 25, 1969:

Perhaps you are coming to our love feast. We can prepare. Of course, these boys and girls, they are not very expert, but still, whatever they have learned, and they are supplying prasādam to your American boys and girls, and people, they are appreciating very much. In Los Angeles—that is our biggest temple in your country—we get in every love feast day not less than two hundred guests. They come from far away with their car and they take. They like it. You see? So if you accept this austerity, that "We shall not eat meat, but we can have very nice foodstuff from grains, from fruits, from vegetables, milk, sugar, so many nice foodstuff," you will forget. Simply you have to learn. That is not very severe austerity. Simply our process is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, how from this present consciousness we want to change to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

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

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa consciousness can be achieved in any condition of life. It doesn't matter whether you are dressed in this way or in your American way or any way. That doesn't matter. It has nothing to do.

Woman (3): But I would think, sir, that that does make a little bit difference that you feel that way.

Prabhupāda: Yes, it makes a psychological condition if you dress. Just like if you dress yourself just like a queen, sometimes you feel, "I am queen." You see? Just like an actor in a theatrical stage, or if you sit down on a car, you think that you are much elevated. These are temporary, but they are not very important. If you have no objection to accept this dress, that's nice. But if you have got objection, then we have no objection. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is different from this dress or that dress. Just like a policeman, police constable, he is dressed in a different type than ordinary gentleman. But that does not mean simply by dressing, he is a perfect policeman. Even without dress, he can become a perfect policeman.

Address to Indian Association -- Columbus, May 11, 1969:

We are not only establishing New Vrindaban, but there is New Navadvīpa, New Jagannātha Purī. Yes. We have already started New Jagannātha Purī in San Francisco. The Ratha-yātrā festival is going on. And this year there will be a great ceremony of Ratha-yātrā in London. There will be three cars: Jagannātha, Subhadrā and Balarāma. And it will be taken to the riverside, Thames. So this American land, they have imported "New England," "New York"; why not New Vrindaban? So you should all join. Those who are Indians, they should join this movement especially to establish this New Vrindaban.

Lecture at Harvard University -- Boston, December 24, 1969:

The material waves are such that whatever we possess, we shall lose it. We have got this nice body, one day we have to lose it. Everything. You possess and lose, possess and lose. Therefore the..., punaḥ punaś car..., the same thing repeatedly: gaining and losing, and lamenting and hankering, lamenting and hankering. This is the position of material life.

Pandal Lecture at Cross Maidan -- Bombay, March 26, 1971:

We should be unattached to the material necessities of life. It is not that we shall neglect this body. Because a body is vehicle for understanding. So we cannot neglect it. Just like you take care of your car. You ride on your car. For business you go from one place to another. So you have to keep it fit so that it can move very nicely, it can carry out your order.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 10, 1971:

We are, we living entities, we are superior energy, and the matter is inferior energy. Therefore dhāryate. We are enjoying or we are capturing this material energy. We are using in so many ways. Sayatana (?). Just (like) I am sitting on this material cushion or sitting on the material floor, using this material microphone or having material bedstead, car. In so many ways we are enjoying this material world, yaya. The same prakṛti. Both of them are prakṛtis, energy. One energy is called superior, and another energy is called inferior. Matter is inferior, and the living entities are superior. But in relationship with Kṛṣṇa, both of them are energies. The energies in their particular field of activities, superior or inferior... But still, in connection with Kṛṣṇa, because Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Absolute Truth, for Him, there is no such distinction, superior and inferior.

Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 12, 1971:

Let us talk about Bhagavad-gītā, let us talk about Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or any book which is describing the transcendental name, fame, glory, quality, pastime of Lord Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Simply we have to change the process of our life, but unfortunately we are not interested. We shall waste our time in the morning, two hours, by discussing on politics and reading newspaper, what has happened. Punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). What is the news in the newspaper? The same thing. Somebody has murdered something, there is some car accident, one body has done this. The same thing repeatedly we are hearing. There is no other news. But we want to hear the same thing daily, the same newspaper items. Therefore, in the śāstra it is said, punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). Just like you chew something. Generally we chew that sugarcane. Now I have chewed it, I have taken out all the juice, and then I have thrown it away.

Lecture -- Delhi, December 13, 1971:

Kṛṣṇa has made so nice arrangement, His intelligence is so sharp, that the potency is there that one male machine, one female machine, and they are producing unlimited number of machines. You have to manufacture a machine, a car, in the factory in so many ways. This is Kṛṣṇa's intelligence. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). How nice intelligence, how His energies are acting, so who can explain this? Therefore acintya. Acintya, acintya means inconceivable. So unless you accept Kṛṣṇa's inconceivable energy, we cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. There is no possibility. Inconceivable, acintya.

Lecture at Art Gallery -- Auckland, April 16, 1972:

The world is now full with so many problems, so many difficulties, because the chance of human life is being misused. The intelligence of... Higher intelligence... We have got higher intelligence than the animals. The animals also live on this land, but they cannot utilize their intelligence for constructing a nice building, nice garden or industry or trade or car, because they have no brain. But the human being has got higher brain, higher brain capacity. That should be utilized not only for bodily comforts... Bodily comforts, the animals, they are also trying. Bodily comforts means to eat, sleep, to have sense gratification and to defend. So that is being (done) by the animals also, in their own way. So if we simply devote our time for these animal necessities of our life, then we are no better than animals. The higher intelligence should be utilized to know God, or Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture -- London, July 12, 1972:

Real religion is the codes which is given by God. Just like you may have some by-laws in your office or in your home, but there is state law. That you cannot, I mean to say, disobey, state law. Just like in your country the state law is that "Keep to the left." In America the state law is "Keep to the right." So here we have to obey. If you drive your car, keep to the left. You cannot disobey. You cannot say, "I am American. I go in my country on the right. Why shall I drive on the left?" No. Because it is the state law you must obey. Similarly, dharma is such a thing that you cannot disobey. You must obey because it is the codes given by God. If you are so much respectful to the laws of the state, how much respectful you should be to obey the laws given by God.

Lecture -- London, August 23, 1973:

In the human society, in the civilized human society, if there is no conception of God, if there is no conception of God's order or God's law, that is not human society; that is animal society. The cats and dogs or other animals, big, big animals, they have no sense what is the law of God, what is God, how to execute that. That is not expected there. Take, for example, in your country, the law is "Keep to the left" while you drive your car. That is the order of the state. But if you do not obey the state order, instead of driving on the left side, if you drive on the right side, you immediately become a criminal, punishable. But the same right and left consideration, if a dog or a cat or a cow violates, instead of going on the left side, if he passes—he has no fault. He's animal. He's animal. Or a child—if he violates law. If I take anything without your permission, that is called stealing. If I enter your house without your permission, that is trespassing.

Lecture -- London, August 26, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa gives us all facilities, that's a fact. Although we did not endeavor for constructing this house or so many other houses, but Kṛṣṇa sends us money, Kṛṣṇa sends us the means how to have nice house, how to accommodate the devotees nicely, how to have nice cars also, nice food, everything. There is no scarcity. Don't think that Kṛṣṇa conscious people... We have no business. We are not professional men. Still, we are living better than any ordinary man. That is Kṛṣṇa's grace. Kṛṣṇa says, teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ (BG 10.10), yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham. He knows, just like a father knows the innocent child's needs. A small child, innocent child, simply dependent on the father or mother. The father, mother knows what this child requires now for his comfort. So father, mother supplies.

Sunday Feast Lecture -- Atlanta, March 2, 1975:

He, God said, Kṛṣṇa said, that "Out of many millions of person, one is interested to make his life success." This is not success, that "I can eat whatever I like. There is no checking. And I have got very nice car, and I have got very nice apartment. And I have got nice bank balance. So now life is, my, perfect." This is not perfection, because we are under the grip of the laws of material nature.

Speech -- Vrndavana, April 20, 1975:

We are sending our men from village to village in Europe and America. We have introduced. We are taking advantage of the modern facilities. We are using this microphone for chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, we are using nice buses, cars and wagons to go to village to village and distribute book and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. One of the leaders is present here, Śrīman Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Gosvāmī. He is going. He is controlling about one dozen buses. And here is Haṁsadūta also. He is doing the same in Germany. So we have introduced this as Caitanya Mahāprabhu ordered, pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi-grāma. Throughout the whole world, as many villages and towns are there, this saṅkīrtana movement should be introduced.

Evening Lecture -- Bhuvanesvara, January 23, 1977:

Guest (5): Supposing any person, he renounces everything, his material property, and if he just came to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Can he live?

Prabhupāda: We are living. You can see practically. We have got more than one hundred centers, and we are maintaining at least ten thousand men, just like these Europeans. And you have seen our opulence. We are advertised as fabulously rich. You can see here also. We have got at least four cars here. Who has got four cars? Don't you see how we are living?

Departure Talks

Departure Conversation -- Los Angeles, June 27, 1975:

Prabhupāda: ...parking car?

Jayatīrtha: Yes. In Los Angeles there's one car for every 1.3 people. Seven million cars for ten million people.

Prabhupāda: (chuckles) That is the largest number?

Jayatīrtha: Yes. Biggest car population in the world.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibnitz:

Prabhupāda: The soul wanted to walk or move in a certain specific way, and He has given these instructions. Just like if you want to go by car, the car is there; if you want to go by bus, the bus is there; if you want to go by railway, the railway is there; if you want to fly by airship, the airship is there. Similarly, the soul is desiring in a particular way, and God is supplying through His material agent a..., that particular type of body. Therefore the bird is flying, the fish is within the water, and the uncivilized men or animals within the forest and civilized men in the city. In this way different, 8,400,000's of different bodies are there according to the desire of the soul, and the machine of the body is supplied by nature under the order of God.

Philosophy Discussion on Hegel:

Prabhupāda: Everything can be seen. Without seeing, what is the...? Everything can be seen.

Śyāmasundara: Even if someone, there is someone outside who cannot see it and they're utilizing a car or some object, isn't that object also...

Prabhupāda: Why he cannot see? He's seeing. Why does he say that he cannot see? He's seeing car.

Śyāmasundara: He's seeing it but perhaps he doesn't have the knowledge of what it is.

Prabhupāda: That is different thing. But he's seeing.

Śyāmasundara: So supposing he has no knowledge what it is, but isn't that object still a spiritual...

Prabhupāda: Then he has to take knowledge from person who knows.

Śyāmasundara: My question is, is that object still not spiritual?

Prabhupāda: Yes. He knows or does not know, it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. Fact is fact.

Śyāmasundara: It's still spiritual.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Philosophy Discussion on Jeremy Bentham:

Prabhupāda: Desert means it is hankering after water. Dry desert, he requires water, but if you go there and put a drop of water, "Now here is water." So our, we are, who are hankering after so great happiness that these rascals' sense gratification happiness is not giving us. It is just like a drop in the desert. Therefore we are changing, changing simply. The same thing, punaḥ punaś carvita-car... The same thing, we do not know what is real happiness so simply changing the posture.

Philosophy Discussion on William James:

Śyāmasundara: I think this may be one reason why Kṛṣṇa consciousness is thriving in America, because this is a typically American idea, that everything must have a cash value or it is useless.

Prabhupāda: So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement has cash value. Even in Los Angeles, outsiders, they are surprised: "How these people live in such a nice house, eat such nicely, and have so many cars, and they have no anxieties, although they do not work, they have no business?" So what can be more cash value than this?

Philosophy Discussion on Soren Aabye Kierkegaard:

Śyāmasundara: Ah. He says the culmination of commitment is religious life, or he calls it the inwardness of suffering, that we...

Prabhupāda: No. We don't follow that. Suffering, actually there is no suffering, because a spirit soul is different from the body. The same example: Just like when there is accident in the motorcar, the motor driver or the owner of the car is not actually suffering. But because he has identified his motorcar with himself, therefore he is suffering. Similarly, either you say God and all God's personal parts and parcels, the living entities, the spirit soul, he has no suffering.

Philosophy Discussion on Soren Aabye Kierkegaard:

Prabhupāda: God has no suffering. It is a question of, just like the same example: In a motorcar I am sitting and my friend is sitting. There is some accident; the motorcar is lost. So this man who possesses the motorcar, he suffers, but I do not suffer. I am in the same car, but I do not suffer. What is the difference? The difference is that I have full knowledge that I am not this car, but he, being identified with the car, being ignorant, he is suffering. So it is a question of knowledge where there is suffering and no suffering.

Philosophy Discussion on Soren Aabye Kierkegaard:

Devotee: The mode of passion is truth.

Prabhupāda: Passion is truth, that's all right. But the passion means activities. So where your activity will end? What is the purpose of the activity? You start your car, but if you do not know where to go, then what is the use of starting your car? Simply spoiling your energy and spoiling the petrol.

Śyāmasundara: (laughs) Spoiling the petrol.

Prabhupāda: That's all. They do not know where to go. Is that very good proposition: "I do not know, that doesn't matter; therefore I start my car"?

Philosophy Discussion on Arthur Schopenhauer:

Prabhupāda: They are suffering from want of knowledge. In ignorance they are suffering. Therefore this is sympathy, to the suffering. They are thinking, "Oh, because I have got a nice car I am happy." But actually he is not happy. You see? So he may think, out of ignorance he may think, "I have got a nice car, I have got a nice apartment, I have got a nice girlfriend, so I am happy." But actually he is not happy. He is suffering. So this is sympathy. You have taken sannyāsa, you are going to preach, (indistinct), being compassionate with the suffering. That is utilizing. Because you love Kṛṣṇa and they are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, so you know that they are suffering for want of Kṛṣṇa consciousness; therefore you are going to preach. This is the position.

Philosophy Discussion on Arthur Schopenhauer:

Prabhupāda: Sleep should be avoided, but that is not possible. Therefore it should be adjusted to the minimum. Just like Gosvāmīs, they are sleeping not less, not more than two hours. Even we hear about some karmī, just like Napoleon, he was also not sleeping. He was taking rest on the back of the horse. I do not know whether it is so.

Hayagrīva: Yes.

Prabhupāda: But I know about Gandhi. He was sleeping when he is parking his car, because he was so busy.

Hayagrīva: (laughing) He gives some examples of men, of philosophers who slept a great deal. Maybe because they speculated so hard they had to sleep more.

Prabhupāda: No. Sleeping too much is bad in all circumstances. So, stop the machine.

Philosophy Discussion on Jacques Maritain:

Prabhupāda: Guru is required for him who is inquisitive of the higher essence, not for... To accept a guru is not a fashion. Those, without being inquisitive of the highest essence, accept from guru, they think it is a fashion to keep a guru. Just like one keeps one dog by fashion: "My friend is keeping a dog, I shall keep a dog. My friend is keeping a car, I shall keep a car." Such kind of acceptance of guru is useless. It has no meaning. Actually, guru means... One..., the disciple must be very much inquisitive, interest into this is to understand the original essence. And he should approach a suitable bona fide person who can answer about the original essence. This is the system of guru and disciple. It is not a fashion, bogus fashion. A śiṣya must be intently inquisitive to understand the original essence, and guru must be a well-conversant person who can answer the disciple's relevant questions. This is guru and śiṣya.

Philosophy Discussion on Jean-Paul Sartre:

Prabhupāda: If a car is coming, he can take care. He can save from the accident. But when he is put into the ocean, the waves are floating him. So it is circumstantial, not accidental.

Philosophy Discussion on Karl Marx:

Śyāmasundara: Their idea is that well-being is measured by how many telephones there are, how many refigerators, how many...

Prabhupāda: That they haven't got. There is no sufficient motor car. He knows when we asked Professor Kotovsky for call taxi. He said, "Oh this is Moscow, it is very,difficult." Do you remember that?

Philosophy Discussion on Mao Tse Tung:

Prabhupāda: So how to test the scientist? His theory is not practical. You say that the dead man means some chemical wanting. So you put that chemical. Just like when a motorcar is stopped, so the engineer comes, a mechanic comes, he says, "This part is broken. It should be replaced." All right, replace it and car moves. But you say that "This part is wanting; therefore this man is dead." Now you replace that part. Then it will be scientific because it will be proved by experiment.

Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander:

Prabhupāda: That is struggle for existence you can say. They are simply trying to live. They have no other ambition. That's all. But if a man..., if the living soul, after having come to the stage of human being, if he also simply tries for these four things, eating, sleeping, mating and defending, then he is no better than animal. So nowadays in the modern civilization, simply these things are taught: how you can live comfortably with a car, with a bungalow...

Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander:

The karmīs, they want everything for sense gratification. When they fail sense gratification, then one wants mukti. That is also another demand. Another demand. Ordinarily, they are demanding, "Give me nice building. Give me nice motor car, nice wife, nice money, bank balance, give me this, give me this, give me this." Dhanaṁ dehi rūpaṁ dehi rūpapati bhājaṁ dehi yaśo dehi. Dehi dehi dehi. This is karmī. And when he is frustrated, after asking many, many times, even becoming Birla, he is not satisfied, then next he wants, "I want mukti." That is also another demand, subtle demand. And the yogis, they also demanding, "Give me this mystic power. I shall become smaller than the smallest, heavier than the heaviest. I can fly. I can walk over the water." These are yoga-siddhis, eight kind of yoga-siddhis. So they are also demanding. Only kṛṣṇa-bhakta niṣkāma ataeva śānta (CC Madhya 19.149). Kṛṣṇa bhakta has no demand. "Sir, I am your eternal servitor. I surrender unto You. Now you do whatever you like with me." So therefore he has no demand. So only Kṛṣṇa bhakta can be peaceful. No other else. Either karmīs, jñānīs, or yogis, nobody is peaceful.

Philosophy Discussion on Johann Gottlieb Fichte:

Prabhupāda: Practical, this means, suppose I want to do something, I do not know, then I go and ask a superior person who knows it. Just like when you drive your car, you are going somewhere, so you take the direction from the signpost, this way go, this point here, this village. Similarly, for practical purpose you have to approach a person who knows. That is practical. And if you think that I shall do it myself, without consulting anyone, that is not practical, that is theoretical. You will be misled. At least we are prone to be misled.

Philosophy Discussion on Johann Gottlieb Fichte:

Prabhupāda: You can think, but if you are helped by somebody else who knows the way, then it becomes easier. You are thinking of driving a car. If somebody expert... (break) ...that is practical.

Philosophy Discussion on Socrates:

Prabhupāda: Searching out some means of food, exactly like the hog, he is loitering here and there, "Where is stool? Where is stool? Where is stool?" And this is going on in the polished way as civilization. There is so much risk, as running these cars so many people are dying. There is record, it is very dangerous. At least I feel as soon as I go to the street, it is dangerous.

Philosophy Discussion on Socrates:

Prabhupāda: The motorcar are running so speedy, and what is the business? The business is where to find out food. So therefore it is condemned that this kind of civilization is hoggish civilization. This hog is running after, "Where is stool? Where is stool? Where is stool?" And you are running in a car. The same. Purpose is the same: "Where is stool?" Purpose is the same. Therefore this is not advancement of civilization. Advancement of civilization is, as Kṛṣṇa advises, that you require food, so produce food grain. Remain wherever you are. You can produce food grain anywhere, a little labor. And keep cows, go-rakṣya, kṛṣi-go-rakṣya vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). Solve your problem like... Produce your food wherever you are there. Till little, little labor, and you will get your whole year's food.

Philosophy Discussion on Socrates:

Prabhupāda: Milk is the miraculous food; therefore Kṛṣṇa says kṛṣi-go-rakṣya vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya (BG 18.44). Give protection to the cow, take milk from it, and eat food grains—your food problem is solved. Where is food problem? Why should you invent such civilization always full of anxieties, running the car here and there, and fight with other nation, and economic development? What is this civilization? Therefore we require to take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness to become happy every way-economically, philosophically, religiously, culturally, everything. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Philosophy Discussion on Thomas Hobbes:

Prabhupāda: The machine is made by the material ingredients, upon the order of Kṛṣṇa, or God, for the enjoyment of the living entity. So he sits in that machine and travels. Just like we have got a car, we can travel, similarly we get particular machine and we travel in some species of life in some planet. There are innumerable planets, and 8,000,000 species of life. So according to the contact with material nature, the living entity is desiring something, and God is so merciful that He is giving him facility. But actually, because God is friend, when he is prepared to understand from God how he will be happy, He says that "You give up all this nonsense plan. You just surrender unto Me." Then he is perfect.

Purports to Songs

Purport to Bhajahu Re Mana -- New York, March 30, 1966:

This is a song which a devotee is praying and asking his mind, bhajahū re mana. Mana means mind. Because, at the present moment, our mind is the driver, and this body is just like a car... In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is stated, bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni māyayā (BG 18.61). This body is a car made of this material nature. The living entity, what is said, "I," I am now seated on this car prepared by the nature, material nature. And the driver is the mind. And the driver is not in my control. The driver is taking me anywhere he likes. You see? I am... Personally, I am not able to drive. I have engaged one driver, which is called the mind, and this body is the car, and the mind is carrying me like driver anywhere it likes. So therefore the proprietor, I, I am, I am requesting the driver... When I am helpless, so I am requesting, "My dear mind," bhajahū re mana, "my dear mind..." Mana means mind. "You kindly worship Lord Kṛṣṇa."

Purport to Parama Koruna -- Atlanta, February 28, 1975:

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared to save us from all these illusions. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Caitanya means living, not dead. If we have no spiritual consciousness, if we have not Kṛṣṇa's consciousness, then we are dead. This, what is this body? This body is dead. Alive or dead, so-called dead, it is already dead because it is matter. But because there is spirit soul, it is moving. The same example: the motor car, what is this? A lump of matter, some iron, some other metals or some rubbers and combination. And so long the driver is there—it is moving—it is important so long it is moving. And as soon as the movement stops, you throw it away. That is very good experience in your country. So many useless motor cars are heaped together. So similarly, the brāhmaṇa means one must know that who is the driver of this body, brahma-jñāna. So at the present moment nobody knows who is driving this body. So therefore all śūdras, fourth-class men.

Page Title:Car (Other Lectures)
Compiler:Rishab, Priya, Mayapur
Created:07 of Aug, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=95, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:95