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Cause of all causes (Lectures)

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG Introduction -- New York, February 19-20, 1966:

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is called sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). In the Brahma-saṁhitā, the beginning is started like this: īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ/ anādir ādir govindaḥ sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1)." Govinda, Kṛṣṇa, is the cause of all causes. He is the primal Lord." So the Supreme Personality of Godhead is sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ. Impersonal Brahman realization is the realization of His sat part, eternity. And Paramātmā realization is the realization of sat-cit, eternal knowledge part realization. But realization of the Personality of Godhead as Kṛṣṇa is realization of all the transcendental features like sat, cit, and ānanda, in complete vigraha. Vigraha means form.

Lecture on BG 2.1-10 and Talk -- Los Angeles, November 25, 1968:

No living entity, including Brahmā, can possess such opulence. Neither Lord Śiva nor even Nārāyaṇa can possess such opulence as fully as Kṛṣṇa. By analytical study of such possessions it is concluded in the Brahma-saṁhitā by Lord Brahmā himself that Lord Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Nobody is equal to or above Him. He is the primeval Lord or Bhagavān known as Govinda, and He is the supreme cause of all causes. It is stated as follows: There are many personalities possessing the qualities of Bhagavān, but Kṛṣṇa is Supreme over all of them because none can excel Him. He is the Supreme Person and His body is eternal, full of knowledge and bliss. He is the primeval Lord Govinda and the cause of all causes. In the Bhāgavatam also there is a list of many incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but Kṛṣṇa is described therein as the original Personality from whom many, many incarnations and Personalities of Godhead expand. It is stated in this way: All the lists of the incarnations of Godhead submitted herewith are either plenary expansions or parts of the plenary expansions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself.

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

So the Vedānta-sūtra explains when the question is that what is the original cause of everything... What is Brahman? What is the Absolute Truth? Athāto brahma jijñāsā: "Now this human form of life is meant for inquiring about the Absolute Truth." What is that Absolute Truth? The next answer is janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1), means "The Absolute Truth is that from whom everything emanates," or "The Absolute Truth is the original cause of all causes." This is the... So this knowledge, anyone who has knowledge, not only this knowledge, absolute knowledge as well as relative knowledge, such class of men is called the brāhmaṇas, the most intelligent class.

Lecture on BG 4.15 -- Bombay, April 4, 1974:

These are the knowledge. One who knows that Kṛṣṇa is the origin, cause of all causes... Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **.

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ
sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam
(Bs. 5.1)

Cause of all causes. When one is fully aware of this, he is brāhmaṇa Vaiṣṇava. Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇa. This brahma jānāti means paraṁ brahma is Kṛṣṇa. One who knows what is Kṛṣṇa, "Kṛṣṇa is the origin. He's the original cause of all causes," sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1), so he is brāhmaṇa. He is Vedantist. He knows everything.

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

Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam means the cause of all causes. Just like my existence. I have got this body. The cause was my father. And the father, his father was cause. You go on searching, father, father's father, his father, grandfather, great-grandfather... Go on searching, searching, searching. Don't think that because you cannot see just now your great grandfather, there was no father of the grandfather. Don't think like that. There was. Although he is... Don't think that "Anything which is out of my sight, because I cannot see, so there is no existence." No. This conclusion is not good.

Lecture on BG 4.34-38 -- New York, August 17, 1966:

Therefore knowledge, we must seek knowledge. And the perfection of knowledge, as we have several times explained in this meeting, the perfection of knowledge is to understand Kṛṣṇa. That's all. As in the Seventh Chapter you'll find, that, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). Now, after culturing many, many births knowledge, one comes to Kṛṣṇa and he understands, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa is everything, all causes of causes. He's the cause of all causes. Always remember. When I speak of Kṛṣṇa, He's God. God. God is the cause of all causes.

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

So Bhagavān does... Is not manufactured by some process. Bhagavān is Bhagavān, always Bhagavān. Either He is representing as a child, as a boy or a youth, He never becomes old. That is another feature of Bhagavān. That is another aiśvarya. We want to keep our youthhood by so many ways, but Kṛṣṇa is always young. Bhagavān is always young. Bhagavān never becomes old. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca (Bs. 5.33). He's the Purāṇa-puruṣam. Purāṇa-puruṣam means the oldest person. Be..., because He's ādyam, beginning of all puruṣas. Puruṣa means the three Puruṣas, Viṣṇu—Mahā-Viṣṇu, Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. They are called Puruṣa. So ādyaṁ puruṣam. He's male, person. He's not imperson. Imperson is only His one bodily feature. So in spite of His being ādyam, ādi-puruṣam, the cause of all causes, cause of Mahā-Viṣṇu, cause of Brahmā, still nava-yauvanaṁ ca, He never becomes old, God never becomes old. That is His opulence. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ. Yaśasaḥ, I have already explained. He's so famous still. You cannot find in the history of the world, five thousand years ago, who appeared and still famous. You don't find. There is not a single instance within the human history. But Kṛṣṇa, He appeared five thousand years ago, during the Battle of Kurukṣetra, before that, and still He's famous.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Calcutta, January 27, 1973:

What is the real, real religion? Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Dharma means the codes given by God. That is dharma. You cannot make this dharma, that dharma. Dharma is one. God is one. And you have to follow that one principle, how to approach Kṛṣṇa. That is bhakti. So dharma is to approach Kṛṣṇa, and the process is bhakti. And Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme God.

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ
sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam
(Bs. 5.1)

He's the cause of all causes. This is the shastric injunction. So if you take this movement very seriously, the world will be happy, we'll be happy, personally or socially or economically, politically... That's a fact. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). If we accept Kṛṣṇa, simply Kṛṣṇa, then you understand everything. Asaṁśayam, without any doubt. Samagram, in fullness. Kasmin vijñāte sarvam idaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati.

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

So there are so many causes. I am caused by my father, my father is caused by his father, his father is caused by his father, you go on, go on. Then you come to the supreme father. He is the cause of all causes. That is Kṛṣṇa. The supreme father is the cause of all subordinate fathers. That is the definition of God, another definition. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Īśvaraḥ, īśvaraḥ means controller. So controller, you are also controller. You control over your family, over your son, over your wife. And if you go to the office you become controlled by your boss. So here the controller is relative. Both I am controller and controlled. But when you find somebody else—he is simply controller, not controlled—that is God. This is simple definition of God. You will find everyone relatively controller and controlled. But go on searching out where is that person that He is controller but not controlled. That is īśvaraḥ. That is īśvaraḥ paramaḥ, the supreme īśvara.

Lecture on BG 7.7 -- Bombay, February 22, 1974:

That is mahātmā, one who has surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, understanding that Kṛṣṇa is the cause of all causes, Kṛṣṇa is the source of material energy and spiritual energy. As it is explained here. And therefore Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme. And Kṛṣṇa confirms this fact: mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). This is required. This is required. We have to accept this. Kṛṣṇa says this. And Arjuna, who heard Bhagavad-gītā from Kṛṣṇa, he says, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān, puruṣam ādyam (BG 10.12). Ādyam, "You are the original person. You are the original..." Puruṣam ādyam, in the Bhagavad-gītā. Ādyam. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7). This is all confirmed. The audience, Kṛṣṇa, I mean to say, Arjuna, is accepting, and Kṛṣṇa is confirming.

Lecture on BG 7.7 -- Bombay, February 22, 1974:

So He is the ultimate cause, He is the cause of all causes. Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1). Parama īśvaraḥ, the supreme controller. In this way we have to understand Kṛṣṇa. Then our life will be successful. Because our, this human life is meant for understanding Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). This is the real knowledge. Unless you come to this real knowledge, your life is unsuccessful. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante: (BG 7.19) "Those who will not accept Me in one life, he has to wait for many, many lives, but to come to this conclusion, that vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā... (BG 7.19)" If you actually want to become mahātmā, then you have to come to this point, that vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19). That is mahātmā. Mahātmā does not mean by simply changing this dress. Mahātmā means who understands Kṛṣṇa. He's mahātmā because his soul is increased in dimension to understand Kṛṣṇa. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa ma... (BG 7.19). Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ (BG 9.13). As soon as you become mahātmā, then you are no longer under the control of this material nature. That is also confirmed. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Otherwise, you have to remain under the clutches of māyā and punished by him.

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

But Kṛṣṇa is so powerful, omnipotent, that He has manufactured... Because He is there. Bījaṁ māṁ sarva-bhūtānām (BG 7.10). Whenever He is there, He can play wonderful things. This is the study of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Where is the difficulty? Bīja... Puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca tejaś ca, tejaś cāsmi vibhāvasau. Now, this electric lamp, it is brilliant or it has got some heat, temperature. Wherefrom it is coming? It is coming from Kṛṣṇa. That's a fact. Cause of all causes.

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ
sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam
(Bs. 5.1)

This is a fact. These are explained here. Everything, that is there. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1).

Lecture on BG 9.13 -- New York, November 28, 1966:

So how it is being done? I am not serving here, I did not come with some money, but there is arrangement. Everyone, you have got arrangement made. Don't be very anxious for these problems. You should be anxious, athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is the problem of life. So who inquires about this, athāto brahma jijñāsā? Those who are actually developed in consciousness, they inquire, athātaḥ, "What is the source of myself? I am living entity, this world, this nature, this so many things we see, and what is the cause of, the cause of all causes? What is that?" That should be inquiry. Jijñāsuḥ, inquisitive, inquisitive. And the answer is given here in the Vedānta-sūtra, next. Athāto brahma jijñāsā: "Now this life is meant for inquiring about the Supreme Brahman." And what is that Brahman? That Brahman means that janmādy asya yataḥ: (SB 1.1.1) "Brahman means that source, that Supreme Absolute Truth from whom or from which everything emanates, the cause of all causes." That is Brahman.

Lecture on BG 9.13 -- New York, November 28, 1966:

Now, sages, saints, philosophers, and transcendentalists, yogis, jñānīs—they are all searching, "What is the ultimate source?" So they have found out. What is that? They have found out. In the Brahma-saṁhitā, we see, there is a very nice verse. They say that

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ
sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam
(Bs. 5.1)

Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam. Kāraṇa means cause. Sarva-kāraṇa, the cause of all causes. There are different causes. Just like take for this cotton cloth. What is the cause? The cotton cloth is made of thread. Thread is the cause of this cloth. Now, what is the cause of the thread? (incomplete) (end)

Lecture on BG 10.2-3 -- New York, January 1, 1967:

Sarva-pāpaiḥ pramucyate. As soon as you understand thoroughly... You can understand thoroughly. This is the process. And how you understand? The standard of understanding? The standard of understanding is that the Supreme Lord is anādi. He is the cause of all causes, but He is not caused by any other cause. He has no other cause. Just like Kṛṣṇa is stated,

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ
sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam
(Bs. 5.1)

Kāraṇa means cause. He is the cause of all causes. To understand Kṛṣṇa the Supreme Lord is to thoroughly be convinced that He is the cause of all causes. Yo mām anādim. Anādi means He has no other cause.

Lecture on BG 10.3 -- New York, January 2, 1967:

Now, here is nice formula presented by Kṛṣṇa Himself, that one should understand the position of Kṛṣṇa. What is the position of Kṛṣṇa? Ajam, unborn. And anādi, without any cause. Everyone, we have got experience that we are born and we have our cause. The father is the cause of our birth. This is the distinction between myself and Kṛṣṇa. Now, if somebody poses himself that he is God, he has to prove himself that he is unborn and he is not caused. We are... This is very simple thing. Our practical experience is that I am born and I am caused because the father and mother is the cause. So Kṛṣṇa is not caused, neither He is born. So one has to understand this. Understanding of God, or Kṛṣṇa, is that one should be firmly convinced that God is never born, nor He is caused by anything. He is the cause of all causes. But He is not caused by anything. This is the difference.

Lecture on BG 10.3 -- New York, January 2, 1967:

And what is that? What is that spiritual master? Simply a red dress like this or having a big beard? No. Samit-pāṇiḥ. Samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham. You have to go to a person who is conversant with the science of Kṛṣṇa. You have to go. So this is the formula. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu (BG 7.3). Martyeṣu yatamāneṣu sahasreṣu madhye yo yadṛk ca mat-tattva-vit. Nobody inquires even. But if a man is fortunate to inquire, he can make progress and come to this understanding, that Kṛṣṇa is the origin, cause of all causes.

Go on inquiring. The inquiry is called philosophy. Philosophy means to inquire, research. Or say... You have read in the Bhagavad-gītā, jñānī jijñāsuḥ. Jijñāsuḥ means inquiry. Four kinds of people who are in the righteous path, whose life is regulated, who is not upstart, who follows the rules and regulation of scriptures, and higher authority, or higher principles, such person, not all... That is also described in the Bhagavad-gītā: na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). Those who are simply addicted to, I mean to say, sinful activities, they cannot inquire. They will be in the darkness, gone, gone under some intoxication, gone.

Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, September 30, 1973:

So if you try to understand Kṛṣṇa, tattvataḥ, in reality, that is perfection of life. That is perfection of life. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). Simply to know, "Kṛṣṇa was born at Mathurā, He was the nephew of Kaṁsa and son of..." That is also nice. But you should try to understand tattvataḥ. That tattvataḥ means:

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
sac-cid-ānanda vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ
sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam
(Bs. 5.1)

That is tattvataḥ, the cause of all causes. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Cause of all causes. Everything has got cause and effect, cause and effect. So Kṛṣṇa is the original cause.

Lecture on BG 16.7 -- Tokyo, January 27, 1975:

So here is the chance of getting freedom from this evolutionary process. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). After many, many births, we have got. Why? Now, to become civilized. What is civilization? Civilization... The Aryans are called civilized. Why? Aryan means going forward. And what is the destination of going forward? The destination is to understand the original cause of creation, God. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). That is the Vedānta philosophy. Janmādy asya yataḥ. The original cause from where everything is coming into being, by whose management everything is maintained, and after annihilation everything will enter into Him—that is the original person. So human form of life is meant for understanding the original cause of all causes. That is human form of life. Inquisitiveness. And others, less than human being, just like lower animals, cats and dogs, not to speak of the trees and plants... They are standing in one place, and other living beings, even the insects, birds, beasts, they haven't got sufficient intelligence. (aside:) No, this water, drinking. Sufficient intelligence to understand "What I am? Why I am suffering?" Everyone is suffering. That's a fact. The whole struggle for existence is going on.

Lecture on BG 16.7 -- Tokyo, January 27, 1975:

So all over the world the civilized man has got some religion. It may be professing the Vedic religion, somebody the Buddhic scriptures. Just in your country, most of you, you are Buddhists. There are similarly Mohammedan scriptures, Christian scriptures. But in each and every scripture there is rules and regulation to follow to become more and more aware of the topmost principle, the original cause of all causes. That is, means, religion. So one who does not care to understand this philosophy, they are called asura. And one who understands this philosophy of life, they are called sura or devatā, god, demigods, they are called.

Dvau bhūta-sargau loke daiva āsura eva ca (BG 16.6). There are two kinds of men throughout the whole universe. There are men in other planets also, they are very highly elevated. They are therefore called devas, or demigods. The moon planet, the sun planet... There are many other heavenly planets. There is sun-god. In the Bhagavad-gītā you will find the name of the sun-god, or the predominating deity of the sun planet, Vivasvān. His name is Vivasvān. Everything you will find in the śāstra. So there are two divisions: asura and sura, or asura or deva. Devāsura. Deva means those who are conscious of the responsibility of life. They are called deva. So for the devas, Kṛṣṇa has explained so many things. Now He is explaining about the asuras. What are the symptoms of asura? He says first of all, pravṛttiṁ ca nivṛttiṁ ca janā na vidur āsurāḥ. Pravṛttiṁ nivṛttim (BG 16.7).

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- London, August 6, 1971:

The cause of all causes. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Vedānta-sūtra says, "The Absolute Truth is that which is the origin, original cause." Original cause. The scientists, they are trying to find out the original cause of creation, but they are creating their own imagination. "There was a chunk, and it burst out, and then planets came out." Like that. (laughter) And wherefrom this chunk came, you nonsense? So this is going on.

Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- London, August 7, 1971:

Pradyumna: Translation: "I offer my obeisances unto Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, son of Vasudeva, who is the supreme all-pervading Personality of Godhead. I meditate upon Him, the transcendent reality, who is the primeval cause of all causes, from whom all manifested universes arise, in whom they dwell, and by whom they are destroyed. I meditate upon that eternally effulgent Lord who is directly and indirectly conscious of all manifestations and yet is beyond them. It is He only who first imparted Vedic knowledge unto the heart of Brahmā, the first created being. Through Him this world, like a mirage, appears real even to great sages and demigods. Because of Him, the material universes, created by the three modes of nature, appear to be factual, although they are unreal. I meditate therefore upon Him, the Absolute Truth, who is eternally existent in His transcendental abode, and who is forever free of illusion." (SB 1.1.1)

Prabhupāda: Vyāsadeva is offering his obeisances unto the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Bhagavate, "unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is known as Vāsudeva." Vāsudeva means the son of Vasudeva. Even the leader of the impersonalists, namely Śaṅkarācārya, he has accepted that the Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared as the son of Vasudeva and Devakī. People may not misunderstand. Just like we give identification by giving the name of father, mother, similarly, Kṛṣṇa's identification is that He is son of Vasudeva or son of Nanda Mahārāja, friend of Śrīdāmā, Sudāmā, lover of Rādhārāṇī. In so many ways He has got hundreds of thousands of names. So people who protest that God cannot have any name... They say that God cannot have any name. Yes, we agree with them. God cannot have any name. Or God has so many names, how we'll address Him? The śāstra says that He has got many names, but the chief name is Kṛṣṇa. In the Atharva Veda it is said. Kṛṣṇa is the son of Devakī, Vasudeva. Those who are very much strict to understand everything on the evidence of Veda, Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī has given them quotation from Vedas, that "In the Vedas, Kṛṣṇa's name is there, His father's name is there." Like that.

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Delhi, November 13, 1973:

Vāsudeve bhagavati. Vāsudeva is another name of Kṛṣṇa because Kṛṣṇa appears as the son of Vāsudeva. Whenever Kṛṣṇa appears, He appears as the son of Vāsudeva and Devakī. Kṛṣṇa is the origin of everyone. So how there can be a father and mother of Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa is described as sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1), the cause of all causes. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). Devānām, the demigods. The first demigod is Lord Brahmā, the first living creature within this universe. Then Viṣṇu, then Lord Śiva, then other demigods, Indra, Candra, Sūrya-many, some millions. So how Vāsudeva can become His father so that His name is famous as Vāsudeva, "son of Vāsudeva"? The thing is that Vāsudeva formerly underwent severe austerities, and he wanted a son like Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa agreed, that "Like Me, there is nobody else." Kṛṣṇa is asamordhva. Nobody is equal to Him; nobody is above Him. Therefore Vāsudeva, in his previous birth, he wanted like..., a son like Kṛṣṇa. So he could not find anyone like Him. Therefore He agreed Himself to become his son.

Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1972:

That is the nature's arrangement. Before birth, the food, the child immediately require, the mother's breast, there is milk supply immediately. So by God's arrangement, the economic position is already arranged. Our only business is tattva-jijñāsā.

What is that tattva? Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). The original cause of everything, the cause of all causes. That is already mentioned in the Vedas, that Kṛṣṇa:

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ
sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam
(Bs. 5.1)

The cause of all causes. Why you have come to this material world? Why you are under the threefold miserable condition of life: adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. These things are to be inquired. "I do not wish to die, but death is forced upon me. I do not want to become old man. Old age is forced upon me." So these are the inquiries, tattva-jijñāsā. But they are not interested. Neither educational department, nor any other department. They are simply interested, "Where is money? Where is money? Where is money?" Divā cārthehayā rājan kuṭumba-bharaṇena vā (SB 2.1.3). We are spoiling our night simply by sleeping. And, and those who have got sex facilities, they enjoying sex life. This is the night's engagement. And day's engagement, "Where is money? Where is money? Where is money?" And if we get money, then how to spend it for relatives, for sons, children. That's all. Divā cārthehayā rājan.

Lecture on SB 1.2.16 -- Vrndavana, October 27, 1972:

Vaiṣṇava is meant for delivering all the fallen souls. Just like a very good example: Lord Jesus Christ. According to the Christian idea, he took all the sins of all people and he sacrificed his life. Very good example. Similarly, Haridāsa Ṭhākura also. There... Nityānanda Prabhu. The Vaiṣṇava is always eager how to deliver all these fallen souls rotting in the hell of māyā. Therefore here it is recommended, syān mahat-sevayā. You have to take shelter of a mahat. Mahat means mahātmā or Vaiṣṇava. Mahātmā is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, who is mahātmā: Sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. That mahātmā, simply by dressing like me with a saffron cloth, does not become a mahātmā. The mahātmā is described in the Bhagavad-gītā:

bahūnāṁ janmanām ante
jñānavān māṁ prapadyate
vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti
sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ
(BG 7.19)

There are many mahātmās, but one who has understood Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, is the cause of all causes...

Lecture on SB 1.2.28-29 -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1972:

So Kṛṣṇa is the original cause of everything, cause of all causes. But He is independent, svarāṭ. That is described in the beginning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Janmādy asya yataḥ anvayāt itarataś ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ svarāṭ (SB 1.1.1). Svarāṭ means completely independent. He's not caused by any, anyone. And He says also in the Bhagavad-gītā: mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). So He's the origin, Vāsudeva. Therefore all activities should be targeted to Vāsudeva. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19). This is the aim of life. Unfortunately, they do not know it. People in general, they do not know it. That is ignorance. This material world is full of ignorance. Therefore it is called tamas. Tamas means darkness. We do not know. The human civilization, at the present moment at least, it is always... At the present moment, it is completely in darkness that they do not know what is the aim of life. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). Everyone is very intelligent. At least, he thinks like that, that "I am attaining my interest of life in different ways." But actually one does not know what is his actual interest. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatim. Svārtha-gatim, satisfaction of our interest. Everyone is interested, but they do not know what is actual interest.

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

And when one is experienced in everything and he is above all material affection, that is called paramahaṁsa. Haṁsa. Why...? Haṁsa means swan. Why he's compared with haṁsa? The haṁsa has got a qualification to take the essence. If you give a swan milk mixed with water, he'll, he has got some tactics, he'll simply take the milk case in and the water will be there, remain there. Similarly, haṁsa means one who has taken the essence of this cosmic manifestation. What is that essence? Kṛṣṇa. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19). Everything, all manifestation, all activities, they're all Kṛṣṇa's energy. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is the center. Just like the same way: what is this material cosmic manifestation? It is the sun. That's all. Similarly, there are millions of suns. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is the ultimate. Kṛṣṇa-sūrya. Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1), cause of all cause. So one who takes Kṛṣṇa, he's paramahaṁsa.

Lecture on SB 1.5.29 -- Vrndavana, August 10, 1974:

One who knows Kṛṣṇa is the cause of all causes. Vāsudeva. Vāsudeva means Kṛṣṇa. Sarvam iti. Vāsudeva-parā makhāḥ, vāsudeva-parāḥ... There is... Everything to satisfy Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa. Either you perform sacrifices or you work piously, the aim should be how to satisfy Vāsudeva. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19). Just like if you want to keep your body fit and healthy, you must satisfy the stomach. If you satis..., if your stomach is all right and if you supply proper food to the stomach, then whole body will be energized without fail. Similarly, the mahātmā means whose business is to satisfy Vāsudeva. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19).

Lecture on SB 1.5.29 -- Vrndavana, August 10, 1974:

So therefore, how to understand Kṛṣṇa? That is stated by Kṛṣṇa Himself:. after many, many births struggling to understand Kṛṣṇa. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān (BG 7.19). Not foolish person. Foolish person cannot understand. But even jñānavān, who is wise, perfectly wise, learned scholar, such person, even after many, many births struggling to understand Kṛṣṇa... So that is mahātmā, one who has understood Kṛṣṇa. He is mahātmā. One who does not understand Kṛṣṇa or verifies himself as Kṛṣṇa, he's durātmā. He's not mahātmā. He's a rascal. Mahātmā is that person who has understood Kṛṣṇa, that vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti: (BG 7.19) "Kṛṣṇa, Vāsudeva, is the cause of all causes." Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). One who has understood this perfectly, that the Supreme Controller, Īśvara... Īśvara means controller. And not only controller, but Supreme Controller. Controller, we are; every one of us are controller. Just like I am also controlling a few of my disciples—or hundred or thousand. But Kṛṣṇa is controller of millions, millions upon millions and millions upon... All universes. Sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). Simply to become controller does not become... Yes, that is also īśvara. You can say. But there is parameśvara.

Lecture on SB 1.8.20 -- New York, April 12, 1973:

So bhakti-yoga is for the paramahaṁsa, one who knows that Kṛṣṇa is the central fact. Aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). Mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate. So one who knows that Kṛṣṇa is the cause of all causes, not only theoretically, but practically, convinced, he is paramahaṁsa. So Kuntīdevī says that "You are meant for the paramahaṁsas, not for the rascals and fools. You are meant for the paramahaṁsa." Tathā paramahaṁsānāṁ munīnām (SB 1.8.20). Munīnām means those who are thoughtful. Also mental speculators, they are called also muni. Munīnām amalātmanām. Amala. There is no dirty things in their heart. Materialistic person means full of dirty things within the heart. What is that dirty things? That lust and greediness. That's all. This is the dirty things. All materialistic persons, they are lusty and greedy. Therefore their heart is full of dirty things.

Lecture on SB 1.8.45 -- Los Angeles, May 7, 1973:

Because Kṛṣṇa consciousness means to understand Kṛṣṇa. That's all. Kṛṣṇa is everything. Kṛṣṇa is the origin of everything. If this much we can understand, that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is the cause of all causes, He is the source of everything, these three, four things if we can understand, if we can understand... If we can understand one thing, we understand everything. If you simply understand Kṛṣṇa. That is the Vedic injunction. Yasmin vijñāte sarvam idaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati. Simply by understanding Kṛṣṇa, everything becomes understood. The scientists, they are making research, so many things, but a Kṛṣṇa conscious person can understand very easily all the problems of the world.

Lecture on SB 1.10.20 -- London, May 24, 1973:

The rākṣasa, āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritaḥ... Āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritaḥ means one who does not accept the supremacy of God. "What is God? I am God. I am God." Such... These rascals are called māyayā apahṛta-jñānāḥ. Na māṁ prapadyante. They do not surrender to God, or Kṛṣṇa. They pose themselves as God. So as soon as we find anyone does not surrender to Kṛṣṇa, does not understand Kṛṣṇa, he is rascal. Anyone. It doesn't matter. That is the first test. Then you come to the details. As soon as you find someone, somebody, that he does not understand what is God, or his relationship with God, or, and what is the ultimate object of life, he's a rascal. And as soon as you find somebody, that he has surrendered to Kṛṣṇa... Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). How he has surrendered? Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19). "Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, is everything." Actually, He's everything. The whole world is combination of two energies, material energy and spiritual energy. And Kṛṣṇa is the source of two energies. Therefore ultimate Kṛṣṇa is the cause of all causes. This is the summary study. Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1).

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

So this law is going on, nature's law. Nature is not independent. Nature is working under the direction of the Lord. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). So everything is under the law, under the order of God, but He is not under anyone's order, anyone's guidance or anyone's order. That is God. That is the difference. This morning we were discussing that if everything has got cause, then God has got also cause. Some of our... Yes. But that is the difference, that if God also has got cause, then how He becomes God? He is one of us. God has no cause. Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1).

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ
sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam
(Bs. 5.1)

Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam. He is cause of all causes. Because He is anādi, means He has no cause. Ādi, He is the original cause. This is to be understood.

Lecture on SB 3.25.27 -- Bombay, November 27, 1974:

This was composed by Sarvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya about Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. When he understood Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu he wrote this verse, vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yoga-śikṣārtham ekaḥ puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ (CC Madhya 6.254). Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is that Purāṇa-puruṣa, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the original. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravar.. (BG 10.8). Everything has come from Kṛṣṇa; therefore He's Purāṇa, the oldest. Oldest. Nobody can be older than Kṛṣṇa, but He's always young. That is Bhagavān. Advaitam acyutam anādi. Anādi. He has no ādi. He's ādi. Ādi means the original.

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ
sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam
(Bs. 5.1)

He's the cause of all causes. So this Purāṇa-puruṣa, Kṛṣṇa, He's the oldest. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca (Bs. 5.33). That is Kṛṣṇa. You'll never see Kṛṣṇa's picture as old man. No. Has anyone seen Kṛṣṇa as old man? No. Nava-yauvanam, always fresh youthful life. The same. You have seen the picture of Kurukṣetra battle. Kṛṣṇa was sitting... At that time He was great-grandfather, but He was looking twenty years old, young... That is Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 3.26.10 -- Bombay, December 22, 1974:

He is ānanda-cinmaya-rasa, sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ. So Kṛṣṇa is not nirviśeṣa; He is saviśeṣa. But this material world is actually nirviśeṣa, but it appears something like varieties. The same thing, the example, I have already given: a lump of matter—either you take earth or water or gold or silver—and you can make varieties of things, cause and effect. But that is nirviśeṣa. But the spiritual world, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1), as it is said in the Vedānta-sūtra, the origin of everything, the cause of all causes, that is full of spiritual varieties. That is not nirviśeṣa. Here in this material world we are seeing these varieties. We have got these planets. On the planets there are so many mountains, so many trees, so many plants, so many houses, in each and every planet. Don't think the other planets, that is void. No. They are also full of varieties. Full of varieties.

Lecture on SB 3.26.25 -- Bombay, January 2, 1975:

So only one puruṣa, īśvara, enjoyer, controller, is Kṛṣṇa. Ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa āra saba bhṛtya (CC Adi 5.142). All others, even incarnations, even demigods, even we are—we are all servant of Kṛṣṇa. And what to speak of ourself, even the expansion of Kṛṣṇa, viṣṇu-tattva, They are also serving Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is so exalted. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7). Even the incarnation Viṣṇu, Lord Śiva, demigods, and others—nobody is greater than Kṛṣṇa. Asamordhva, asama, nobody is equal to Him; nobody is greater than Him. Everyone is lower than Him. Therefore He is described in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta,

ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa āra saba bhṛtya

yāre yaiche nācāya, se taiche kare nṛtya

(CC Adi 5.142)

By the desire of Kṛṣṇa we are doing different parts, but Kṛṣṇa is the original master, and He is also origin of the Saṅkarṣaṇa. And Saṅkarṣaṇa origin is of the puruṣa-avatāra, Mahā-Viṣṇu. And Mahā-Viṣṇu is the avatāra, is the origin, of these universes. In this way, if you try to find out the original cause, the cause of all causes, then you come to Kṛṣṇa: sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1), cause of all causes.

Lecture on SB 3.26.42 -- Bombay, January 17, 1975:

You haven't got to make research anymore. Nirūpita means it is already concluded. What is that? Yad-uttamaśloka-guṇānuvarṇanam. If you can explain the activities of Kṛṣṇa, Uttamaśloka, how He is acting, how is the chemical process is going on under His direction, if you can write a thesis on this subject matter, that ultimately Kṛṣṇa is behind that, then your this study of chemistry is perfect. Avicyutaḥ arthaḥ kavibhir nirūpitaḥ. Nirūpita means it is concluded. No more argument. That is the purpose. That means if you are intelligent enough actually, then through any source of knowledge you come ultimately to Kṛṣṇa. That mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). The Kṛṣṇa says. But if by your education, if you come to the same point, that "Here is Kṛṣṇa. He is in the background, sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1), cause of all causes," then that education is perfect. Otherwise it is śrama eva hi kevalam. Otherwise it is simply laboring for nothing, waste of time. This is the purpose. Avicyutaḥ arthaḥ kavibhir nirūpito yad-uttamaśloka-guṇānuvarṇanam.

Lecture on SB 3.26.45 -- Bombay, January 20, 1975:

If you want to become mahātmā really, then you have to come to this point, to understand the, originally, the Vāsudeva is the supreme cause of all causes. That is perfection of life. And our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to teach this knowledge to the world, the best welfare activities. They are all in illusion. Some of them are thinking there is no Kṛṣṇa, and some of them are thinking, "If there is Kṛṣṇa"—Kṛṣṇa means God—"I am also God. I am equal." And some of them are thinking that "By meditation, by spiritual advancement, now I am greater than Kṛṣṇa." Yes. They are not, neither equal nor below, but they are thinking greater than Him. "With the progress of time the human being is advancing in knowledge. So by their meditational power, they can become greater than Kṛṣṇa." So that is foolishness. That is not possible. This is also māyā. Just like māyā is acting in so many ways. Sometimes we are thinking, "There is no Kṛṣṇa, no God.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 13, 1975:

Hmm. This is foolishness. (laughter) That is explained of course. Janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itarataś ca abhijñaḥ svarāṭ (SB 1.1.1). This word is used. Kṛṣṇa means janmādy asya yataḥ. Kṛṣṇa also explains ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). He is the origin of everything. But He's svarāṭ, there is no more origin of Kṛṣṇa. Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1). That is said in the śāstra: īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ, anādi (Bs. 5.1). He has no ādi. Anādi, ādi. He is the ādi origin of everything, but He has no ādi. That is God. That is God. Anādir ādir govindaṁ sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1). He is the cause of all causes. Just like I have got my father, you have got my (your) father. Your father has got father, his father, his father, his father, go on. Kṛṣṇa is the supreme father, but He has no father. That is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa does not require any father. But he accepts a father amongst His devotees because the devotee wants Kṛṣṇa also as child. To fulfill the desire of the devotee He accepts Nanda Mahārāja as father, Vasudeva as father, just to give them pleasure. Kṛṣṇa as child, Yaśodā-mayī is enjoying the pleasure. Kṛṣṇa is playing as child. But he has no father, neither mother. He accepts the beloved devotee as father and mother. This is Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 6.1.13-14 -- New York, July 27, 1971:

So this is paraṁ satyaṁ dhīmahi. They are worshiping the Supreme Truth, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the Absolute Truth.

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ
sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam
(Bs. 5.1)

Cause of all causes. Relative truth is the effect of the Absolute Truth. But He's Absolute Truth. He's the supreme cause, and everything is effect. Cause of all causes. Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1). Satya-śaucābhyām and... How these things can be executed? Yamena niyamena vā. Yama-niyama. The practice of yoga is based on this principle of yama-niyama, regulating, controlling, regulating. Regulation cannot be executed without control. Therefore yamena niyamena vā. These are the process. If you want to elevate... Our topics began... The people are suffering. Although one knows that "This is not good, what I am doing," he has heard, he has seen also the effect of it... The same example: A man who has stolen some property, he's arrested. And he knew it, that "If I steal, I'll be punished." But he has done it, the same thing. He knew it. He heard it from the police courts, that stealing is not good. He knew it. He heard it from authorities. Still he has done it. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja's question is, "What is this atonement?" If he, although knowing and hearing, completely in knowledge, still he's forced to do something, to steal, or to something criminal, what then is the use of putting him into the jail and atonement? He'll come again and again do the same thing.

Lecture on SB 6.1.41 -- Los Angeles, June 7, 1976:

Devotee: (leads chanting, etc.) Translation: "The supreme cause of all causes, Nārāyaṇa, is situated in His own abode in the spiritual world, but nevertheless He controls the entire cosmic manifestation according to the three modes of material nature—sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa. In this way all living entities are awarded different qualities, different names such as brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya and vaiśya, different duties according to the varṇāśrama institution, and different forms. Thus Nārāyaṇa is the cause of the entire cosmic manifestation."

Prabhupāda:

yena sva-dhāmny amī bhāvā
rajaḥ-sattva-tamomayāḥ
guṇa-nāma-kriyā-rūpair
vibhāvyante yathā-tatham
(SB 6.1.41)

So supreme controller is Nārāyaṇa, or Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa also explains... Here in the śāstra, we understand that Nārāyaṇa is the supreme controller. In many other places the same thing is explained.

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

Devotee (1): The son of God.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore relationship is father and son. But there is no difference between father and son. Both of them are authorized. Just like your father, and if you are a trustworthy son of your father, then the work done by your father and by you is the same.

Devotee (2): Swamijī, Kṛṣṇa being the cause of all causes, how can (we) use our individuality if we are always under His direction?

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Devotee (2): If we are always under Kṛṣṇa's direction, how is it we can use our individuality?

Prabhupāda: That is individuality, that even under the direction of Kṛṣṇa, you can use your individuality. Don't you do that? Your father says, "My dear boy, do this." You say, "No, I don't do this." That is your individuality. Otherwise what is the meaning of individuality? Individuality means if I like, I can accept; if I don't like, I do not accept. That is individuality. If I am forced to do something, that is not my individuality.

Lecture on SB 7.6.20-23 -- Washington D.C., July 3, 1976:

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

parāvareṣu bhūteṣu
brahmānta-sthāvarādiṣu
bhautikeṣu vikāreṣu
bhūteṣv atha mahatsu ca
guṇeṣu guṇa-sāmye ca
guṇa-vyatikare tathā
eka eva paro hy ātmā
bhagavān īśvaro 'vyayaḥ
pratyag-ātma-svarūpeṇa
dṛśya-rūpeṇa ca svayam
vyāpya-vyāpaka-nirdeśyo
hy anirdeśyo 'vikalpitaḥ
kevalānubhavānanda-
svarūpaḥ parameśvaraḥ
māyayāntarhitaiśvarya
īyate guṇa-sargayā
(SB 7.6.20-23)

"Translation: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the supreme controller, who is infallible and indefatigable, is present in different forms of life, from the inert living beings (sthāvara), such as the plants, to Brahmā, the foremost created living being. He is also present in total material energy and the modes of material nature (sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa), as well as the unmanifested material nature and the false ego. Although He is one, He is present everywhere, and He is also the transcendental Supersoul, the cause of all causes, who is present as the observer in the cores of the hearts of all living entities. He is indicated as that which is pervaded and as the all-pervading Supersoul, but actually He cannot be indicated. He is changeless and individed. He is simply perceived as the supreme sac-cid-ānanda (eternity, knowledge and bliss). Being covered by the curtain of the external energy, to the atheist He appears nonexistent."

Prabhupāda: So this is the description of the Absolute Truth. You can explain in your own way. Just stand up and explain. They'll be glad. The Absolute Truth explanation.

Lecture on SB 7.7.30-31 -- Mombassa, September 12, 1971:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja says to his demonic friends that "Stop this life in this material world." Bīja-nirharaṇam. We are in this material world simply by different desires. We are creating different desires, our material ambition. So Prahlāda Mahārāja says, "Stop this." But stopping this..., people think that stopping this, then where is our next life? That they do not know. That is the difficulty. But we get information from śāstras, we get information from Bhagavad-gītā that "The place where you go and do not return back, that is My place." Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6). Again, Kṛṣṇa says that tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). There is a process. The process is simply to understand Kṛṣṇa. Janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvataḥ, not knowing superficially, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is a historical person. Some five thousand years ago, He took birth as the son of Devakī," like that. Everyone knows—at least every Indian knows—and they observe Kṛṣṇa's birthday. That is beginning. But Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Absolute Truth, He is the origin of everything, He is the cause of all causes, that is not known. That one has to know. The brahma-jyotir, impersonal jyoti is bodily effulgence. The brahma-jyotir is resting on Kṛṣṇa. Brahmaṇo aham pratiṣṭha, Kṛṣṇa says. Just like the illumination in this room, prakāśa, is resting on this bulb. Although the illuminating light is spread all over this room, that is not original.

Lecture on SB 7.9.12 -- Montreal, August 18, 1968:

So what is the value of this form? This form will be changed after few years. As soon as I give up this body this form is changed. Just like we change our dress. Therefore He hasn't got a form like this to be changed. Therefore He's sometimes called nirākāra. Ākāra is there, and that is also explained in the Brahma-saṁhitā that īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). "Oh, Kṛṣṇa has got a form, sir? How you say that He is the Supreme? Brahman is the Supreme." No. He has form certainly. Sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ. His form is not like you and me. Sac-cid-ānanda. His form is eternal, full of bliss, and full of knowledge. Sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ anādir. He has no source. He has no source. He is original. He is the source of everything, anādir ādir, and He is the original Govinda. Govinda means He gives pleasure. How do you perceive pleasure? Through your senses. So therefore go means senses and vinda means pleasure. So if you serve Kṛṣṇa in your purified senses, then you really become happy. Therefore His name is Govinda. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ, anādir ādir govinda sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1). The cause of all causes. So He is therefore Jagadīśa. Jagadīśa.

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

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: "Lord Brahmā, who is celebrated as ātma-yoni, 'born without any mother,' became struck with wonder and could see only the lotus flower on which he was sitting. Thus, undergoing severe austerities for many hundreds of years, he became purified. At that time he could see in his own body the cause of all causes. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is spread all over his body and senses."

Prabhupāda:

sa tv ātma-yonir ativismita āśrito 'bjaṁ
kālena tīvra-tapasā pariśuddha-bhāvaḥ
tvām ātmanīśa bhuvi gandham ivātisūkṣmaṁ
bhūtendriyāśayamaye vitataṁ dadarśa
(SB 7.9.35)

So dadarśa means "he saw." This seeing, this is impersonal seeing how the Supreme Personality of Godhead is present in everything. Although he is born directly from the Supreme Lord, Viṣṇu, still, he could not see the Lord. Sa tv ātma-yonir ativismita. Suppose all of a sudden you are sleeping and you are put into a place where nobody else there—you are simply there and everything, it is dark. How much perplexed you would be. So the Brahmā's position was like that. After each millennium, Brahmā's death, and then again birth... Our birth and death is going on, the same process. We are in the womb of the mother, and all of a sudden we come out, we see light, began to cry, and the relatives take care of us and we forget everything, in how much precarious condition I was before my birth.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 26, 1972:

Prabhupāda: That's all. So, next page.

Pradyumna: "Invoking auspiciousness: Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the cause of all causes, the reservoir of all rasas, or relationships, which are called neutrality, or passive adoration, servitorship, friendship, parenthood, conjugal love, comedy, compassion, fear, chivalry, ghastliness, wonder and devastation. He is the supreme attractive form, and by His universal and transcendental attractive features, He has captivated all the gopīs, headed by Tārakā, Pālikā, Śyāmā, Lalitā, and ultimately, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Let His Lordship's grace be on us so that there may not be any hindrance in the execution of this duty of writing The Nectar of Devotion, impelled by His Divine Grace Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Prabhupāda."

Prabhupāda: So Kṛṣṇa is described as akhila-rasāmṛta-sindhu. So there are different rasas, five primary rasas. Rasa means the mellow or the taste which we enjoy in every activity. That is called rasa. Everything is done with some taste. Whatever you do, you must enjoy some taste out of it. So there are twelve rasas, out of which five rasas are primary and seven rasas are secondary. They are described here.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 7, 1973:

Pradyumna: (reading:) "Invoking auspiciousness: Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the cause of all causes, the reservoir of all rasas, or relationships, which are called neutrality, or passive adoration; servitorship; friendship; parenthood; conjugal love; comedy; compassion; fear; chivalry; ghastliness; wonder; and devastation. He is the supreme attractive form, and by His universal and transcendental attractive features, He has captivated all the gopīs, headed by Tārakā, Pālikā, Śyāmā, Lalitā and, ultimately, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Let His Lordship's grace be on us..."

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa is the reservoir of all rasas. Rasa is a very peculiar word. Rasa, it may be translated into English as "taste," as "mellow," or as "humor." So our relationship with Kṛṣṇa, there is some taste. Without taste, we cannot continue our relationship with anyone. There must be some taste. So these rasas, or tastes, are twelve kinds. Primary rasa is the relationship between inert things and our... Just like I am sitting on this chair. So the comfort I am feeling, that is the rasa, taste. We want very nice cushion, sitting position. So that tasting, that "I am now comfortably seated," this is called śānta-rasa. Then above the śānta-rasa, there is dāsya-rasa. Dāsya-rasa... Just like my students, my disciples, they want to serve me, and I want to take service from them. This is also an exchange of rasa, a taste.

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

Pradyumna: (reading:) "...as given by Rūpa Gosvāmī in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, can be summarized thus: his service is favorable and is always in relation to Kṛṣṇa. In order to keep the purity of such Kṛṣṇa conscious activities, one must be freed from all material desires and philosophical speculation. Any desire except for the service of the Lord is called material desire. And philosophical speculation refers to the sort of speculation which ultimately arrives at a conclusion of voidism or impersonalism. This conclusion is useless for a Kṛṣṇa conscious person. Only rarely by philosophical speculation can one reach the conclusion of worshiping Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā itself. The ultimate end of philosophical speculation, then, must be Kṛṣṇa, with the understanding that Kṛṣṇa is everything, the cause of all causes, and that one should therefore surrender unto Him. If this ultimate goal is reached, then philosophical advancement is favorable, but if the conclusion of philosophical speculation is voidism or impersonalism, that is not bhakti."

Prabhupāda: There is a verse in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: vāsudeva-parā vedā vāsudeva-paraṁ jñānaṁ vāsudeva-paraṁ gatim. So unless one is led to the conclusion vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19), jñāna-vairāgya-karma, anything that you are trying to achieve, if it is not targeted to the realization of Vāsudeva, then it... Śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8). That is the conclusion of Bhāgavata. Whatever you do, the ultimate goal should be realization of Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). All Vedic conclusions should be ultimately to realize Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). This realization is achieved after many, many births of philosophical speculation, mystic yogic exercise or fruitive activities. Koṭi-karmī-madhye eka jñānī śreṣṭha. To become karmī is the third-class stage of life. One has to make progress further, so that one may become self-realized, brahma-bhūtaḥ. So out of many, many karmīs, one jñānī, or one who has realized his identification, he's better. And out of many millions of jñānīs who are trying to realize his self by philosophical speculation, brahma-jñāna, so one mukta, or liberated soul, is better. And out of many thousands of liberated souls, it is said by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, it is very rare to find out a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 28, 1973:

Mādhavānanda: (reading:) "It is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā that after many, many births, when one becomes actually wise, he surrenders unto Vāsudeva, knowing perfectly well that Kṛṣṇa (Vāsudeva) is the origin and cause of all causes. Therefore he sticks to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa and gradually develops love for Him. Although such a wise man is very dear to Kṛṣṇa, the others are also accepted as very magnanimous because even though they are distressed or in need of money, they have come to Kṛṣṇa for satisfaction. Thus they are accepted as liberal, broad-minded mahātmās.

"Without being elevated to the position of jñānī, or wise man, no one can stick to the principle of worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Others who are less intelli..."

Prabhupāda: This tulasī. big plant, while passing it should not touch your cloth. It is not ordinary plant. Very careful. Or it should not be kept there. Be careful. Go on.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.108 -- San Francisco, February 18, 1967:

This is statement of one Upaniṣad, that the Supreme is pūrṇam, means complete. There is no minus; it is always full, always pūrṇa. Pūrṇam adaḥ pūrṇam idam. And because this creation, material creation, is emanated from that supreme complete, therefore this is also complete. Pūrṇam idam. Pūrṇāt pūrṇam udacyate. If a thing is complete and full, then the products should be also complete and full. So these are the statements. So how Kṛṣṇa is complete? Kṛṣṇa is complete—His energy, His opulence, His beauty, His knowledge. Similarly, He's complete always. Then another statement, vicitra śakti puruṣa purāṇa. Another statement of Vedic literature, Upani..., vicitra śakti puruṣa purāṇa. That Supreme Absolute Truth is a puruṣa. Purusa means enjoyer, man. Man is supposed to be the enjoyer. He's not woman. Woman is supposed to be enjoyed. Therefore this very word is used: puruṣa. And Purāṇa, the oldest man, oldest man. Nobody... Because He's the cause of all causes; therefore He should be the oldest. And we are also oldest because we are part and parcel. We are also oldest. That is stated in the Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā, na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācit, pūrṇo nityaḥ purāṇaḥ... Na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācit na bhūtvā na bhūyaḥ bhavitā vā, nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ purāṇaḥ. Nityaḥ śāśvataḥ ayaṁ purāṇaḥ. Purāṇa means the oldest.

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

Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam. And Kṛṣṇa also says, mattaḥ parataraṁ kiñcid asti, kiñcid asti dhanañjaya. "There is no more." Everyone is cause. You are... You are... Your cause for appearance is your father. The cause of your father's appearance is his father. You go on—father, father, father, father—you reach Brahmā, who is called the supreme forefather. Then Brahmā is also born of Viṣṇu, Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. And the Garbhodakaśayī is also appeared from Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. In this way, go on, go on. And Saṅkarṣaṇa, Nārāyaṇa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha—there are so many. And at last you reach Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is the cause of all causes.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.152-154 -- New York, December 5, 1966:

And indriya... Go means senses. We are seeking sense pleasure. Sense pleasure means reciprocation between the two. I want to see a beautiful girl. That means two. Or I want to see a beautiful boy. So that means two. So without two, there cannot be sense pleasure. I want to eat something palatable. There must be two. At least, the dish must be full of varieties. So impersonal, there is no pleasure, actual pleasure. So Kṛṣṇa, our relationship with Kṛṣṇa, our service with Kṛṣṇa, that is pleasure. Govinda. That is real sense pleasure. By seeing Kṛṣṇa, by tasting Kṛṣṇa, by smelling Kṛṣṇa, by touching Kṛṣṇa—everything, that is sense pleasure. That is our real sense pleasure. So He is Govinda and sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1), the cause of all causes. Beyond Him, there is no other cause. This is the description Lord Caitanya gives, and we shall gradually discuss other points.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 21.13-49 -- New York, January 4, 1967:

So Govinda, the Supreme Lord, the cause of all causes, His plenary portions are these three Viṣṇus.

ei artha-madhyama, śuna 'gūḍha' artha āra

tina āvāsa-sthāna kṛṣṇera śāstre khyāti yāra

Now, Kṛṣṇa abode, the planet which is called Goloka Vṛndāvana, that has three divisions. As we have got replica on this earth, there is Vṛndāvana, Mathurā, and Dvārakā. Dvārakā is in Gujarat, and Mathurā and Vṛndāvana is in U.P., Uttar Pradesh, near Delhi. And Dvārakā is about three hundred miles or more than that from Delhi. So these are replicas of the original Kṛṣṇaloka.

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 7 -- Los Angeles, May 10, 1970:

Moha and śoka, this is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā: brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). We were very much anxious to get things which you haven't got. That is kāṅkṣati, hankering after. And when things are lost, we lament. But if we know that Kṛṣṇa is the central point, so anything received, gained, profited, that is Kṛṣṇa's desire. Kṛṣṇa has given; accept it. And if it is taken away by Kṛṣṇa, then what is the lamentation? Kṛṣṇa liked to take it away from me. Oh, why should I lament? Because ekatvam, the supreme one, He's the cause of all causes. He's taking; He's also giving. So when you have got something, engage it in Kṛṣṇa's service. And we have no, nothing to offer Kṛṣṇa, then whatever you get, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam (BG 9.26), Kṛṣṇa is satisfied in every way. This is the meaning of vijānataḥ. One must be in the full knowledge. Then there will be no more lamentation and no more hankering. That is the stage of spiritual platform.

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 9 -- Los Angeles, May 13, 1970:

So there are two kinds of education: material education and spiritual education, brahma-vidyā and jaḍa-vidyā. Jaḍa-vidyā means material education. Jaḍa. Jaḍa means "which cannot move," matter. And spiritual education... Spirit can move. Our body is combination of spirit and matter. So long the spirit is there, this body is moving. Just like coat-pant is moving so long a man wears it. It appears that the coat is moving, the pant is moving, but actually the living entity is moving, and the covering, the dress, appears to be moving. Similarly, this body is moving because the spirit soul is moving. This is only... Just like a vehicle. A motorcar is moving; that means the driver is moving. So foolish people will think that the motorcar is moving. Motorcar does not move. In spite of all mechanical arrangement, it cannot move. That is the wrong way of education. People who are thinking that this material nature is working, moving and manifesting so many wonderful things... Just like in the seaside we see the waves are moving. But the waves are not moving; the air moving it. But air is not moving. In this way, you go back, back, back, what is the ultimate cause, then you'll find Kṛṣṇa is the cause of all causes. That is called philosophy, to search out the ultimate cause.

Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Verse 29 -- Los Angeles, November 5, 1968:

"I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is the cause of all causes. He is in the cintāmaṇi-dhāma." Cintāmaṇi-dhāma means the place which is not made of earth and stone, but they are made of touchstone. Most probably you have heard the name of touchstone. Touchstone can turn iron into gold. So the Lord's abode is made of touchstone, cintāmaṇi. There are houses... As we have got our experience here in this world that houses are made of bricks, there, in the transcendental world, the houses are made of this cintāmaṇi stone, touchstone. Cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa (Bs. 5.29). There are also trees, but those trees are not like this tree. The trees are kalpa-vṛkṣa. Here you can take one kind of fruit from one tree, but there, from the trees you can ask anything, and you get it because those trees are all spiritual. That is the difference between matter and spirit. Cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa lakṣā-vṛteṣu (Bs. 5.29). Such kind of trees, there are many, not one or two. All the places are covered by all those trees.

Festival Lectures

Janmastami Lord Sri Krsna's Appearance Day Lecture -- London, August 21, 1973:

As it is said in the Vedānta-sūtra, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Brahma-jijñāsā, to discuss about the Supreme Absolute Truth, Brahman. What is that Brahman? Janmādy asya yataḥ. That Brahman means wherefrom everything emanates. So science, philosophy, means to find out the ultimate cause of everything. That we are getting from the śāstras, Vedic literature, that Kṛṣṇa is the cause of all causes. Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam. Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam.

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ
sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam
(Bs. 5.1)

Cause of all causes. Just like try to understand. I am caused by my father. My father is caused by his father. He is caused by his father, his father... Go on searching, then you'll ultimately come to somebody who is the cause. But He has no cause. Anādir ādir govindaḥ (Bs. 5.1). I may be cause of my son, but I am also result of the cause, my father. But the śāstra says that anādir ādir, He is the original person, but He has no cause. That is Kṛṣṇa.

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

So similarly, if we understand what is Absolute Truth... The Absolute Truth is already mentioned, that "We understand the Absolute Truth in three phases: first of all, impersonal Brahman; second, localized Paramātmā, Supersoul; and the ultimate, last, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." So if you at all understand that "Supreme Personality, Godhead, is the cause of all causes. I am also one of the effects of that cause," then what is your duty? That duty is mentioned here, that ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. The speech was being delivered by Sūta Gosvāmī amongst great sages. So he is addressing, "My dear learned brāhmaṇas." All the sages, they were brāhmaṇas. So, "My dear learned brāhmaṇas," ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ, "according to the division of social system..."

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

In the Brahma-saṁhitā also it is stated, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). There are many gods, but who is the Supreme God? The Supreme God is Kṛṣṇa. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ. Paramaḥ means the Supreme. You may be your god, I may be god, and there are many gods. But Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme God. Nobody is above Him. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ anādir ādir govindaḥ. He has no cause, anādi. He is causeless. We have got cause; He is causeless. Anādir ādir govindaḥ. Govinda means He is pleasure of... He is the reservoir of all pleasure, Govinda. Anādir ādir govindaḥ sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1), cause of all causes. So here it is said that "That Bhagavān, who is sātvatāṁ patiḥ..." That means there are many great, great devotees, stalwart devotees, ācāryas and teachers, and for all of them, He is the master. Sātvatāṁ patiḥ. And what is to be done about Him? śrotavyaḥ: "You have to hear about Him." Where I can hear? When He speaks Himself. Why don't you hear there? How can you know the Supreme, the cause of all causes? Nobody can explain. But when He explains Himself, you can hear. That is Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa is explaining Himself.

General Lectures

Lecture on Maha-mantra -- New York, September 8, 1966:

This Govinda, anādir ādir govindaḥ (Bs. 5.1). So the prayer is, "I worship that Govinda," sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam, kāraṇa, "who is the cause of all causes." Cause of all causes. Now, in this verse of Brahma-saṁhitā we find that one of His plenary portion... In the Vedic hymns we find that God has become many. Eko bahu syām. God is one without second, but He has become Himself many. We are also God. Out of that many, we are one. We are one. We are not separate from God. So, but there are amongst the "many"s there is a difference of potency, difference of potencies. Just like what you can do, I cannot do. Your workmanship may not be equal with my workmanship. Your brain work may not be equal to my brain work. There are differences. Each and every living entity, they are different from each other so far individual capacities are concerned. So in spite of many... That is God's creation.

Lecture on Teachings of Lord Caitanya -- Seattle, September 25, 1968:

In Sanskrit word it is called darśana, to see the original, to find out the original. So the original information is given by Vedānta-sūtra. What is that origin? Athāto brahma jijñāsā. One should be inquisitive to understand about the origin. That is the chance in this human form of life. We do not know the origin. The scientists, they explain, "Perhaps," "Like this; it was like this," 'Perhaps," "It might be like this." That is not explanation. So the direct explanation is..., very nice explanation is given by the Vedānta-sūtra what is that origin. The Vedānta-sūtra says, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). The origin is that from which everything is born. That is the origin. Now we have to find out what is that thing from whom everything is born. That is Kṛṣṇa. The great sages, they have searched out what is that origin. And in the Brahma-saṁhitā it is said,

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ
sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam
(Bs. 5.1)

Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam means the cause of all causes. They have searched out. Scientifically they have searched out that Kṛṣṇa is the origin.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 4, 1968:

So iti matvā bhajante māṁ budhā. Anyone who is wise, who is intelligent, who knows that Kṛṣṇa is the cause of all causes...

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ
sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam
(Bs. 5.1)

Sarva-kāraṇa: everything has got cause, cause and effect. So you go on finding out what is the cause of this, what is the cause of this, what is the cause of this, then you'll find Kṛṣṇa. Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam. And Vedānta says, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). You cannot say something has sprang automatically. That is foolishness. Everything has a source of generation. Everything. That is intelligence. Don't say... Just like in modern science says that "There was a chunk and there was creation—perhaps." That is also "perhaps," you see. So this kind of knowledge is useless. You must find out. If I ask the scientist, "What is the cause of this chunk?" they cannot reply. So find out the cause, and you'll find that... If I cannot find, then we have to follow... Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186), we have to follow the authorized ācāryas. If you be Christian, just follow Jesus Christ. He says, "There is God." Then you accept there is God. He says that "God created this. He said that 'Let there be creation,' and there was creation." So we accept this, "Yes. God created." Here also in the Bhagavad-gītā God says, Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo (BG 10.8), "I am the origin." So God is the origin of creation. Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam: (Bs. 5.1) He is the cause of all causes.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 4, 1968:

One who is inquisitive to understand the Absolute Truth, he requires a spiritual master." Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). Jijñāsuḥ means inquisitive, one who inquires. Inquiry is natural. Just like a child: with the development of his life he inquires from the parents, "Father, what it is? Mother, what it is? What it is? What it is?" This is nice. A boy, child, who is inquiring, that means he is very intelligent boy. So we should be intelligent and inquire, jijñāsā. Brahma-jijñāsā. This life is for brahma-jijñāsā, to understand, to inquire about God. Then a life is successful. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. And after inquiring, inquiring, inquiring, understanding, understanding, understanding, then what is the ultimate stage? That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). After many, many births of inquiry, when one becomes actually a wise man, man of knowledge, then what happens? Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate: "He surrenders unto Me," Kṛṣṇa says. Why? Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti. He understands that Vasudeva, Kṛṣṇa, is the cause of all causes. Sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ. But such kind of great soul is very rare, to understand it. Therefore Caitanya-caritāmṛta says, sei bado catura: he is very intelligent.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 11, 1968:

After many lives' cultivation of knowledge, when one comes to the point that Vāsudeva or the Supreme Personality of Godhead is everything, He is the cause of all causes, then he surrenders unto Him. But such kind of surrendering soul is very rare. So in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement we do not expect that everyone can join, but anyone who joins, it is to be understood that in his previous life he has passed all cultivation of knowledge. Otherwise it is not possible. But if one is... Just like this verse says, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). If one is intelligent to understand this verse, that only a wise man, only one who has become very wise after many, many births; cultivation of spiritual knowledge, he surrenders to Vāsudeva or Kṛṣṇa... So I do not know whether I cultivated knowledge in my past life, but if it is a fact that this is the result of many, many births' cultivation of knowledge, why not surrender immediately and become the most learned wise man? Take the opportunity. One has to become very intelligent. Just like if one man is earning, say, ten hundred millions of dollars by depositing little, little, in the bank, so if somebody offers, "All right, you take immediately ten hundred thousands of dollars immediately," so who will refuse it? So if it is a fact that one comes to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness after many, many births... So, little intelligence required, that "Why not take it immediately? Even I did not cultivate knowledge in my past life, let me take immediately." So this opportunity is offered. Take Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is no tax.

Lecture -- Hawaii, March 30, 1969:

So even from historical references, there is not a single person who can be compared with Kṛṣṇa. Therefore He is all-attractive. And everything that we experience, that is the manifestation of Kṛṣṇa's energy. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śruyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). His energies are differently manifested. Similarly, in Viṣṇu Purāṇa also, it is said, parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktis tathaiva akhilaṁ jagat. Akhilaṁ jagat means the whole cosmic manifestation is a display of the multi-energies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So because He is fully energetic, therefore He is attractive and the cause of all causes. These are the evidences of Vedic literatures. And when He was actually present, He was attractive in so many features. In the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, when He was speaking the Bhagavad-gītā, the speech which He delivered, although He is not present now in our vision, you cannot find in the whole world such attractive speech of wisdom. Nobody can say. What we have got, practical experience, about His speech, which is still going on, still we are trying to understand. The greatest scholars of the world, the philosophers, they are trying to understand Bhagavad-gītā. There were many, many great scholars and saintly persons all over India, but each and every one of them have tried to understand Bhagavad-gītā. Even Professor Einstein, he was reading Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture -- Hawaii, March 30, 1969:

So if you can understand how His energy is acting, then you can understand the whole cosmic manifestation. That is explained in the Vedic literature. Just like in our presence we have got practical experience, the sun. The whole material world is maintained by sunlight. The planets are rotating by the heat of sunlight; the vegetation, the water, everything is being conducted by the sunlight. It is by scorching sunlight the water is evaporated from the sea. It is formed into gas, cloud, and it is distributing all over the land. Then vegetation is coming, and it is becoming green, yellow, many colorful. So actually, the sun is the cause of all material manifestations. So if anyone can study what is sun, then he can understand how everything is appearing. That is practical.

Similarly, sun is also not ultimate cause. The ultimate cause is Kṛṣṇa.

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ
sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam
(Bs. 5.1)

Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam means "the cause of all causes." And the sun is described as the eye of Kṛṣṇa. Yac-cakṣur eṣa savitā sakala-grahāṇām.

Brandeis University Lecture -- Boston, April 29, 1969:

When you come to the ultimate cause, that is God. That is explained in the, I mean to say, Vedānta-sūtra. The Vedānta-sūtra, the first code is athāto brahma jijñāsā: "Now let us discuss about the Supreme Absolute Truth." And immediately the answer is... What is Brahman? Janmādy asya yataḥ: (SB 1.1.1) "The ultimate source of everything." A simple word. You have to find out the ultimate source of everything, the cause of all causes. Then you have found out God. Don't accept a nonsense as God. Find out the cause of causes, ultimate cause, where there is no more cause. He is the ultimate cause. That is stated in Brahma-saṁhitā and all Vedic literature. Just like in the Brahma-saṁhitā it is stated,

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ
sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam
(Bs. 5.1)

This sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam, cause of all causes. Of course, it is not possible to explain all the science of God immediately, within half an hour or fifteen minutes. It is not possible. But our request is that don't spoil your human form of life. You are all young boys and girls. You have got ample time. I am old man. I will die, say, within five or ten years, but you'll live at least for sixty, seventy, eighty years. Culture. Cultivate this knowledge, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and you'll be happy. Your life will be successful. That is all.

Lecture -- New Vrindaban, June 7, 1969:

Then impersonal understanding of God, just Brahman... Sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma: "Everything is standing on Brahman." Just like materially you understand: everything in the material manifestation, that is depending on the sunshine. The trees, as soon as there is sunshine, there is green foliage. As soon as there is no sunshine, there is no leaves, no greenness. So everything is depending on sunshine. The sunshine is also depending on Kṛṣṇa; therefore Kṛṣṇa is the original cause of all causes. That is Kṛṣṇa realization. You can realize Him personally, you can realize Him impersonally, and you can realize Him localized. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati: (BG 18.61) "Arjuna, that Supreme Personality of Godhead is situated, localized, in everyone's heart." Just like the sun globe is there, and the sun globe's effulgence is the impersonal representation of the sun-god. And suppose there are five millions of people standing in the sunshine, and everyone will see the sun is above his head. That is localized. You go five thousand miles away and ask your friend here, "Where is the sun?" Your friend will say that "It is on my head." And you will also see it is on your head. As it is materially possible, why not spiritually? So spiritually, Kṛṣṇa is within your heart. Simply you have to realize it.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 7, 1971:

When we forget our actual relationship with Kṛṣṇa, that is called māyā, false egotism. Falsely I am thinking that "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am this," "I am that." These are all false designations. Real identification is "I am Kṛṣṇa's." I have repeatedly said. When this realization is achieved, that mahātmā is su-durlabhaḥ, very rare. Sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ. Who? One who understands that vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti: (BG 7.19) "Vāsudeva is the origin of everything." Kṛṣṇa is the origin.

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ
sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam
(Bs. 5.1)

Cause of all causes. That is being explained by Kṛṣṇa Himself personally. You are hearing about God from God personally. How it is that you do not understand what is God? That means you do not try to understand it or you are misled by duṣkṛtina. Kṛṣṇa therefore says, na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). This śloka we have discussed partially last night.

Town Hall Lecture -- Auckland, April 14, 1972:

You just worship Govinda, personal Govinda." Bhaja govindam, three times. Three times means he is giving stress. Bhaja govindaṁ bhaja govindaṁ bhaja govindaṁ mūḍha-mate: three times. Prāpte sannihite kāle marane: "When your death will be near, at the point of your death," na hi na hi rakṣati ḍukṛñ-karaṇe. Ḍukṛñ-karaṇe means a grammatical jugglery, that "This word should be interpreted like this. This word should be interpreted like this." So, "This fight of interpretation will not save you. Better from the very beginning you worship Govinda. That will save you." This is his instruction. Bhaja govindaṁ bhaja govindaṁ bhaja govindaṁ mūḍha-mate. And so far we are concerned, Vaiṣṇavas, we all accept govinda, ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi, Govinda, the Supreme Person, the original Personality Godhead, govindam.

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ
sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam
(Bs. 5.1)

The summum..., the cause of all causes, the supreme controller, is Kṛṣṇa. And that Kṛṣṇa consciousness we are presenting all over the world. And this Hanumān Gosvāmī has given me the credit that I am representing Kṛṣṇa.

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

Source of Kṛṣṇa? Well, Kṛṣṇa is the origin. Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1). We are trying to understand the source of Kṛṣṇa because we have no other experience. We have got only experience that everything has got a source. You go on searching out. Just like you are caused by your father. Your father is caused by his father. His father is cause of... In this way go on researching, researching, then you come to Brahmā, the original person in this universe. Then Brahmā is also caused by Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. The Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu is caused by Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. The Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu is caused by Saṅkarṣaṇa. Saṅkarṣaṇa is caused by Nārāyaṇa. Nārāyaṇa caused by Baladeva. Baladeva is caused by Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is the origin, cause, of everyone. He has no cause. He has no source. He is the original source of everything. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ: (BG 10.8) "I am the source of everything." And Brahma-saṁhitā, sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam: (Bs. 5.1) "The cause of all causes." So Supreme Lord is the cause of all causes, but He is not caused by anyone. That is His supremacy. He is not caused by everyone. He is svarāṭ. He is described in the Vedic, svarāṭ, "self-evident." That is God.

Rotary Club Lecture -- Hyderabad, November 29, 1972:

And He's the cause of all causes. Just like I am born; the cause is my father. And the cause of my father—his father, my grandfather. And go on searching—his father, his father, his father—and then you'll have to reach the original person, Brahmā. Then if you find, or try to find out who is the cause of Brahmā, then you'll find that this cause is the Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. And what is the cause of Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu? Then you'll find Kāraṇa, Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. And Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, the cause is Saṅkarṣaṇa. In this way, you will find, ultimately, Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, cause of all causes.

Rotary Club Lecture -- Hyderabad, November 29, 1972:

"I am the cause of all causes."

The Vedānta-sūtra says, "Who is the Absolute Truth?" Athāto brahma jijñāsā. The Vedānta-sūtra means to inquire about the Absolute Truth. This human form of life is meant for inquiring about the Absolute Truth. Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. That is the duty of the human form of life. It is a very big subject matter. So this human birth, form of life, we have got after so many evolutions: aquatics, then trees, then plants, then insects, then birds, then beasts. Then we come to the platform of this human being, especially civilized human being. And especially born in India. For this reason, Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that Indian people have got a special mission. He said, bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya-janma haila yāra (CC Adi 9.41). Anyone who is fortunate enough to get his birth in Bhārata-varṣa, janma sārthaka kari' kara paropakāra. Paropakāra. Indian, Indians are meant for doing welfare activities to others. Because in India you have got the culture which is actually human culture. Human culture means to understand God, to understand Kṛṣṇa; that is human culture. Otherwise, if you simply improve the four principles of animal life, that is not culture. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca sāmānyam etad paśubhiḥ narānām. Eating: animal eats; we also eat. And if we make some improvement in the eating matter, that is not advancement of civilization. Similarly in sleeping matter.

Lecture at Upsala University Faculty -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:

That is His body, sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ. But He has got a body. He has got a form, transcendental form, sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ. Anādiḥ, anādiḥ means, because nobody is controller above Him; therefore He is the supreme controller; He has no beginning. Anādi, ādiḥ: and He is the beginning of everything. Anādir ādir govindaḥ—His name is Govinda. Kṛṣṇa, Govinda, there are many names. There are millions of names of God. We are just mentioning one or two. So anādir ādir govindaḥ sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam: the cause of all causes. Everything has got cause and effect. So therefore Arjuna has decided to take knowledge from Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Being. And He has no material body; therefore His knowledge, whatever knowledge is given by Kṛṣṇa, that is perfect. Anyone who is giving knowledge in this material body, he has got four defects. The first defect is that a person in the material body must commit mistake. Must commit, less or more. And the..., anyone who possessing this material body, he must be illusioned. Illusioned means that accepting something for something. Just like we are accepting this body as self. But this is illusion. I'm not this body. I am spiritual spark, part and parcel of God. That is my position.

Departure Talks

Departure -- Los Angeles, October 5, 1972:

Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. So we are worshiping the original person, Govinda. People are embarrassed to find out the cause of all causes. The scientists, the philosophers, they are embarrassed, the religionists. But we have got information of the original cause.

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ
sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam
(Bs. 5.1)

There must be some cause. We do not accept anything as chance. No. There is no chance. There is cause. Everything has got cause. So the original cause is Kṛṣṇa. So our knowledge is perfect therefore. We know the cause. So you chant this mantra, govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **, and you will be in full knowledge. Yasmin vijñāte sarvam idaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavanti. In the Vedānta-sūtra, Vedic language, it is said, "If you know simply Govinda, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then you know everything. All knowledge is perfect." So try to understand Kṛṣṇa; then all other categorical knowledge will be revealed. Spiritually, knowledge is revealed. By material senses we try to acquire knowledge, but that is always, remains imperfect. And if you receive knowledge from the original person, then your knowledge is perfect.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibnitz:
Prabhupāda: So that is going on. And this nature is working under the direction of Kṛṣṇa. That is confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā, (Sanskrit). Durgā, the goddess of the fortress of the material world, she is so powerful that she can create such things, she can maintain cities, (indistinct) she has got all the power. (indistinct), she is so powerful. Her name is Durgā. But (indistinct), but she is working just like a shadow. Shadow is called not independent-moving. Here is shadow; I move this hand, then it is moving. She is called (indistinct). But the movement is from Kṛṣṇa. Sṛṣṭi-sthiti (Sanskrit). All our activities are just like shadows. Icchānurūpam (Sanskrit). She is working under the direction of Govinda. Therefore, "I worship Govinda, the cause of all causes." This is stated in Brahma-saṁhitā.
Philosophy Discussion on Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibnitz:

Śyāmasundara: He says that space and time are mere appearances, but the ultimate or genuine reality is different.

Prabhupāda: That is Kṛṣṇa, sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1), cause of all causes.

Śyāmasundara: He calls these ultimate entities monads. Monad means unity, or oneness. He says that the ultimate stuff out of which even the atoms are made are called monads, small particles.

Prabhupāda: And within those small particles there is Kṛṣṇa. That small particle is not final. Aṇḍāntara-stha paramāṇu... That is also superficial.

Śyāmasundara: He says that these monads are individual, conscious, alive and active, and they range in quality from the lowest type, or matter, through the higher of types, such as soul, to the highest, which is God.

Prabhupāda: So whether within the atom there is soul or not?

Śyāmasundara: His theory is that even the atoms are made out of these monads.

Prabhupāda: What is a monad?

Śyāmasundara: It's difficult to understand, but a monad means a tiny particle of force which is...

Prabhupāda: And we say that is Kṛṣṇa

Śyāmasundara: He says that it has activity, consciousness, etc. But each monad is individual, and its inherent qualities are produced from that monad.

Prabhupāda: That monad, as we say, Kṛṣṇa, as we understand from Brahma-saṁhitā, that Kṛṣṇa is within the atom also.

Philosophy Discussion on David Hume:

Śyāmasundara: His idea is that this law is not ultimate reality, that it is a mere probability.

Prabhupāda: But it is a physical law. And he says that the sequence of the law may be different. So that is possible also, because law means made by some person, somebody. So if he likes, he can change the law, just like if the legislature assembles and some law is passed today, next day or next month or next year this law is nullified. So that supreme legislative council is responsible for this law-making. Similarly, there is a supreme will who makes this law and who can nullify this law. So we have to come to the supreme will. You cannot change or you cannot make any new law. If you think that by friction of hands there may not be any heat-producing effect, that you cannot do. Therefore you are also under the supreme will. He has given you a chance to talk all nonsense, but he can stop immediately. Your tongue and you will be a dead body, is it not? He is talking all nonsense, but if the supreme will desires, he'll stop immediately his tongue moving, and he'll be considered a dead body, all philosophy finished. But he cannot stop it. Therefore the supreme will is the ultimate cause of all causes.

Philosophy Discussion on Immanuel Kant:

Śyāmasundara: He says that this pure reason has a regulative value, that is, by attempting to grasp the totality of conditions by connecting a particular phenomenon with the whole experience. In other words, for example, the idea of a supreme being is a regulative principle of reason because it tells us to view everything in the world in connection, as if it proceeded from the necessary cause, or the Supreme Being.

Prabhupāda: The Supreme Being is the cause of all causes.

Śyāmasundara: Yes. So he says to suppose, or to use my pure reason, to come to the conclusion that there is a Supreme Being is a regulative function, because it makes everything regular. By coming to the conclusion that there is a Supreme Being, the rest of everything, all phenomena, become regulated in relationship with the Supreme Being. This is the natural impulse.

Prabhupāda: That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram: (BG 9.10) "Under My direction the whole material nature is working, and everything is going on," hetunānena kaunteya, jagat viparivartate. On this account, everything in this cosmic manifestation is going on regularly. All Vedic śāstras describe like that, that behind these phenomena there is a direction of a person, and He is the Supreme Person.

Philosophy Discussion on Immanuel Kant:

Śyāmasundara: He says that by trying to apply their reason to the transcendental, that they naturally will run into trouble, that there will be contradictions in their thought. By trying to apply these empirical categories to the transcendental, naturally there will be these contradictions. They will not be able to discover the real nature of things because there is always some contradiction by using the reason.

Prabhupāda: Without fixed up conclusion, there is contradiction. Our fixed-up conclusion is that Kṛṣṇa is the cause of all causes. How, one after another, the categories are developed, that is in the Vedic literature. But it is summarized that Kṛṣṇa desired or He put His glance over the material nature and the material nature became impregnated, and then He delivered so many things. Matter and spirit have combined together, and the whole cosmic manifestation has come into being.

Śyāmasundara: To go back to this idea of cause and effect, Kant says that just as time and space are a priori concepts or mental creations—in other words, before we have any sense experience, we still have an idea of time and space—just as this is so, so also cause and effect is a priori category of human understanding.

Prabhupāda: So a priori existence is there, time and space.

Philosophy Discussion on Immanuel Kant:

Śyāmasundara: So he says that to apply those four categories of reason onto objects in order to understand them, he says this creates certain knowledge, and so that further judgment beyond these categories would be guesswork or unprovable dogma. But, he says, still the mind is not satisfied with these partial explanations. Even though knowledge that transcends these categories is guesswork, still the mind desires to know something beyond them.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is called philosophy. That inquisitiveness is called philosophy. Cause of the cause: this is caused by this; what is the cause of this? Unless he comes to the final cause, this research goes on. That is the nature of advanced mind. They are called munis, those who are very thoughtful. So that is the nature of greater mind, mahātmā, to find out the ultimate cause. That is human nature. Therefore, athāto brahma jijñāsā. The Vedānta-sūtra says this jijñāsā, inquiry, "What is after this? What is after this? What is brāhmaṇas? What is Brahman? This is not Brahman. This is not Brahman..." The next answer is that "Brahman means janmādy asya (SB 1.1.1), the supreme source from where everything emanates." So unless he goes to the supreme source, he is not satisfied. So those who are going by mental speculation, they come to that impersonal feature. Then, if he makes further advancement, just like in Īśopaniṣad, that "You wind up Your glaring impersonal feature so that we can see You brightly." So this glaring impersonal Brahman, if you go, penetrate, again through this impersonal Brahman, when you come to Kṛṣṇa, then you will be satisfied. That is explained in Bhagavad-gītā. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante: (BG 7.19) after researching in this way, speculating, researching and researching and researching, bahūnāṁ janmanām, birth after birth, and when he comes to the conclusion that Kṛṣṇa is the cause of all causes, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti, sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ (BG 7.19), that mahātmā is rare.

Philosophy Discussion on William James:

Śyāmasundara: Unless I have the experience, inner experience of that...

Prabhupāda: This is inner experience. It is very simple. Because my father is, therefore I am born of him. He is born of his father, he is born of his father. Go on, that's it. That is, our śāstra says, ultimately you will come to Brahmā, the father of this universe. The Brahmā is also born of Nārāyaṇa, how you say, Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, and the Garbhodakaśāyī, wherefrom He comes? Mahā-Viṣṇu, Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. Wherefrom Mahā-Viṣṇu comes? From Saṅkarṣaṇa. Wherefrom Saṅkarṣaṇa comes? From Nārāyaṇa. Wherefrom Nārāyaṇa comes? He comes from Baladeva. Wherefrom does Baladeva comes? Kṛṣṇa. Therefore the Brahma-saṁhitā says,

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ
sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam
(Bs. 5.1)
He is the original cause of all causes.
Philosophy Discussion on Ludwig Wittgenstein:

Śyāmasundara: Another definition he has is that "Philosophy is the pursuit of meaning." Pursuit of meaning.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Because philosophy is the searching out about the ultimate truth, therefore it is pursuit; and the ultimate truth is meaning. That is nice. But there are different philosophers, and so far we are concerned, we know that the ultimate meaning is Kṛṣṇa, sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1), the cause of all causes; therefore our philosophy is perfect. They are simply pursuing, but we have reached the goal. That is the difference. They are on the way, but we are on the spot. Is that right?

Śyāmasundara: Yes. (laughs) He says that the propositions of logic and mathematics are tautologies, he calls it, or uninformative assertions which state nothing factual about the world. Just like, for instance, "Two plus two equals four." On paper it is just two symbols: the symbol 2, and the symbol 2 and the symbol 4. But actually that is a void arrangement. It doesn't state anything factual about the world.

Prabhupāda: What does he want more practical?

Śyāmasundara: He says that these can be demonstrated but not verified.

Prabhupāda: Why not verified? Two rupees plus two rupees equal to four rupees. This is verified.

Philosophy Discussion on Ludwig Wittgenstein:

Śyāmasundara: Well, we can satisfy his conditions and then determine if it is true that this ring is gold.

Prabhupāda: Yes. There are so many conditions. After, at the end, the conditions come to atom, atomic theory. But the atom is also conditioned, aṇḍāntara-sthaṁ paramāṇu cayāntara-stham. Kṛṣṇa is within the atom also; therefore the atom is not absolute or independent. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is the ultimate fact.

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ
sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam
(Bs. 5.1)

That we have know, that He is the cause of all causes.

Śyāmasundara: So, for instance, the ring may be gold under one set of conditions...

Prabhupāda: Yes. It is gold under certain conditions, but the original cause is Kṛṣṇa. Everything. Under certain conditions something is wood, something is gold, something is metal, something is this, something is... These are different conditions. I am also conditioned. Under certain conditions I am talking that "I am human being." Otherwise animal, he is under certain conditions, he is an animal. So everyone is under conditions. Who is not under conditions? Everything is under conditions. Therefore this world is called conditioned world or relative world. Nothing is absolute.

Philosophy Discussion on Ludwig Wittgenstein:

Devānanda: Isn't there a way... There is a way of perceiving that everything is Brahman. It can be perceived. We cannot perceive it now, but it can be perceived.

Prabhupāda: But the true knowledge, that ultimately Brahman is the ultimate cause. So Brahman has got different energies, and the multiple energies, they are combined together, and they manifest in different phases. Therefore Brahman is the cause of all causes. That is the Vedānta-sūtra, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Brahman means wherefrom everything is emanating.

Śyāmasundara: But this statement, "Everything is Brahman," that seems to me devoid of sensory fact, of sense content. Therefore he says it is nonsensical, because I cannot experience it as a sensory experience. How does that have sense content, that statement?

Prabhupāda: That means whatever does not come through his senses, that is not true.

Śyāmasundara: No. But whatever cannot be experienced is not true.

Prabhupāda: Experience means by sense experience. That means whatever is not under direct perception, sense experience, that is false.

Philosophy Discussion on Jacques Maritain:

Śyāmasundara: Brahman is the essence.

Prabhupāda: Essence. The essence was there before the creation of the manifestation. That Brahman, Kṛṣṇa says, as Vedānta says, janmādy asya yataḥ; (SB 1.1.1) similarly Kṛṣṇa says ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo (BG 10.8): "I am the source of everything." And Brahma-saṁhitā says, Kṛṣṇa..., sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1), "the cause of all causes." So before creation, Kṛṣṇa was existing, or God was existing. Creation means matter. So the source of creation, God, or Kṛṣṇa, is not matter. It is spirit.

Śyāmasundara: He says that the essence of an entity is its intelligible nature, or that one can have ideas. This is proof that we are more than existence, that we are also essence.

Prabhupāda: No. This existence is temporary. Just like this, I have got this coat. This is also existence, but I may change it next time, but I am the essence. I am permanent. I am changing.

Śyāmasundara: He says this is proven by the fact that the senses, they can perceive the existence of something by feeling it or touching it or seeing it, but they can't say anything about it until the intelligence comes into play, and then intelligence says what it is and gives it being.

Prabhupāda: Intelligence says what is its cause.

Page Title:Cause of all causes (Lectures)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Mayapur
Created:15 of Feb, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=87, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:87