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City (Lectures, BG)

Expressions researched:
"cities" |"city"

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.2-3 -- London, July 9, 1973:

Dhī, dhī means intelligence. Dhīmat-śabda. Dhīmat. Dhī means intelligence, and mat means "one who possesses." Asty arthe matup-pratyaya. When one possesses something, in this sense, this pratyaya... In Sanskrit there are pratyayas. So matup pratyaya. So matup. From matup, it comes to mat. Sanskrit language means it is so reformed that each and every word has significance. Not that like your English language. "Beauty but peauty put.(?)" No, not like that. If you say "beauty but," you must say, "peauty put." But no, you change: beauty but peauty put. Why? This kind of change cannot be allowed in Sanskrit language. If the "u" means "aḥ," just like beauty but, then it must always mean like that, no change. So dhīmatā. Dhī means intelligence. Dhī means intelligence. So one who has got intelligence. Every word is used with full meaning. Sanskrit language is so nice. Therefore it is called Sanskrit, Sanskrit, Saṁskṛta. Saṁskṛta means reform. And the alphabets are called devanāgarī. Devanāgarī means these alphabets... Just like in Europe the Roman letters are used, similarly, in the upper planetary system these alphabets are used, devanāgarī, used in the cities of the demigods. And the language is called Saṁskṛta, "most reformed." And Sanskrit is the mother of all languages.

Lecture on BG 1.10 -- London, July 12, 1973:

Therefore Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, śarīra abidyā-jāl, joḍendriya tāhe kāl: "This body is material body and the senses are our greatest enemies," joḍendriya tāhe kāl. "So out of all the senses," tā'ra madhye jihwā ati lobhamoy sudurmati, "of all the senses, the tongue is formidable." It is sudurmati, it has no limit to taste. I have seen in Japan. Twenty miles away they are coming to taste some fried birds in the hotel. You see. They have got bus. The hotel has got their own bus, and they bring customers from the city and they are coming after office hours just to taste some jungle birds, fried. There is a hotel.

Lecture on BG 2.2-6 -- Ahmedabad, December 11, 1972:

So Arjuna says that "I do not like to kill my grandfather or my guru." Not only ordinary guru. Guru is never ordinary. Guru... That I have explained. Never we should consider guru as ordinary human being. Guru means as king is the representative for giving protection to the people, similarly, a guru or brāhmaṇa is also meant for giving protection to the people from spiritual side. The king, kṣatriya, is meant for giving protection to the people from material side. The vaiśya is to produce from the material side. Everything is systematically arranged. So brāhmaṇa means the intelligent class of men, kṣatriya means the administrative class of men, and vaiśya means the productive class of men, and the śūdra means ordinary worker. These divisions are everywhere. You cannot say that only the brāhmaṇas and kṣatriyas and vaiśyas are in India. No. When it is a creation of Kṛṣṇa, or God, it must be everywhere—in every planet, in every country, every city. Because anywhere you go, either in Europe or America, you will find some classes of men, very intelligent class. They are interested in philosophy, science. Similarly, there is a class of men who are interested in politics. They are kṣatriyas you can say.

Lecture on BG 2.7-11 -- New York, March 2, 1966:

One kind of suffering belonging to the body and the mind... Now, suppose I am getting some headache. Now I am feeling very warm, I am feeling very cold, and so many bodily sufferings there are. Similarly, we have got sufferings of the mind. My mind is not well today. I have been... Somebody has called me something. So I am suffering. Or I have lost something or some friend, so many things. So sufferings of the body and mind, and then sufferings by the nature, nature. This is called adhidaivika, which we have to control. In every suffering we have no control, especially... Suppose there is heavy snowfall. The whole New York City is flooded with the snow, and we are all put into inconvenience. That's a sort of suffering. But you have no control. You cannot stop snow falling. You see? If some, some, there is wind, cold wind, you cannot stop it. This is called adhidaivika suffering. And the suffering of the mind and suffering of the body is called adhyātmika. And there is other sufferings, adhibhautika, attack by other living beings, my enemy, some animal or some worm, so many. So these three kinds of sufferings are there always. Always. And... But we do not want all these sufferings. When this question comes... Now here Arjuna is conscious that "There is a fight, and it is my duty to fight with the enemy, but there is suffering because they are my kinsmen." So he's feeling that.

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

Prabhupāda: Certainly. Certainly. Certainly. Therefore the place itself has got some magnetism. You see?

Woman: Yes. And when...

Prabhupāda: Just like at Vṛndāvana, at Vṛndāvana... That is practical. Now here I am sitting, New York, a very great, the world's greatest city, so magnificent city, but my heart is always hankering after that Vṛndāvana.

Woman: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Yes. I am not happy here.

Woman: Yes, I know.

Prabhupāda: I shall be very happy to return to my Vṛndāvana, that sacred place. "But then why you are...?" Now, because it is my duty. I have brought some message for you people. Because I am ordered by superior, my spiritual master, that "Whatever you have learned, you should go to the Western countries, and you must distribute this knowledge." So in spite of all my difficulties, all my inconveniences, I am here because I am in duty. I, I... That is my personal convenience, if I go and sit down at Vṛndāvana, I shall be very comfortable there. And I'll be, I'll have no anxiety, nothing of the sort. You see? But I have taken all the risk in the old age because I am in duty-bound. I am in duty-bound. So I have to execute my duty in spite of all my inconveniences. That is the idea.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- New York, March 7, 1966:

So it says that dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyām: "The truth of religiosity is very confidential, very secret." So how to know it? Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ: (CC Madhya 17.186) "We have simply to see that great personalities, as they have taken up, we have to follow. That's all." Just like in your Christian religion you may not understand all the Biblical injunctions or you may not have the time, but you'll simply, if you follow the ideal life of Lord Jesus Christ, then you get the same result. Similarly, the Muhammadans, if they follow the ideal life of Muhammad, Hazrat Muhammad, so they get the result. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). Just like in a unknown path, in a village, especially when there is a field... Now, in, in the city, you can know that "I have come so far" because the streets are numbered and the, you have got the location and there are some symptoms, this house or that house. But in the country, everything, every, every place is of the same similar nature, the same jungle, the same field, the same grass.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- New York, March 9, 1966:

There is a control... Just like here, in this planet, when you go up, you see it is ball, but in this ball there are so many controlling deities here also. President Johnson, prime minister of India, this and that and so many things. But when you go up you see just like a ball. So when you come here you find... Similarly, from the distance of ninety millions of miles you can see the sun just like a ball, but it is not ball. It is a, it is a far, far greater than this planet, and there are cities and there men and there are persons and there are everything. But they are made up of fire. Their body's made of fire. Your body's made of earth. That is the difference. Just like in the water you cannot live because your body is made differently that you cannot live in the water. Similarly, the aquatics in the water, they cannot live in the land. Similarly, because I cannot live in the sun planet due to this, my body, that does not mean there are no living beings. There are living beings. After all, the whole material world is made of five elements, earth, water, fire, air and ether. Now these five elements, in some planet you'll find earth predominant. In some planet you'll find water predominant. In some planet you'll find fire predominant. In some planet you'll find air predominant. But that does not mean that there are no living entities. There are living entities. The sun planet is a planet where is, where fire is predominant. Now, according to medical science that by heat and fire of the germs are killed. But in the fire also there are living entities. Just like Dr. Mishra was giving the example the other day about opium. Now opium is a death poison. Death poison. But in the opium also you'll find some worms.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Manila, October 12, 1972:

So, therefore, you should see through the śāstra, authoritative śāstra, books. What we are speaking about the moon planet, sun planet, or God, His abode is Vaikuṇṭhaloka, spiritual world, so many things we are talking. How we are talking? We are talking through the Vedic literature. Because Vedic literature is authoritative. According to Vedic civilization, we don't accept any book written by rascal. We take, we accept the authority of the Vedas. What is stated there in the Vedas we accept, without any argument. For example... There are many examples. One of the example is that the Veda says that if you touch the stool of an animal, even your own stool... That is the system. In India still they are..., not in the city, but in the villages, you will see even ordinary man, he goes to pass stool in the field, and just after passing stool he will take bath just to purify himself, change his cloth. That is the śāstric injunction. In one place it is said that the stool of the cow is pure. Now if you argue that one place you say that the stool of an animal is impure, even your own stool if you touch you have to take bath, how is that another animal's stool is pure? This is superficially contradiction. But those who are following strictly the Vedic principles, they will accept that the stool of cow or cow dung is pure. Now, if you argue, "Why it is pure?" then you come to a modern chemical analysis, and you will find the cow dung is full of antiseptic properties. It has been examined in Calcutta by one doctor, Rajmohan(?) Bose. Therefore, the Vedic injunction is so perfect.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Manila, October 12, 1972:

So when one comes to that knowledge, brahma-bhūtaḥ... Now we are not brahma-bhūtaḥ, prākṛta-bhūtaḥ, jīva-bhūtaḥ, the exact word. Jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat (BG 7.5). The world is being maintained by this jīva-bhūtaḥ, by the living entities. Just like this city of Manila is very important so long the living entities are there. If there are no living entities, nobody will be prepared to purchase the whole land even for (indistinct). What he will do with the dead matter? The dead matter has no value. It is valuable so long we utilize it in different purposes. Otherwise, it has no value. A nice motorcar with nice machine, first class, it has value so long it is driven by a living entity. Otherwise, who cares for it? Nobody cares for it. Jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho yayedam (BG 7.5). Therefore matter, however valuable it may be, it is inferior to the spirit. The spirit is superior energy of God. Matter is inferior energy of God.

Lecture on BG 2.14 -- Mexico, February 14, 1975:

We are opening hundreds of centers to give training to the people to practice this and go back to home, back to Godhead. But you cannot go back to home, back to Godhead, so cheaply. You have to practice certain regulative principle; then you will be fit. That is not very difficult, and if you practice, that will be very easy, and the beginning should be chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra so that you'll be fit for practicing also. So therefore, take full advantage of this movement. Now it is one... We have got center in your city. I request you to take full advantage of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and be successful in your life. But rest assured. Do not be misled that (sic:) after finishing this body, every one of us will have to accept another body. If we neglecting the rules and regulation, if we have to accept the body of a dog, just imagine how much displeasing it will be. We have to take to this principle, as Kṛṣṇa says, mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām: (BG 9.25) "Anyone who is engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he comes to Me." So practice this Kṛṣṇa consciousness and go back to home, back to Godhead. Now any question? No question? Everything all right?

Lecture on BG 2.23-24 -- London, August 27, 1973:

So it is quite natural to understand that if there is living entity within the earth, within the water, even in the air... That we experience. In the air there are so many living entities. In the water, unvisible, not seen by the naked eyes. By microscope, we can see so many germs are there in the water, in the air. So why not in the fire? Fire is also one of the material elements. Therefore, the sun planet, although it is fiery planet, there is inhabitation of different type of human being who may be called as demigods. But there are similar buildings, similar persons, cities, motorcars, everything. Everything is there. Otherwise, how Kṛṣṇa could go there and says that imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1), unless it is exactly a planet like this where living entities, houses, roads, cars and everything is there? As Kṛṣṇa advented Himself within this planet, He came here, Kṛṣṇa can go anywhere. Kṛṣṇa, when He was present, He was going anywhere. Sometimes within the waters, sometimes within the walls of the universe, sometimes in the spiritual world. He went to the spiritual world, taking Arjuna with Him. Arjuna also went with Him. And He saw the Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu in the spiritual world. These things are there, described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. He could go anywhere. They were going to the heavenly planets. That is Kṛṣṇa. Not Guruji. (laughs) That one slap, and he's blind. Not like that. Kṛṣṇa could go, Kṛṣṇa can do... All, this is called omnipotent, all-powerful. So unless we think of Kṛṣṇa possessing unconceivable powers, we cannot understand Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 2.40-45 -- Los Angeles, December 13, 1968:

So we do not know that we are standing on a tottering platform. So however nice arrangement we may make, this will be finished in one moment. That is, we are missing. We are simply sticking to a false platform that "This will save me, this will save me." No. Therefore Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says that jaḍa-bidyā jato māyāra vaibhava. This material advancement of civilization, very nice, very dazzling. Just like when we pass on the street or road of your American cities, it looks so nice. So many lights and so many night—illuminating signboards. But we should always remember that this nice situation is not permanent settlement. Any moment I'll have to give up everything. Everything. So therefore, if one becomes attached to this false platform, illuminating, so-called illuminating, false platform, then his determination to go back to Godhead will not be very much intense. That is being explained. So bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānām. What is the English translation? Yes.

Lecture on BG Lecture Excerpts 2.44-45, 2.58 -- New York, March 25, 1966:

Similarly, because we are part and parcel of the Supreme, sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1), eternity, blissful and knowledge, therefore, although we are minute particles, minute particle... But the minute particle has got so much energy. You can just see that that minute particle of the soul within this body, how wonderful things we are doing. Everything, whatever material manifestation, at least in this world... In New York City you see so many big, big buildings and so many machineries, factories and organization, but who has done it? That minute particle, embodied liv..., the soul. Just see. If that minute particle can play so much wonderful thing, just see, just imagine what wonderful things cannot be done by the supreme particle. Or not particle, He is the whole. He is the whole. Because we do not understand the capacity, the energy of the... Just calculate mathematically, mathematically. Now, this particle, the particle is so small that it has been calculated that one ten-thousandth part of the upper portion of the hair is the measurement of the soul. Now, we cannot even imagine, but supposing that point, if that point has got so much energy that it is playing wonderful things, everything is being manufactured by the brain of that small particle, now you can just make a proportion: then the full one, how much wonderful things He can do. If a small particle of... A spark of fire, if it is dropped here, it will at once burn it. Now, you can just imagine the big fire, how much capacity has got.

Lecture on BG 2.46-62 -- Los Angeles, December 16, 1968:

Now try to understand this. The long-standing system in India in the villages... India is originally village life. City life very few. Perhaps there was only big city, New Delhi now. In those days Hastināpura, and next to that was Dvārakā. So very big city, they were only two or three. Mostly people used to live in villages. Still ninety percent population of India is in the village. So in the village, the system is they have different kinds of wells. One well is meant for taking bath, one well is meant for washing clothes, one well is meant for taking drinking water, one well is meant for washing dishes. So in this way, in the villages there shall be half a dozen wells. So here the example is given, just like one can take service from a particular type of well for a particular purpose, but if he goes to the river, ever-flowing river, then he can take his bath there, he can wash clothes, he can wash dishes, he can everything. All water purposes will be served in one river. Because the water is flowing there. There is no contamination. Any water which is always flowing, there cannot be any contamination. A stagnant water which is not flowing, there may be contamination. Therefore the restriction is that you should take bath in this well, you wash your clothings in this well. So small wells, they are restricted for a certain purpose, but in the river, there is no restriction. Everything can be done there.

Lecture on BG 2.55-56 -- New York, April 19, 1966:

"Now My devotee..." Now, this patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam has been specifically mentioned by the Lord because it is universal. It is universal. If a man says that "All right, Lord wants to eat from me. But I am poor man. What I can give Lord for eating?" No, no, no. Even if you are a poor man, the poorest man, oh, these four things you can collect, one leaf, little water, one fruit, and one flower. Any, any poor man. Of course, in the city like New York, it is very difficult, (laughs) but in India it is not at all difficult. Because mostly they live, ninety percent of the population, they are villagers. So any villager, if he goes to another villager, "Sir, I want some flowers for worshiping God." "Oh, take it!" Immediately. Nobody will... In your country also, nobody will deny that. But here in the city there is no flower at all. Where to collect? If you go to the florist then I have to pay. That's a different proposal. But actually, in ordinary course of life, nobody is bereft of these four things.

Lecture on BG 2.62-72 -- Los Angeles, December 19, 1968:

Yes. We have fallen down. How we have fallen down? Fallen down to the platform of sense enjoyment. Therefore you have to begin rising up from the senses, controlling of the senses. That is the way of self-realization. Either you practice yoga or practice bhakti, devotional service, the beginning is to control the senses. So the yogis and other methods, they are trying to control the senses by force. "I shall go to the Himalayas. I shall not see any more beautiful woman. I shall close down my eyes." These are forceful. You cannot control your senses. There are many instances. You don't require to go to Himalaya. You just remain in Los Angeles city and engage your eyes to see Kṛṣṇa, you are more than a person who has gone to Himalayas. You'll forget all other thing. This is our process. You don't require to change your position. You engage your ears for hearing Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, you'll forget all nonsense. You engage your eyes to see the beauty of the Deity, Kṛṣṇa. You engage your tongue for tasting Kṛṣṇa prasādam. You engage your legs to come to this temple. You engage your hands to work for Kṛṣṇa. You engage your nose to smell the flowers offered to Kṛṣṇa. Then where your senses will go? He's captivated all round. The perfection is sure. You don't require to control your senses forcibly, don't see, don't do it, don't do it. No. You have to change the engagement, the status. That will help you. Go on.

Lecture on BG 2.62-72 -- Los Angeles, December 19, 1968:

This is the prayer by Prahlāda Mahārāja. He says, "My dear Lord, lotus-eyed, Aravindākṣa," ye anye. "Some third-class men, they are very much proud of ending this material life, these nirvāṇa or these impersonalists." Vimukta-māninaḥ. Vimukta-māninaḥ means they are simply falsely thinking that they have surpassed the clutches of māyā. Falsely. Vimukta-māninaḥ. Just like if you falsely think that "I am the proprietor of this Los Angeles city," is it not your false thinking? Similarly, if anyone thinks that "Now I have attained nirvāṇa or I have merged into the Supreme." You may think like that. That māyā is very strong. You may be puffed up by such false prestige. Vimukta-māninaḥ. Bhāgavata says, tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). "But because they have not searched out Your lotus feet, therefore their consciousness is impure, thinking 'I am something.' " Aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ. "Their intelligence, consciousness is not purified." Therefore āruhya kṛcchreṇa. "They perform very severe practice." Just like the Buddhists, they have got very... Now, those who are not practicing, that is different thing. But rules and regulations, Lord Buddha himself, he showed. He left his everything and became engaged in simply meditation. Who is doing that? Nobody is doing that. Śaṅkarācārya's first condition is that "First of all you take sannyāsa; then you talk of becoming Nārāyaṇa." Who is taking sannyāsa? So they are simply falsely thinking. Actually, their intelligence is impure, consciousness is impure. Therefore in spite of such endeavors, the result is, āruhya kṛcchreṇa param, although they go very high, say 25,000 miles or millions of miles up, they do not find any shelter, where is moon planet, where is... They come down again to your Moscow city, that's all. Or New York City, that's all. These are the examples. When they're high up, oh, they'll take photograph. "Oh, this planet is so, this earthly planet is so green or so small. I am going round day and night and seeing in one hour three times day and night." All right, very good. Please come down again. (laughs) That's all.

Lecture on BG 3.1-5 -- Los Angeles, December 20, 1968:

Just like our students, going door to door, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. And people are taking advantage of it, they are hearing. So this process is beneficial to the public. Even a small child who joins here, he also claps, tries to clap. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not to remain in a secluded place to get cheap advertisement, "Oh, that man is meditating." No. Go, practically work.

Just like Lord Jesus Christ, he practically worked. So there is practical work. No question of going into a secluded place. We should remain in the congested city and preach this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement without being affected by this contamination of city life. That is perfection. They shall not be contaminated, touched by the contamination of the city life, but still, they will go on with Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is perfection. Yes. Go on.

Lecture on BG 3.8-13 -- New York, May 20, 1966:

According to the Vedic rituals, yajña, or sacrifice, is offered to different devas, demigods. There are hundreds and thousands of demigods mentioned in the Vedic literatures, and the whole portion is called upāsanā-kāṇḍa. Upāsanā-kāṇḍa means worshiping different demigods. But what are these demigods? The demigods are just like different parts of the whole body of the Supreme Lord. They are, so to say, just like the government of the king. There is one king, but there are many state officers. Just you can imagine that if for management of a city like New York you have got so many departments... As soon as we go to this chambers, we get so many departments: criminal department, civil department, and so many departments. So for management of these universal affairs, there are different departments also, so far we can get information from the Vedic literature. And each department there is a particular director. And Brahmā is considered to be supreme director of this universe. So this yajña, sacrifice, by Vedic rituals, they are indicated to pay different taxes to different demigods. But the Supreme Lord is above all. Therefore if one performs sacrifice for the Supreme Lord, he is immune from other obligations. That is also mentioned.

Lecture on BG 3.8-11 -- Seattle, October 22, 1968:

Now, yajña is practically, according to the Vedic rituals, yajña, or sacrifice, is offered to different devas, demigods. There are hundreds and thousands of demigods mentioned in the Vedic literatures. And the whole portion is called upāsanā-kāṇḍa. Upāsanā-kāṇḍa means worshiping different demigods. But what are these demigods? The demigods are just like different parts of the whole body of the Supreme Lord. They are, so to say, just like the government of the king. There is one king, but there are many state officers.

Just you can imagine that if for management of a city like New York, you have got so many departments. As soon as we go to these chambers, we get so many departments: criminal department, civil department, and so many departments. So for management of these universal affairs, there are different departments also, so far we can get information from the Vedic literature. And each department, there is a particular director. And Brahmā is considered to be supreme director of this universe. So this yajña, sacrifice, Vedic rituals, they are indicated to pay different taxes to different demigods. But the Supreme Lord is above all. Therefore, if one performs sacrifice for the Supreme Lord, he is immune from other obligations. That is also mentioned.

Lecture on BG 3.16-17 -- New York, May 25, 1966:

Vidyā-vadhū-jīvanam means full knowledge, full knowledge. We are hankering after knowledge; then we come to the point of full knowledge. Vidyā-vadhū-jīvanam ānandāmbudhi-vardhanam. Ānanda. We cannot increase ānanda here. In the material sense gratification, ānanda does not increase. If you want some ānanda from sense, for the time being it may give you some pleasure, but at once it decreases. You have no more capacity to enjoy. You see? At once decreases. So it is not ānanda. It is not real ānanda. Ānanda means that will increase, increase. You enjoy and increases. Increases. Ānandāmbudhi-vardhanam. The example is very nice. Ambudhi. Ambudhi means sea. Sea... You don't find sea has increased. You go to the, what is called, seaside. Ten years before you had been to the seaside. You see the same level is there. It does not increase. If it increases, the whole New York City will be overflooded. It does not increase. But here Lord Caitanya says that ambudhi, the ocean of bliss, it increases. It increases. That is a new experience. When you are actually in spiritual happiness, your bliss will be increased.

Lecture on BG 3.18-30 -- Los Angeles, December 30, 1968:

Everyone is envious. This world is envious. They have declared that God is dead. You see. (laughs) (Bengali) There is a proverb in Bengali that one person wanted to see how many thieves are there in this village, and when he began to scrutinize, he saw that everyone is a thief. (laughter) Similarly, envious, you begin from President Johnson and go to anyone, they are all envious of God consciousness. You see? Otherwise in Los Angeles city, there are millions and trillions of people, and only a dozen people are coming here. You see? Why? They are envious. "What is this nonsense God consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness?" You see?

So we have to disturb them. That is our duty. We have to disturb these envious persons, "Hare Kṛṣṇa!" (laughter) That is our duty, to disturb them. And that is the greatest service. Just like a man is sleeping. And somebody is coming to kill him, and other friend, "Mr. such and such, wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" So he may say, "Why you are disturbing me?" But that is the greatest service, he'll be saved. Māyā is coming to kill him, to send him to the darkest region of hell, and you are saving him, "Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and be saved."

Lecture on BG 3.25 -- Hyderabad, December 17, 1976:

o far intelligence is concerned, in the matter of considering eating, sleeping, sex, and defense, that is equal either in the animal or in the human being. It doesn't require any education. Even the dog knows how to use sex life. It doesn't require a Freud's philosophy. But the rascal human society, they are thinking that "Here is a big philosopher. He is writing about sex." This is going on. Eating, simply eating... Here is land. You work little, get your food grains produced and you can sumptuously eat. But it doesn't require a scientific slaughterhouse for bringing big, big cows and live in the city at the cost of the lives of the poor animals. This is misuse of intelligence. This is not intelligence.

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Montreal, August 24, 1968:

It appears, it manifests. Just like you prepare a pot from clay, and some day the pot will be annihilated, but it will go to the clay again, and again you can prepare from clay, pot. Just like the garbages. You are throwing daily, and again you are getting material from earth to manufacture so many things. So this is going on. This karma-yoga... This world is so made that the matter is there. You simply take it and transform the shape. That is your activity. Avidyā-karma-saṁjñānyā tṛtīyā śaktir iṣyate. (CC Madhya 6.154) In the Viṣṇu Purāṇa it is said that this material world is full of ignorance. Just like children, they make so many playthings from earth or clay and again break it. And this practice is very prominent in your country. I see in big cities like New York, Boston, very nice buildings, well-built with stone and iron, breaking it. And again some skyscraper. And it is suggested in your Almanac, World Almanac, that next hundred years they will break all these buildings and they will go underground. Yes. Because atomic age. So nobody will... I have read it in the World Almanac. The prediction is there that world, next hundred years, nobody will live on the surface of the earth. Everyone go subway. And when they want some pure air, they'll come out to see what is the surface of the world. It is suggested. You can read it.

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

So he went to the king to challenge that "What kind of king you are that in the presence of the father the son is dying?" This is responsible government. Responsible government means that a son cannot die before the presence of father. In the Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira's time also, there was no anxiety, adhibhautika, adhidaivika, adhyātmika. These are stated in the śāstra. They were so free, so, I mean to say, carefree. There was no care, no anxiety. Everyone was happy. You'll find in the Bhāgavatam. As soon as there was enemy attack in the Dvārakā city, immediately the kings, royal family, Kṛṣṇa's family, Pradyumna, His son, and others, immediately go out of the city and combat with the enemies. This was the system. People were very carefree. No care, no anxiety. That is the duty of the government. And how to keep the citizens carefree? That you require authorized instruction. That instruction is Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on BG 4.6-8 -- New York, July 20, 1966:

Similarly, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam. Meditation, if you meditate upon the Supreme Lord, that is also bhakti, devotional service. Smaraṇam. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam arcanam (SB 7.5.23). Arcanam, temple worship. You, in your country there is no temple worship. In our India there is temple. There are thousands and thousands of temples in India. And in Vṛndāvana, where my residential quarter is, Vṛndāvana... It is a small city, about fifty thousand people living there. But you'll be surprised to know, there are five thousand temples. For fifty thousand people, there are five thousand temples, in one small city. And out of that, there are about dozen very big temples. Very... Just like fort. Very big temples. So temple worship is very popular in India. Similarly, you have got your churches here.

Lecture on BG 4.7-9 -- New York, July 22, 1966:

So this is this world. This material world is dark, is always dark. Therefore here we require the sun and the moon and the electric light. Otherwise, it is dark. As soon as the electricity will fail, then whole city will be in darkness. So the nature of this... And the Vedic mantra also says that "Don't remain in this darkness." Tamaso mā jyotir gamaya: "Just try to transfer yourself in that illuminated world." Jyotir gamaya. Jyoti means illumination. So this world, this material world, is full of darkness. Darkness, one meaning of darkness is ignorance. And another darkness, you know, without, absence of light. So this nature of this material world is darkness. So if we understand the Kṛṣṇa science, and the activities of Kṛṣṇa, how He comes, how He works, what is the mission of His activity...

Lecture on BG 4.10 -- Bombay, March 30, 1974:

Therefore we are canvassing. We are going door to door, country to country, continent to continent, city to city, village to village, "Please become Kṛṣṇa conscious." We are teaching them how you can be happy, vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhāḥ (BG 2.56), how you can be a man of knowledge. That is our business. It is not very difficult. The examples are here. These Europeans, American boys and girls, four or five years ago, they were different persons. But how they have taken to it? People are surprised. Because they have followed what we have said according to the śāstra. They have followed, and they are following. They are trying to follow, sincerely. Therefore they are making progress.

Lecture on BG 4.10 -- Bombay, March 30, 1974:

And everyone is busy. How to eat... You'll find in Bombay city so many restaurants. Every step a restaurant. Eating. That is going on. Every city, all over the world. Everywhere. Eating. And then sleeping. Nice apartment. And then defense measure. And then very happily have sexual intercourse. These are the demands.

So tapasya means to reduce these. That is tapasya. Tapasya... This is the general demand of the body, and if you want to be free from this material bondage, then you have to undergo tapasya. Tapasya means these demands of the body voluntarily reducing and coming to the point of nil. That is liberation. That is tapasya. Vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhā man-mayā mām upāśritāḥ (BG 4.10). But here, very nicely Kṛṣṇa de... It can be, tapasya can be executed very easily if one becomes man-mayā, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare, Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare. Man-mayā.

Lecture on BG 4.11 -- Vrndavana, August 3, 1974:

Material energy is very strong, very powerful. You can know that. If there is a strong, a strong storm immediately, so many houses, so many trees and plants can be immediately uprooted. Material nature. If there is big storm in the ocean, it can inundate many cities, many towns. Material energy is very, very strong. That is stated, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). So we are under the control of the material nature.

Here is a scientist. He knows how much we are controlled by the material nature. So material nature is also Kṛṣṇa. Material nature... Because material nature is the energy of Kṛṣṇa... Just like this light. This light is distributing illumination. So this illumination is also light. The illumination is coming from the light. Therefore, so far illumination is concerned, there is in the lamp as well as in the illumination. So energy is not different from the energetic.

Lecture on BG 4.12 -- Bombay, April 1, 1974:

These nine different process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is being pushed on by the members of Kṛṣṇa conscious society all over the world. And we have opened also here in Bombay, the most important city of India. So we request you all to come every day and try to understand this philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness based on Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Vedānta-sūtra, Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata, all authentic scriptures.

Lecture on BG 4.12 -- Vrndavana, August 4, 1974:

Generally, people are karmajā. Karmajā means one who wants to enjoy the fruit of his labor. Everyone in this material world, they have come to enjoy. So therefore they are working so hard. We have seen in big, big cities, especially in the Western world, they are working very, very hard.

Lecture on BG 4.13 -- Bombay, April 2, 1974:

ey don't see the defect. They're simply howling, bawling, "Oh, it has increased price". Why not, increased, price? There are millions of people in Bombay city. Who is producing food grain? But they are known as vaiśya. What kind of vaiśya? There is no brahminical culture; there is no brain. There is no kṣatriya who can give you protection. There are so many defects.

Lecture on BG 4.13-14 -- New York, August 1, 1966:

That should be the standard of prayer. The more we shall have wonderful things in the material world, the more we shall be entangled. We are just trying to get free from this entanglement and go back to Kṛṣṇa, where going I'll have no more to come back in this miserable world. That should be the aim and object of life.

Suppose if I decided, or anyone of you have decided, that "I shall leave this place, New York. I have no fascination for this city." Then anything you offer him, "Oh, I give you such-and-such thing. You remain here for such-and-su..." No. He doesn't care for anything. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate. He has got some information, some other place. He has decided to go there. So he has no, I mean to say, anxiety or desire for anything. So our desire should be—that is perfect desire—that we must leave this body. We must leave this material existence. Duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). Unless you understand this fact, that this material existence is... (end—incomplete)

Lecture on BG 4.19 -- New York, August 5, 1966:

That is your problem. That can be solved by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We are talking the wholesale solution, not a particular thing. There are so many disturbing things, especially they are under the headings of these four principles: janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). So... Mad-dhāma gatvā. Just the other day we discussed the śloka, that tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya: (BG 4.9) "Now, one who becomes Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then the result will be that just after quitting this body, he comes to Me, no more coming to this material world." So long you'll be in the material world... Material world means so long we'll have this material body, we'll have to face so many disturbances. War is one of them. Suppose there is, perpetually, there is no war. Do you mean to say there will be perpetual peace? No. There are so many other things. At once, if there is some upheaval in the Atlantic Ocean, the whole thing is swallowed up, your beautiful New York City will be no more there.

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

Kṛṣṇa does not say, ḍima mācha māṁsa. No. Kṛṣṇa says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ. And one who is Kṛṣṇa conscious, he should simply take what is taken by Kṛṣṇa. That is the meaning of distribution of prasādam. Why? Kṛṣṇa has given you everything. So many varieties of fruits, so many varieties of grains, and sufficient milk. You can make milk products, so many. This is Vedic civilization, that be satisfied...

And you can produce food anywhere. Anywhere, any part. You haven't got to go from hundred miles away from Bombay city by the electric train hanging, full, for earning your livelihood. This is not civilization, making all people like asses. Kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye. This is the philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate... (SB 5.5.1).

Lecture on BG 4.19-22 -- New York, August 8, 1966:

In India there are many thousands of Kṛṣṇa temples all over India, especially in Vṛndāvana. I have several times told you that Vṛndāvana is the city, only fifty thousand people, not even one hundred thousand, fifty thousand people within a small city. But there are five thousand temples, five thousand, all Kṛṣṇa temples. Now, in each and every temple you will find how nice foodstuff. According to the capacity of the temple owner, oh, very, I mean to say costly foodstuff are being offered. And those foodstuff is distributed amongst the poor class men.

Now, at the present moment, after the, we have got sva-rāja, or independence, the government has interfered with this sort of service. They say that "This is waste of money. Why you are offering?" They are becoming atheist. But this is not waste of money. At the cost of the rich men, the prasādam was being distributed to the poor class of men at a nominal cost. You see? Now, poor men, they go to hotel. But if they take prasādam in a temple, oh, the far better quality foodstuff is supplied to him only at nominal cost. In a hotel, what will be charged, one dollar, he can have it in the temple for ten cents. So this is still more sane.

Lecture on BG 4.19-25 -- Los Angeles, January 9, 1969:

Ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ. They are simply thinking like that. Māninaḥ. Māninaḥ means actually he is not, but he's thinking. You can think that "I am the proprietor of all the banks of this Los Angeles city." You can think. Who checks you? But are you actually the proprietor of all the banks of this Los Angeles city? Anyone can think intoxication like anything. He has got the liberty. But that is not the fact.

So ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). Their intelligence is contaminated because they have no information of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So long one does not reach to that point, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19), "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is everything." It can take some time but unless you reach to that point your all intelligence is imperfect. Your knowledge is imperfect. That you must know. Therefore one who takes Kṛṣṇa, he is most intelligent. Tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ, āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ (SB 10.2.32).

Lecture on BG 4.20-24 -- New York, August 9, 1966:

Anyway, apart from that, this misunderstanding of kīrtana, five hundred years before also, there was. When Caitanya Mahāprabhu was performing kīrtana, the, not the Muhammadans, but the Hindus, they took objection that "This is not according to our scripture. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has introduced something new." So he complained to the magistrate although the magistrate was Muhammadan, he was government representative. So he took action. What action was taken? Now, the first of all he warned Lord Caitanya's party that "You cannot perform saṅkīrtana." Then Lord Caitanya's party neglected. Then the magistrate sent some constables and they broke the mṛdaṅga. You have seen the mṛdaṅga. So there was some disturbance and Lord Caitanya formed a party of one hundred thousand people from Navadvīpa and He began to make a civil disobedience. He performed saṅkīrtana all over the city, and there was some trouble between the Muhammadan magistrate. And at last, they came to compromise. And when the compromise was done, then there was some discussion. The discussion was the distinction between Muhammadan religion and Hindu religion.

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

That we have got experience, that these people in New York City, they are working day and night. And karma means work and get some profit. That is called karma. Karma... Nobody is going to work without any remuneration. Everyone is working for getting some profit. That is called karma. But that ordinary karma and karma-yoga is different. You can engage yourself in ordinary work, but, at the same time, you can become a yogi. How that is possible? When your consciousness is changed. Your consciousness... Now I am thinking that I am working for my maintenance or for my family maintenance or for my society's maintenance or for my country's maintenance. You can go on, widening. Even if you work for international maintenization, maintenance, still, it is not perfect. Even if you work for the whole planetary system, that is imperfect. But when you work for Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is the most perfect work. So we have to work with Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the perfection of life.

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

So if you are searching after God, so here is the definition of God. You just apply this definition, and when you find that here is the perfect application of these six things, then He is God. So entire opulence... There are many rich men in New York City, but nobody can say that "I am the proprietor, entire. I have got the... I am the proprietor of the entire bank balance." No. Nobody can say. Similarly, entire strength, entire fame, entire knowledge.

Now, so far this Bhagavad-gītā is concerned, you'll find the entire knowledge in it. If you study Bhagavad-gītā... Of course, so far entire knowledge, entire strength, when Kṛṣṇa was present, He showed it. So that is stated in the history and the Mahābhārata, in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and many other Vedic literatures. They are stated.

So suppose you do not believe, that "Oh, they have been written, so many things for Kṛṣṇa, just to make Him very great." You may not believe that. But at least you have got in your presence one thing—this Bhagavad-gītā. This is spoken by Kṛṣṇa. And you'll find here entire knowledge. Entire knowledge. Any knowledge of the world, and knowledge—even material, spiritual, social, political, scientific, philosophical—any knowledge you'll find entirely in this Bhagavad-gītā. So at least this is the proof that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead because there is no other parallel book like this Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore the Bhagavad-gītā is accepted and adored by all classes of men and all over the world.

Lecture on BG 5.7-13 -- New York, August 27, 1966:

Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the antiseptic measure. Suppose there is some epidemic in the city, and one has taken the antiseptic vaccine of measure. He's not affected. Similarly this Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the antiseptic method to become free from the contamination of this material world. So lipyate na sa pāpena. He's not affected by the counteraction or contamination of this material world.

kāyena manasā buddhyā
kevalair indriyair api
yoginaḥ karma kurvanti
saṅgaṁ tyaktvātma-śuddhaye
(BG 5.11)

Ātma-śuddhaye yoginaḥ. Those who are yogis. Yogi means those who are in connection with the Supreme. They are called yogis. So kāyena. Kāyena means by body. Manasā. Manasā means by mind. Buddhyā. Buddhyā means by intelligence. Kevalair indriyair api. And with the senses. Yoginaḥ karma kurvanti. They work. It appears just like they are doing like ordinary man, but saṅgaṁ tyaktvā ātma-śuddhaye. Saṅgaṁ tyaktvātma... He has no connection. He has no connection. Just like a bank cashier. He is sitting on the cash counter, and millions of dollars are coming to him, but he has no connection with it. Ātma-śuddhaye. Because he is yoga-yukta. He knows that "I am different from this money." He's all right. So by Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one who is a yogi, yogi... Yoginaḥ karma kurvanti saṅgaṁ tyaktvātma-śuddhaye. Ātma-śuddhaye. Karma. They work for ātma-śuddhi.

Lecture on BG 5.7-13 -- New York, August 27, 1966:

So there are nine holes in our body. So that nine holes, they are acting. These two eyes, two nostrils, two ears, one mouth, one naval, and the evacuating and the urinal, they are nine holes and we are taking work with these nine holes. Just like one, this room. This room has got four outlets. One there, one here, and two windows. Similarly we have got nine holes in our body. So we are acting with the help of these nine holes. Nava-dvāre pure dehī. Dehī, it is just like a room having nine outlets. We are not this body. That we must know. Nava-dvāre pure dehī. It is pure. Pure means a city or a room. I am sitting within this room. Nava-dvāre pure dehī kurvan na kārayan. He is doing in the room, from the... Just like a rich man, he is sitting in his room and everything is going on. Similarly, the soul who is in pure consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is aloof from this body and everything is going on by Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on BG 5.14-22 -- New York, August 28, 1966:

When Mahārāja Daśaratha... Daśaratha was the father of Lord Rāma. When Rāma was a boy, say about ten years, twelve years old, or about fifteen or sixteen years old... He was simply a boy. Now, one sage, his name is... He's very famous sage. He came to Mahārāja Daśaratha, asking the help of Rāmacandra for killing one demon in the forest. Because the sages used to remain in forest, they were... That demon was creating some disturbance, so he approached the king. King is the lord of both the city and the forest. So he prayed that "Please send your son and help me." Now, at that time this king inquired from that sage, aihisthaṁ yat taṁ punar-janma-jayāya.(?) Now, just like in our worldly affairs we, for gentleman's etiquette we ask, "How are you? How things are going on?" now, here the king was asking the sage, aihisthaṁ yat taṁ punar-janma-jayāya: "You are... You have... You have become mendicant. You have become sage just to conquer over death, conquer over death." Aihisthaṁ yat taṁ punar-janma-jayāya.(?) So that is this highest knowledge. Highest knowledge is to conquer over the death. This sort of idea... Of course, now it has become a story, but to conquer over the death, that was the main problem in, at least in the former Vedic civilization days. Everyone, any highest, I mean to say, highly situated person in knowledge, his main business was how to conquer death. Now, at the present moment that question has become subordinate thing only, how to conquer death. "Let death there be. So long death does not come, let me enjoy and have sense gratification." That has become the standard of civilization at the present moment. But real problem is how to conquer death.

Lecture on BG 6.4-12 -- New York, September 4, 1966:

So actually, when one is situated in proper knowledge, one who is actually a yogi, for him, this distinction altogether disappears. Yogī yuñjīta satatam ātmānaṁ rahasi sthitaḥ (BG 6.10). Now, now here is the beginning of the yoga system, how one should perform yoga. Now, you will understand from the description of Bhagavad-gītā that what is yoga system. In your city, New York City, the yoga is very popular. Everyone is performing yoga. There are so many groups of yoga schools, but just see what the yoga system is. You just, you can understand from Bhagavad-gītā. What is that? The first is yogī yuñjīta satatam ātmānaṁ rahasi sthitaḥ. The yogi's business is always to remain alone in a secluded place. Alone and secluded place. Yoga cannot be performed in assembly. Just like we are in assembly. Here you are performing yoga, I am performing yoga in the yoga class, and somebody is teaching, "Do like this. Do like that. Do like that." That is not yoga system. At least, according to Bhagavad-gītā. Here it is clearly said that yogī yuñjīta satatam ātmānaṁ rahasi sthitaḥ. He should always be engaged in his, I mean to say, focusing his mind towards the Paramātmā. And that is possible, rahasi. Rahasi means in a secluded place. In a secluded place. It is not... I cannot concentrate my mind in the hubble-bubble of this society or in a big city.

Lecture on BG 6.4-12 -- New York, September 4, 1966:
Just like in the modern days there are conferences of different parties, similarly, in India there are still about thirty hundred thousands of saintly persons. Not one, two. And they, not all, but at least, major portion of them, they meet together after twelve years in some particular places. There are four places. One at Prayāga. You have heard the name of Allahabad city. That is called Prayāga. And one at Hardwar, and at Kanchi. In this way they have got four places. That means every four years they have meeting. So in that meeting many yogis come. And when... Not in my this renounced order, when I was living for some time at Allahabad... Not some time. I lived there for thirteen years, at Allahabad. So I was seeing this Mela. Although it was taking at at least 12 years, I have seen twice or thrice. So these yogis, they are so calm and quiet and looking... Of course, I do not know. Somebody said this man is 700 years old, this man is 300 years old, but they look like young boys.
Lecture on BG 6.4-12 -- New York, September 4, 1966:

Now, just see the yogi, yogic principle, for this age, how much it is difficult for us. If we want to perform real yoga system, then it is very difficult. Nobody... We are sitting here, so many ladies and gentlemen, is it possible for us to live alone in a secluded place in a mountain? You have got in your, outside your New York City there are so many mountains and jungles. Can you live there alone? Oh, no. At the present moment, the modern way of our civilization, mode of our life... Just like I am a sannyāsī, I am renounced order of life, but still, I have come to a city, New York City, the largest city of the world. From Bombay city or Calcutta city I have come. So life has become so changed that in this age actually what is called yoga, it is not possible. It is not... First condition is that ekākī yata-cittātmā, he should remain alone, he should perform yoga system alone, not in with friends and many other yogis. No. Yata-cittātmā nirāśīr aparigrahaḥ. And he should have no desire in his mind. And aparigraha. He does not want anything from anybody, anybody else. This is the first condition.

Lecture on BG 6.6-12 -- Los Angeles, February 15, 1969:

Now, suppose you have to find out a sacred place. In this age, how many people is prepared to find out a sacred place. For his livelihood he has to live in a congested city. Where is the question of sacred place? so if you don't find a sacred place, then how you can practice yoga? That is the first prescription. Therefore this bhakti-yoga system, the sacred place is this temple. You live here, it is nirguṇa, it is transcendental. The Vedic injunction is that the city is the place of passion. And the forest is the place of goodness. And the temple is transcendental. If you live in a city or a town, that is a passionate place. And if you don't want to live in a passionate place, you go to a forest. That is place of goodness. But a temple, a God's temple, is above this passion and goodness. Therefore temple is the only secluded place for this age. You cannot go in a secluded place in a forest. It is impossible. And if you make a show of yoga practice in a so-called class and indulge in all kinds of nonsense things, that is not yoga practice. Here is the prescription how to practice yoga. Go on.

Lecture on BG 6.11-21 -- New York, September 7, 1966:

Now, comparatively, at the present moment, if you have to practice yoga, then strictly, according to the rules and regulations, you have to leave your home, you have to go out in a secluded place, in a sacred place, and there you have to execute the performance of meditation and yoga. At home it is not possible. So far Bhagavad-gītā is concerned, it is a book of authority. It is recommended here that you should find out a place, suitable place for executing yoga. But here, this is also yoga. This is called bhakti-yoga. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam (SB 7.5.23). Bhakti-yoga, they have got nine different processes. Out of that, the first two, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam, hearing and chanting. I am chanting, you are hearing; you are chanting, I am hearing. This is the process, holy name of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. So everyone can take part in it. But in the yoga system, a particular man, if he is expert, if he is able, if he can live alone from home in a secluded place, then perfection of yoga can be attained. It cannot be attained in a city, in a very good assembly, by exercising, gymnastic. No. That is not recommended in the Bhagavad-gītā, at least. We may do that according to one's own way, but that is not the system recommended by the Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on BG 6.21-27 -- New York, September 9, 1966:

Of course, it may be stories, but I am telling you of my practical life. In 1942 there was heavy bombing in Calcutta, heavy bombing in Calcutta. By once or twice bombing, all the population vacated. Calcutta was a city of no man. But there were... Of course, many people remained there, those people who could not leave the city for some urgent or some other business. So somehow or other, I had to remain in the city, and on the 12th December, 1942, I remember, there was heavy bombing. But fortunately, we stayed perplexed.(?) He saw something, fireworks, is going on. "So let us enjoy." (laughter) You see? (makes sound of bomb coming down) Do-do-dee-dee-dong! Like that, so many bombings. So what can be done? There may be so many dangers in our life because it is the place only full of dangers. We do not know. Because we are foolish, we are trying to adjust these things. That is our foolishness.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Gainesville, July 29, 1971 University of Florida:

When Kṛṣṇa recommended the yoga system, aṣṭāṅga-yoga system... Aṣṭāṅga means eightfolded different states of elevation: yama, niyama, āsana, prāṇāyāma, pratyāhāra, samādhi, like that. Dhyāna, dhāraṇā. So the first step of yoga system, as recommended by Kṛṣṇa, the supreme authority, is one has to select a very secluded place and sacred place. The aṣṭāṅga-yoga meditation cannot be performed in a fashionable city. It is not possible. One has to first of all select a nice place, sacred place. In India, therefore, those who are very serious to practice yoga system, they go to Himalaya, Haridwar. That is also Himalaya. Very secluded place. They remain there alone, and very restricted process of eating, sleeping. There is no question of mating. So those rules and regulations are very strict, and unless you follow, simply if you make a show of gymnastic, that is not perfection of yoga. Yoga means indriya-saṁyama, to control the senses. If you allow your senses unrestrictedly and if you make a show of yoga practice, that is not successful. It will never be successful.

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

So these are six kinds of attraction. So Bhagavān means one who is in full possession of all these attractive features, He's Bhagavān. Not any rascal loitering in the street and becomes Bhagavān. No. That is misleading. We do not know what is meant by the word bhagavān; therefore we accept any rascal as Bhagavān. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya. Riches. There are many rich men in Bombay city, but nobody can claim that "I am the possessor of all the riches. All the bank money or any money there is in Bombay, that is my money." Nobody can say. But Kṛṣṇa can say. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya. Samagra riches, not paltry portion of it. Samagra. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya. Strength, influence. Vīryasya. Yaśasaḥ, reputation, fame. Just like Kṛṣṇa spoke this Bhagavad-gītā five thousand years ago, but still it is adored all over the world. Not only in India, but all over the world. Bhagavad-gītā is known in any country, irrespective of religion or faith. Everyone, any intelligent man, any scholar, any philosopher reads Bhagavad-gītā. That means Kṛṣṇa is so famous. Everyone knows.

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

So many people are going on: no protest. Trees—we are cutting trees. We are taking their leaves, their fruits, taking shelter of the trees, when there is sunrise, is very scorching. And still we are cutting. Tolerant. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu has given these two instances: taror api sahiṣṇunā, tṛṇād api sunīcena. And amāninā mānadena. For one's self, for personal self, don't claim any respect, but you give respect to all others. Amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). If you can situate yourself in this position, then you can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra very peacefully. You'll not be disturbed. If you chant, if you begin chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, then your friends will criticize. It is very easy job, but for the fear of criticism from my friends, "I do not like to chant. I do not like, like to take the beads. I can carry a trans..." What is called? That? "...transistor throughout the whole road, but if I carry one bead, I'll be criticized." So one has to be tolerant. Now these European, American boys, they don't care for any criticism. They have given their so-called hats and coats and they are chanting. They are going on the street, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Not only here—in European, big, big cities, New York, London, Hamburg, Berlin, everywhere. So they don't care for this so-called criticism. They are fixed up. And people are accepting.

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

The tiger also, he fights. He secures his eatables by fighting. Similarly, this struggle for existence to get things for eating, sleeping, mating and defending, that is current in the animal society also. So śāstra says, therefore, nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). Śāstra says, ayaṁ deha, this body, human body... Nāyaṁ deho nṛloke, deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke. Nṛloke means in the human society. The animals... Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). Viḍ-bhujām means an stool-eater animal, stool-eater animal, hogs. You know. Although it is not very easily found in the cities, in our Indian villages, there are so many stool-eater hogs loitering in the street, in the village. The only business is "Where to find out stool?" This is the business. Whole day and night they are working, to find out stool. So if human being is educated to find out his eatables... Of course, the hog's eatables are the stool. They like it very much, very palatable thing. Similarly, we also, for some palatable things, we also work day and night. But śāstra says, na ayaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate. Why this human society should be trained up to work so hard simply for eating, sleeping, mating and defending? This is not good.

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

Then what is it meant for, human life? Tapa. Tapasya. Tapo divyaṁ yena śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1). The human life's business is to accept tapasya, voluntarily accepting some inconvenience of life. That is called tapasya. Tapa means some trouble. Just like to become brahmacārī, it is tapasya. Just like we are prescribing this formula: "No illicit sex, no intoxication, no meat-eating, no gambling." People want to do it. People want illicit sex. The whole city is full of pictures, simply how to indulge in illicit sex. Then meat-eating—big, big signboard—and intoxication, wine shops. They want it. That is the natural propensity. Loke vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā nityā hi jantor na hi tatra codanā. You do not require to encourage them in these things. They have got natural tendency. That is material world—to enjoy unrestricted sex life, to eat meat, fish eggs, āmiṣa... Āmiṣa-madya-sevā. Āmiṣa means eat meat, fish, eggs. These are āmiṣa. And vegetarian means nirāmiṣa. So āmiṣa-madya-sevā. Madhya means intoxication. Either wine or cigarette, biḍi or gāñjā, bhāṅg, teas, coffees, they are all intoxication. So āmiṣa-madya-sevā and vyavāya. Vyavāya means sex life. You do not require to educate them. In the school, college, the boys and girls are not, I mean, given lesson... Of course now, I think, they are now giving lesson also. But naturally, without any lesson, they know how to do it. Similarly, without an education, one can take to intoxication. So these things are natural. But when we try to stop these material instincts, that is called tapasya, tapasya.

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

Because we have to see God. Just like I told you, if you see the sun, then automatically you see everything. You see yourself, you see your neighbor, you see the city, you see the house, you see... Everything you can see when there is sunlight. Similarly, if you can see God, then you can see everything. Yasmin vijñāte sarvam idaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati. If you can understand what is God, then you understand everything. Then why don't you take this process to understand God? That is the prerogative of human life, to understand God. Why you deny the existence of God? How you can deny? You cannot deny. There is a controller, supreme controller. That we have to accept. We are not free. We are being controlled. However we are trying to become independent of any controller, that is not possible. Prakṛteḥ... You are under the control of the prakṛti.

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

We can create a little thing. We have created this airplane; that is also flying in the sky. And there are millions and millions of planets; that is also flying and floating in the sky. So that is the difference. We can create a small airplane, airship, and flying in the sky, and Bhagavān has created innumerable universes flying in the sky, and He has created the sky also. The creative energy is there. You have got the creative energy, but you cannot create another planet which is floating in the sky. That is not possible. That is the difference between living entity and Bhagavān. The similarity is there. We are creating big, big factories, big, big cities, and Bhagavān is creating big, big universes. How He is creating, that is also stated in the śāstra. Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ (Bs. 5.48). Bhagavān is creating by His breathing process innumerable universes. So we can create a skyscraper building, and we become very proud that "How we have become advanced. We have created a skyscraper building." But we do not see that Bhagavān is creating millions of planets where millions and millions of skyscraper buildings are standing. This is understanding of Bhagavān.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- London, August 4, 1971:

So people are trying to be like tiger. In India, a certain section of people, the Muhammadans, they say that "We want to be like śera." Śera means tiger. And more or less in the Western countries also, everyone is trying to become a tiger, very powerful. But one should be very cool-headed. A tiger is very powerful; a tiger can attack anyone and kill him. That is very good, but what is the use of tiger? Nobody is interested in tiger. Rather, if the tiger comes within the city, immediately it will be shot down. Because it has no use. But a humble, meek cow... Of course, here there is no protection of cow, but in India the cow is protected. It is the duty of the human being to give protection to the cow.

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

This is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. They have become mad, simply mad, to gratify senses. But they are forgetting that this human life is meant for making a solution for all the problems of life. They are not interested in that. They are thinking, "By increasing the volumes of sense gratification, that is perfection." That is not perfection. You may improve the material condition of life, but you cannot live here. Just like you have constructed very nice city, Stockholm, or any European city. That is very good. But you'll not be allowed to stay here. You'll be kicked out at any moment. What is the solution for that? You construct a nice place. That's all right, very good. But you stay here. But you cannot stay. That is your problem. If you can solve that problem... "Yes, I have constructed nice place, nice city, nice country, and everything is nice, but I will stay and enjoy," but that is not allowed. Then where is your perfection? This is the problem.

Lecture on BG 7.2 -- San Francisco, September 11, 1968:

We have been discussing this verse, what is knowledge. Knowledge means how this universe is working, what is the working force, what is the energy. Just like scientists, they are searching out different energies. Just like this earth is floating on weightlessness. Such a huge mass of material body with so many mountains, so many seas, oceans, skyscraper houses, cities, towns, countries, it is floating just like a swab, cotton swab, in the air. So if one understands how it is floating, that is knowledge.

Lecture on BG 7.2 -- London, March 10, 1975:

So in this age, Kali-yuga, to kill the demons means to stop their demonic activities by the astra, kīrtana, hari-saṅkīrtana, which is spread by His associates. Nityānanda Prabhu, Advaita Prabhu, Śrīvāsādi Gaura-bhakta-vṛnda, they are going door to door, country to country, city to city, and saving the demons from being implicated more and more in material existence. Therefore this is the astra. Astra means the killing. Real purpose... The living entity is eternal. How he can be killed? Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). So to kill means to kill his demonic nature. Otherwise how he can be killed? Ya imam... There is a verse that anyone who knows that the living entity is never killed and... A living entity does not kill anyone; neither a living entity is ever killed. One who knows this, he knows. So that is the position. So killing does not mean that killing the living entity. That is not possible. Na jāyate na mriyate vā. Killing means to kill his demonic activities. Stop. Killing means stop acting.

Lecture on BG 7.2 -- Nairobi, October 28, 1975:

Actually they have no knowledge that life cannot be produced by chemical combination; still, they are cheating people throughout the whole world that life can be produced by chemical combination. And this cheating is accepted. So there are so many other things. They are claiming they have gone to moon planet, this, that. But according to śāstra, they are all cheaters. All cheaters. They cannot go. It is not so easy thing. Just like to enter your African city, African country, there are so many rules and regulations, immigration. And you want to go to the Candraloka without any restriction. Just see. Candraloka is the planet of the demigods. There the people live for ten thousands of years, they are so advanced. Their comforts are many thousands better than this standard of comfort. And you want to go there without any passport and without any visa. From common sense, can you enter anyone's country simply because you have got aeroplane? But these things are going on.

Lecture on BG 7.4-5 -- Bombay, March 30, 1971:

So as prakṛti, as dependent on Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa the Supreme Puruṣa, if we accept this philosophy, then our life is successful. Otherwise it is simply struggle for existence. Kṛṣṇa personally... Jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat (BG 7.5). The whole material world is moving due to the jīva-bhūta, the living entities. This Bombay city is so important because there are so many living entities. And if something happens that all the people leave, then the big, big skyscraper will not face even two hundred rupees' rent. It will be all unimportant. Similarly, the whole world, material world, is important because the jīva-bhūta, who has declared himself as bhoktā falsely... Everyone in this material world, beginning from Brahmā down to the insignificant ant, they are struggling hard. That will be explained in the Fifteenth Chapter. Manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati (BG 15.7). Simply struggling to become equal to Kṛṣṇa, to be the bhoktā. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to bring men in the same condition, that "You are not bhoktā; bhoktā is Kṛṣṇa, and you become bhogya. You become enjoyed, not the enjoyer. Then you will be happy."

Lecture on BG 7.5 -- Bombay, February 20, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa has explained the material elements: bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca (BG 7.4). But these material elements cannot work independently. It must be added with the superior energy, or the living energy, jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat (BG 7.5). This Bombay city is important because there are so many living entities. Otherwise, where there are no living entities... Even in Bombay, there are some open land. What is the value? There is no value. Therefore the conclusion should be that material elements may be wonderful, but it has no value without the touch of living entities. The modern scientists, they cannot understand that there is living, spiritual energy behind this material energy. Therefore it is moving. They are... Just like a child cannot understand that the motorcar or the aeroplane is moving because there is driver and the pilot. Foolish children may think, "Oh, how the motorcar is going on?" The motorcar is not going on independently. That the child does not know. Therefore, those who have no information of the spiritual energy behind the material energy, they are children, foolish children. Mūḍha. They have been described as mūḍha.

Lecture on BG 7.8 -- Bombay, February 23, 1974:

So it is very difficult for us to understand Kṛṣṇa. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi. I have already explained. Therefore we have to take advantage of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And wherever there is a chance of hearing about Kṛṣṇa, we should take the opportunity. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And learn from the... It is not our manufacture. Kṛṣṇa says. Learn how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Simply you try to understand Kṛṣṇa in every step of life. In every step of life. They will be all explained in this chapter, how you can perceive Kṛṣṇa. The beginning is tasting. Everyone drinks water or drinks something else. So try to taste the liquid, thinking that "This taste is Kṛṣṇa." You see in the morning the light of sunshine: "Here is Kṛṣṇa." In the evening you see the moonlight: "Here is Kṛṣṇa." There is sound always, especially in a city like Bombay. It is full of sound. So whenever you hear any kind of sound—sound is the vibration of the sky—you remember: "This sound is Kṛṣṇa." Śabdaḥ khe. And whenever you meet any person very exalted, very extraordinarily able, you understand that "This ability is Kṛṣṇa's mercy, vibhūti."

Lecture on BG 7.8-14 -- New York, October 2, 1966:

So jñāne prayāsam. Especially for understanding God, or God consciousness, speculation is useless. So Lord Caitanya, I mean to say the Bhāgavata, says that jñāne prayāsam udapāsya, that that sort of endeavor, speculating, should be given up. Namanta eva: "You just become submissive." Just become submissive, that "What I am? I am insignificant creature in this universe." This world, this earth, is an insignificant point in the universe. And within this earth, the America is a small spot. And within America, this New York City is another small spot. And in this New York City, I am there. So what is my importance? So we should understand that we are very insignificant in comparison to the creation of the whole cosmic situation and God. So we should be very submissive. We should understand our position. Artificially, we should not be puffed up, the frog philosophy.

Lecture on BG 7.9-10 -- Bombay, February 24, 1974:

So Kṛṣṇa is giving us intelligence that "If you do not go to the temple or do not hear to the ācārya, you can at least try to understand My presence when you see a flower or smell a flower." Is that very difficult job? Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice. Even drinking water, even by seeing the sunshine, even by seeing the moonshine, or, if you are a Vedic scholar, by chanting om, praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu, or even by hearing the sound vibration, or by seeing a flower, or smelling a flower, something brilliant... Just like the sun is brilliant, the moon is brilliant. Tejaś cāsmi. So wherefrom this brilliance comes? The brilliance is imitation, reflection of the bodily brilliance of Kṛṣṇa. That is stated in the Brahma-sūtra, Brahma-saṁhitā: yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). Then why we should disbelieve? We can see eye-to-eye that the sun is so brilliant. It is a material product only. But wherefrom the sun has come, so brilliant? Yac cakṣur eṣa savitā sakala-grahāṇāṁ rājā samasta-mūrti, samasta-sura-mūrtir aśeṣa-tejāḥ. The brilliance and the temperature is unlimited. So wherefrom the brilliance comes? You can calculate yourself, that "The sun is composition of these chemicals, this material...," but why don't you produce? Why don't you produce an imitation sun so that you'll save so much money for electricity? At night you can get one sun in Bombay city. (laughs) (laughter)

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

So this is the māyā. This is called māyā. You are creating facilities, but it is being created for your future nonfacilities. You have got experience. When there was strike in your New York City, so for crossing one mile, one had to spend four hours. But if you could go on foot, within ten minutes you could cross that space. So these are the facilities. We are thinking that we are enjoying facilities, but actually they are not facilities. So instead of wasting our energy for so-called facilities, we should apply our energy: "What I am? Why I am suffering? I do not like to suffer. Why suffering is imposed upon me?" This is called knowledge. But by the illusory energy of māyā, the so-called knowledge, our real knowledge has been taken away, and some foolish knowledge has been imposed upon us that we are thinking, "Oh, we are advancing. Advancement of knowledge." By advancement of knowledge, we have manufactured atom bomb so that killing process can be accelerated. People are dying, and that dying process is accelerated, and we are proud. Advancement of knowledge. Oh, manufacture something which will stop death; then you will have advancement of knowledge. Killing is there. What advancement? Killing is there and you are facilitating, you are making more killing at one drop. This is not knowledge. This is called māyayāpahṛta-jñāna, "the knowledge taken by the illusory energy."

Lecture on BG 8.15-20 -- New York, November 17, 1966:

This verse we have been discussing in, on Friday. Kṛṣṇa says that "Anyone who comes to Me..." Of course, Kṛṣṇa is everywhere, but still, He has got His abode. The difference between Kṛṣṇa and ordinary human being or ordinary living being is that we can remain at one place, but Kṛṣṇa... Goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūtaḥ (Bs. 5.37). Although He has got His abode in the transcendental kingdom, which is called Goloka Vṛndāvana... The Vṛndāvana city from where I have come, this Vṛndāvana is called Bhauma Vṛndāvana. Bhauma Vṛndāvana means the same Vṛndāvana descended on this earth. Just like Kṛṣṇa descends on this earth out of His own internal potency, similarly, His dhāma, or His abode, also descends, the Vṛndāvana dhāma. Or, in other words, when Kṛṣṇa descends on this earth, He manifests Himself in that particular land. Therefore that land is so sacred, Vṛndāvana. But Kṛṣṇa has His own abode. And Kṛṣṇa says, "Anyone who comes to My abode," mām upetya punar janma duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15), "he does not get again rebirth in this material world, which is full of threefold miseries." Duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam nāpnuvanti.

Lecture on BG 8.22-27 -- New York, November 20, 1966:

This material sky is meant for the conditioned soul. Just like the prison house. What is this prison house? The prison house is a certain area of the state, walled, all sides walled and protected, so that the prisoners may not come out. That is called prison. But it is within the state, within the city, under insignificant portion. Similarly, this material manifestation is only a very insignificant portion of the spiritual sky, and it is covered so that we may not go to the spiritual sky. That is not possible. We cannot go. We cannot travel even in the outer space of this material sky. So we have got very limited potency. But this is the situation.

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

These are opulences. Aiśvarya means opulence and... Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya. Vīryasya means strength. And yaśasaḥ. Yaśasaḥ means fame. And aiśvaryasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ. Śriyaḥ means beauty. And jñāna. Jñāna means knowledge. And renunciation, vairāgya. Renunciation. These six opulences, when you find presented in a personality in full, He is God. He is God. That is the description of God. You have many rich men here in your New York City, but nobody can claim that he is the richest of all, he has got all the riches of the world. Nobody can claim. But if you find somebody who claims that "All the riches of the world or the universe belongs to me," He's God. He is God, just like Kṛṣṇa claimed.

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

Those who are living within the family life, they cannot understand what is ātma-tattva. Apaśyatām. Apaśyata. Nṛṇāṁ santi sahasraśaḥ. Śukadeva Gosvāmī is advising to Parīkṣit Mahārāja that "There are many things. They are busy." Just like ordinary man, worldly man, he purchases huge volumes of newspaper, and he is interested. But he is not interested to understand Bhagavad-gītā where ātma-tattvam is described. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). They are not interested. Therefore Śukadeva Gosvāmī said to Parīkṣit Mahārāja śrotavyādi, subject matter for hearing. Nṛṇāṁ santi sahasraśaḥ: "For ordinary man there are thousands and thousands of news." We can see so many magazines—technical, musical and cinema and ordinary news and so many editions of every newspaper in every city. So this is a fact. Śrotavyādīni rājendra nṛṇāṁ santi sahasraśaḥ (SB 2.1.2). Sahasraśaḥ means thousands and thousands and thousands. Why they are busy with so many newspapers, and why they are not interested in hearing Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam? Because apaśyatām ātma-tattvam; (SB 2.1.2) "They do not know that the real purpose of life is to understand ātma-tattva." Apaśyatām. Why you are forget? Gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām. They have made it vow, that, to maintain the family and to have some enjoyment from family life. Family life means society, friendship and love.

Lecture on BG 9.2 -- Calcutta, March 7, 1972:

So it is rāja-vidyā. This bhakti-yoga is the topmost educational system, and it is open for everyone. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi-grama. (CB Antya-khaṇḍa 4.126) Does it means He want you to make a first? If every city, every town was to be broadcast to the Caitanya cult... So what is Caitanya cult? Caitanya cult means realization of Kṛṣṇa. That is Caitanya cult. Ārādhyo bhagavān vrajeśa-tanayas tad-dhāma vṛndāvanam. This is Caitanya cult. So one who is engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, does he remain a yavana, a śūdra? What is this nonsense? But this against propaganda going on against this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that "Swami Bhaktivedanta is giving sannyāsa to the yavanas, to the mlecchas." What is this rascaldom? Can yavana be sannyāsa? Can yavana become a devotee? No. Vaiṣṇave jāti-buddhir, arcye śilā-dhīr guruṣu nara-matir vaiṣṇave jāti-buddhir. The most obnoxious thing, most obnoxious. They all fools, I can challenge. In Hyderabad, so many caste brāhmaṇas came to challenge me. The caste brāhmaṇa. No. No caste brāhmaṇas. Caste brāhmaṇa... Brāhmaṇa means catur varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). Śrīdhara Swami says, "Yes." (Sanskrit) It is exactly to the point of śāstra. Otherwise it is not possible to make them so perfect. So the propaganda against us is false... (end)

Lecture on BG 9.2-5 -- New York, November 23, 1966:

So similarly, over and above all of them, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ... (Bs. 5.1). The Brahma-saṁhitā says that everywhere you'll find the īśvara... Īśvara means controller. In your New York City the Mr. Lindsay is the controller. And in New York State, Mr. Rockefeller, he is controller. In your United States, Mr. Johnson is the controller. Finish. Then you go to another state, and similarly, in every planet, every place, there is a controller. So sun-god is the controller of the sun planet. You cannot imagine that there is no controller; it is vacant place. No. If in a New York City there is no vacant place—every place is valuable; it is occupied—how can you see, think of, that God's kingdom. So many planets, so many big..., are vacant. No. Nothing vacant. Sarva-ga. Everywhere there are living entities, but there are different kinds of entities, not exactly like you.

Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Calcutta, March 9, 1972:

Now Kṛṣṇa is therefore explaining that the, whatever you are seeing in this material world... What is this material world? This material world is combination of the spiritual and material energy of Kṛṣṇa. Parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktiḥ. There are two different energies of Brahman. Sarvedam akhilaṁ jagat. What is this Calcutta city? Calcutta city means the earth, water, air, fire, sky. These are material elements, gross elements. Mind, intelligence and ego, these are the subtle elements. These eight elements, Kṛṣṇa's energy, and beyond this energy, aparayam, these are inferior energy. Beyond this inferior, super..., inferior energy there is a superior energy. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parā (BG 7.5). Another superior. What is that superior energy? Jīva-bhūta, the living force, the living entity. So what is this world? This world, or take this Calcutta, what is it? It is a combination of material energy and spiritual energy. The spiritual energies are the living entities. He has got this material body; therefore it is a combination. So they are working. But who is working? Actually working these living entities, and he is utilizing this material energy. This is going on. Yayedaṁ dharyate..., the whole world is going on like this: a combination of material energy and spiritual energy. The spiritual energy is superior and the material energy is inferior. Therefore whatever we are seeing, they are simply display, manifestation of two energies of Kṛṣṇa. Parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktiḥ sarvedam akhilaṁ jagat. This is jagat.

Lecture on BG 9.7-10 -- New York, November 25, 1966:

Now one may think that "Such a huge manifestation of the material world, it is once created and again annihilated. Then God must be very much concerned about this creation and annihilation." But the Lord says, "No." Na ca māṁ tāni karmāṇi nibadhnanti dhanañjaya: "My dear Arjuna, all this world is going on automatically. There is no concern about it." Just like a big man, big rich man in your city. Oh, he is dismantling so many big, big houses and again constructing skyscraper. Oh, his agents are doing. He has got money, spending. He is sitting nicely. He has no concern. Similarly, parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate. The material nature and so many other agents, they are, I mean to say, performing this creation automatically. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport).

Lecture on BG 9.18-19 -- New York, December 4, 1966:

Prabhavaḥ and pralayaḥ. Pralayaḥ. If God wants, in a second your New York City will be pushed into the Atlantic Ocean, in a second. So pralayaḥ sthānam. He is the shelter. Nidhānaṁ bījam. Bījam. Bījam means the seed. Avyayam. Now, what these living entities are doing? What are these living entities? They are also parts and parcel of the Supreme Lord. We are living entities. We are endeavoring our energy, applying our energy, to build up all these things, but these materials have no value if I am not there. Just like this America, this land, was lying vacant so long these civilized person from Europe, they did not come here. So by their energy, living entities, the matter has developed. Matter is not prominent. Don't give more importance to the matter. The important is the living entity. And what is this living entity? The living entity is the part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. Therefore He is the cause of the seeds of living entities. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ jīva-loke sanātanaḥ (BG 15.7).

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

Oh. So it is something like that. Sometimes you go, sarva-ga, sarva-ga. Sarva... Jīva. Jīva means the living entities, they have got a propensity to go from here to there, there to here. That is their... Because they are living force, they cannot stay at one place. That is not their nature. Even in this life also, you Americans, you try to go to India; the Indians try to come here or some other country. This is nature. In the birds, beasts, everywhere, they want to transfer in some different... So it is going on. So the materialists who want to go to the higher planets by pious activities, they can go there, but they will have to come back again. But what is the idea of going there? The idea of going there is the materialists, they are always seeking of better comforts of life. There is no limit, where is better comfort. In this earth also, people are trying, advancement of material... Just like in your city I see very nice building. They are being dismantled, very strong, nice buildings. When I go to the Chamber side. I see that one very nice building, very strong building. But you think that "After dismantling this building, we shall prepare another skyscraper covered by nice glasses and we will be comfortable." That is the idea. You see?

Lecture on BG 9.23-24 -- New York, December 10, 1966:

Just like, not your country, in our country, there is prohibition. In some cities there is strictly prohibition. No wine can be available. But still, there are wine shops, under government license. So this wine shop does not mean to encourage citizens to come and drink wine. No. The idea is to restrict, to restrict. Those who cannot live without liquor, for them, there is some concession. Because one must live after all. Similarly, one who cannot avoid meat-eating, for him, that demigod, goddess Kālī... But unfortunately, some foolish persons, they have advertised by goddess Kālī worshiping, he has become God. These are all foolishness. This recommendation... Here it is said by Lord Kṛṣṇa, te 'pi mām eva kaunteya: "That worship of different demigods is indirectly offering worship to Me because they are My representatives." But avidhi-pūrvakam. Avidhi-pūrvakam means "It is not prescribed." Avidhi-pūrvakam. It is, what is called, in English, which is not legal. Illegal.

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

Wealth, strength, and then fame. If a man is very famous, just take any famous man of the world, if he comes in this room, oh, thousands of people will come here. When Gandhi was alive I read one news from the newspaper in India that in some Italian city, there was great crowd, innumerable people gathered in the station. And nobody could understand why these people are assembled here. So when they are asked, they replied that, "We have heard that Gandhi is coming here." Mahatma Gandhi, perhaps you heard his name. He was very famous man, politician. So actually the news they are published that one, there was one Mr. Glandi. So he was coming. And people misunderstood as Gandhi. So my point is that a famous man also attracts. These things are attraction, richness, wealth, and strength, and famous, fame.

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

Atrājam ity anena pradhāna-pradhānāt cid-vargāt saṁsāra-vivargāc ca veda, veda.(?) Now, here this ajam, that God is unborn, this indicates that He is different from this material world because in the material world we have no experience that anyone is unborn. Everyone is born. Not only everyone, everything is born. This your New York City is born. You will find some date in the history that the New York City was started four hundred years or five hundred years. So we have got, we are very much fond of history. That means finding out the date of birth of everything. So this is the nature. So "He is unborn" means that spiritual nature is not like this material nature. At once we can understand. Spiritual nature is born and... Material nature is born, and spiritual nature is not born. This is the distinction. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is not material, He is spiritual. Because He says unborn, therefore He is not material. Immediately you have to understand.

Lecture on BG 10.8 -- July 31, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

This material world is, means we have created so many unwanted things, this is material world. Just like we are living in this part of your country, a village. So you are living very happily, undoubtedly. There is ample opportunity for living peacefully here. You grow little grains, you get some milk, some vegetable, and all your economic questions solved. But as soon as you go to the city, the whole pollution attacks you. You have to give up this simple eating process. Instead of drinking milk, in the city, you'll have to cut throat of the cow and eat the meat.

Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Paris, August 10, 1973:

Similarly those who are very much fond of eating meat and blood, they're given the body of tiger, hogs, dogs, This is nature's law. But they do not know. They do not know. They think that: "Now I am enjoying, according to my..." That is not enjoyment. Is that very nice food? But he's thinking, a flesh-eater, a meat-eater is thinking, he cannot eat meat a one. He mixes with some vegetable. Then he can eat. Is it not? If you say all these meat-eaters: "Don't eat vegetables or grains. Simply eat meat." That they cannot do. They cannot do. Ninety percent, ninety percent, he'll eat other things, grains and vegetables. And maybe ten percent or twenty percent, meat. Although we are not meat-eater, I have seen. A little piece of meat... (break)

Where the tiger is coming? That he has no brain to understand. Why there are so many varieties of life? Because according to... Just like your... In a, in a city, there are many varieties of apartment. As you are able to pay for it, or in a shop, in a store, there are many varieties of articles. But you have to purchase according to the price you can pay.

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

So here Arjuna has accepted Kṛṣṇa as his guru. And he submissively says that prakṛtiṁ puruṣaṁ caiva. Prakṛti, prakṛti means nature, and puruṣa means the exploiter of the nature. Just like here in this material world, especially in the Western countries they are very much fond of developing undeveloped countries. That means exploiting, or to become puruṣa, enjoyer. You Americans, you came from Europe, and now you have developed the whole America, very nice cities, towns, and very well developed. That is called the exploiting the resources.

Lecture on BG 13.2 -- Melbourne, April 4, 1972:

And he must develop renouncement, vairāgya. Because attachment sometimes leads me to become a tree, to become a mouse, to become a serpent in the same house, attachment. After all, you may decorate your house. You may purchase a nice house. You decorate it very nicely. But you have to leave it. You cannot live here permanently. That is not possible. Either make your country very nice, very nice city, very decorated city, or your house, apartment, wife, children, very nice decorated, but you'll not be allowed to remain.

We don't think that, that "Why you are forced to leave?" That we do not think. But that's a fact. I am living very comfortably with my society, family. "Society, friendship and love, divinely bestowed upon man." There is one poetry. That's all right, but it is so nice, it is so pleasing, but one day comes, "Please get out." Finished. You cannot protest. You cannot say that "I have worked so hard. I have made my country, my family, my house so nice. Why I shall get out?" "No. You must leave." "Oh, let me stay here for some days more." "No, not even a second. You must get out." We cannot consider all these points. We are simply attached. "Oh, this is my country. This is my family. This is my land. This is my kinsmen. This is..." So many. "This is my, my, my, my, my." But if it is yours, why you are forced to get out of these things? What is the answer? Who will answer this? Huh? And there is no certainty.

Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Bombay, December 30, 1972:

Just like the sun globe is the source of sunshine. Sunshine is very big, all pervading. And sun appears to be located in some place. But which is important, the sunshine is important or the sun globe is important? Because the sunshine is emanating from the sun it has no independent existence. As soon as the sun disappears, there is no sunshine. So wherever there is sun, there is sunshine. Therefore sunshine is dependent on the sun.

And within the sun, there are cities, palaces, inhabitants. Just like within this planet, there are cities, there are roads, there are so many varieties of living condition. Similarly in every planet, there is varieties of living condition. Koṭiṣu aśeṣa-vasudhādi-vibhūti-bhinnam. From Vedic literature we understand: yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). Yasya prabhā. Govinda's prabhā, Kṛṣṇa's prabhā. Illumination. Prabhā means illumination. Just like this bulb and the illumination. The illumination is broadcast all over the room. The bulb is located in a place.

Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Bombay, December 30, 1972:

This is the instruction given by Ṛṣabhadeva to his sons. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ. All these living entities, they have become mad, mad. We can see very easily. Whole world, wherever we... Big, big cities. They are working just like madmen. So many cars, so many flyways, so many under-subways and always busy. But kurute vikarma. They are not working very nicely. Vikarma. Karma vikarma akarma.

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

Similarly, there are persons who are via media—half this side, half that side. And there are persons who are fully in Bombay life. Or Bombay... Any city life. We don't speak only Bombay. Suppose we are in London. We are wandering, traveling in many, many nice cities better than Bombay. What is Bombay? Bombay is nothing in comparison to New York or Chicago or Tokyo. Very, very big, big cities.

So as we find there are different classes of men, although all of them are in Bombay or any city, similarly, all the living entities, they are not of the same quality. Some of them are in touch with the material modes of goodness, some of them are in touch with the material modes of passion, and some of them are in touch with the material modes of ignorance. So those who are in ignorance, they are just like fallen in the water. As the fire falls on the water, it extinguishes completely. And the dry grass, if a spark of fire falls, taking advantage of the dry grass, the fire ignites. It becomes again fire.

Lecture on BG 13.5 -- Paris, August 13, 1973:

Just like people are struggling. Wherever you go, material world, either you go to London or go to Paris or to Calcutta or Bombay, anywhere you go, what is the business? Everyone is struggling: (makes sounds) whoon, shoon, shoon, shoon, shoon, shoon, shoon. Day and night the motorcar going this way and that way, this way and that way. Last night I was speaking with Śrutakīrti. Wherever, we see this nonsense thing, whoo, shoo, shoon, shoon, shoon, shoon, shoo, shoo, shoo. Any city you go, the same road, same motorcar, same "whoo, shoosh," same petrol, that's all. (laughter) What is the difference? But we say—this is called illusion—"I have come to Paris. I have come to Calcutta." But where is the difference between Calcutta and Paris and Bombay? The same thing. Punaḥ punaḥ carvita-carvaṇānām. Again and again, chewing the chewed. That's all.

Lecture on BG 13.5 -- Paris, August 13, 1973:

Even if you think, "All right, there are so many miserable conditions. Never mind. Let me adjust and live here permanently," oh, no, that will also not be allowed. Temporary. You may decorate your Paris city. Napoleon tried and other tried. But you cannot live here, sir. You have to go out. But these rascals, they do not understand. They are decorating, decorating. "Tax. Give more tax. Give more tax. Let us decorate." But how you'll... How long you shall live in this decorated city? Even if you live, if you are so much lover, great nationalist of the country, suppose next life you get the... Because when one has very much attraction for a certain land, then he again takes birth in that land, so if you take your birth not as human being or as a cat and dog or a cow, then you'll be sent to the slaughterhouse. Then what is the use of your becoming nationalist? Your men, for whom you have worked so hard, next life, if you take your birth as a cow, the same men will send you to the slaughterhouse. But these rascals, they do not know what is the mystery.

Lecture on BG 13.6-7 -- Bombay, September 29, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa therefore says, mahā-bhūtāny ahaṅkāro buddhir avyaktam eva ca. Avyaktam means the total material substance. Just like when you construct a house there are heaps of materials, some stone, some cement, some woods, some iron, and you combine together... Tejo-vāri-mṛd-vinimayam. This whole world is exchange of three things: teja, fire, vāri, means water, and mṛt, means earth. So what is this Bombay city? The Bombay city is a heap of tejo-vāri-mṛd-vinimayaḥ. And... Here is one expert engineer, he knows how to mix these three things, tejo-vāri-mṛd-vinimayam, exchange. If there was no stock of tejo-vāri-mṛd-vinimayam, you could not build such a nice city. But who is supplying the ingredients? Can you create earth? No. Can you create water? No. You cannot create. You are simply working. You are simply working hard mixing them. That's all. Tejo vāri-mṛd-vinimayam. You cannot create. That is not possible. The creator is God. The creator is God. That is stated in the seventh chapter, prakṛtir me aṣṭadhā. Me, Kṛṣṇa says, "It is mine."

Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, October 2, 1973:

We can practically see. Everyone is working with this body in Bombay city. A very poor man is also in Bombay city, and a very rich man is also there. Both of them have the same facilities to work, but we find that one man is working very hard day and night. Hardly he is getting his morsel of food. Another man, simply by going, sitting in the office, earning thousands and thousands. Why? Because the difference of the field of activities. The body is different. Because one has got a certain type of body, his destination is already there. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantur dehopapattaye (SB 3.31.1). We can study this thing, that somebody is living in a poor slum and another man is living in a very palatial building. So simply by endeavoring that "I shall live in a palatial building, and I shall not live in this poor slumhole," it is not possible because the destiny is there. Therefore the body is made according to our past karma, and that is called destiny. Your happiness and distress according to the body is already settled up. It is not possible by natural way to improve or disimprove it. It is already settled up.

Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, October 3, 1973:

Formerly people were very happy so far material conditions were concerned. They had no complaint. Everyone was happy, everyone was getting ample food. And why they shall not get? If the birds, beasts—they are getting their ample food, even up to death. There is no complaint amongst the birds and beast unless one is in the human society. Otherwise in the jungle there are major portion of the animals and birds. They have no complaint. They do not come in the city, that we have this complaint. They are happy, they are getting ample food, life is very happy. They have got their eating, they have got their sleeping, they have got their mates for sex life and they know how to defend. Everything is there. There is no problem. Only in the human society they have created problem because they have no knowledge. The so-called knowledge is useless not unless you can solve the problems (?) what is the meaning of this knowledge? Therefore Kṛṣṇa says knowledge means one must know this is my real acute miserable condition of life, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). This is knowledge.

Lecture on BG 13.13 -- Bombay, October 6, 1973:

So in the sun planet also, there are living entities, cities, just like here. Otherwise how Kṛṣṇa can say, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1). Kṛṣṇa is telling lie, that "I spoke this science of Bhagavad-gītā to the sun-god?" Now, according to our calculation nobody can go to the sun planet, and where is the scope of speaking there, and to whom speaking? But Kṛṣṇa says, "Yes." Imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham (BG 4.1), "I said," avyayam, "imperishable knowledge." Vivasvān manave prāha. So from this version we can understand, in the sun planet there are living entities, and the chief man, or chief demigod, is the sun-god, whose name is Vivasvān. So his body must be fiery; otherwise how he can live there? And the inhabitants there also. So we are thinking from here that nobody can live there, but that's not the fact. We are calculating via our own experience. Therefore we cannot have perfect knowledge by speculating our experience. It is not possible. We must go to a person whose experience is beyond our experience. That is called guru. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Guru means heavy. If guru is as good as I am, then what is the use of taking knowledge from him? Guru must be heavier.

Lecture on BG 13.14 -- Bombay, October 7, 1973:

Generally, everyone in the Bombay city, they are working very hard, but what is the aim? For their personal profit. That is called karmī. Either in this life... Even those who are performing yajñas for being elevated to the heavenly planet. That is also karma, karma-kāṇḍīya. They are also karmīs. Either for becoming happy in this life or becoming happy... Happy nobody can become; it is illusion. But by sense gratification we think that we are happy. That is the karmī life, on the bodily platform. And the mental platform is little subtle. The philosophers, the poets, the scientists, like that.

Lecture on BG 13.35 -- Geneva, June 6, 1974:
Even in our young days, we were paying salaries to the servants, twelve rupees, fourteen rupees, without any food. And still they would save at least ten to twelve rupees out of that. And this money, the servant would send to his wife at home, and as soon as there is two hundred rupees, he'll purchase a piece of land. And in this way, when he has got sufficient land for producing food for the whole family, then he would no more come to city for working. We have seen it.

That means as soon as one has a land sufficient to produce, he is safe. His food problem—that is the real problem—is solved. So people are not being trained up to... In America, I have seen. Now the farmers, the father is working on the farm, and the sons, they do not come. They live in the city. This is the tendency all over the world. They are not producing food grains. Therefore there is scarcity. There is scarcity of... Especially in a country like India where the population is very big and there is no land available, there must be scarcity of food. Especially the Britishers, they have divided India: Pakistan and Hindustan. So all the food grains are there on the Pakistan side, and in the Hindustan side all the industries are there. So they are fighting. They have no industrial facilities, and they have no agricultural facilities.

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

There is famine. There is pestilence. There is so many thing. So even if we are assured that we are not going to die, still, there are other sufferings. And, of course, there is no question of not dying. Everyone will have to die. Even you accept this place of suffering and if you are assured that you will live here permanently, still, you become happy, "All right, I will not die." But that is also not possible. Therefore aśāśvatam. Even if you make your arrangement very nicely that you will not suffer, but you will not be allowed to stay. Now just like in Tokyo city we are making very big, big buildings, everywhere, all over the world, to live very comfortably. But that comfortable life is also not assured because you will have to die. You will have to die. Therefore it is called aśāśvatam, not permanent. Even if you are under the impression that "I am very happy," that happiness also will not be allowed you for eternal time, it will be finished.

Lecture on BG 16.8 -- Tokyo, January 28, 1975:

This is the atheistic theory, asatyam. They say that this material world is false. Brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. Jagat, jagat means this cosmic manifestation which is gacchati, going. In the material world, everything is going. Just like in your city you see the cars, motor cars. They are going here and there, gacchati, very busy. Every man is going here and there. Similarly, the whole planetary system also, beginning from its birth up to the annihilation it is going, moving, orbit. It is going. Everything is going, moving. Even the sun, it has got its orbit. Yac-cakṣur eṣa savitā sakala-grahāṇāṁ rājā samasta..., aśeṣa-tejāḥ, yasyājñayā bhramati sambhṛta-kāla-cakraḥ. The... Just like the earth has its orbit—it is rotating—similarly, every planet is rotating. The sun is also rotating. And so far I calculate, it is sixteen thousand miles per minute or second. I calculated once. The sun is rotating sixteen thousand miles either per minute or per second. I forget now.

Lecture on BG 16.8 -- Tokyo, January 28, 1975:

So when the question of order is there, then there must be one order-giver, and there must be one order-carrier. Otherwise, what is the meaning, order? Yasya ājñayā, by whose order. Whose means this whose, somebody bigger who is giving order, and the sun planet is carrying out the order. Yasyājñayā bhramati sambhṛta-kāla-cakraḥ. So there is order-giver. There is controller, the Supreme Lord, and there is order-carrier, the sun-god. Otherwise who is carrying the order? If it is only a lump of matter, then who will carry out the order? Now, this Tokyo city if it is a lump of matter only, then how the systematic order of traffic rules and regulation is... It is not only lump of matter, but there is somebody, the government or the king or the president, who is maintaining the order. This is conclusion. This is analogy.

Lecture on BG 16.8 -- Tokyo, January 28, 1975:

This kind of logic is vague only. That is no... It has no value. Do you give any value to this logic, nonsensical logic? No sane man will accept, "by chance." When you are caught and you are convicted, then if you say, "By chance, I became convicted"? By chance? No. You committed theft, you were arrested, there were due judgment, and the judge has given you punishment. You must suffer. It is not a chance. And if you say, "By chance, I am now convicted," that is not chance. There is no question of chance. This is a false logic, chance. Nothing takes place by chance. That is sound reasoning. Chance means ignorant. One who does not know, he says chance. That is ignorance. That is not knowledge. Knowledge is different thing. So they are rascals, you can say. This kind of logic, "I have not seen. It has come by chance. There was a chunk," these are all nonsensical proposition. There is īśvara. This is sound knowledge. As you conclude by seeing the arrangement in the Tokyo city there is government, similarly, if you are intelligent enough, then you can understand there must be a controller. That is theism. That is knowledge.

Lecture on BG 16.8 -- Tokyo, January 28, 1975:

You can see so many arrangement, so many fibers. Fine fibers are coming out, and from one fiber to another. Even a small herb and vegetable, you will find there is craftsmanship. You cannot say it is chance. You cannot do it. So there is brain. That is right conclusion, "There is brain behind it," and that is theism. And that brain, what is the brain behind this, who has this brain behind this, behind this, behind this, behind this, if you come... Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19), after searching out for many, many births, then one comes to the conclusion that vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). You come to the conclusion, "Kṛṣṇa is the cause of everything." That is already concluded. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1): "Īśvaraḥ, the supreme controller is Kṛṣṇa." Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ... There are so many controllers. Just like this city is being controlled by the police commissioner or somebody else. So above him, above him, above him, there is controller. And the... Above all, the supreme controller is Kṛṣṇa. That is the conclusion.

Lecture on BG 16.9 -- Hawaii, February 5, 1975:

The basic principle of creation is that this material world is the field of activities of the rebellious living entity. "I don't want to serve Kṛṣṇa. I want to serve my senses." That is the whole world, going on. This Hawaiian city or any city, especially in your America, they're very, very busy. So ask them, "What is the aim of your life?" They'll say, "Sense gratification. I shall earn money, eat nicely, drink nicely, enjoy nicely. That is the aim of life." They do not know. Etāṁ dṛṣṭim avaṣṭabhya. Their vision is so polluted. Naṣṭātmānaḥ: they have lost their spiritual ideas, spiritual sense or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The highest principle of spiritual sense means Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to understand God. That is mahātmā, mahātmā.

Lecture on BG 16.10 -- Hawaii, February 6, 1975:

Just like you require water. That is very essential. Especially in the tropical countries, they use water very profusely for cleansing the whole house, for cleansing the body, for cleansing the utensils, cleansing the cloth. That is Vedic civilization, cleanliness. "Cleanliness is next to godliness." Everyone should take thrice bath, cleanse everything. In India, not in the city but in the villages, the woman's first duty is to cleanse the whole house, still. Early in the morning they'll sweep over the whole house, not this apartment, three feet, no, but it is a good house. There is courtyard. Without courtyard, it is pigeon's hole. But you like pigeon's hole, this big, big skyscraper building containing so many pigeon's hole. That's all. So in India still, although poor country, they have got a courtyard, a little garden. That kind of house, in the village that is the system. So the first business is cleanliness. Everything should remain clean.

Page Title:City (Lectures, BG)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Mayapur
Created:25 of Feb, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=103, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:103