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Commodity

Bhagavad-gita As It Is

BG Chapters 7 - 12

BG 9.16, Purport:

The Vedic sacrifice known as Jyotiṣṭoma is also Kṛṣṇa, and He is also the Mahā-yajña mentioned in the smṛti. The oblations offered to the Pitṛloka or the sacrifice performed to please the Pitṛloka, considered as a kind of drug in the form of clarified butter, is also Kṛṣṇa. The mantras chanted in this connection are also Kṛṣṇa. And many other commodities made with milk products for offering in the sacrifices are also Kṛṣṇa. The fire is also Kṛṣṇa because fire is one of the five material elements and is therefore claimed as the separated energy of Kṛṣṇa. In other words, the Vedic sacrifices recommended in the karma-kāṇḍa division of the Vedas are in total also Kṛṣṇa. Or, in other words, those who are engaged in rendering devotional service unto Kṛṣṇa are to be understood to have performed all the sacrifices recommended in the Vedas.

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 1

SB 1.17.24, Purport:

Modern civilization and economic development are creating a new situation of poverty and scarcity with the result of blackmailing the consumer's commodities. If the leaders and the rich men of the society spend fifty percent of their accumulated wealth mercifully for the misled mass of people and educate them in God consciousness, the knowledge of Bhāgavatam, certainly the age of Kali will be defeated in its attempt to entrap the conditioned souls. We must always remember that false pride, or too high an estimation of one's own values of life, undue attachment to women or association with them, and intoxication will divert human civilization from the path of peace, however much the people clamor for peace in the world. The preaching of the Bhāgavatam principles will automatically render all men austere, clean both inside and outside, merciful to the suffering, and truthful in daily behavior.

SB 1.17.39, Purport:

Gold-standard currency is based on falsehood because the currency is not on a par with the reserved gold. The basic principle is falsity because currency notes are issued in value beyond that of the actual reserved gold. This artificial inflation of currency by the authorities encourages prostitution of the state economy. The price of commodities becomes artificially inflated because of bad money, or artificial currency notes. Bad money drives away good money. Instead of paper currency, actual gold coins should be used for exchange, and this will stop prostitution of gold. Gold ornaments for women may be allowed by control, not by quality, but by quantity. This will discourage lust, envy and enmity. When there is actual gold currency in the form of coins, the influence of gold in producing falsity, prostitution, etc., will automatically cease. There will be no need of an anticorruption ministry for another term of prostitution and falsity of purpose.

SB Canto 2

SB 2.1.11, Purport:

Such holy names are as powerful as the Lord, and there is no bar for anyone in any part of the creation to chant and glorify the Lord by the particular name of the Lord as it is locally understood. They are all auspicious, and one should not distinguish such names of the Lord as material commodities. The third offense is to neglect the orders of the authorized ācāryas or spiritual masters. The fourth offense is to vilify scriptures or Vedic knowledge. The fifth offense is to define the holy name of the Lord in terms of one's mundane calculation. The holy name of the Lord is identical with the Lord Himself, and one should understand the holy name of the Lord to be nondifferent from Him. The sixth offense is to interpret the holy name. The Lord is not imaginary, nor is His holy name. There are persons with a poor fund of knowledge who think the Lord to be an imagination of the worshiper and therefore think His holy name to be imaginary. Such a chanter of the name of the Lord cannot achieve the desired success in the matter of chanting the holy name.

SB 2.5.30, Purport:

Manufacture of the "necessities of life" in factories and workshops, excessively prominent in the age of Kali, or in the age of the machine, is the summit stage of the quality of darkness. Such manufacturing enterprises by human society are in the mode of darkness because factually there is no necessity for the commodities manufactured. Human society primarily requires food for subsistence, shelter for sleeping, defense for protection, and commodities for satisfaction of the senses. The senses are the practical signs of life, as will be explained in the next verse. Human civilization is meant for purifying the senses, and objects of sense satisfaction should be supplied as much as absolutely required, but not for aggravating artificial sensory needs. Food, shelter, defense and sense gratification are all needs in material existence. Otherwise, in his pure, uncontaminated state of original life, the living entity has no such needs. The needs are therefore artificial, and in the pure state of life there are no such needs.

SB 2.9.36, Purport:

The Lord can be served by all the senses, or even simply by the mind. The South Indian brāhmaṇa who served the Lord simply on the strength of his mind also factually realized the Lord. Success is guaranteed for a devotee who fully engages any one of his senses in the mode of devotional service. The Lord can be served by any ingredient, even the most common commodity—a flower, a leaf, a fruit or a little water, which are available in any part of the universe and without cost—and thus the Lord is served universally by the universal entities. He can be served simply by hearing, He can be served simply by chanting or reading about His activities, He can be served simply by adoring Him and accepting Him.

In the Bhagavad-gītā it is stated that one can serve the Lord by offering the result of one's own work; it does not matter what one does. Generally men may say that whatever they are doing is inspired by God, but that is not all. One should actually work on behalf of God as a servant of God. The Lord says in the Bhagavad-gītā (9.27):

SB Canto 3

SB 3.5.49, Translation:

O unborn one, please enlighten us regarding the ways and means by which we can offer You all enjoyable grains and commodities so that both we and all other living entities in this world can maintain ourselves without disturbance and can easily accumulate the necessities of life both for You and for ourselves.

SB 3.12.23, Purport:

Nārada was born from the best deliberation of Brahmā because Nārada was able to deliver the Supreme Lord to anyone he liked. The Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot be realized by any amount of Vedic knowledge or by any number of penances. But a pure devotee of the Lord like Nārada can deliver the Supreme Lord by his good will. The very name Nārada suggests that he can deliver the Supreme Lord. Nāra means the "Supreme Lord," and da means "one who can deliver." That he can deliver the Supreme Lord does not mean that the Lord is like a commodity that can be delivered to any person. But Nārada can deliver to anyone the transcendental loving service of the Lord as a servitor, friend, parent or lover, as one may desire out of one's own transcendental love for the Lord. In other words, it is Nārada only who can deliver the path of bhakti-yoga, the highest mystic means for attainment of the Supreme Lord.

SB 3.20.34, Translation:

Who are you, O pretty girl? Whose wife or daughter are you, and what can be the object of your appearing before us? Why do you tantalize us, unfortunate as we are, with the priceless commodity of your beauty?

SB 3.23.8, Purport:

She served her husband, who was a great devotee and saintly person, with great sincerity, love, affection and service, and Kardama Muni was satisfied. He willingly gave love of God, and he recommended that she accept it and enjoy it because he had already achieved it.

Love of God is not an ordinary commodity. Caitanya Mahāprabhu was worshiped by Rūpa Gosvāmī because He distributed love of God, kṛṣṇa-premā, to everyone. Rūpa Gosvāmī praised Him as mahā-vadānya, a greatly munificent personality, because He was freely distributing to everyone love of Godhead, which is achieved by wise men only after many, many births. Kṛṣṇa-premā, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is the highest gift which can be bestowed on anyone whom we presume to love.

One word used in this verse, nija-dharma-dohān, is very significant. Devahūti, as the wife of Kardama Muni, achieved an invaluable gift from her husband because she was very faithful to him.

SB 3.29.15, Purport:

The prescribed duties of the four classes of men in human society are also described in Bhagavad-gītā. The activities of brāhmaṇas are to control the senses and to become simple, clean, learned devotees. The kṣatriyas have the spirit for ruling, they are not afraid on the battlefield, and they are charitable. The vaiśyas, or the mercantile class of men, trade in commodities, protect cows and develop agricultural produce. The śūdras, or laborer class, serve the higher classes because they themselves are not very intelligent.

From every position, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā, sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarcya: (BG 18.46) one can serve the Supreme Lord by performing one's prescribed duty. It is not that only the brāhmaṇas can serve the Supreme Lord and not the śūdras. Anyone can serve the Supreme Lord by performing his prescribed duties under the direction of a spiritual master, or representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. No one should think that his prescribed duties are inferior.

SB Canto 4

SB 4.16.10, Purport:

In Kali-yuga, however, the king or government has no well-protected treasury, and the only means of circulation is currency notes made of paper. Thus in times of distress the government artificially inflates the currency by simply printing papers, and this artificially raises the price of commodities, and the general condition of the citizens becomes very precarious. Thus keeping one's money very secretly is an old practice, for we find this practice present even during the reign of Mahārāja Pṛthu. Just as the king has the right to keep his treasury confidential and secret, the people should also keep their individual earnings a secret. There is no fault in such dealings. The main point is that everyone should be trained in the system of varṇāśrama-dharma so that the money is spent only for good causes and nothing else.

SB 4.24.66, Purport:

These are some of the faults of modern civilization. Without taking to God consciousness and accepting the authority of the Lord, the living entities become ultimately confused and frustrated in their planmaking attempts. Due to their unauthorized plans for economic development, the price of commodities is rising daily all over the world, so much so that is has become difficult for the poorer classes, and they are suffering the consequences. And due to lack of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, people are being fooled by so-called leaders and planmakers. Consequently, the sufferings of the people are increasing. According to the laws of nature, which are backed by the Lord, nothing can be permanent within this material world; therefore everyone should be allowed to take shelter of the Absolute in order to be saved. In this regard, Lord Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā (5.29):

SB 4.26.17, Purport:

They take the wife only as an instrument for sense enjoyment, not as a means for devotional service. To have unrestricted sex life, the karmīs work very hard. They have concluded that the best course is to have sex with any woman and simply pay the price for her, as though she were a mercantile commodity. Thus they engage their energy in working very hard for such material acquisitions. Such materialistic people have lost their good intelligence. They must search out their intelligence within the heart. A person who does not have a chaste wife accepted by religious principles always has a bewildered intelligence.

The wife of King Purañjana was lying on the ground because she was neglected by her husband. Actually the woman must always be protected by her husband. We always speak of the goddess of fortune as being placed on the chest of Nārāyaṇa. In other words, the wife must remain embraced by her husband. Thus she becomes beloved and well protected.

SB Canto 5

SB 5.14.1, Translation:

When King Parīkṣit asked Śukadeva Gosvāmī about the direct meaning of the material forest, Śukadeva Gosvāmī replied as follows: My dear King, a man belonging to the mercantile community (vaṇik) is always interested in earning money. Sometimes he enters the forest to acquire some cheap commodities like wood and earth and sell them in the city at good prices. Similarly, the conditioned soul, being greedy, enters this material world for some material profit. Gradually he enters the deepest part of the forest, not really knowing how to get out. Having entered the material world, the pure soul becomes conditioned by the material atmosphere, which is created by the external energy under the control of Lord Viṣṇu. Thus the living entity comes under the control of the external energy, daivī māyā. Living independently and bewildered in the forest, he does not attain the association of devotees who are always engaged in the service of the Lord. Once in the bodily conception, he gets different types of bodies one after the other under the influence of material energy and impelled by the modes of material nature (sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa). In this way the conditioned soul goes sometimes to the heavenly planets, sometimes to the earthly planets and sometimes to the lower planets and lower species. Thus he suffers continuously due to different types of bodies. These sufferings and pains are sometimes mixed. Sometimes they are very severe, and sometimes they are not. These bodily conditions are acquired due to the conditioned soul's mental speculation. He uses his mind and five senses to acquire knowledge, and these bring about the different bodies and different conditions. Using the senses under the control of the external energy, māyā, the living entity suffers the miserable conditions of material existence. He is actually searching for relief, but he is generally baffled, although sometimes he is relieved after great difficulty. Struggling for existence in this way, he cannot get the shelter of pure devotees, who are like bumblebees engaged in loving service at the lotus feet of Lord Viṣṇu.

SB Canto 6

SB 6.16.6, Translation:

Just as gold and other commodities are continually transferred from one place to another in due course of purchase and sale, so the living entity, as a result of his fruitive activities, wanders throughout the entire universe, being injected into various bodies in different species of life by one kind of father after another.

SB 6.16.6, Purport:

By the laws of nature, the living entity is forced to enter the semen of a father and be injected into the womb of the mother. He is not in control of selecting what kind of father he will accept. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni: (BG 3.27) the laws of nature force him to go to different fathers and mothers, just like a consumer commodity that is purchased and sold. Therefore the so-called relationship of father and son is an arrangement of prakṛti, or nature. It has no meaning, and therefore it is called illusion.

The same living entity sometimes takes shelter of an animal father and mother and sometimes a human father and mother. Sometimes he accepts a father and mother among the birds, and sometimes he accepts a demigod father and mother. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore says:

SB 6.16.7, Purport:

The living entity is certainly eternal, but because he is covered by a temporary dress, the body, his eternity is not observed. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā: (BG 2.13) "The embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age." Thus the bodily dress is impermanent. The living entity, however, is permanent. As an animal is transferred from one owner to another, the living entity who was the son of Citraketu lived as his son for some time, but as soon as he was transferred to another body, the affectionate relationship was broken. As stated in the example given in the previous verse, when one has a commodity in his hands he considers it his, but as soon as it is transferred it becomes someone else's commodity. Then one no longer has a relationship with it; he has no affection for it, nor does he lament for it.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 3.159, Translation:

The supplies of Advaita Ācārya were inexhaustible and indestructible. As many goods and commodities as He used, just as many again appeared.

CC Madhya 15.70, Translation:

“Apart from other commodities, just hear about his offering of coconuts. A coconut is sold at the rate of five gaṇḍās each.

CC Madhya 17.145, Purport:

How could He teach the Māyāvādīs the importance of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra? The attraction for chanting the holy name of the Lord belongs absolutely to pure devotees, and there was no possibility of finding pure devotees at Kāśī. Consequently Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's commodity was certainly very heavy. The Lord therefore suggested that even though there were no pure devotees in Kāśī, if someone was a little inclined to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, He would deliver this big load, although the proper price was not paid.

Actually we experienced this when we came to preach the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement in the West. When we came to New York in 1965, we never expected that the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra would be accepted in this country. Nonetheless, we invited people to our storefront to join in chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and the Lord's holy name is so attractive that simply by coming to our storefront in New York, fortunate young people became Kṛṣṇa conscious.

CC Antya-lila

CC Antya 1.19, Purport:

Four pieces of kaḍi made one gaṇḍā, and twenty such gaṇḍās equaled one paṇa. This kaḍi was also used as a medium of exchange; therefore Śivānanda Sena paid for the dog with daśa paṇa, or eighty times ten pieces of kaḍi. In those days one paisa was also subdivided into small conchshells, but at the present moment the prices for commodities have gone so high that there is nothing one can get in exchange for only one paisa. With one paisa in those days, however, one could purchase sufficient vegetables to provide for a whole family. Even thirty years ago, vegetables were occasionally so inexpensive that one paisa's worth could provide for a whole family for a day.

Other Books by Srila Prabhupada

Renunciation Through Wisdom

Renunciation Through Wisdom 1.3:

Hence the demons can never help the person who laments, "In the dispensation of providence, man cannot have any rest."

The demon is always ruminating on how to increase their bank balance: "Today the stocks have gone up, and so also have my profits. Tomorrow, if these other commodities become dearer, my bank balance will further increase. And so my future looks bright and prosperous." The demon continues to think, but now on a slightly different subject: "One of my enemies has already been destroyed, and another one is soon to meet his end. This puts me in a more secure position. So now that I have become adept at eliminating my enemies, I am God Almighty. Why must one look in search of God? Hundreds of 'Gods' are floating right before your eyes." Such thoughts and actions make the demons more and more atheistic, and thus they refuse to hear the transcendental message of God. They proudly declare, "Who is God? Why, I am God! When I can illegally manipulate funds and become so wealthy that I can enjoy everything in this world, then I am indeed Almighty God.

Renunciation Through Wisdom 2.1:

Trying to give them Kṛṣṇa consciousness is, as the well-known expression goes, like "casting pearls before a herd of swine." The human beings afflicted by Kali-yuga are like a herd of swine. The Lord has shown them boundless mercy by widely teaching the science of devotional service to Kṛṣṇa, which is rarely attained even by Lord Brahmā. Yet because it has been so easy for them to come by this precious and rare commodity, they have abused the mercy shown them. This is another manifestation of their misfortune. By teaching them the science of self-realization, Lord Kṛṣṇa has twice personally tried to save the people of this age from groveling in carnal pleasures, and both times they have converted those divine instructions into a means and an excuse for pursuing sense gratification.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.15 -- Hyderabad, November 21, 1972:

"This thing is very good, this thing is very bad," it is simply mental concoction. Everything here is bad. Nothing good. So this is our mental creation only. "This is good, this is bad." We are doing that. Just like in political field. "This party is nice. This party's bad." But any party goes in the power, your condition is the same. The commodities price are increasing. It has no decreasing, either you change this party or that party. So these are all concoctions. If you want really happy, happiness, if you want real goodness, then you try to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. That will make you real happy. Otherwise, if you are simply disturbed by this material condition, that is not a very good position.

Lecture on BG 4.24-34 -- New York, August 12, 1966:

That is also recommended in Kaṭhopaniṣad.

In Bhāgavata also, it is said, tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam: (SB 11.3.21) "One who is hankering after the highest type of question..." We have got so many questions. We can question the whole day and night "What is the rate of this commodity? What is happening in the political field? What is going on in China?" These questions are not... Not these question. Śreya uttamam. One who has become inquisitive in the uttamam. Uttamam means udgata-tama, not any question of pertaining to the material world. One who is eager to question about the Absolute Truth or the spiritual world, he requires a spiritual master. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta (SB 11.3.21). The first injunction is that tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta: "You must submit to a spiritual master."

Who? Who is recommended to find out a spiritual master? Tasmād gurum...jijñāsuḥ. Jijñāsuḥ means who is inquisitive. What kind of inquisitive? Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam: "What is the ultimate goal of my life?"

Lecture on BG 8.12-13 -- New York, November 15, 1966:

So this is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Ananya-cetāḥ satataṁ yo māṁ smarati. Smarati means remember. Nityaśaḥ, continually. Tasyāhaṁ sulabhaḥ pārtha. "Oh, I am very cheap for them." Kṛṣṇa becomes very cheap commodity. The highest valuable thing becomes very cheap for him who takes this process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Tasyāhaṁ sulabhaḥ pārtha nitya-yuktasya yoginaḥ: (BG 8.14) "Because he's continually engaged in such process of yoga, bhakti-yoga, oh, I am very cheap. I am easily available. I am easily available." Now, Kṛṣṇa declares Himself that He becomes easily available by this process. Why should I try for any, I mean to say, very hard job? Why shall I take to that? We chant Kṛṣṇa: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, and twenty-four hours you can chant. There is no rules and regulation. Either in the street or in the subway, or at your home, or in your office, oh, there is no tax, no expenses. Why don't you do it?

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

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

There are so many political leaders who are commenting on Kṛṣṇa's book without knowing Kṛṣṇa, without any knowledge of Kṛṣṇa. Just see their impudency. Without knowing Kṛṣṇa, they want to make trade with Kṛṣṇa. That is not very good. You cannot make trade commodity, Kṛṣṇa as trade commodity. You cannot handle Kṛṣṇa by your whims. Let you be handled by the Kṛṣṇa's whims. Then you'll be successful. Then... My Guru Mahārāja used to say that "Don't try to see Kṛṣṇa; do something so that Kṛṣṇa may see you." That is wanted. If Kṛṣṇa, if you can draw little attention of Kṛṣṇa, yat kāruṇya-katākṣa-vaibhavavatām, katākṣa-vaibhavavatām... Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī says... If you somehow or other you can draw little attention of Kṛṣṇa, your life is successful. Immediately. And how you can draw? Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Simply by serving Kṛṣṇa. Take service, take to service of Kṛṣṇa, as it is ordered by the spiritual master. Because spiritual master is the representative of Kṛṣṇa. We cannot approach Kṛṣṇa directly. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **.

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

And wherefrom the taxation will come? The taxation will come from your pocket and my pocket. They will charge income tax, and the storekeepers will increase the value of commodity. So you have to pay. So you are, we are complaining, "Oh, the things are going high price." But why? Because the demons are levying taxes. The... It is not the scarcity of goods. There is sufficient commodity, sufficient. But they have made a economic plan. Just like in your country, the government said that "You don't produce more." Why? If one can produce... Kṛṣṇa has given food. You have to simply little work and produce your food. But in order to keep the balance of price, they say, "Don't produce." Why not produce? So many people are, they are... If actually we produce foodstuff in the ordinary way, then we can produce foodstuff so much that ten times of the whole population of the world can be fed. Ten times. There is no question of scarcity or poverty.

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

"Keep the people in scarcity, and they will, they'll voluntarily come and become soldiers." That was the policy. "You have no money. So..., and the another venue is opened. Yes, you become a soldier. You get so much money." People, out of poverty, would go there. That was the policy. So this policy was executed that government began to purchase rice and, I mean to say, commodities which are daily necessities. And... Any price, any price they can offer. Because the currency in their hand. They can print the so-called papers, hundred dollars, and pay you. And you becomes satisfied: "Oh, I have got hundred dollars." But it is a piece of paper. The cheating is from the government. Why the people will not learn how to cheat?

So this is going on. This is called demonic. Demon means for their own sense satisfaction, they are prepared to do anything wrong. Just like this Kaṁsa.

Lecture on SB 1.7.38-39 -- Vrndavana, September 30, 1976:

"Who requires a guru?" If you are actually serious about understanding the spiritual subject matter, brahma-jijñāsā... Not this market value. If you are interested about brahma-jijñāsā... Just like the merchant association, they inquire, "What is the value of this share? What is the value of this commodity? What is the val...?" No. Not that kind of inquiries. But śreya-uttamam. Jijñāsuḥ śreya-uttamam. There are two kinds of objective: śreya and preya. Preya means immediately sense gratification. Just like a child. Child wants to play because it gives him immediately some sense gratification, satisfaction. He does not like to go to a school or to study or to take lesson. He does not like. That is actually preya (śreya). Preya... That is śreya, future benefit. So the parents, the guardians, engage him for future benefit. "You must take education. Otherwise, in future you'll suffer without education." So this is called śreya.

Lecture on SB 1.8.18 -- Mayapura, September 28, 1974:

The more they are forgetting God, they are put in, they are put into more and more miserable condition. Practically we see, with the advancement Kali-yuga, people are forgetting his relationship with Kṛṣṇa, and the price of commodity and the food grains, the price is increasing. They cannot eat sufficiently. So many people are dying of starvation. If they cannot eat, how they will live?

Therefore Kṛṣṇa gives His instruction. He's the supreme ruler. He gives this order: annād bhavanti bhūtāni: (BG 3.14) "You require food grains." This is practical. Who will disagree with Kṛṣṇa, that "We don't require food grains; we require bolts and nuts in the factory"? Who will say? This is practical. So they do not... Just like we see here that, that they do not grow food grains. They are growing jute because they will get some money, more money. But the rascal does not know that "I will get more money, and it will be taken away next by the food grain seller."

Lecture on SB 1.10.2 -- Mayapura, June 17, 1973:

"Where we have to go now to find out our food? Where we shall eat today? Where we shall go?" That is their questions and answers. Similarly, we also, human beings, we go to the share market, "What is the value? What is the price of this commodity? What is the price of that commodity? " For eating purpose. Not these questions. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. The human life should be engaged in inquiring about Brahman. "What is the Absolute Truth? What is my position in relationship with the Absolute Truth? What is my duty towards the Absolute Truth? What is my ultimate aim of life?" These questions must be discussed. Perhaps these questions are being discussed by the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and no other movement. They do not know. The Māyāvādīs, they deny the existence of God. They become themselves God.

So the fact is that we have to see that īśvara, the Supreme Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is prīta-manā. That is gopīs'... The gopīs' life is like that.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- Paris, June 9, 1974:

Now Śukadeva Gosvāmī mentions, says, śrotavyādīni rājendra: (SB 2.1.2) "My dear King," śrotavyādīni, "the subject matter for hearing," nṛṇāṁ santi sahasraśaḥ, "of ordinary, common men, there are many thousands of questions and answers." That is life. Any businessman, as soon as he'll go to the association of business, there the only, the hearing, "What is the rate of this commodity?" And another man says, "This is the price." "So, if it is favorable, purchase." So this is going on. But this is not that kind of question and answer, what is the price of this commodity and that commodity. No. Therefore it is said, śrotavyādīni rājendra (SB 2.1.2). Neither it is radio message or football club or so many things. No. It is meant for the common class of men. Śrotavyādīni rājendra nṛṇām (SB 2.1.2). Nṛṇām means common people. Śrotavyādīni rājendra nṛṇāṁ santi sahasraśaḥ (SB 2.1.2). That kind of questions and answers are many, many thousands. Why they have got so many thousands, and you have got only one question, one answer about Kṛṣṇa?

Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Vrndavana, October 25, 1976:

Their money was thrown in the street. Nobody cared to take it, because it has no exchange. So long the paper money you can exchange, there is value. Otherwise it is paper only. But if you have got actual commodity—grains and cows—then you can eat in any circumstances. Never mind war is going on; you don't care. You get sufficient food. What you will do with the paper money? So this paper currency is useless. If the things are going on nicely it has value, but in times of crisis it has no value.

So here it is description is given that we are recommended to make association with mahat-sevā just to get liberation. Mahat-sevā. And who is mahātmā? That is being described. In the first... Mahāntas te. They are mahātmā. What is the symptom? In the śāstra we'll find not by one symptom, that one has got saffron cloth or big beard, then he is mahātmā. No. There are other symptoms. Just like brāhmaṇa.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- San Francisco, March 6, 1967:

There is a very nice story. I have several times perhaps recited that one morning... In the western countries also fair takes place, some in county, some village place. So in India there are weekly bazaar which is called haṭṭa. So at that time the salesmen with their goods, commodities, they assemble and many purchase are..., just like in market place. So there was a market, weekly market, and thousands of people assembled there. So one old lady of that village, she began to cry. Then her elderly son inquired, "Mother, why you are crying?" "No, where shall I accommodate all these people to lie down in the, at night? There are so many people in this village, and how I shall accommodate?" The son began to laugh. "My dear mother, you don't bother. It will be all arranged." "No, my dear son, I am very much perplexed." So she began to cry. So in the evening the son called the mother, "Mother, now you see in the marketplace." She saw, "Oh, where are all those people gone? Huh?" So there is arrangement. All those thousands of people assembled in the market, they have got their sleeping place.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

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

They are cheating and taking money and having illicit sex, and enjoying and coming back. Therefore they could not do anything. But the whole world is waiting for India's culture, India's bhakti, India's spiritual knowledge. Just see the example. Why they have left their fathers' property, their opulence of country, and they are after me? I am a poor man. Only this reason, that they're hankering. And we have got the commodity to deliver to them. This business should be done from India's part. If we want to imitate them, then we create another havoc. That we are doing so. Now we have made secular state, killing state. One cow was attempted to be killed. Mahārāja Parīkṣit immediately took his sword: "Who are you? You are killing cow in my kingdom?" And they are ten thousand or forty thousand cows are being killed, and you want to become happy by plan-making? Simply rascaldom. India, you cannot do it. India's business is different. That you have forgotten. We are simply trying. That there is Bengali, nice song: apana dhana vilaye viye viksa mage pare tache (?).

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.151-154 -- Gorakhpur, February 14, 1971:

That you have to understand. Pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya. Here in this material world we have got experience that if I have got one rupee in my pocket and if that one rupee is taken from my pocket or it is expended, there is no more one rupee. It is spent. It is zero now. Or that one rupee has been distributed in purchasing several commodities. So the one rupee is distributed. There is no more separate existence of that one rupee. This is material idea. But according to Vedic scripture, pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate (Īśo Invocation). If you take one rupee from that one rupee, still that one rupee is there. That you cannot adjust in your teeny brain. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, acintya. It is not accommodated in our teeny brain. Therefore those who are teeny brain, or poor fund of knowledge, they think that when the Absolute Truth is distributed, sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma, then where is the person? But that is not the conception. The conception is He is unlimitedly powerful, ṣaḍ-aiśvarya pūrṇa, with all power. He can create so many personalities Himself.

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

All the Vṛndāvana inhabitants, they took... Even their household quarrels, they used to represent, "Swamijī, this is our position. Please settle up." So whatever decision he would give to the villagers, they will accept. Their court was Swamijī, Rūpa Gosvāmī. So he was so lovable. So one day Rūpa Gosvāmī was thinking that "If I could get some, I mean to say, commodities for cooking, then I would have invited Sanātana Gosvāmī to take some prasādam." He thought like that. And, and after, say, one hour, one young girl came with sufficient quantity of rice, flour, ghee, and vegetables, so many things: "Bābājī..." They were called... They call in the India, especially in Vṛndāvana quarters, they call all these transcendentalist swamis "Bābājī." "Bābājī, please accept these commodities. There is some ceremony at our house. So My mother has sent you all these things." "Oh, very good." He was thinking that "If I could get some commodity and I could prepare something and invite Sanātana Gosvāmī." So the things were there. So Rūpa Gosvāmī inquired, "Where do You live? Oh, You are very nice girl. Where do You live?" "Oh, I live in this village.

General Lectures

Lecture -- Los Angeles, May 18, 1972:

All of them are selling nicely. Our Bhagavad-gītā, Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, the latest report is from the trades manager of Macmillan Company, who are our publisher. The report is that our Bhagavad-gītā As It Is is increasing in sale, others are decreasing. The reason is that we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is, without any adulteration. Anything, market, if the commodity is pure... Gold, if it is pure, it has more customers. Milk, if it is pure, it has got more customers. So that we are finding. Because we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is, we are finding more customers. So, this is the fame. And, yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ. Śriyaḥ, beauty. Kṛṣṇa is Himself very beautiful, and all His associates are very beautiful. That is also opulence.

Janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrī (SB 1.8.26). In this material world, those who are pious—that means whose past background is pious life—they get these opportunities, birth in good family, in good nation. Therefore I say so many times that you American people, your birth in a rich nation, your beauty, these are the result of your past pious activities. Attractive. These are attractiveness. You are attractive, the American nation.

Lecture -- London, August 26, 1973:

Prabhupāda: That is not very difficult. Suppose you are eating. You can eat what you can digest. That you know yourself how much you can eat. But if after eating you take bunch of food for stocking at home, that is not allowed. You eat as much as you like. So your needs you can know. You haven't got to take instruction what is your need.

Guest: That is one aspect, but food is only one commodity. The world is very worried about far more than one commodity at the moment. What about all these needs of materials, of raw materials...? These are far more important than food.

Devotee: He says that food is only one need of the living being, but there are many other needs in today's society.

Prabhupāda: No. You have got only four needs. You want food, you want shelter, you want sense gratification, and you want defense. That's all. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithun. These needs are there even in the animals. They also eat, they also sleep, they have also sex life, and they also defend in their own way. So you need these four things.

Subha Vilasa Home Engagement -- Toronto, June 19, 1976:

So this is the condition of the material world. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Prabhupāda has stated that this is no place for a gentleman. In the material world everyone is, just as we are observing... I was visiting the Kṛṣṇa consciousness farm in British Columbia, and on the road we were passing large herds of beef cows. We were discussing that the farmer thinks of these cows not as spirit souls but as commodities. He simply puts them in a field to eat, and when they get big enough, kills them and takes the money for his enjoyment. He doesn't see that these are living entities, spirit souls. So this activity of the human beings, killing the cows, helpless cows by the thousands daily, is causing the..., or is an indication that there is no merciful quality in the human beings. They are simply interested in their own aggrandizement and welfare. If they don't surrender to Kṛṣṇa, that is the only alternative.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa comes and canvasses, and He tells the conditioned souls, "You must surrender to Me." And if one chooses not to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, that means that he himself wants to become Kṛṣṇa—without any qualification.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Immanuel Kant:

Śyāmasundara: He says everything else has an exchange value or a price, but man alone possesses self-direction or dignity, and this is priceless, and so we should never stoop to sell ourselves. If we sell ourselves like a commodity, then we lose our dignity.

Prabhupāda: That dignity is his inherent quality of obedience to the Supreme. That we should not sacrifice. Here, modern civilization is that he knows that he is not independent, he is subordinate to God's will. Still, artificially, to defy God he is manufacturing so many philosophies, hypocrisy.

Śyāmasundara: He sees that men sell themselves like commodities. In order to get something, they sell themselves.

Prabhupāda: Yes. To get some popularity, to get some money, to get some adoration, he sacrifices.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with David Wynne, Sculptor -- July 9, 1973, London:

Śyāmasundara: Officially, no, they will not allow.

Prabhupāda: And these currency notes, the price, commodity, has gone so high due to this rascal currency. Because your enemy country, they print counterfeit and they overflood in the market. So how you can check it? You cannot check. I know, during wartime, a Chinese man was coming in Calcutta, and he had a purchasing agent who was my friend. So he would come, and he would give a list of goods, especially rare medicines, and he'll deposit with him bunch of notes, "You spend, purchase, and whatever..." That means all those notes were counterfeit.

Room Conversation -- September 19, 1973, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: This is the position of everyone. Everyone is in the bodily concept of life. Therefore the first instruction of the Bhagavad-gītā is dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). The asmin dehe, in this body, there is the soul. He is the proprietor. So this life should be, education means one should be advanced in education to inquire about himself, that is brahma-jijñāsā. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. And as soon as there is question of jijñāsā, then there must be somebody else from whom to inquire. Therefore śāstra says that when you are jijñāsu, when you are inquisitive... Inquisitive of what? Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. Śreyas. Here we are also jijñāsu, we are going to the market; "What is the rate of this share? What is the rate of this commodity? What is the rate of rice? What is...?" We are also jijñāsu. But śāstra says jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam: "One must be inquiring about the highest perfection of life." That is human life. Śreya uttamam. Śreyas means... śreyas and preyas. Goodness, welfare, good. A small child does not know what is his śreyas.
Morning Walk -- December 31, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Ah. So you simply show the card, you get the goods. So to exchange, it has become very cheap. So cheaply you can purchase. Therefore cheaply you can purchase sinful things also. The people are becoming sinful. The modern economy is, "Engage people in hard working to produce, and by artificial cheating, secure the goods, commodities." This is modern economy. So a worker is getting three thousand dollar per month, but he is getting paper. But he is thinking that "I am getting money." He is giving his labor, and things are being produced. This is the policy. "Cheat him. Without giving money, give him paper, and get his labor, and produce goods." This is modern economy. Is it not? A laborer, a worker, is given high salary, high wages. So what he is getting? It is paper. And he is very enthusiastic to give his labor. So production is more. And when you go to purchase the products, then you have to pay again. Whatever you have earned, you have to pay everything, pay to the bank or pay to the man. Simply cheating process is going on. There is no solution.

Morning Walk -- December 31, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Then you get actual price and actual value. Goods are there, any part of the world you..., there is enough commodity. But these rascals, they are hoarding, and they are not giving in right time. So people are suffering.

Karandhara: Yes. There's a... They buy now. They buy the goods before they are even grown, from the commodity market.

Prabhupāda: Yes, because they can pay in this paper, the bank will advance. So as soon as you... You have to introduce this metal coins, value. The whole cheating scheme will fail.

Jagajjīvana: In the past there was a lot of gold on the planet. What has happened to it? There used to be a lot of gold on the planet?

Prabhupāda: Yes. They used as utensil, as household pots. Just like now you are advanced, using plastic, because you have become very advanced. So you are using plastic. They were using gold.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- April 22, 1976, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: Yes. It must grow. If it is good, there must be customer. And if it is bad—it is cheating—there may be some customer for some time, then it will be finished. That is the test of reality and false thing. You can cheat persons with false things for some time, but if your commodity is right, the customer will increase. That's a fact. The more people will appreciate, "Oh, here is nice commodity. Purchase it..."

Brian Singer: Do many people follow Kṛṣṇa consciousness by reading books in this method?

Prabhupāda: No, not only reading books. By practicing, by understanding. Then it comes right.

Brian Singer: But what proportion of those people, of all the people...

Prabhupāda: You.... You cannot expect any good thing to be taken up by mass of people. That is not possible. In university, when matriculation candidates, there are so many. Then B.A. candidates, so many. And when you come to the M.A., Ph.D., a very few number.

Garden Conversation -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa will give all facilities if we are sincerely serving Kṛṣṇa. The government gives all facilities to the government servant. The government gives all facilities to the soldiers. When there is fight, there is scarcity of commodities in the civil life, but there is no scarcity among the soldiers. The first consideration, soldiers. Similarly, those devotees who are fighting against māyā, their facility is first concern. They're fighting, trying to save the people from the onslaught of material energy. That will be explained. What is next verse?

Nalinīkaṇṭha: Tat prayāso na kartavyo yata āyur-vyayaḥ param, na tathā.

Prabhupāda: What is previous verse before that?

Nalinīkaṇṭha: Sukham aindriyakaṁ daityāḥ.

Prabhupāda: We have discussed this.

Garden Conversation -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: In 1942 I have seen when war was going on, so, these Britishers wanted soldiers, so they created artificial famine. The people became in need of money, so they enrolled them as soldiers. I have seen it. There was no other way to get money to get commodities at higher price. Artificial famine. There was no food grains available, but black market it is available. Black market means more price, but they had no money. So to get this money, they enrolled as soldiers. This was Mr. Churchill's policy.

Rādhāvallabha: That's going on now in America. Previously they had to force men to join the Army because they had such a shortage. Now, because there are so few jobs, it is harder to get into the Army. Even volunteers, there are so many volunteers just to get a job that they have too many practically.

Prabhupāda: Even in Army there is no service? They don't want?

Rādhāvallabha: Now they want because they can't get a job.

Magazine Interview -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: There are two things. One is your body and the other, the living force which is moving your body. There is no question of decision; it is already decided. There are two things. But our point is that two things are there, the material body and the moving force. So what we are speaking, we are speaking of the living force, moving force, and people in general, they're interested with this body. Therefore our subject matter is little difficult for such common man. We are speaking simply on the subject matter of that living force, what is that living force. Our beginning is from that point, that body is different from the living force. And general people, they do not understand. Although they feel that there is living force something, they say it is chemical combination and so on, so on. But that is not the fact. It is a different commodity, material, or it is not material, spiritual identity which is different from this combination of matter, this body. So it requires little training to understand. Although it is very simple fact, but their brain is very dull, material. They see daily, but still, they propose so many things which is impractical. Just like you said that it is chemical composition and they're trying to do it in future.

Room Conversation -- June 17, 1976, Toronto:

Prabhupāda: That's it. Bank will give you loan, they are eager to give you loan, and you haven't got to pay anything in gold and silver. One check, that's all. And with that check you can purchase lots of commodities and hoard it, and price will be increased. If I have to pay gold for (indistinct), then I have limited source. The price will not increase. This is the only way. Introduce gold only, gold and silver. In the British period in our childhood there was practically no notes. Silver. If I have to take payment from you, one thousand rupees, you will give me so much silver. For counting, counting, I have to see whether it is.... There were some imitation, counterfeit. So each coin you have to see, they were saying like that, that, "For thousand rupees I have to occupy so much space."

Conversation in Airport and Car -- June 21, 1976, Toronto:

Prabhupāda: Yes. They purchase from here and there all rejected wheat, and they supply it. There is no ghee, no milk, no proper food grain. Everything black market. Any necessary commodity you cannot have in the open market; you have to purchase in black market. Just like for the building purpose, cement. In your country you can purchase any amount of it. You cannot purchase. You have to purchase black market, and that cement also mixed with some... What is that? And unless you give some bribe, it is not possible. (break)

Viśvakarmā: ...for the balcony in the church in the other room? How can we... (announcement being made)

Prabhupāda: ...fit for sitting. That is very nice. And next time when I come the seat should be just Deity altar, so that all balcony can see.

Garden Conversation -- September 6, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Bhakti itself is rare. Bhakti is not cheap. Don't think it is cheap commodity. There is a verse, I now forget. Kṛṣṇa can give you liberation, but He hesitates to give bhakti.

Harikeśa: Muktiṁ dadāti karhicit sma na bhakti-yogam.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Mukti, He is prepared, "All right, take mukti." But when there is bhakti, He has to consider twice. Bhakti means he becomes in the grip of bhakta. Vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau (Bs. 5.33).

Caraṇāravindam: Are we doing bhakti, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: That is viddhi-bhakti. And this is rāga-bhakti, spontaneous. Through viddhi-bhakti you have to come to the stage of rāga-bhakti. Without viddhi-bhakti, you'll not... Because you are conditioned. Those who are liberated, they immediately get rāga-bhakti. Not by imitation. That is another thing. Nitya-siddha. (Japa:) Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare Hare Rāma... So I have got all encouragement. Go and preach. Don't be afraid. Simply present, yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). Whatever you have learned from Kṛṣṇa, from your guru, just vomit it, that's all. There is no need of becoming very expert.

Room Conversation on Farm Management -- December 10, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Water required. Fill up with water and distribute water and produce. Huge quantity. Whatever can be produced. Sugar cane, rice, these are very valuable commodity at the present moment. Produce. And sugar cane means the upper portion will be the food for the cow.

Mahāṁśa: Even rice.

Prabhupāda: Even... Oh, yes. Very, very practic... We want some (indistinct) food. Annād bhavanti bhūtāni (BG 3.14). Bhūtāni means both animal and men. Animals should be well fed. Not only human being, but animal also. Otherwise, how he'll work? Don't use tractor, use this bulls. Otherwise there will be a problem, how to engage the bulls.

Devotee: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Engage them for transport, for plowing.

Morning Walk -- December 30, 1976, Bombay:

He will not usurp the money. People believe, just like bank, everywhere, crores of rupees they are collecting daily because people know, "As soon as I shall want the money, it will be paid." So bāniyās were very honest. By others money, they would prosper, and the money is ready. Because they were doing with commodities, even he has no cash money he can immediately sell something and pay. That was the credit. That was the credit. Then people believed them. The village bankers were these grocers, especially the gold merchants. Therefore the gold merchants were bankers and dealers in gold. Suvarṇa-vaṇik. They had position. They have got stock of ornaments, gold ornaments, silver utensils. So you can believe in him, that by putting in his custody one hundred, one thousand rupees he can deliver. At any moment. The bankers. And Rūpa Gosvāmī did it practically. Some money for emergency, some money... Relatives they also expect. That is allowed. So they should be given something. Not that cent percent. At least 25% to the relatives and 25% for personal. And 50% for Kṛṣṇa. This is the system. So this is called dānam.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- March 31, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Recruit two others and make it at least five, and travel all over the world. All institutions, all universities, all scientists. If you have got commodity, deliver. It is not a bluff, gold manufacturing. It is not that. Actual fact. That day, your presentation was very nice. Any scientist will be convinced by such presentation, learned speeches. So now at least five men, and estimate what will be the expenditure. I shall arrange. Don't worry.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: I will submit that at the time of opening our this temple, and we will make...

Prabhupāda: For expenditure there is no worry. What will be the rough expenditure?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: It will depend on what part of the world we are traveling.

Correspondence

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Letter to Sumati Morarjee -- New York 10 November, 1965:

The ground floor may be utilized for preparation Prasadam of Bala Krishna because the preaching centres will not be for dry speculations only but for actual gain for delicious Prasadam. I have already tested how the people here like the Vegetable Prasadam prepared by me. They will forget meat eating and they will pay for the expenses. The American are not poor men like the Indian and if they appreciate a thing they are prepared to spend any amount for such hobby. They are being exploited by simply jugglery of words and bodily gymnastics and still they are spending for that. But when they will have the actual commodity and feel pleasure by eating very delicious Prasadam of Bala Krishna I am sure an unique thing will be introduced in America. As soon as everything is arranged, I shall bring my assistants from India to help me in all details. The price of the house is $110,000 subject to alteration and other expenses $5,144.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Rayarama -- Seattle 17 October, 1968:

Nor the scientists can manufacture. Similarly everything, all commodities, all things, all properties, they are made by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This understanding must be there. Next point, one can enjoy such properties but with this understanding, that they belong to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Just like one is situated in the public park in a very nice garden, public park, but one should always remember that the public park does not belong to him, personally. But it is the property of the government or the state. Next point, therefore, the properties made by the Supreme Personality of Godhead can be utilized by all living entities. Every living entities, not only the human beings, but also the animals, they have got right to live on the property of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Rupanuga -- Los Angeles 29 March, 1970:

Regarding moving with Sankirtana Party, as Kirtanananda Maharaja is doing now, it will be another impetus for pushing forward our mission. Please do this business very nicely. Caitanya Mahaprabhu also did like that and He presented Himself as a merchant in Krsna Consciousness selling the transcendental commodity in exchange of eagerness of the people. If people simply become faithful to the understanding of Krsna Consciousness, that will be the price for our transcendental commodity, Hare Krsna Mantra.

As you are having many engagements, it is very much encouraging. The clippings which you have sent are very nice. You are going to about a dozen colleges in different places and that is very much encouraging also.

Page Title:Commodity
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:17 of Aug, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=1, SB=17, CC=4, OB=2, Lec=19, Con=14, Let=3
No. of Quotes:60